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The Sweet Culprit: Unravelling the Effects of Glycation on Skin Health

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Introduction

In the pursuit of youthful and radiant skin, people often focus on external factors such as skincare routines, sun protection, and hydration. However, one often overlooked aspect that plays a significant role in skin aging is glycation. This biochemical process, triggered by the excess consumption of sugar, has far-reaching effects on the skin’s structure and appearance. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of glycation and its profound impact on skin health.

Understanding Glycation

Glycation is a natural process that occurs when sugar molecules bind to proteins and lipids without the influence of enzymes. This non-enzymatic reaction results in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The accumulation of AGEs in the skin can lead to various detrimental effects.

Effects of Glycation on Collagen

Collagen, the most abundant protein in the skin, is crucial for maintaining its firmness and elasticity. Glycation disrupts the structure of collagen, making it stiff and inflexible. This compromised collagen fails to provide the necessary support, resulting in sagging and wrinkles. The visible signs of aging, such as fine lines and loss of skin elasticity, can be attributed to the glycation-induced degradation of collagen.

 

 

Loss of Elasticity and Firmness

Glycation not only affects collagen but also impacts elastin, another protein responsible for skin elasticity. The cross-linking of elastin fibers caused by glycation reduces their flexibility, leading to a loss of skin elasticity. This process contributes to the formation of sagging skin and the appearance of wrinkles, making the skin look aged and tired.

Formation of AGEs and Oxidative Stress

The accumulation of AGEs in the skin triggers oxidative stress, a condition where there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. AGEs generate free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that can damage cells, including skin cells. Oxidative stress accelerates the aging process, causing inflammation, uneven skin tone, and a dull complexion.

Hyperpigmentation and Uneven Skin Tone

Glycation can also lead to hyperpigmentation and an uneven skin tone. The interaction between sugar molecules and proteins can stimulate melanin production, the pigment responsible for skin color. As a result, areas of hyperpigmentation, such as dark spots and discoloration, may appear on the skin. This can further contribute to an aged and tired appearance.

Impact of Diet on Glycation

The primary source of glycation is the consumption of high-sugar diets. Processed foods, sugary snacks, and sweetened beverages contribute to elevated blood sugar levels, promoting the glycation process. Individuals with diets rich in refined carbohydrates and sugars may experience accelerated skin aging compared to those who prioritize a balanced and low-glycemic diet.

The CDC advises keeping added sugar intake, indicated on Nutrition Facts labels, to around 12 teaspoons daily—however, the typical adult actually consumes an average of 17 teaspoons per day.

Protecting the Skin from Glycation

While the glycation process is a natural part of aging, there are ways to minimize its impact and maintain healthier, more youthful-looking skin:

  1. Balanced Diet: Adopting a diet low in refined sugars and processed carbohydrates can help regulate blood sugar levels, reducing the potential for glycation.
  2. Antioxidant-rich Foods: Consuming foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, can neutralize free radicals and mitigate the effects of oxidative stress.
  3. Hydration: Proper hydration supports overall skin health and can help flush out toxins, potentially reducing the accumulation of AGEs.
  4. Topical Antioxidants: Incorporating skincare products with antioxidants like vitamins C and E can provide additional protection against oxidative stress.
  5. Sun Protection: UV radiation can exacerbate the effects of glycation. Using sunscreen regularly helps prevent sun damage and supports skin health.
  6. Collagen-Boosting Ingredients: Skincare products containing ingredients like retinoids and peptides can stimulate collagen production and improve skin elasticity.

Conclusion

In the quest for ageless skin, understanding the impact of glycation is paramount.

A study says Prolonged exposure to sunlight can exacerbate glycation, a process in which sugars attach to proteins in the body. In fact, a study has shown that the damage caused by UV rays can contribute to a heightened accumulation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-products). By recognizing the link between sugar consumption and skin aging, individuals can make informed lifestyle choices to minimize the effects of glycation. A holistic approach, combining a balanced diet, proper skincare, and lifestyle modifications, can go a long way in preserving the skin’s youthful appearance and promoting overall skin health. Embracing these practices can empower individuals to age gracefully and maintain skin that radiates health and vitality.

To learn what enzymes are?  How do they help my skin? Click here

 

How To Take Care Of Your Skin Beyond Your Face

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s.Influencers across the globe have convinced you to religiously use Sunscreen, Vitamin serum, retinol, and the A B C’s of AHA’s and BHA’s for your skin. This may sound like a mouthful, but an increasing number of people now research the ingredients in their skincare before trying it out. The fad has now become a norm! Discover essential tips to keep your neck, chest, hands, and body healthy, glowing, and well-nourished. Learn why skincare beyond your face truly matters.

At every juncture of life, our skin continuously changes. It may be apparent for some or minuscule for others, but with age, you will notice a loss in elasticity, lines or wrinkles, discoloration, pigmentation, and a host of changes that may stress us. However, taking care of your skin goes beyond the face. Skincare tips may not be universal due to individual concerns, skin types, and lifestyles, but let’s stick to the basics of skincare beyond your face: 

  • Cleaner, Moisturizer, Sunscreen
  • Hydration
  • Balanced diet
  • Sufficient sleep

Moisturize Thoroughly for Skincare Beyond Your Face

It is crucial to moisturize our body and apply sunscreen even on your neck, arms, and feet. These oft-neglected areas often show the first signs of aging or skin damage. The skin is the first protective barrier and is constantly exposed to pollutants, UV rays, and even exfoliation, and shaving. 

Moisturizing is thus key to minimizing damage. Use a product according to your skin type, but allow it to be absorbed into your pores right after bathing and before dressing up.

Sunscreen Is A Must

Yes, we’re talking about the benefits of SPF again because that’s how important it is. Don’t need to take our word for it, experts, including Harvard Medical School Professor Jennifer Lin affirm the vast number of studies vouching for the effect of sunscreen on common skin cancers and preventing anti-aging skin effects. Remember, though, sunscreen should be ideally reapplied every 2-3 hours as its effect wanes or is sweated off. 

Concerns about Vitamin D deficiency should also be no reason to avoid sunscreen. Consult a medical professional. There are ample other ways to obtain the same through food or supplements. Skincare beyond your face includes protecting the skin everywhere!

Vitamin C And Retinol for Skincare Beyond Your Face

These are now a bedside staple arsenal in our ‘skincare beyond our face’ regimen. An extensive 2017 study from New Zealand affirms that Vitamin C can reduce signs of aging, particularly hyperpigmentation, and protects against UV radiation. In fact, some say it is the only proven antioxidant that stimulates the synthesis of collagen – meaning minimizes fine lines and wrinkles.

A derivative of Vitamin A, retinol is a powerful anti-aging tool. If you’re new to it, start by patch-testing lower concentrations of retinol once or twice a week at night. And then gradually move to build up your skin’s tolerance. The recommended usage is retinol at night and Vitamin C in the morning with sunscreen! These are powerful ingredients, so don’t hesitate and consult an expert, especially if you have sensitive skin. 

Enjoy The Bath Time

While taking a bath, avoid long showers and use warm (not hot) water with mild cleansers/soaps. On the contrary, some experts also say that the skin may retain essential oils and feel firmer by taking cold showers. Once a week make sure to exfoliate your skin. The exfoliating glove may be the latest Instagram advert that we see everywhere, but an occasional massage using a similar scrub will surely remove dead skin cells. 

Ensure that you do not scrub too hard, but gently pay attention to your back, elbows, knees, and feet in particular. If you shave regularly always protect the skin using any lubricant preferably shaving cream. Please throw away your old blades! It is also important to pay attention to any moles or bumps in your body.

Feet Feat 

Just like you take care of your face and body invest in foot care, not for aesthetic purposes but because many infections and skin conditions, may appear on our neglected feet. Damp or sweaty feet tend to breed bacteria and fungus leading to infections or sometimes even viral warts. Follow the exfoliating and moisturizing process for your toes too. 

Our soles also have thicker skin prone to dryness and cracks, hence do not limit foot care to a once-in-a-blue-moon pedicure alone. Pedicure, however, is not just another beauty regimen, it prevents ingrown nails, and accumulation of dead skin and deeply cleanses our feet.

Hand Care 

This has seen an overzealous increase post-COVID-19. Consistently washing and using alcohol-based sanitizers makes your hands dry and damaged. It is thus not extravagant to use a hand cream after washing to quickly give some moisture back. The skin on the back of the hand is one of the thinnest but also one that is most exposed to outside pollutants, chemicals, and UV radiation. 

Apart from moisturizing it goes without saying that it is imperative to apply a good amount of sunscreen on your hands and arms.

Eating And Drinking Basics 

Apart from external tips, making a few changes in your diet may give you dramatic results. Doctors and dermatologists across the world will agree that sufficient intake of water and a balanced and nutritious diet will do wonders for your skin and health. For starters, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to keep your body (and skin!) hydrated and flush out intoxicants. Eating food rich in fatty acids, such as fish or walnuts, may reduce inflammation. Including nuts and seeds in your diet is a great and easy source of nutrients, including Vitamin E (an antioxidant for the skin). Vitamin sources like oranges, carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes act as a natural sunblock and prevent various sun damage. Vitamin C-rich tomatoes are a major source of carotenoids, which prevent wrinkling! 

And while you do not need more reasons to eat chocolate, dark chocolate is a high source of antioxidants, improving your skin health and texture. 

A healthy inside is going to reflect a healthy outside. Learn more about how your gut can make you more beautiful: How Your Gut Health Can Make Your Skin Beautiful

One of the most uncommon but vital beauty tips is taking care of your mind. A healthy mind is a way towards healthy skin. Manage stress, get enough sleep, and do things you enjoy. It is an added benefit if you look and feel healthy along the way!

Charene Beauty specializes in Facial Treatments that can give you great results. We are experts in facial spa, blackhead extraction, hydrafacial, diamond glow, and more!

Book an appointment by calling: 203 656 4440

Sugar – Why sugar is bad for your skin? – Facial Treatment Tips by Charene Beauty Salon

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Sugar & High Glycemic = Increased Insulin Levels

Increased Insulin Levels = Inflammation

Inflammation of the Skin = Glycation

What is Insulin?

A hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans, which regulates the amount of glucose (type of sugar) in the blood.

What are High Glycemic Foods?

Foods that are assigned a value on The glycemic index according to how fast or slow a food cause blood glucose levels (blood sugar levels) to rise. 

  • High Carbohydrates
  • Dairy Products & alternatives
  • Fruits – such as oranges & pineapple
  • Legumes
  • Sugars – honey, glucose, fructose, sucrose
  • Vegetable – such as potatoes & carrots

For a more in-depth look at High Glycemic foods click here from Harvard Medical School.

Why in this Case is Inflammation bad?

I am going to talk about chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is persistent low-level inflammation that never stops. The body perceives a threat when there isn’t one sending white blood cells to swarm but have nothing to do and nowhere to go, and they may eventually start attacking internal organs or other healthy tissues and cells. It can lead to muscle loss, and certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. As well as causing glycation of the skin.

What is Glycation? How Does it Affect Skin?

Glycation is when sugar molecules attach to fat and protein (such as collagen)  molecules making those molecules ridge. Causing collagen a protein to become inflexible making elastin in your skin less elastic. Collagen and elastin keep your skin firm and wrinkle-free. The loss of collagen and elastin, which as we age do lose over time but is exacerbated by inflammation causes sagging skin, wrinkles, acne, and Rosacea.  Glycation also causes free radical formation and oxidative stress. Free radicals can damage the skin by trying to grab an extra electron from atoms in the skin. When atoms are taken away from molecules in the skin, it causes damage to our skin’s DNA that increases skins aging. Again causing loss of collagen and elastin as well as causing pigmentation to the skin in spots as well as broken blood vessels. While oxidative stress is when the balance between the production of free radicals and other bodies’ antioxidant defenses is exacerbated.  Oxidative stress causes the skin to lose collagen and elastin as well as causes skin pigmentation.

Following a healthy diet by a dietician or doctor that has less sugar and low glycemic food will help not only your skin but your entire body and your aging process.

 

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Beautiful Travel Destinations to help your skin – Secrets by Charene Beauty Parlour

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The Dead Sea:  Israel, Jordan & West Bank

Dead Sea December 2007 |David Shankbone

Moor Mud

Peat Moss

Thermal Baths

Therapeutic water from bubbling springs Bad Elster, Germany

Himmalyanan Salt

Russain, Korean, Scandanivian baths

Hammans

Roman baths

Suana/Banya
Steam room
Sweat lodge
hot spring

jimjilbang & Mogyoktang – Korean

Ice room

An onsen (温泉?) is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language

sitz bath

Sulphur

Ionithermie

Mud bath

Hot spring
Mineral spa
Peloid
Destination spa
Hydrotherapy
Electrotherapy
Onsen
Balneotherapy (from Latin: balneum, “bath”) is the treatment of disease by bathing, usually practiced at spas.[1] While it is considered distinct from hydrotherapy,[2] there are some overlaps in practice and in underlying principles. Balneotherapy may involve hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation or stimulation. Many mineral waters at spas are rich in particular minerals (silica, sulfur, selenium, radium) which can be absorbed through the skin. Medicinal clays are also widely used, which practice is known as ‘fangotherapy’.
Notable spas

Ein Bokek, near the Dead Sea, Israel
Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa) in Iceland
Băile Govora (Spa town) in Vâlcea County, Romania
Druskininkai (Spa town) in Lithuania
Warm Springs, Georgia, USA
Ananda – In the Himalayas, India
Termas de Río Hondo, en Santiago del Estero, Argentina

Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce water containing minerals, or other dissolved substances, that alter its taste or give it a purported therapeutic value. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage underground.

Mineral water obtained from mineral springs has long been an important commercial proposition.

Mineral spas are resorts that have developed around mineral springs, where (often wealthy) patrons would repair to “take the waters” — meaning that they would drink (see hydrotherapy and water cure) or bathe in (see balneotherapy) the mineral water.

Historical mineral springs were often outfitted with elaborate stone works — including artificial pools, retaining walls, colonnades, and roofs — sometimes in the form of fanciful “Greek temples”, gazebos or pagodas. Others were entirely enclosed within spring houses.
Types

For many centuries, in Europe, North America, and elsewhere, commercial proponents of mineral springs classified them according to the chemical composition of the water produced and according to the medicinal benefits supposedly accruing from each:

Lithia springs contained lithium salts.
Chalybeate springs contained salts of iron.
Alum springs contained alum.
Sulfur springs contained hydrogen sulfide gas.
Salt (saline) springs contained salts of calcium, magnesium, or sodium.
Alkaline springs contained an alkali.
Calcic springs contained lime (calcium hydroxide).
Thermal (hot) springs could contain a high concentration of various minerals.
Soda springs contained carbon dioxide gas (soda water).
Sweet springs were springs with no detectable sulfur or salt content (arguably not ‘mineral’ springs at all).
Radioactive springs contain traces of radioactive substances such as radium or uranium.

Deposits
Stepped travertine terrace formations at Badab-e Surt, Iran.

Types of sedimentary rock – usually limestone (calcium carbonate) – are sometimes formed by the evaporation, or rapid precipitation, of mineral spring water, especially at the mouths of hot mineral springs. (These mineral deposits can also be found in dried lakebeds.) Spectacular formations, including terraces, stalactites, stalagmites, and “frozen waterfalls” can result (see, for example, Mammoth Hot Springs). One light-colored porous calcite of this type is known as travertine and has been used extensively in Italy and elsewhere as a building material. Travertine can have a white, tan, or cream-colored appearance and often has a fibrous or concentric “grain”. Another type of spring water deposit, containing siliceous as well as calcareous minerals, is known as tufa. Tufa is similar to travertine but is even softer and more porous.

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Do you know where your bottled water comes from? – Charene Beauty Salon

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Information Source: Consumer Reports

Artesian, spring, purified, and sparkling waters may be treated differently or come from different places.

Sales of bottled water are on the rise, increasing 2 percent, to $7.8 billion, from August 2010 to August 2011 in supermarkets, drugstores, gas and convenience stores, and mass merchants (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group, a market-research company.

If you’re going to pay for a product you could get for free, it helps to know what you’re buying, so below you’ll find a water glossary. Along with the information that follows, note that you may see “glacier water” and “mountain water” on bottles, but there’s no standard definition for those terms.

Whatever the bottle says, don’t be misled by crisp blue labels and pictures of mountains. Forty-seven percent of the bottled water sold in the U.S. is tap water that’s been purified, according to data from the Beverage Marketing Association, a trade group. If you’re concerned about the water quality in your area but don’t want to pay for bottled water, check out our review of water filters.
 

 

 

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  Artesian Water obtained from a well that taps a confined aquifer, an underground layer of rock or sand that contains water.
Example: Fiji Natural Artesian Water.
  Distilled Water that has been boiled and then recondensed from the steam that the boiling produces. Distillation kills microbes and removes minerals, giving water a flat taste.
Example: Glacéau Smartwater.
  Mineral Groundwater that naturally contains at least 250 parts per million of dissolved solids. All minerals and other trace elements must be present in the water when it emerges at the source.
Example: Calistoga.
  P.W.S. Public water source, also known as municipal water supply, or tap water. Fun fact: Aquafina, one of the top 10 selling domestic brands, used to say “P.W.S.” on its label—but changed that in 2007 under pressure from Corporate Accountability International to make clear that the water came from a public supply and not some pristine mountain spring called P.W.S.
  Purified Water from any source that has been treated to remove chemicals and pathogens according to standards set by the U.S. Pharmacopoeia. Must contain no more than 10 parts per million of dissolved solids. Distillation, deionization, and reverse osmosis are all purification methods.
Examples: Aquafina, Dasani.
  Sparkling Water that contains carbon dioxide at an amount equal to what it contained when it emerged from its source. Carbon dioxide lost during the treatment process may be added back. (Carbonated waters such as soda water and seltzer are considered soft drinks, not bottled waters.)
Example: Perrier.
  Spring Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the Earth’s surface. Spring water must be collected at the spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation (aquifer) feeding the spring.
Examples: Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (Nestlé), Evian.

 

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To Steam or Not To Steam That is the Question! Benefits & Contra indications to Facial Steaming! – Insights by Charene Beauty Salon

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Anyone who has ever had a facial has probably had steam direct at the face or a hot towel draped over the face.  It feels wonderful that is not in question.  What is, is what the benefits to the skin are to facial steaming/hot towels and who should not be steamed?

A History:

While steam was used in ancient times it was not used specifically for the face, it was definitely used for the body.  First made popular by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The origins of the steam bath come from the Roman bath, which began during the height of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman baths served many community and social functions within Roman society. Everyone in Rome used Roman public baths, regardless of socioeconomic status. These Roman baths were supplied by natural hot springs from beneath the ground.  Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public is not completely accurate, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing facilities became more commonly available. Public baths have also become incorporated into the social system as meeting places. As the title suggests public bathing does not refer only to bathing. In ancient times public bathing included saunas, massages, and relaxation therapies. Members of society considered it as a place to meet and socialize. Public bathing could be compared to the spa of modern times.

The earliest public baths are found in the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization.  Historical parts of a spa – Roman, medieval, Georgian and Victorian have been restored in Bath, England, and are available as a public bath or Thermae.  In ancient Rome, Thermae (from Greek thermos, “hot”) and balnea (Greek βαλανείον, balaneion) were facilities for bathing. Thermae usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while balneae were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout Rome.  A public bath was built around three principal rooms: the caldarium (hot bath), the tepidarium (warm bath), and the frigidarium (cold bath). Some thermae also featured steam baths: the sudatorium, a moist steam bath, and the laconicum, a dry steam bath much like a modern sauna.  A sudatorium is a vaulted sweating room (sudor, sweat).  The whole building comprises a double set of baths, one for men and the other for women.

In order to obtain the great heat required, the whole wall was lined with vertical terra-cotta flue pipes of rectangular section, placed side by side, through which hot air and smoke from the suspensura passed to an exit in the roof.

When Arabs and Turks overran the eastern Roman Empire, they adopted and developed this feature in their baths or hammams.  The origin of Japanese bathing is Misogi, ritual purification with water.  After Japan imported Buddhist culture, many temples had saunas, which were available for anyone to use for free.  Native Americans used dry and moist sweat lodges for physical and spiritual ills.

Today, natural steam baths still exist, and often still use similar systems that the Romans used, which contain pipes and pumps that bring water up and into the large pool areas, wherever the natural springs exist. Heaters are also now used to maintain warm temperatures in the baths.

There are many different types of steam baths, which are different than sauna. (Both are hot, but the steam in a sauna is created by throwing water on a stove.

Turkish baths, steam rooms, and steam showers are types of steam baths.

 

Benefits of Moist (Steam):

  • Softens the surface layer of your skin (stratum corneum)
  • Helps loosen dirt, sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria
  • Makes extractions easier
  • Stimulates circulation
  • Increases perspiration (help to sweat out toxins and body waste)
  • Dilates pores
  • Alleviate sinus symptoms

Contraindications of (Moist) Steam:

  • Rosacea
  • Fungal Infection
  • Skin conditions that is aggravated by sweating and increased blood circulation

How to Steam at Home:

Hot Towel:

  • Hand Towel
  • Bowl (Microwaveable)
  • Water (distilled preferred)
  • Few Drops Essential Oil (optional)

After removing makeup and cleansing the face.  Wet towel with water and wring out.  It should be wet but not soaking.  Place a towel in a microwaveable bowl and a heated towel in the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds.  Shouldn’t take very long in the microwave if you start with warm/hot water.   Test the towel on your inner forearm to gauge temperature.   It should be hot but not too hot that it will burn you.  Wrap towel around the face in u shape.  Place the middle of the towel under your chin, bring the ends up to your forehead covering your face, but leaving your nose exposed for air.  Leave the towel on the skin till cool.  May repeat hot towel if desired one more time.

or

Steam from Bowl:

  • Bowl
  • Body Sized Towel
  • Water (boiled till there is steam, distilled preferred)
  • Few Drops Essential Oil (optional)

 

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Keep your Hair and Skin Healthy with a Shower Water Filter! – Insights by Charene Beauty Salon

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I have tried several shower water filters over the years and nothing has worked as well as Aquasana.  Why a water filter in the shower?  City water has chlorine, traces of synthetic chemicals, high acid or low alkaline PH.  Well, water can have an excess of iron, calcium, and magnesium.  Aquasana removes 91% of the chlorine in your water, compared to 50% for other water filters, and also reduces synthetic chemicals and enhances pH balance.  They have shower filters specifically made for well water, but you need to call (866) 662-6885 to order it is not for sale on the website.  I was able to install it like any other shower head no plumber was needed.  The filter contains two stages.  Stage one copper-zinc oxidation media reduces chlorine and enhances pH balance and stage two coconut shell carbon reduces synthetic chemicals.   The filters need to be replaced about every six months and cost $52.50.  That may sound like a lot of money but if you constantly have dry, itchy skin and dandruff it can make a difference.  Also, remember that your skin is absorbing the contaminants in the water.  You wouldn’t want to drink that, why would you want to shower in it?

 

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Facial & Hair Oils, not as scary as you would think! – Secrets from Charene Beauty Parlour

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(Photo credit: Evelyn Parham)

First off let me say that I personally love facial oils when the correct oil is matched up with the correct skin type and condition.  When used correctly facial oils can do wonders for the skin!  I know what your thinking, “what put oils on your face, that’s crazy!”  For centuries people have used oils in skincare especially the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.  Avoiding oils can actually exacerbate an acne problem. Stripping the skin of its natural oils causes dehydration, which can lead to the overproduction of sebaceous oil (sebum). Without sufficient hydration, excess sebum can create clogged pores and eventually breakouts.

The skin-the body’s largest organ naturally excretes oil, so using it to replenish, cleanse and hydrate seems fitting. In fact, in some countries, like Japan, using oil-based skin-care products is the preferred way of caring for the skin. Such as with cleansing oils, yes that’s right, oils or oil blends are specifically designed to use in place of your cleanser.  I personally recommend cleansing oil for dry and mature skin only or as a makeup remover or first cleanse followed by a second cleanse with a traditional cleanser.  As we age, moisture levels in the skin drop, causing it to become dry and dehydrated, in turn making fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. You may be surprised to learn that a large majority of skin-care products boast an oil agent as the main ingredient.

But how does oil work with skin? Because oil is an emollient, it fills in the spaces between the cells in the upper levels of the skin. By replacing these essential lipids, products that are oil-based smooth, and lubricate rough skin. Because of their chemical structure, the skin more easily absorbs oils than water-based moisturizers.
Oils can do many things for your skin:

  • Calm
  • Purify
  • Cleanse
  • Act as an antiseptic
  • Act as a moisturizer
  • Act as a barrier to seal in moisture
  • Protect your skin against the elements, wind, and the cold, for example
  • Provide nutrients such as vitamins and minerals to your skin
  • rich in moisturizing fatty acids, including omega-3, -6, and -9, which strengthen the skin’s lipid layer and help stabilize natural oil production
  • Plant-based oils are non-comedogenic, meaning they’re not likely to clog pores and cause breakouts.

Application tips

• Since oils lack the water component of creams, it’s best to apply them immediately after cleansing, while skin is still moist, so the oil can lock in the moisture.

• Massage in and remove extra if need with toner on a cotton pad.

• Blend oils to fit your skin type and conditions, add essential oils again to fit your skin type or conditions to customize.  (You can always buy a pre-formulated facial or hair oil, but they tend to be pricey.)

• If your skin is particularly dry, rich oils are ideal. Try layering oil on top of your regular lotion or moisturizer for the ultimate moisture-locking effect

• You might also like the regimen of using a hydrating facial mist just before you apply the oil. Again, the facial oil will lock in the water to keep the skin hydrated longer.

• Try this lymphatic drainage technique to help reduce facial puffiness: Apply oil with your fingertips using light, sweeping movements in a downward motion. Then press and release your fingertips, moving down your face, and finish by tapping very lightly all over.

Ease into it

If smoothing an oil onto your face still sounds daunting (and if the prices are more than what you typically spend on skincare), many mainstream brands are responding to consumer demand for natural ingredients by incorporating plant-based oils into their creams and serums.

Oil:                                     Skin Type or Condition:

Grape Seed                                   All Skin Type

Hazelnut (nut)                                       Oily or Acneic

Almond (nut)                                          All Skin Types, Sensitive, Dry or Mature

Olive (fruit)                                                Dry, Mature, Dehydrated

Avocado* (fruit)                                       Rosacea, Sensitive, Hyperpigmentation,  psoriasis, and eczema

Pomegranate (fruit)                               Hyperpigmentation, Oily

Jojoba (nut)                                             All Skin Types, Dry, Acneic

Rose Hip* (plant)                                   dehydrated, aging, scarred                                                                                                            hyperpigmentation

Apricot Kernel (fruit)                           Mature, Sensitive, Rosacea, Boils, Inflammation

Argan (nut)                                               All Skin Type, Pre-shower Hair Conditioner,

Peanut (nut)

Saffaflower (plant)

Sunflower Oil (plant)

Sesame (plant)

Kukui (nut)

Neem (fruit/plant)                              Pre-shower Hair Conditioner

Coconut (nut)                                        Pre-shower Hair Conditioner,

Castor                                                       Pre-shower Hair Conditioner, Massage into face prior to facial extractions to purge sebum and debris then remove

Emu (animal)                                          Dry or Mature

Wheat Germ                                             Acneic, Dry, Mature

*Refrigerate

 

 

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Enzymes our Little Exfoliating Helpers, Time to Fight those Free Radicals! – Insights by Charene Beauty Salon

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What are enzymes?  How do they help my skin?

Enzymes are proteins, biochemical compounds or macromolecules, that increase the rate of chemical reactions by acting as catalysts.  Created through various processes within plants, animals, and marine and human life, these are crucial life processes. There are over 3,000 enzymes in our bodies.

Enzymes protect the skin against the effects of free radicals and they enable the skin to generate new cells.  Less specialized cells join together to form specialized cells such as skin cells. Atoms, the basic unit of matter, have become unstable when their structure is changed due to at least one unpaired electron is free radicals.  The unstable atoms cause a chain reaction, atoms stealing electrons on and on causing a radical reaction damaging the skins cells.   Protease enzymes are used for skincare.  They are able to break down the proteins holding dead skin cells together.  This aids in the accelerated renewal of healthy cells causing cell turnover by breaking down keratin, the main protein of the epidermis, the top layer of skin, thus exfoliating the skin.

By adding an enzyme mask to your skincare routine once a week or every other week if you exfoliate with a facial scrub or use Retinoids or Alpha Hydroxy Acids.   You can not only help exfoliate your skin you can accelerate cell renewal and turnover and decongest the skin and help soften it for extractions.

Cells stained for keratin and DNA: such parts of life exist because of the whole, but also to sustain it (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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Juicing to Cleanse & For Your Skin: Good or Bad? – Insights by Charene Beauty Salon

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I started doing cleanses and incorporating more juiced drinks into my diet and I personally feel a difference and find it makes my skin looks better!  I shy away from drinks that add sherbert or sorbet and just ask for ice or sometimes yogurt in place of.  I used to think green drinks were disgusting now I love them!

I want to present some articles on cleanses and juicing one that is mainly cons, one that is mainly pros, and one balanced article so that you can decide for yourself if juicing is for you.

 

Balanced

Article by: AIMEE BLANCHETTE, Star Tribune

Juicing is big business, thanks to adherents who swear by its cleansing characteristics. But some health experts say the glass is half-empty.

 The thought of consuming nothing but the juice of green leafy vegetables for five days terrified Jamie Hickok, but she couldn’t ignore the promise of more energy, weight loss and a glowing complexion.

“The first day I was like, ‘Oh, dear God,’ because the green juice tastes like what you smell when the lawn has been mowed,” Hickok said. “Now I call it liquid gold.”

Since Hickok’s first “cleanse” in April, the 37-year-old Minneapolis woman has sipped 19 gallons — more than $1,600 worth — of “liquid gold.”

Pulverizing stalks of kale and bunches of spinach into juice is nothing new. Remember Jack LaLanne’s infomercials? But juicing is seeing a resurgence.

Green smoothies are the new Starbucks for celebrities in New York and Los Angeles, where juice bars are a dime a dozen. Wall Street investors are pouring money into companies that promise to take the guesswork out of juice detox programs. Even right here in our own back yard — where new businesses hawk the fresh-pressed nectars by the bottle — juicing is the diet du jour.

Yet some health experts aren’t convinced.

“The intense interest around juicing is concerning,” said Cassie Bjork, a registered dietitian (www.dietitiancassie.com). “There are a lot of good nutrients in the juice, but the problem is, it’s not balanced.”

But supporters are legion, pushing the practice into the mainstream.

“It’s blown up,” said Arturo Miles, who oversees the Juice Bar at the Wedge Community Co-op in south Minneapolis. “People want to detox, prevent cancer, and juicing is a fast way to absorb nutrients.”

While the juicing industry’s worth is hard to gauge, sales are surging. More than $215 million worth of home juice extractors were sold in 2012, up 71 percent over the year before, according to market-research firm NPD Group. BluePrint Juice Co. grosses more than $20 million a year by delivering prepackaged juices to your doorstep. Individual bottles cost between $8 and $10 at stores such as Whole Foods.

Who’s juicing? Everyone from parents who sneak carrots into their kids’ apple juice to extremists who undergo juice-only detoxes for several days at a time. Proponents claim that when juice is extracted from fruits and vegetables — leaving behind the fibrous pulp — the vitamins, minerals and enzymes are more quickly absorbed. Juicing fanatics claim the benefits include weight loss, elimination of toxins, clearer skin and increased energy.

The daily detox

“Some people think it’s kind of a hippie thing, but I feel better when I’m drinking my veggies rather than eating them,” said Michele Kamenar, 44, of Eagan, who makes a juice for breakfast four days a week, especially when local produce is available. “I get a great boost — feel more alert, less bloated and more satiated.”

Juicing can be a good way to get fruits and vegetables into a diet, but there’s no sound scientific evidence that it’s any healthier than eating whole fruits and vegetables, said Jennifer Nelson, director of clinical nutrition for the Mayo Clinic.

Other nutritionists worry that juicing is being promoted as a quick way to lose weight.

Juicing too much can send a rush of sugar into the bloodstream, Bjork said, which spikes blood sugar levels and is destructive to metabolism. Vegetable-only juicing is a lot better, but Bjork still prefers a balanced smoothie with healthy fat, like avocado.

Skepticism aside, juicing fans continue to replace certain meals — especially breakfast — with green juice.

Tracy Tabery-Weller has given up her usual morning coffee and scones. The 40-year-old Minneapolis woman said juice and smoothies are a good way to mix vegetables into her kids’ diets. When she’s traveling for work, juice bars save her from having to dine out.

“I feel good about putting real nutrients in my body instead of taking vitamins or pills,” she said.

The new juicing

Despite the warnings, new companies are getting into the juicing frenzy, each claiming that their juice is better than the others.

Mike Haugen quietly started his Eden Prairie juice delivery service, the Juice Works, in 2009 for people who want the benefits of juicing but don’t want to do the work themselves. His business has quadrupled and Haugen is now in the process of starting a mobile juice bar to serve his recipes at local health fairs and fitness events.

The newest player in town is Truce, a juice-only store in Uptown started by friends Blaire Molitor and Allie Pohlad. Truce sells six bottled varieties of fresh-pressed juice from its storefront.

At both the Juice Works and Truce, produce is slowly pushed through an industrial-sized masticating juicer. The resulting juice is often referred to as “fresh” or “cold-pressed.” Most home juice extractors are centrifugal, using quick-spinning blades to extract the juice. Some say the heat generated by these more traditional juice extractors destroys nutrients and live enzymes.

“Produce that goes through a centrifugal juicer begins to break down faster — within 45 minutes — versus our fresh-pressed method, which lasts for three days,” Haugen said.

Minneapolis rapper Malik “MaLLy” Watkins is a new convert. For 15 days in April, the 27-year-old drank concoctions of cucumbers, spinach, kale, and pineapple for breakfast and dinner, but ate a regular lunch. His lifestyle change earned him a few razzing from his buddies.

“What rapper do you know who juices and works out every day?” he said.

But Watkins said he feels great while juicing, so he’s not giving it up.

“I’ve turned a whole new leaf,” he said. “I feel inspired. It’s strange — like a new part of my brain has been turned on.”

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