Skin Care Blog

More than a great wardrobe or a skilled hand with make-up, healthy glowing skin is the key to turning heads.

Just ask Kelly Campbell, a Los Angeles public relations consultant and mom. She regularly gets stopped by strangers complimenting her on her seemingly poreless, lit-from-within complexion.

The key to that gorgeous skin? She was born with it.

“Honestly, I’ve always been lucky to have good skin,” Campbell says. “Except when I was pregnant and I broke out from all the hormones, I’ve never had trouble with my skin.”

Yes, some people win the hereditary lottery when it comes to good skin, just as others are blessed with the kind of metabolism that lets them eat vast amounts of pizza, chocolate, and Chunky Monkey without gaining an ounce.

“Not all skin is created equally,” says Paula Bourelly, MD, a dermatology professor at Georgetown University. “You can’t underestimate the value of genetics.”

But genes are just the starting point. Beautiful skin is also about good skin care habits, practiced day in and day out.

Here are, from top dermatologists and Campbell herself, the secrets to stunning skin.

No. 1 and No. 2: Smoking No, Sunscreen Yes

Imagine two people starting out with the same exact DNA. One smoked and sunbathed, the other avoided both. Would that make a difference in the appearance of their skin?

Researchers have the answer to that, and it’s a resounding yes.

A team of experts led by plastic surgeon Bahman Guyuron, MD, of Case Western Reserve University analyzed photographs of the faces of 186 pairs of identical twins taken at the Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. The twins had also filled out detailed questionnaires about their lives and daily habits.

It turns out that siblings who smoked and spent lots of time outdoors without wearing sunscreen looked years older than the brother or sister who shunned cigarettes and tanning. They had more fine lines, deeper and more plentiful wrinkles, and their skin was more mottled.

Bourelly isn’t surprised. “Many of the things that my patients complain about — dull, rough skin, and uneven skin tone — are related to chronic sun exposure,” she says, “and studies have shown that smoking is associated with premature wrinkling.”

Her straightforward advice: Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 30 or higher, even on cloudy days, and reapply every two to three hours you’re outdoors.

And, for the sake of your overall health as well as your appearance, don’t smoke.

No. 3: Consider Retinoids

Studies have shown that the vitamin A derivatives known as retinoids unplug pores, help clear up acne, reduce fine lines, boost the production of collagen, lighten brown spots and freckles, and improve skin texture.

The retinoids – which have even been shown to help treat precancerous skin lesions — is sold by prescription only under names that include Renova, Retin-A, and the generic Tretinoin.

“A retinoid should be the foundation of any topical antiaging regimen,” says dermatologist Paul M. Friedman, MD, co-author of Beautiful Skin Revealed: The Ultimate Guide to Better Skin.

Friedman, who is a professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Medical School and also at New York’s Weill Cornell Medical College, recommends that men and women make a retinoid part of their evening regimen beginning in their 20s.

The downside is that retinoids can initially cause dryness, flaking, and redness.

Dermatologists say that starting out slowly, applying a pea-sized amount of retinoid every second or third night, can help your skin adjust to the powerful ingredient.

Or consider an over-the-counter cream, gel, or serum containing retinol. This nonprescription version of a retinoid works more gradually and gently but is still effective in rejuvenating your skin.

No. 4: Keep Skincare Simple

Overuse of products is the biggest mistake people make in their skincare regimens, says Jeanie Leddon, MD, PhD, a dermatologist in Boulder, Colo.

“Some patients come in with a grocery bag full of products and wonder why their skin doesn’t look or feel great,” Leddon says.

Bombarding your skin with a host of different ingredients can be irritating, Leddon says. What’s more, used in combination, some ingredients will cancel out each other’s benefits.

For example, the acid in salicylic or glycolic acid breaks down ingredients like retinol, hydroquinone, or Vitamin C. “More,” says Leddon, “is not necessarily better.”

Friedman agrees: “The products necessary for beautiful skin aren’t glamorous, and include a simple cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer, and a retinoid or retinol.”

What’s more, the simpler your skincare regimen, the more likely you are to stick with it.

No. 5: Give Products Time to Work

Just as using a half dozen or more products at any one time can overload your skin with too many ingredients, so can changing the products you’re using every couple of weeks.

Sure, you might want to adjust your beauty regimen seasonally; swapping, say, the oil-free moisturizer you use in the summer for one that’s more emollient during the winter, when frigid temperatures and indoor heating can rob your skin of moisture.

And if your skin is reacting with swelling, redness, or burning to a new product you’ve tried, stop using it immediately.

But in general, Leddon says, finish the entire tube or bottle of a skincare potion before you write it off as ineffective.

No. 6: A Balanced Life Leads to Your Best Skin

Campbell says, “I don’t have a secret” when it comes to her traffic-stopping gorgeous skin.

No. 6: A Balanced Life Leads to Your Best Skin continued…

But then she reveals a host of healthy daily habits: She’s a vegan who starts her day with a mango, blueberry, and spinach smoothie, shuns processed foods and buys organic fruits and vegetables at her local farmers market; teaches yoga part-time; practices a vigorous form of yoga daily, and gets a solid seven or more hours of sleep a night.

All these elements of a healthy lifestyle undoubtedly help keep Campbell’s skin looking its best.

Regular sleep, Friedman says, optimizes the natural secretion of human growth hormone to promote cell turnover and collagen production while exercise increases circulation and the flow of nutrients to your skin.

Activities like yoga and meditation help keep stress in check, which in turn reduces the release of stress hormones that worsen conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea.

Meditating regularly may even make treatment more effective. In one study, people with psoriasis, a condition that causes itchy, scaly skin, listened to meditation tapes while they received ultraviolet light treatments. The results: They healed four times as fast as nonmeditators.

The key to gorgeous skin turns out to be a mix of science, common sense, overall good health habits, and a simple stick-to-it skincare regimen. The spinach smoothie is strictly optional.

We always try out new products that we are thinking of introducing to our line for 6-8 weeks before deciding if we would like to add one. From the first time applying this creme I knew we had a winner! Massaging in a thin layer of this creme in morning and night to the bust, decollette and neck is all you need to do for firmer younger looking skin.

This intensive contouring treatment strengthens the elasticity and firmness of the bust, décolleté and neck. Decollete + Bust Contour Creme is formulated with kigelia africana fruit extract, mag C and locust bean to provide the skin with additional revitalizing and toning effects. These carefully chosen ingredients work together to produce skin with renews elasticity for a more youthful and healthy appearance.

Here is a little history and testing on the Kigelia Africana

In Africa, KIGELIA AFRICANA is a sacred tree of which fruit brings wealth. The
Lebou of Green Cap matrons frequently use the pulp of the ripe fruits as decocte per os
and as friction on the young women breast in order to endow them as a well-developed
bust.

Without muscles, breast is only fixed to the thorax by some ligaments (Cooper’s
ligaments) which are fitted into the pectoral muscles. Its only support is its
cutaneous jacket. Its weight, its volume variation strain the epiderm, from which a
curve and firmness waste which can suddenly appear.

It is the reason why KIGELINE contributes to avoid the relaxing of the tissues, to
favorise their tension and their firmness, and so to improve the esthetic appearance
of the bust.

Properties of KIGELINE have to be associated with the presence of :
FLAVONOIDS kind of hydroxyluteoline7-O-glucoside, Iuteoline-7-O-glucoside,
Iuteoline and quercitine of which vasculoprotector and veinotonic activities
contribute to the improvement of the bust.
STEROIDIC SAPONOSIDES which have a hormone-like effect.
We know that endocrinal factors are involved in cutaneous ageing. Experimental
studies shown that oestrogen increase the activity of dermic fibroblastes, water and
hyaluronic acid content, and collagen rate of the derm, and consequently have a
benefic effect on the cutaneous structure.
Steroids present in KIGELINE, due to their hormone-like properties, also have to
prevent the setting of cutaneous tissues and give curve to the bust again.
Particularly adapted to give tonicity to the bust again, this active is recommended
at various times of the woman’s life, mainly after a childbirth, a slimming care and
at menopause time.

Resume of Results:

BUST FIRMNESS IMPROVEMENT = 50 %
CUTANEOUS FIRMNESS IMPROVEMENT = 55 %
CUTANEOUS ELASTICITY IMPROVEMENT = 70 %

Conclusion:
Due to its exceptional firming properties, KIGELINE helps to :
tonify and harden the bust.
Improve firmness and elasticity of the skin.
It is recommended for :
Bust products
Firming products

Try it, you will be a believer too!

What are peptides? A chain of two or more amino acids joined together that build protein.

What role do peptides play on our skin? They stimulate cell renewal thus building collagen and elastin thus diminishing wrinkles.

How do peptides work? By stimulating cell activity by interacting with molecules that signal cells to produce more collagen. They act as messengers between the epidermis and the dermis. Recent studies show that “lipo-peptides” help attract cells to other sites that need repair and contributes to the reconstruction of the dermis.

Trade name:  Inci Name, definition/known benefits

Maxi-lip:    Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide; helps repair cell communication in the dermal matrix. Clinical Study with 24 volunteers showed that after using this material in a lip/facial product for two months, the volume of the main wrinkle was reduced by 36%. After 29 days of treatment, furrows reduced by up to  30%, moisture increase by as much as 60% and volume increased by 40% on average.

Found in

-Lip Treatment

Dermaxyl C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Ceramide 2, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide; Clinical studies show that dermaxyl helps attract cells to sites that need repair and contributes to the reconstruction of the dermis. Ceramide 2 strengthens and repairs the skins barrier. It improves cell cohesion, enhancing water retention and reducing skin inflammation and dryness. Clinical Study: after once daily application, for 56 days results were dramatic:

-Volume wrinkle reduced on average by 13.7% and reached as much as 36%!

-Depth of wrinkle reduced on average by 10.1% and as much as 27%!

-Surface area of deep wrinkles reduced on average by 40.3% and as much as 98%!

-Medium wrinkles reduced on average by 24.5% and as much as 86%!

Found in

-Botanical Bio-Peptide Cream

Eyeliss: Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Glycerin, Water; shown to reduce under-bag volume by improving the lymphatic circulation and the firmness and elasticity of the surrounding delicate eye tissue. Also reduced inflammation in the eye area.  Study with 20 volunteers showed for twice a day application for less than two months, bag volume decrease by 70%.

Found in

-Eye Bright Cream

-Eye Bright Gelee

Matrixyl: Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4; This peptide helps to reduce surface depth of wrinkles but unlike Retinol is less irritating and faster acting. Clinical test results show that when the proper % is used twice daily for two to six months there is a reduction of deep surface wrinkles by 68 and 90%.

Found in

-Botanical Bio Peptide Cream

-Botanical Bio Peptide Concentrate

Matrixyl 3000: Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water (Aqua),       Carbomer, Polysorbate-20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl

Tetrapeptide-7; Clinical studies show that Matrixyl 3000 lifts and firms the skin, significantly reducing the appearance of wrinkles.  After only 2 months, deep wrinkles were reduced by 45% on average.

Found in

-Amino Lift Complex

Myoxinol LS 9736: Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract; Biotransformation of native proteins from the seeds of Hibiscus escelentus (okra). Muscle relaxing, helps reduce muscle cells contractions.  Clinical Studies show 26% reduction of wrinkle depth after 3 weeks.

Found in

-Amino Lift Complex

Calmosensine: Butylene Glycol, Water (Aqua), Laureth-3, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester; New Peptide promotes Well- Being by reducing the perception of unpleasant sensations by releasing pro-endorphins; relieves tension and inhibits muscle contractions.

Found in

-Amino Lift Complex

-Line Filler

Argireline: water, Acetyl hexapeptide-3; Inhibits wrinkle formation by preventing transmission of nerve impulses to muscles.

Found in

-Line Filler

Snap-8 Water (Aqua), Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-3; helps inhibit neurotransmitter signal from certain receptors thus reducing muscle contractions.

-Amino Lift Peptide Complex

Try our Line Filler! This intensive serum is composed of micro-silica spheres difuse light, causing tiny lines and wrinkles to seemingly blur and vanish. High-tech extracts, peptides and state-of-the-art esters work together to diminish the appearance of the existing wrinkles. Facial wrinkling associated with aging is caused, and exacerbated, bu many factors–including changes in collagen confomation, elastin degradation and problems of the skin’s lipid matrix. Recent studies show that the peptides in our Line Filler can decrease facial wrinkle formation and thereby the appearance of aging. Facial topography was performed and testing was done on the area around the eyes at 0, 15, and 30 days of a twice-a-day regimen. Observations at 15 days showed that the severity of wrinkles around the eyes decreased up to 17% after 15 days of treatment and up to 27% after 30 days of treatment! Use on expression lines on all skin types.
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