4 free habits that will improve your well being today

1.  Go for a jog or long walk.

On May 1st I started adding a simple HIT workout to my daily routine.  HIT stands for High Intensity Training but don't let that scare you.  From the first day I tried it, I've been hooked.  You start by walking 2 or 3 minutes and then run as fast as you can for 20 seconds.  Then repeat that 2 additional times.  The total workout is only 8-10 minutes long but the results are pretty amazing.  The reason I keep at it is because no matter how much I'm dragging, after this simple and free workout I have so much energy.  It wakes me up and revitalizes me.  It really does.  HERE are some other examples of free HIT workouts to investigate.

2.  Breathe deeply.

Omgosh how often do I forget to breathe deeply?!  A lot.  It will mostly be during social situations that make me nervous or on edge.  I'll find I am making the problem worse by not slowing down and taking deep breaths. Deep, calming breathes are as effective as tranquilizers and so much healthier for us.  HERE is a list of additional benefits of deep breathing.

3.  Get some sun.

What?  As an esthetician it may seem odd that I'm recommending spending any time in the direct sun but research shows that getting enough Vitamin D every day is vital to good health.  I'm so fair that I have to be very careful not to burn and I keep my face out of the direct sun with a hat because of previous skin cancers. But I will say that our afternoon swim in full sunshine has done wonders for my mood and overall feeling of wellness.

4.  Get good sleep.

The effects of poor sleep and/or not enough deep sleep have been well documented but did you know that the symptoms of poor sleep can mimic depression and anxiety and actually increase your appetite? You can read more about that HERE.   Sleep is so sacred to me.  I have a definite nightly routine that I follow to get the deepest sleep.  Bath, read in bed (from a book) and lights out early, by 9pm.  Early to bed, early to rise turns out to be really really good advice.

There are lots more little things like this, such as eating more fresh vegetables, fruit, beans and lentils that all do wonders for our health.  When I was young I could cut corners and get away with it but now that I'm staring down 60 these little things add up and are helping me feel good each day.

What little tricks would you like to share?

PS - Thank you all so much for all the amazing gardening advice you left.  I have a lot of decisions to make and am so grateful for all you've shared.  I love our little community here.  Don't you?!  xo

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how to stop your lipstick from bleeding

Ugh, the dreaded lipstick bleed and what to do about it. Aging can be so fun.  Elizabeth aka The Vintage Contessa brought up the subject the other day on her blog and so I thought I'd address it here too. Is there nothing worse than putting on some pretty lippy and then an hour later you take a glance in the mirror and that pretty color is now migrating up and out to every line around your lips? The darker the color and deeper the lines the worse the situation can be. You can wipe the color away but the color still lingers.  So what to do? Luckily I work with 3 professional makeup artists and they all shared their #1 tip with me!

Step 1.  Start with a clean face and lips.  Apply a lip conditioner such as Sothys Universal Smoothing Lip Filler.  At $18, this product is amazing guys.  We have several of these types of product for sale in the store but this one is THE best.  It is formulated with silicones and texturing agents that smooth and fill the lips.  It's transparent so you apply the pencil to your lips and also apply it beyond the lip creating a barrier that stops the bleed. .

Step 2.  Apply your favorite lip color.  Here we are using Sothys Lip Rouge 241.  

Step 3.  Blot the color with your fingers or a tissue.

The blotting creates more of a stain look which I think is perfect for daytime.

Without blotting leaves a classic lipstick look which I really love too.  So what do you think?  Do you have any tricks up your sleeve?  Do share because we are all in this together.  x

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daily beauty

What beauty products do you use daily?  What do you swear by?  I use the same 4 products every single day, rain or shine.  Do share because we can all use a little more beauty in our lives.

1. Physicians Formula Super BB cream

I rarely stray from Aveda but this BB cream is so good.  It's such a great combination of sunscreen and beauty balm. I've worn it every single day while up here hiking for hours at a time and I've never gotten even the slightest bit red. It covers but still lets your natural glow come through, I have a thing against the look of caked on foundation and so should you.  A little goes a long way so this $9 tube lasts and lasts.  It has a skin deep rating of 2 which is nice.  I hope they never stop making it.

2.  Aveda Nourishment Lipstick

I adore this lipstick.  It smooths and plumps your lips at the same time.  I have wrinkles around my upper lip and this lipstick plumps just enough to soften them, plus super creamy.  I put a swipe on my lower lip and press together to create a light stain effect.

3.  Petal Essence Eye Definer

I have super sensitive skin around my eyes.  This eye pencil goes on so smooth and blends with no pull at all.  I love the shade of Cacao and find it works perfectly with brown, blue or green eyes. It's a fantastic brow definer too.

4.  Aveda Mosscara

Again, super sensitive around the eye area and this mascara does not irritate at all.  It thickens and lengthens like magic.

In other exciting news, my FIL's health has improved quite a bit and we are making plans to return home.  Last week was hard because he had another bout of shingles but he rallied like the tough SOB he is and things are looking up!

Have a beautiful weekend. x

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tender loving facial

I would have never guessed that one of the things I miss the most about being away from home is my job.  I miss my clients, the actual work and of course...the money.:)  But really I miss pampering people.  I love transforming their day from stressed to serene.  I see their shoulders relax the minute they walk in. Laying down and listening to the music and being surrounded by beautiful soft scents does it for them.  I miss getting my facials too so now it's up to me to deliver that same tender loving care to myself.

The climate up here is so dry it makes Southern California seem downright humid.  The altitude combined with the dry air here produces legendary snow, beautiful summers and super dry skin. I still use my favorite moisturizer, olive oil, which you can read about here and here but hiking for hours everyday in the sun is taking a toll so I've had to call in the big guns, otherwise known as my favorite Aveda products.  If you don't mind I will share what I use and how I use them.  This is not a sponsored post but I have been an Aveda esthetician for ten years and I honestly love them.

So after our hike I gave myself a tender, loving facial. Larry had to come into the room to check on me because my skin felt so good I was purring like a cat.  I'm not kidding.

yikes

After a cool shower and a tender cleansing with Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser (my favorite) or Cetaphil Ultra Hydrating Cleanser or anything similar, I left my skin damp and applied a pretty thick application of Aveda Tourmaline Charged Radiance Mask.  Now some of you may be asking why no exfoliant? Don't worry because this mask has a built in chemical exfoliant and because my skin has been parched the last thing I'd do to it is scrub it with a mechanical exfoliant. So apply the mask liberally and lovingly and don't forget to apply it over your eyebrows because this area notoriously hides dry, flaky skin.  I would normally apply it to my lips but Larry wouldn't stop talking to me and I didn't want to be rude.  Apply it right up under you eyes and don't forget your neck either. And whatever you do, please don't rinse your hands off yet...

Apply any excess to the back of your hands.

After laying down for about 20 minutes while the mask does its work, rinse off with water and spritz your face with a soothing toner (my absolute favorite) and then apply a good moisturizer, I swear by Aveda Green Science Moisturizer and Green Science Firming Eye Cream but use whatever suits your skin type and works best for you.  Now go lay back down...all day if possible  x

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eating for health and beauty

iphone photo taken by alex and run through the photo shop aquatic app 

I'm wondering if my fresh new diet will have any impact on my skin. Plagued with skin cancers and pre-cancers I'll take all the help I can get.  Once I saw the tremendous results that Melinda was getting by eliminating all the processed foods from her diet, I began to think about the skin cancers that I have had in the past and the overall condition of my skin.  I already believe that what we eat affects our skin so I take this very seriously and this may be what my skin needs.  It is too soon to tell if it has helped any but I can't help but think that it will.  I mean all the nutrients I'm now getting throughout the day, minus the empty foods should help right?  Gosh I hope so.

So along with a diet that is finally getting cleaned up, I'm still using extra virgin olive oil as my moisturizer. Still washing my face with Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser.   I use Sephora's Eye Contour Pencil in chocolate to line my lower lids to fill in where I lost my lashes from the surgery they did to remove the cancer.  I love this pencil because it is super soft and stays put.  In addition to wearing a hat when I'm outside, I have taken to wearing a daytime BB cream that has a good spf.  I've chosen Physicians Formula BB Cream based on its Skin Deep excellent rating. I apply it with a little olive oil in the morning and it makes for a nice, dewy foundation. I finish off with Aveda's Nourishmint Lipstick in Poppy.  I only wear blush and mascara when I'm going out, not so much when I'm hanging around the house.

As an esthetician I get locked into the products that I use day in and day out.  I often wonder if there are great products I'm missing out on.  I've recently begun venturing outside the Aveda line.  Would you mind sharing anything you think I should know about? Products that have given you tremendous results? Fill me in please. x

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questions answered

Hello everyone.  I will interrupt today's post which was going to be on my rose garden (boring) to answer your questions about olive oil (less boring?)  Last week my search bar didn't work and this week it's my comment section. When I hit reply Blogger takes me back up to the top of the page and then I have to wade through every single comment to find the one that needs an answer.  So if your question wasn't answered I apologize and will try to answer it here.

1.  Olive Oil vs linens and clothing.  Do not worry about your linens or your clothes.  The oil absorbs so quickly that this has not been an issue with me.  If you don't turn your bod into an oil slick mess then you will not have a problem.  Trust me, you'll get the hang of it in approx 3 seconds.

2.  Apply olive oil is not time consuming or messy.  Give it a try, you'll see.

3.  I don't know a lot about argon oil, coconut oil or any of the other oils you guys asked about.  I do use jojoba oil to remove wax from my clients and I love that.  I believe it is quite a bit more expensive than olive oil.  But if you are using that and you love it then that is awesome.  Same goes with all the other oils...if you are using them and they work then keep up the good work.

4.  Sunscreen.  This is a controversial subject these days, especially in the beauty industry.  Here is my take on it and remember this is just my dumb opinion.  I've had skin cancer on my face twice so I don't take this subject lightly.  First and foremost use common sense.  If you burn easily like me then do your best to avoid direct contact with the sun in its strongest hours.  And if you can't avoid it, wear a hat and sunglasses.  If you are going to be on the slopes, beach or tennis court then you will have to use a broad spectrum sunscreen to help as back up. Don't think that using it will negate a burn or sun damage because it won't.  I've seen terrible burns where the person applied sunscreen all day long.  I cannot recommend a particular sunscreen.  I use whatever Larry buys which usually has some crazy high number attached to it that is designed for outdoor sports.  And then as soon as I get back inside I wash it off b/c I cannot stand the feel of it on my skin.  If you have a sunscreen you love go ahead and share it in the comments please.

5.  This has nothing to do with olive oil but a few of you have asked if I would do a weekly menu plan and post the recipes that go with them.  I'm sorry to say this but that probably isn't going to happen. That would take so much time and planning and I really kind of fly by the seat of my pants menu-wise anyway.  The key is to have good basics in the pantry so that when you go to the market you can buy what looks the best and freshest and then build your menus around that...not the other way around.  I will do a post for you on what my pantry is stocked with if you think that would help.  It's so easy to eat this way.

6.  If I still missed your question ask here and I'll try again.

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my favorite facial moisturizer - olive oil

Some of you will recall that awhile ago I started using olive oil as my one and only body moisturizer.  That post is here if you are interested.  I absolutely loved the results and at first was hesitant to use it on my face but in the interest of the blog, I made the switch over a year ago and highly doubt I'll ever use anything but olive oil again.

Now remember this completely unscientific study was done on exactly one person...me. Of course individual results will vary.  The experiment was performed on 56 year old, very dry aging skin. Even if you are younger or older and with a different skin type you may want to try it because the risk factor is incredibly low and you'd have a lot to gain if it works for you.  Less chemicals, saving money, soft skin.

Here is exactly what I do every night. After my bath or shower, but before I dry off, I put one pump, which is about 1 teaspoon into my palms and apply it directly to wet skin.  It takes about 2-3 teaspoons to do the entire body. Then I take a half of a pump and apply it to my wet/damp face. I massage it in gently taking extra care around my eyes. If I'm bathing, then I massage the oil into my face and place a warm washcloth on, which is incredibly lovely and spa-like. Then I pat my face dry first and then pat the rest of my bod.  The whole thing takes about 1 minute. Keeping the olive oil right next to the tub helps. I put mine in a empty plastic soap dispenser.  I adore the way it makes my skin feel, soft, not slick or oily.  The oil absorbs within minutes so no worry about transferring it to clothing or sheets. Again, individual results will vary, experiment with it.

Here is another thing...if I'm going to put on foundation, I will wet my face and apply a tiny bit of olive oil and pat it dry and it makes the best make-up primer ever. Again love how it feels and the way make-up looks with it.

So will you give it a try?  If you do, please report back.

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sugar scrub

Is your sun/saltwater/chlorine skin as parched as mine?

This sugar scrub is sure to help.  Unlike salt scrubs, sugar does not dry the skin.  Brown sugar is particularly rich in alpha hydroxy acids so it makes a great exfoliant and is much more gentle than white sugar, making it perfect for sensitive skin.  All that and it smells heavenly.

Sugar Scrub

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup sunflower or any other oil

Mix and apply to dry skin.  I like to do this in the shower before I turn the water on.  Just massage it in, taking extra time on elbows, feet and any other rough areas.  Rinse with warm water.  Pat a little olive oil on your skin before you dry off and you aren't going to believe how soft your skin is.

That's it.  Such an economical yet luxurious treat for your summer skin.

Side Note - If you are at all interested in letting your hair go gray, please pop over to the Revolution Gray website where they are profiling 25 bloggers who are going gray (me included) and writing about it.  Lots of great stories there.  Have a wonderful week!

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21

aging gracefully

last week i went to my dermatologist to have my eyelid looked at.

i go once a year to have it checked.  i had squamous cell carcinoma in the same spot twice so i have to be careful.  while i was in the room waiting for the doc i couldn't help but notice all the new literature on the counter.  

it was kind of overwhelming.

latisse for long, fuller lashes (may cause irreversible dark brown specs on your iris though)

a plethora of fillers, botox and laser services.

he checked my eyelid and everything was fine and i went home.

but i couldn't help but wonder about all those products that are definitely aimed at my age group.

i'm 55 now and i know i am a candidate for every single thing being offered out there today.

is this how we are supposed to age gracefully?

i think it's cool if that's the course you want to take

but the thought that keeps popping in my head is who would notice or care?
and the big one...i don't think we are fooling anyone.
i tell you i see lots of faces that have been altered and enhanced and it never looks natural.

if you do your eyes then your cheeks and mouth look bad and vice versa,

if you do the whole face then you have that stretched too tight shiny look.

or now all of a sudden compared to the smooth skin on your face, your neck looks older.

and then the decollete and arms and hands.

and it goes on and on.

i'd have to have my whole body dipped or lasered in order for nothing to stand out.
i get stressed just thinking about it all.

so i've decided that i'm going peacefully and wrinkly into my future.

and if you plan to *fight it* all the way, i say kudos to you.

to each their own in this lovely world.

so what's it gonna be for you?
fight or surrender?

thoughts?

xo

120

how to cleanse your face like a professional

i've read that the average person cleans their face in under 10 seconds.  10 seconds!  that is fast.

since people pay me to clean their faces, i thought i'd share how i do it.

first off, i'd say that if you have a clairsonic then of course you don't have to read further.
i love my clairsonic and use one at work too.
but most of my clients want me to cleanse them the old fashioned way when they come to see me.

this is the old fashioned way.

after i have set my intentions, the first thing i do is remove all the makeup before the real cleaning begins, i do this whether i'm using the clairsonic or not.  i pre-cleanse my clients faces with a product that is really just jojoba oil and some warm water.  i remove their eye make-up first with cotton pads and then dampen their face and apply the oil in small circular movements, breaking down the make-up.  i wipe it clean with a warm wet towel and now i'm ready to start.

while the face is damp, i put about 4 pumps of the correct cleanser for their skin type into my palm and emusify it by gently rubbing the cleanser between my palms.  now i'm ready to apply it to their skin.  i start and the neck and in long sweeping upwards motions move to the chin and continue to work my way up, applying the cleanser to the entire face and neck.  once the cleanser is all applied i start back at the neck  and begin cleansing.  i slowly work my way up using small circular movements making sure to cover the entire face.  i spend extra time around the nose area and especially around the hairline.  while i'm cleansing this is when i'm doing my first appraisal of their skin.  this is when i'm feeling any bumps, blackheads or dry patches.  i actually learn a lot about your skin while i'm cleaning it.  i spend on average 3 to 5 minutes cleansing.  this may seem like a long time but it is very relaxing and it is like getting a facial massage.  facial massage is super relaxing and so good for circulation and skintone.  so when i'm finished cleansing, i remove the cleanser with a warm wet towel and proceed to my next step which is applying a toner.  some people don't use toners in between steps but i do b/c toners can catch any residual cleanser plus it helps return the skin back to its proper ph level.  you would be done now and so while your skin is damp this is when you want to put your serums, eye cream and moisturizer on.  unless your skin is extremely dry, i would avoid moisturizing your nose.  and please don't forget to moisturize your neck.  so now your skin is clean, massaged and moisturized and ready for a good nights sleep.


xo
janet

99

my new moisturizer

about a month ago, a reader sent me a link the video, the story of cosmetics.  it's about all the awful things that are in our cosmetics and skincare products.  you can watch the video here.  anyway, i thanked her and jokingly said that maybe we should all just use olive oil on our skin.  so i did.  well, first i googled it and found out that lots of people do this with olive oil.  so for the last month after every shower or bath, while my skin is still wet (this is important) i put on olive oil.  then i lightly towel dry and my skin has never, ever, ever been this soft.  and i have really, really dry skin.  ask larry, all day long i can't stop stroking my arms and saying...feel this!   

so the reason this is working so well is because olive oil is high in polyphenols. These are antioxidants that help stop free radical damage. Free radicals damage cells and lead to aging skin and sometimes disease. polyphenols are also thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.

olive oil as a moisturizer is also effective in part because of its fatty acids. They along with vitamin a, e and k nourish skin when consumed and when applied topically.  squalene is a natural organic compound used in cosmetics as a moisturizer. it is normally taken from the liver of sharks, but it is also found in olive oil, a more environmentally friendly and compassionate source. squalene helps to regulate sebum which is produced by the sebaceous glands in our skin and is secreted through our pores. It forms a coating on the skin that acts as a barrier, inhibits the growth of micro-organisms and lubricates our skin and hair.  and yes, i've also been using it as a deep conditioner once a week on my hair.

and don't get me started on just how inexpensive this is as a moisturizer.  when i think of the thousands of dollars i've spent on skincare products...

i am going to start experimenting and trying it on my face and i'll report back.  and don't worry about smelling like a salad because you won't.  the scent is very, very light and dissipates by the time you are dried off.
so give it a try and see you can't keep your hands off yourself too.

xo
janet

62

winter skincare

Just in case you thought I had dropped off the planet...I give you this unedited video of me. The video contains a few winter skincare tips and a few errors.  It really was done in good fun.  I hope you learn something and get a good laugh.

Also, thank you to everyone for their warm holiday wishes.

42

6 steps to beautiful skin

My treatment room

I am writing this post because I have gotten numerous emails asking me about this subject of skincare. I am a 52 year old esthetician with sensitive, aging skin. I am not a dermatologist. I'm telling you what I have learned and what works for me.

I believe beauty is an inside job. Beauty first starts as a belief in oneself, that I'm ok just the way I am. At my age I don't feel the need to use botox or restalyne or even foundation to enhance, plump or cover who I really am. This is my personal beauty revolution. Acceptance is key to being beautiful inside and out. There is enough stress in normal day to day living and I don't want to add any more to my life through unreal expectations that are sent my way via Madison Avenue's airbrush system. So first and foremost, I accept who I am and what I look like. Secondly, what I put in my body is vitally important as to the condition of my skin. A diet that is rich in plants and whole grains helps skin function better than one that is full of meat, dairy and processed food. Our bodies were not designed to eat meat or overly processed food and it shows in a vast array of skin conditions, from allergies to poor skintone. So if your daily diet contains food that comes from animals or out of a package and you have any skin problems whatsoever, I'd fix my diet before thinking any product is going to help. The third thing on my list is fresh air and exercise. For years I got dressed in special clothing got in my car and drove to the gym to work out. I now put on a pair of comfortable shoes and walk out the door. I walk briskly outside, rain or shine for 40 minutes each day. The fresh air and sunshine help me relax and release tension I may be carrying. I also include a daily yoga/meditation practice that takes about 10-15 minutes. While these steps take care of the inside (my psyche, my digestion, my muscles) they also have a huge effect on the outside (my skin.)

So what do i put on my skin? It's really very simple.

Step 1 ~ A gentle cleanser. I use Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser. It gets a rating of 3 on the skin deep website, but any gentle cleanser will do.

Step 2 ~ I put on a good sunscreen/moisturizer for daytime and at night switch to a good moisturizer w/o sunscreen (I use Aveda's Green Science.) Honestly I use Dermalogica and Aveda brands because I like them and because I get them at a discount. I don't use Retin A or any glycolic products because I'm just too sensitive. I don't like being red and flaky all the time. I love the way my skin feels after a gentle cleansing and a nice moisturizer.

Step 3 ~ A monthly facial. Because of my sensitive skin, once a month I let a professional carefully exfoliate, extract and slather me in goodness. I could do this myself but it is not as relaxing as having someone else do it.

Step 4 ~Make-up. I wear a non-petroleum based mascara and lipstick from Aveda. Ironically, as my skin ages it looks worse with more make-up on, so I keep it light. I suggest that you wear the least amount that you can get away with.

1. Acceptance.

2. A clean diet.

3. Fresh air & exercise.

4. Daily gentle cleansing & protection/moisture.

5. A monthly facial.

6. Light make-up application

So this is what works for me and many of my clients. I'm sure your beauty routine is wonderful but for those of you who asked, this is what I live by.

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