If you are a woman over the age of 18, there is an 80-90% chance you have at least some cellulite. So, it’s not surprising that we have many clients ask us about the best ways to treat it. Below please find a very comprehensive article written by doctor and cellulite expert Audrey Kunin, that explains exactly what cellulite is and what does and does not work in treating it. Continue reading
It’s no secret that some people place more value on taking care of their skin than others. For some, washing their face is the most effort they are willing to put in, while others (like our Vasseur Platinum clients) receive multiple advanced facial treatments a month. But, when it comes to looking your best longer and preventing wrinkles, some actions matter more than others. If you do nothing else to take care of your skin, make sure to do this: Continue reading
Is your skin starting to feel tight and dry as winter approaches? Then follow my 5 quick tips below to keep your skin feeling soft and supple this winter season
#1: Use a Humidifier. Low humidity is one of the top causes of dry skin. In the colder months, not only is the outside air dryer, but heaters also emit hot dry air, thus constantly exposing your skin to dry air. That’s why it’s a good idea invest in a humidifier (typically range from $30-$100); this will inject natural moisture into the air to help prevent dry skin. TIP* you can add a few drops of essential oil into your humidifier to enhance the experience and gently scent the air. We like adding organic lavender oil. Continue reading
Many clients that I meet are unsure as to whether they should be using toner as a part of their skin care regime and how it actually benefits the skin. So, to answer these questions once and for all, here are the 5 main benefits of using toner:
1. Toner gives your skin a dose of moisture before applying your other skin care products
Make sure to only use an alcohol-free toner. Toners that contain alcohol are extremely drying to the skin and should never be used. See Vasseur Skincare’s line of freshly made, alcohol free toners.
2. Toner kills blemish-causing bacteria on the skin
The witch hazel in toner has an inherent disinfectant property, which helps kill bacteria and prevents inflammation that causes acne.
3. Toner supports your skin’s protective barrier
By supplying the skin with essential hydration and nutrients, you repair the skin’s protective barrier making it less sensitive and resistant to environmental damage.
4. Toner enhances the results of your skin care program
Depending on the ingredients used in the toner, they can help calm, control oil, stimulate blood circulation, destroy acne-causing bacteria, provide antioxidant benefits and more.
5. Toner removes drying chlorines and minerals found in tap water
Many chlorine and chemicals are put into tap water to destroy harmful bacteria but they can be dehydrating to the skin. A good toner can remove these harsh chemicals from the skin.
After washing your face, pat it dry and then lightly spray toner over your entire face. Let the toner set – don’t wipe or rub off. Apply your skin care products directly to your damp skin – this will help infuse the moisture into your skin and increase the effectiveness of your skin care products.
We get many clients who contact us after having an adverse reaction to products containing retinoids. We are never surprised. As we wrote in a blog post last year – retinoids are a controversial ingredient in the skin care world: they are known to cause chronic inflammation and thin the skin over time, which can lead to long term damage.
After much consideration and research, Vasseur decided to instead use the safer, natural alternative to retinoids — alpha hydroxy acids. We put the most effective alpha hydroxy acids (lactic, glycolic and mandelic) in a potent cocktail called Reveal 10. Reveal 10 is one of our most powerful products that is effective in treating fine lines, acne, and pigmentation.
Here is how alpha hydroxy acids work: Continue reading
On Monday night I was watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (yes, I admit it!) when I noticed something – the otherwise gorgeous and young-looking Kyle Richards has a glaring issue: her hands are wrinkled and covered with age spots. While her face, hair and style are young and glamorous – her hands tell a different story. As I’ve said in previous posts: your hands, neck and eye area show your age first. So, you need to protect them. Here are some simple tips for preventing wrinkles before they form: Continue reading
Want to burn 700 calories…without lifting a finger? Then it’s time you learn about the far infrared sauna. Far infrared sauna’s are frequently recommended by medical professionals to address a number of health concerns, from pain relief to weight loss –even to preventing illness.
Far Infrared heat provides all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.
Conventional saunas rely on indirect means of heat; they warm the air in a room and only 20% of the beneficial radiant energy reaches the body, while 80% of it remains in the air. Infrared saunas, by contrast emit heat that is directly absorbed by the body, penetrating the body’s tissues to a depth of over 1.5″ – resulting in a 93% absorption rate. But, the temperature in a Far Infrared Sauna is not uncomfortable or hot; this is because all the heat goes directly through your skin instead of being dispersed in the air.
We believe very strongly in the health benefits of far infrared saunas. There is a wide body of both scientific and anecdotal evidence regarding the effectiveness of sauna heat therapy.
Weight Loss
We don’t want to suggest that FIS sessions are the ticket to overnight weight loss, but an infrared sauna can help play a roll in maintaining a healthy weight or shedding a few pounds, especially when combined with a regular exercise routine and healthy eating. The average FIS user can easily produce 500-1000 grams of sweat during an effective FIS session, thereby burning close to 300-700 Kcal; this is equivalent to running 2-3 miles! Some research also suggests that FIS use may help melt and sweat out cellulite. Continue reading
In today’s stimuli-driven consumer world, it’s very tempting to buy skin care products for their fancy packaging, great advertisement, convincing sales rep or big celebrity endorsement (“Jenifer Aniston uses this product, I love Jenifer Aniston!”). But, the key to picking out skin care products comes down to one key factor: what’s INSIDE the bottle – the ingredients – because that’s what will (or will not) produce results for your complexion.
With that in mind, here is our quick, guide to becoming an expert in picking out skin care products.
1: Know the best active ingredients. Do your research; it’s best to go in to buying a skin care product knowing what active ingredients are proven to address your skin issues and then look for products containing those ingredients. We often write about superstar skin care ingredients on this blog, here are some of the standouts:
Not only should your skin care products contain active ingredients that are proven to be both safe and highly effective, but they should be in high enough concentrations that the ingredient is actually effective (typically in the 5-15% range, depending on the ingredient). One easy way to determine this is ensuring that the active ingredient is near the top of the ingredient list. If it’s towards the end of the list, then it’s only a minor component of the product, and likely not in a high enough concentration to make any impact on your skin.
2: Know your oils. Most skin care treatments contain at least some oil, which serves as an emulsifier, but while some oils are completely safe, others are extremely pore clogging and can make your skin congested and break out. Here are the safe oils that will not break you out:
3: Know what ingredients to avoid. Below are eight common skin care ingredients that are either pore clogging, ineffective or flat out dangerous. Keep this list with you and avoid skin care products that contain them.
| SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES | Skin care products often contain phthalates, synthetic chemicals commonly used to stabilize fragrances and make plastic more pliable. These endocrine disrupters mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list fragrance as an ingredient unless the label states that it’s derived from essential oils |
| PARABENS: methylparaben, propylparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben | Ubiquitous in skincare, parabens are used to preserve other ingredients and extend a product’s shelf life–but these antimicrobial chemicals have hormone-disrupting effects and are linked to skin irritation and can increase your breast cancer risk |
| UREAS | DMDM hydantoin and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate are preservatives that release formaldehyde in very small amounts and are a primary cause of contact dermatitis |
| 1,4-DIOXANE | A chemical carcinogen created when ingredients are processed with petroleum-derived ethylene oxide. To avoid it, skip any product with the following ingredients: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth (or any other -eth), PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol. |
| PETROCHEMICALS: Petrolatum, Mineral Oil and Paraffin | Derived from crude oil, petroleum-based ingredients such as petrolatum, mineral oil, and paraffin form a barrier when applied to the skin that does not allow it to breathe and clogs pores. |
| MEA/DEA/TEA | Used as foaming agents, synthetic stabilizers, and to adjust the pH of cosmetics, these ammonia compounds can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation, and dryness of the hair and skin. |
| SULFATES | The most common sulfates, sodium lauryl and sodium laureth, are harsh detergents that give cleansers, soaps, and shampoos their latherability. Often derived from petroleum, sulfates are so harsh they are commonly used as garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash. They are extremely pore clogging and often the cause of acne around the hair line. |
| CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS | Oxybenzone and octylmethoxycinnamate, the main ingredients in most sunscreens, have been shown to disrupt endocrine/hormone activity. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are safer and more effective alternatives. |
4. Beware of too many ingredients. A big red flag is a product that contains too many ingredients. Any more than 15 ingredients in a single product — especially with a lot of those being long, unpronounceable words — is a strong indicator that the product is packed with lots of fillers, synthetics and parabens and less of the active ingredients that will actually provide results for your skin.
Drugstore Skin Care Products
The mass-merchandised brands sold at drugstores are created to work for hundreds of thousands of users, so these lines play it safe with lower concentrations of active ingredients and a lot of added “fluff” —fillers, synthetics and parabens, which are designed to keep costs low and extend the shelf life. They may be less expensive than alternatives, but, you get what you pay for …
Department Store Skin Care Products
The products sold at department stores have one goal in mind: selling. Since these companies are in fierce competition with one another, the consumer’s satisfaction isn’t always the top priority. With that in mind, they focus on fancy packaging and marketing materials. After all, these companies know they have to catch your eye when you walk through the department store aisles. Also, these companies know that people will open and smell the products, so they use a lot of perfume additives because they know that smell sells! Fragrance is the number one cause of reactions from skin care products. In fact, many people who believe they have sensitive skin are in fact just sensitive to added fragrance.
Private Label Skin Care Products
Here’s a big secret in the skin care industry — most “professional skin care lines” are actually private label products. Private label products are generically manufactured product lines that individuals or spas can contract to sell with their name and label – often with a huge mark up. When a spa uses a private label product, they are not involved in the product formulations, ingredients or quality of the products and these products are typically no better than inexpensive drug store brands, just with fancier packaging and a higher price. We can tell a private label product from a mile away, but many consumers can’t. Here’s what to look for — if a skin care line does not tell you that they formulate and make their own products then they are likely a private label brand. Also, you can look up the lab where the product is made (typically listed on the label) to determine if it’s outsourced. The most common private label products are found in spas and by celebrities that have their own skin care lines.
We hope you enjoyed our guide — becoming an educated skin care consumer you will get more bang (and results) for your buck. Unfortunately, skin care is too often about fancy packaging and good marketing then about high quality products that actually work.
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About us: Vasseur Skincare makes our products fresh with the highest concentrations of active ingredients and none of the “fluff” – fillers, synthetics, parabens or harsh chemicals. Learn more about what makes us different here.
If you have acne, your pores shed dead skin cells at a much faster rate than normal pores. Normal pores shed about one layer of skin cells inside the pore per day and acne-prone pores sheds up to five layers per day. The body just can’t keep up with this so a plug forms – those “plugs” all over your face are what constitute acne.
To combat this, acne products generally work in two ways:
Last Friday I had a really busy 12-hour day with clients. It was a very successful day and I was feeling good …when suddenly I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. There they were, staring me cold in the face: heinously dry, chapped lips. It looked as if there had been a snowstorm on my face and my lips hadn’t made it out alive. My mind instantly flashed to all of the clients who I had seen that day, with my parched lips flapping. Had they noticed? Of course they did, I looked like the abominable chapped-lip snowman. I vowed this would never happen again.
So here it is: my foolproof 4-step system for having beautiful soft supple lips this Fall and Winter. Continue reading
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