Winter Skin Care Tips 2017

 Winter Skin Care Tips 2017

The ingredient to make sure is NOT missing in your daily skin care routine is Hyaluronic Acid.  Hyaluronic Acid holds more than 1000 times its weight in water.  It literally pulls in moisture from the environment as well as from other moisturizers used.  During the winter months it is much more common to experience dry skin.  Even if your skin is healthy and pH balanced, the cold weather coupled with the dry heat used inside homes and businesses simply takes a toll.  Not to mention that most of us do not drink as much water during the winter months.  Deep hydration is the life source of your complexion.  Here are some things to consider in your own skin care routines.  These are things that Beautiful Radiant Skin Products takes very seriously in order to ensure you the best possible skin care products & results. Try BRS Multi-Peptide &Collagen Elixir with Hyaluronic Acid.

Cleansing oils are a wonderful way to treat seasonal dry skin problems. Be aware though, that not all oils are created equal.  You want to make sure the Cleansing Oils being used are water soluble so they rinse completely clean.  The advantages to using an oil based cleanser during the cold winter months are obvious.  The right oil cleanser will not strip your skin in any way, will not dry or knock off the pH balance.  It will thoroughly cleanse and moisturize at the same time, while removing make-up quickly and efficiently.   
Try BRS Cleansing Oil.

Elixirs, by design, lack occlusive ingredients like waxes, fatty acids, and other emollients.  They are designed to use under other more emollient products to enhance or treat specific issues like hyper-pigmentation, pore size, wrinkles, sagging lose skin, and blemished skin types among others.  For seriously dehydrated skin a good Elixir can go a long way in turning that around. Elixirs have a lightweight texture without many additives to dilute them, they are a more potent and pure way to add active ingredients to your skin. Elixirs deliver high concentrations of active ingredients and should be an essential part of your daily skin care routine.  Try BRS Elixirs & Boosters.

The right night time moisture should have the ability to tackle multiple problems in a single jar. Used over the Elixirs the right night time moisturizer delivers 10 times more hydration than a moisturizer alone.  Try BRS Moisturizers.

Coming in November 2017 is the new Hydrogel Facial Masques designed to use at home between your visits for extra hydration.  Also coming in November 2017 is the new Instant Glow Facial Oil recommended to used along with your moisturizers for added hydration or use it alone.  May also be used to add glow to your skin after applying your make-up, also great on cuticles, elbows, knees, anywhere you have dry skin.  Will be available to order online soon. 

BRS Progressive Peel

Start your Progressive Peel now. Now is the time of year to do this treatment. Applied, at home, once a week for 8-12 weeks. This is a very gradual exfoliation, it will not interfere with your daily routine. These treatments are best to do during the winter months when it's easier to stay out of the sun. Resurface, lighten, clear breakouts, shrink pores, brighten!!! Pre-order necessary, product arrives within a week. Half the cost of an in office peel. HALF!   You can order online by CLICKING HERE

Here's how it's used:
Apply the BRS Progressive Peel 1x weekly for the time recommended by your skin care therapist.  Use Whitening Elixir every day and night along with your other BRS skin care products. Your skin care specialist may recommend you use the Progressive Peel 2 days in a row every other week.  This depends on our specific needs.

Instructions for pad usage:
Step 1:  After cleansing with appropriate BRS facial cleanser prep the skin with 90% Alcohol applied o a cotton pad.  Wipe cotton over face, do this twice and let face dry.

Step 2:  Wipe 1 pre-treated progressive peel pad onto the face (can be used on the neck and chest if desired.  Use a separate pad for these areas).  Keep product away from lash line, can be used under eyes.  Wipe with light even pressure.  Do not rub back and forth or pass over same area more than once.  A little overlapping is fine, don't worry.


Step 3:  Apply nothing else and leave on overnight.  In the morning resume your regular cleansing routine plus add the Whitening Elixir to your morning and night routine.  Use 1-2 pumps of the Whitening Elixir in the morning with your Vitamin-C Antioxidant Elixir and do the same at night with your Glycolic or Retinal Products.  You may pump the Whitening Elixir into the palm of your hand along with the Vitamin-C Antioxidant Elixir then apply all at once to your face, no need for 2 steps.  Same at night with your Glycolic or Retinol.  Use the Luminous White Skin Bleaching Cream every night.

Collagen Induction Therapy at BRS facial spa

A Collagen Induction treatment session takes about 30-60 minutes, depending on if you wish to treat the face or the neck & chest too.  As a non-surgical procedure, Collagen Induction isn't known for many side effects outside of some short term localized redness, which is easily camouflaged with makeup. You will notice an improvement in skin texture with the first treatment and even better results are achieved by a series of treatments over time.  A series of 4 to 8 treatments is recommended for most.

Collagen Induction is a skin-improvement procedure based on skin injury/repair technique. Collagen Induction causes a controlled damage to the skin with very tiny needles that create precise micro-injuries; essentially creating channels in your skin. This triggers the healing process, inducing the skin's self-repairing mechanism that creates collagen and elastin, both of which help improve skin texture, tone, pigmentation and lift.  The micro channels help special serums penetrate deeper into the skin, enhancing their benefits as well.

As we age the skin becomes thinner, blood circulation deteriorates, and the natural production of collagen and elastin starts to slow down, which will cause the skin to lose firmness and elasticity. This natural ageing process starts from the inside out, but external factors can  accelerate the aging process.  Environmental exposures, sun, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, hormones, lifestyle etc. accelerate the process as well.  Short of medical procedures this is the most advanced clinical procedure available today!

Collagen Induction shifts the natural repair mechanism of the skin into high gear to restart producing collagen and elastin. The self-repairing property of the skin is a 100% natural form of skin renewal from the inside out.

Collagen Induction is the only skin improvement method that combines both aspects: natural skin improvement  with controlled micro-injury and externally applied active ingredients by means of special serums. A combined effect in the battle against skin aging is tackling not just the consequences, but the cause of skin ageing.

Collagen Induction creates a younger & fresher you in a 100% natural way.  The skin becomes firmer and regains its elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced or completely eliminated , pores become finer, circulation is stimulated and the overall condition of the skin improves tremendously. 

New Lip Line Treatment

New Lip Line Treatment

Arnica is used in combination with antioxidants and peptides for an effective anti-aging lip treatment.  Arnica helps to soothe dry irritated lips while reducing irritation, while peptides, hexipeptide-3, and hyaluronic acid help to plump with intense moisture.

Directions:  Apply to clean lip area as often as you like, at least twice a day, morning and night.  Massage into the lips and area around the lips.  Product will absorb, no residue left behind, you may apply lipstick or gloss once absorbed.  This product does not work like barrier moisturizers do, it will completely absorb to address the issue at a cellular level.

Contains: Pomegranate Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Orange Peel Extract, Passionflower Extract, Penepeptide-7, Hexipeptide-3 Carrot Root  Extract, Goji Extract, Acai Extract, Noni Extract,Calendula Extract, Tangerine Extract, Grapefruit Peel Extract, Bergamot Extract, Rosewood Extract, Natural Oils of Olive, Flaxseed & Grape.

New Arnica Night Moisture

New Arnica Night Moisture, BRS medium weight night time moisture.

Lymphatic Drainage Facial Treatment Benefits

Lymphatic Drainage Facial Treatment Benefits

Lymphatic drainage facial treatment is great for under eye bags and dark circles.  Often time, especially as we age, our skin metabolism slows down creating puddles of fluid that present themselves as dark circles or puffy eyes.  This treatment is great during allergy season, after a cold or sinus congestion, or after a night out on the town where alcohol and salty foods may have been consumed.  It is especially beneficial to have during and after a nutritional cleanse to help rid your lymphatic system of toxins that are being released during the process.

A sluggish lymph system can be the cause of many skin related problems.  The skin is the largest elimination organ, approximately 1/3 of all body impurities are eliminated and released through the pores of the skin.  Our bodies are constantly being assaulted by toxic substances, from the foods we consume and even from the air we breathe.

The immune systems first line of defense is the skin.  Toxic build-up and sluggish lymph circulation limits the bodies ability to function properly.  A few examples of skin health related problems that can be attributed to improper lymphatic functions are:  

• Bumps under the skin surface
• Sensitive, allergic skin
• Puffy eyes
• Puffy cheeks
• Acne
• Dark under eye circles
• Sallow dull complexion

One of the easiest ways to engage your lymph system is to use a very gentle oscillating facial brush morning and night.  Let the brush sit on the different areas of the skin you see in the above photo, taking at least 1-3 minutes to complete the face.  You will notice your skin instantly looking more vibrant once the stagnant fluid is removed through the lymph system.  Ask for the lymphatic treatment when you come if for your services, you'll love it!  

At BRS we sell the perfect oscillating facial brush to engage your lymphatic system. You want a brush that is very gently and one that spins.  The lymph is located just under the surface of the skin.  If you use too much pressure it will not work.  Brushes that are too harsh, or too heavy on the skin will not engage the lymph system.  

www.BRSfacialspa.com

The Negative Effects Of Sugar On Your Skin

The Negative Effects Of Sugar On Your Skin

It is no secret that sugar causes inflammation in our bodies.  Any sign of inflammation will be reflected in the condition of your skin.  In fact, your skin is the first place it will show.

Here is how having sugar in your diet can effect your skin negatively:

Wrinkling:

Sugar will bread down collagen in your skin.  Collagen is your friend, you do not want to break it down.  Collagen depletion is what wrinkling is.

Inflammation:

Sugar is the worst, of all foods, that contribute to the acidic levels in your body which lead to inflammation.  It does this by raising the blood sugar levels that surge and then drop.  The fluctuation is what causes the inflammation.  This inflammation is what causes some people to have a red and rashy look to their skin.  It may also contribute to Rosacea.  

Dehydration:

Did you know that sugar extracts water from your cells?  It does!  Dehydration is the leading cause of dark under-eye circles and an overall dull complexion.

For more information about how to care for your skin visit:

BeautifulRadiantSkinProduct.com 

BRSfacialspa.com

Best Night Time Skincare Advice & Products

Best Night Time Skincare Advice & Products

FACE IT....
Your night time skin care routine is so important.  It is the most important thing you can do to guarantee you wake-up looking refreshed & beautiful, ready to face your day.

The affects of sleep on your skin is not any different than the affect sleep has on the rest of your body.  Remember, your skin is the largest organ of your body and responds to how you treat it, good or bad.

While you are asleep the cells of your skin, along with all the cells in your body go into overdrive.  Your night time cells are doing the best they can to repair the damage done during the day from exposure to environmental contaminants as well as toxins we ingest through our nutritional choices.  During the night your blood vessels dilate, allowing an increased flow of nutrients and oxygen to be carried to the cells.  Did you know that your cells regenerate faster at night?  They do!  This is the perfect time to feed your skin what it needs to repair itself so you can awake with Beautiful Radiant Skin.  

The best night time skin care routine is one that will do 3 things:

1.  Exfoliate the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin
2.  Feel your skin with cellular regenerative properties
3.  Moisturize with a product that goes deep enough to be retained all night

Take a look at Beautiful Radiant Skin's Daily Routine:

Shop Beautiful Radiant Skin Products

Professional Tips For Beautiful Radiant Skin

PROFESSIONAL TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL RADIANT SKIN


1.  By far the most important thing you can do is to stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen of SPF-30 or higher.  Did you know that over 80% of our skins’ damage is caused from exposure, especially exposure to the sun?  Preventing the damage in the first place is much easier than fixing it after the fact, so wear your sunscreen.

2.  Believe it or not even the slightest sensitivity to dairy and/or wheat can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of your skin.  As we know, our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and therefore is affected by how we treat it, both internally and externally.  How do you know if you have a sensitivity or not?  I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice.  However, I am a skin care expert so speaking from that platform here is what I know to be true in over 35+ years of experience.  If you  notice breakouts that look more like a rash than pimples, they can be pustules or not, red in color, and may or may not itch, you may have sensitivity to dairy and/or wheat.  I recommend removing both items from your diet for 1 month and then add them back, 1 at a time, a month apart.  Take notice of the changes in your skin and then you’ll know if you are one of the many who suffer from sensitivities to these foods.  See your doctor for testing and diagnosis.

3.  Sleep is very important to the health and appearance of your skin. When you are sleep deprived, your circulation slows and your body does not rejuvenate at the same rate it does when well rested.  Your cells go to work at night, repairing what they can.  If they cannot repair while you sleep it will be obvious in the way your skin looks.  Your skin will look dull, sallow and puffy if you are not well rested.  So get your Z’s.

4.  Pay attention to your neck and chest!  Most of the same products you use on your face should be used on your neck and chest, with the exception of how you exfoliate this area.  The skin on the neck and chest is different than the skin on your face, you have less fat on the neck and chest, the skin is generally thinner in these areas.  You need to use an exfoliator specifically designed for this area.  Of course my recommendation is Décolleté & Neck Resurfacing Elixir by Beautiful Radiant Skin Products.

5.  Diet is very important to the health of your skin.  Your diet has a huge impact on the appearance of your skin.  I recommend a diet full of fresh vegetables, low glycemic fruits, like berries,  fresh juices of mostly vegetables, healthy fats like nuts and fish, and at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.  Foods that contain refined sugar, salt, simple carbohydrates like white flour are not good for your skin.

6.  Use a good Vitamin-C Elixir daily under your sunscreen.  I recommend Vitamin-C Antioxidant Elixir by Beautiful Radiant Skin Products.  Use of this product will retard your skins’ ability to form hyper-pigmentation (dark spots). 

7.  This should go without saying, but that won’t stop me.  Do not drink alcohol daily or smoke!!!  Alcohol in moderation, a few drinks a week is fine, but even at that pace it is dehydrating to your skin.  Smoking is NEVER okay.  If you smoke….stop-it!

BRS facial spa treatment video

View our treatment video here, click here.

Beautiful Radiant Skin Product Video

CLICK HERE to view Beautiful Radiant Skin Product video

Peptide Infusion

For more information on this new Peptide Infusion CLICK HERE

Vitamin-C Infusion

Now available, the new Vitamin-C Infusion.  This treatment infuses a deep penetration of Organic Vitamin-C deep into the tissue of your skin resulting in an amazing glow!!

BRS Treatment Cycling for your best shot at keeping your skin younger longer

If you are working our program the way it is designed you will see a difference in the quality, clarity, tone, color, firmness and overall radiance of your skin. If you are not working the program or only partially participating then your results will not be as good....but they will still be much better than anywhere you go for a 'fluffy facial." 

So what does this mean? We call it Treatment Cycling. It integrates intense once monthly facial treatments along with a good strong at home care system of products and 3 to 4 times a year peel or C.a.a.t. Treatments. When combined this process comes together perfectly to keep your skin looking younger longer. For more information on how this works follow this link or ask us about it. http://www.brsfacialspa.com/#!cycling-your-treatments/cspr

How to treat & prevent adult breakouts

Are you experiencing adult breakouts?  There is a difference between teen and adult breakouts.  Teen breakouts are almost always the result of the over production of sebum (oil) caused by hormonal fluctuations and surges.   Hormone fluctuations are usually about 75% of the cause of teen acne.  Also teens are more likely to be lazy with their skin care routines, making up the remaining 25%.  In the majority of cases if teens follow a strict skin care routine they will see a significant improvement in their acne.  This is not always the case with adults.

Adult breakouts can be caused by several different things making it harder to treat. Hormonal upheavals do not go away as we age, this is why women notice breakouts during their menstrual cycles and again in menopause.  Men have hormonal fluctuations too, and may notice breakouts in a cyclical pattern as do women. 

Adult breakouts can also be caused by food allergies, most common being wheat and dairy.  Believe it or not even the slightest sensitivity to these 2 foods can have a huge impact on breakouts.  I recommend that adults who eat a lot of one or both of these foods try eliminating them to see if it helps.  Many times this alone can make a huge difference.  Other contributing factors are stress, medications, diet, skin care hygiene habits, dehydration rather internal and/or external, the overuse of drying agents (over the counter spot treatments), build-up on the surface of the skin from not exfoliating often enough....or ever.   

The best way to prevent adult breakouts is to control the things listed above like stress, etc.  In addition, take an active role in how you care for your skin. When combined these things will help. So what can you do? Start by making sure you are following a good at home skin care routine considering the following things: 

1.  First you MUST pH balance your skin. People mistakenly believe if they dry out their blemishes it is a good thing.  It's not, it's a bad thing. When you over dry you knock off the pH balance resulting in more oil being pumped to make up for the dryness that was caused....thus the never ending cycle of breaking out then clearing up only to break out again.  This is why pH balancing is so important.  Use products that do not disrupt the pH balance.   
Alpha Enzyme Cleanse and Botanic Soft Cleanse. 

2.  Use a potent anti-oxidant to help fight the free radicals caused by our everyday environment.  Vitamin-C Elixir  These free radicals cause havoc in your entire body and the skin will reflect the damage.

3.  Exfoliate on a regular basis, I recommend nightly use of a topical exfoliating elixir to help rid the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, this prevents blockages that can lead to blemishes.  Glycolic-50 Elixir  Also exfoliating a few times a week with a manually helps keep skin completely free from build-up.  Exfoliating Pore Reducer

4.  Make sure you are using a moisturiser.  Many times people think moisture causes breakouts, this is wrong, and actually the opposite is true.  If you do not use a moisturiser to balance the pH of your skin you will over dry....and as a result, over produce oil to compensate creating the cycle mentioned above.  Multi-Peptide & Collagen Elixir for moisture without oil.

If all of this is overwhelming don't worry, a short visit with your Esthetician will simplify and help you.  At BRS facial  spa our product consultations are free, we will recommend the right products for you and show you how to use them.  Everybody's skin is different, there is no ONE CURE for breakouts and there is no ONE PRODUCT that will work for everybody. 
Visit us at BRSfacialspa.com or BeautifulRadiantSkinProducts.com

Vitamin-C Doesn't Lighten Skin. What Does?

Skin lightening ingredients that you should know more about.  First let me inform you of a myth.  Vitamin-C does NOT lighten skin.  It doesn’t.  Vitamin-C is, however, one of the most powerful antioxidants you can apply topically to your skin.  Vitamin-C does impact hyper pigmentation (dark spots) but not by lightening them, this is so important to understand.  Vitamin-C’s role, in regard to skin lightening, is that it retards the skins’ ability to form dark spots, it does not lighten dark spots that are already there.  Vitamin-C, especially in high concentrations,  (check out BRS brand Vitamin-C Elixir for the most potent you can find) works by protecting your skin from the free radicals that contribute to the damage that becomes dark spots.  See the difference?  So when you are looking for a product to lighten dark spots Vitamin-C is not the ingredient to look for.

Recently there has been a lot of attention on the Kakadu Plum used in skin lightening products.  These products boast about the high concentrations of Vitamin-C in them.  Well, that’s all fine & good but, like I mentioned above, although a very powerful ingredient when used as an antioxidant, Vitamin-C doesn’t lighten the skin. 

Let’s address their advertising for a second, before moving on to what ingredients actually help to lighten the skin.  First, the Kakadu Plum advocates (people selling products that contain it) claim it has the highest amount of Vitamin-C on the planet. Depending on the source, and there are many, the Camu Camu Berries has as much if not more Vitamin-C.  On all charts these 2 run very close.  The range for both is anywhere from 2700mg of Vitamin-C  per 100g to 3100 mg per 100g.  The Kakadu Plum is a powerhouse when it comes to one of the best antioxidants available, but it isn’t antioxidants that lighten the skin. 

So what are the best sources of Vitamin-C?   Consider the following,  Ascorbic Acid IS Vitamin-C and it works absolutely as well or better than any rare berry or plant from the Amazon or anywhere else.  I urge you to make note of the people making the claims on these new products they claim are better, they simply are not.  It’s important to know which types of Vitamin-C absorb deepest into the skin.  When Vitmain-C comes from a food based product that is fiber rich and contains mostly cellulose you should know it is not even active when applied topically.   Ascorbic Acid has been proven to be the BEST and most deeply penetrating way to apply topical Vitamin-C.  Okay, enough about Vitamin-C.

Now on to actually lightening the skin.  Remember Vitamin-C does not lighten dark spots, but it does interfere with your skins’ ability to make additional dark spots by retarding the melanin production responsible for darkening the skin through damage caused from free radicals and exposure.  So what does lighten the skin? 

In medical studies…….note, ‘medical studies‘…… and not from someone trying to sell a product (although BRS  sells skin care products, our products are based on medical research not hype).  Arbutin is the BEST and most potent form of skin lightener there is.  There are 2 types of Arbutin, alpha and beta.  Alpha Arbutin is more productive in lightening of the skin.  What is Arbutin?  It is a natural source of hydroquinone.  It is derived from natural sources of Bearberry, Mulberry, Cranberry, & White Mulberry.  Many skin care companies use Arbutin in their skin lightening products, and that's great!  But in what concentrations?  This is important to know.  Beautiful Radiant Skin Products use Arbuin as it’s main ingredient in our Luminous White Skin Bleaching Cream, but we take it a step further.  Our fillers are not fillers at all, we add (not dilute) our Arbutin with other highly active ingredients that make this product the most potent you can find.  We mix it with Vitamin-B3, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sage, Ginseng & Rosemary Extracts, & Avocado Oil for moisture.  Our product will lighten without drying and is scientifically based and proven.  Google our ingredients to see how they work together to lighten the skin.

In short, Kakadu Plum may be rich in Vitamin-C, but it cannot deliver as deeply as Ascorbic Acid which IS Vitamin-C.  And Vitamin-C doesn’t lighten skin when used topically, it is important for skin as an antioxidant not a skin lightener.  Check out all our products at http://www.beautifulradiantskinproducts.com/

Add fullness to your face without injections with the right products

 Watched a TV commercial yesterday on a new product they're advertising that adds fullness to the face, where you are losing volume. BRS has had this product for years. In fact we have 2 of them. The ingredient that adds volume is Hyaluronic Acid and/or Hexapeptide-3. Both Firm & Lift Elixir and Multi-Peptide & Collagen Elixir have VERY high amounts of these ingredients. We are seriously cutting edge, all the time. I keep up on this stuff to make sure we have the best, all the time, because my face depends on it too :-)

Newest Skin Care Treatments in 2015

Should you follow skin care trends?  Short answer, don’t believe everything you read or are told.  Ask questions, a lot of questions.  Knowledge is power. I research everything!!!  At BRS facial spa we don’t add new treatments simply because they are new or because everybody else is doing it.  Trust me when I tell you that this industry is constantly reinventing the wheel.  Companies that make the machines we use have to keep coming up with new machines in order to continue to make new sales.  Once they sell a machine to a skin care therapist it’s a done deal, they can’t sell it to us again, so they need something else to wow us with so they can keep selling equipment. 

I attend the big Aesthetic shows several times a year, every year, to see what is new, and I challenge the new treatments.  I can tell you, without a doubt,  I am one of the people these companies don’t like to see at their booth.  A couple of years ago I got some flack for writing a blog post about a new machine that combines Diamond Microdermabrasion and Hydra-Oxygen.  They were new to the market at that time.  We offer both of these treatments at BRS facial spa,  but we have one machine for each, it’s not a dual purpose machine like the one being promoted.  When I asked the benefit of the dual purpose machine over having each machine separately they could not answer, other than to tell me it is more convenient.  But it isn’t more convenient.  What if one of the modalities need repair, but the other doesn’t?  It’s necessary to give up the entire machine while it’s being repaired which results in the skin care technician not having 2 modalities at their disposal instead of just the one being repaired.  This is the main reason we have one machine for each treatment.  In addition, the cost of the multi machine was thousands of dollars more than purchasing them separately.  Literally 25K from one company that I talked with!!!!  Are you kidding me?  The enormous amount of money spent on these machines is why the consumer pays so much for these treatments.  The cost trickles down, it has to.  Otherwise how are these skin care studios going to pay for these machines?  Makes sense right? 

Some of you might have read this story before, but since we have a lot of newer clients I’m going to tell it again.  At another booth, at the same show as the above story,  was a new machine that uses vacuum suction to promote collagen development.  Okay, there is so much wrong about this that I don’t even know where to start.  First of all vacuum suction does not promote collagen development, that is ridiculous.  Vacuum suction is used to loosen and remove  debris from the pores or to facilitate a lymphatic treatment.  In addition, the vacuum is used to vacuum dead skin cells for a cleaner treatment.  For example, all Diamond Microdermabrasion machines use vacuum suction to suck up the dead skin cells as they are removed during the treatment.  The benefits of this treatment come from the abrasion to the skin not the vacuum suction.  In fact, the vacuum setting used should always be set on the lightest suction because pulling the skin with a higher setting can cause damage.  All that being said, this booth I was visiting was promoting a machine they claim plumps the skin through vacuum suction.  I was watching the demonstration as my questions were piling up in my head.  Before asking my questions though, I wanted to see where this was going, so I watched. 

When the demo was finished the model receiving the treatment sat up to show how the side of her face that was treated was more plump than the side of the face that was not treated.  Well HELLO!!!!  If you suck the crap out of your face with a vacuum it’s going to swell.  That’s not collagen!!  That’s swelling which will dissipate very soon after the treatment is finished.  BTW the cost of this machine?  30K.

Collagen production can ONLY be generated by damaging the cellular connection deep within the skin which causes the body to rush to the damaged area to repair it.  The repairing of this tissue is accomplished through collagen development.  This is why we use treatments like peels and non-invasive face lift among others.  These treatments cause controlled damage resulting in collagen development.  Knowing this, I asked the technician giving the demonstration to explain to me how this treatment results in collagen development.  She told me the collagen is produced from the suction.  Again I asked HOW does suction develop collagen?  She kept repeating the same answer and then moved on to someone else’s questions because clearly I was irritating her.  I then asked her if there are any side affects to this treatment and what about the pulling of the skin, couldn’t this pulling lead to loosening of the connective tissue?  She quickly answered there are no side affects, she completely ignored the second part of my question while giving me a pretty irritated look.

I left completely irritated at these ridiculous claims and felt sorry for the people falling for it and spending literally thousands of dollars to buy this machine.  So the next day I went back to the booth, in disguise and with my husband.  I was afraid she may recognize me, but luckily for me, there was a different person manning the booth that day.  I asked if my husband could be the model for the demonstration, she accepted him as her model and started the treatment.  When the treatment was finished she followed the same routine as the girl did the previous day; sat him up to show the onlookers the plump side of his face.  I didn’t say anything, I didn’t ask questions, we just left.  I watched my  husbands face deflate over the next hour and THEN it started to show signs of bruising.  The next morning his face was black and blue from all the suction and it was very swollen.  Probably not necessary to mention the swelling was not collagen,
it was trauma from the brutal use of high suction.

So what’s new and stupid in 2015?  PRP is getting a lot of hype this year.  PRP is short for Platelet Rich Plasma.  A persons own blood is drawn and then spun to separate the plasma which is later injected into areas of the face needing rejuvenation.  The claim is that this plasma is safe because it comes from your own body, an alternative to derma fillers like Juvederm, for example.  The plasma contains platelets which are proteins that stimulate collagen growth.  This collagen growth is what plumps the skin.  The cost for this treatment ranges between $1,500 and $2,500 per treatment depending on the area you live.  The problem with this treatment is not just the cost. It also does not build any more collagen than a peel or other means of causing the controlled damage necessary to build new collagen. It simply costs a lot more.  It’s an impressive technique, I’ll give it that.  It requires a doctor and some very expensive machines to spin the blood.  There is simply no scientific proof or studies that show this way of attracting collagen is any better than other more traditional  methods.  In addition, consider these treatments need to be repeated, as do all collagen treatments, usually every 3 to 4 months.  Now that gets expensive with PRP.  In my opinion this is simply another fancy and expensive way to reinvent the wheel.

The many different treatments available to maintain your youthful skin are not any different than the many different diets and exercise programs there are to maintain your weight and health.  What does this mean?  There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different diets and exercise programs you can follow to lose weight.  The bottom line is that with all of them you are doing just 2 things:  Eating less and moving more.  It’s not any different with skin care treatments.  There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different ways to have younger looking skin.  Don’t fall for the hype, simply make sure your skin care therapist is addressing the main issues that cause skin to age and look old.  Do these things regularly and you will look younger.  Here’s the areas you want to make sure are addressed:  Texture, Soft Tissue Rejuvenation, Color, and Muscle Tightening. 

At BRS facial spa this is our end game.  We offer our clients the Modality Facials so that each time they come in to see us we are addressing the areas mentioned above, we keep them rotating and active and engaged at all times.  We use well known, tried and tested treatments for collagen development, for exfoliation through manual or chemical means, we address muscle loosening, and soft tissue rejuvenation as well as color tone and overall condition of your skin. 

To sum it up, there is no miracle cure for aging.  We all do it.   At least we all hope we do, the alternative to not growing old is dying, nobody wants that.  Here at BRS facial spa we take a very sensible yet extremely targeted approach to help you age gracefully.  Some of our treatments can be aggressive, however, you can rest assured we are not going to learn about some unknown side affect by trial and error on our clients.  You can also rest assured that nobody wants to keep their skin looking young more than we do, we’re kind of obsessed about that, and that’s good for all of you.  

BRS facial spa skin care annual skin care treatment recommendations

Start your New Year off with a great face. Our recommendations: Make sure you are using your BRS Products at home. This is by far the most important part of your skin care routine. Without good at home care you might as well forget the treatments too. I hate to say it, but it's true. Getting a facial once a month and then going home to poor skin care products is like working out at the gym then going home to burgers and fries, doesn't make sense. Here's what we recommend. Schedule your Modality Facials once a month. Every 3-4 months schedule a Peel or a Collagen Attraction & Activation Treatment (c.a.a.t.). I like to start off my year with a Peel or the C.A.A.T. because it's easier to remember.

Remember if you receive Botox and/or fillers you still need to pay attention to the texture and quality of your skin. It's important to protect your skins' elasticity and protein bonds. If you ONLY get your Botox and fillers and ignore the 'quality' of your skin you will need your Botox and fillers much more often, so protect your investment by keeping your skin in it's absolute BEST condition, then use the Botox and fillers as the cherry on top Think of Botox & Fillers like spanx for your face. The better shape you are in the less you will need the spanx.

Here's what my year in skin care looks like:
Jan...... Peel or C.A.A.T.
Feb...... Modality Facial
March.. Modality Facial
April..... Peel or C.A.A.T.
May..... Modality Facial
June.... Modality Facial
July..... Peel or C.A.A.T.
Aug..... Modality Facial
Sept.....Modality Facial
Nov...... Peel or C.A.A.T.
Dec...... Modality Facial

Skin care treatment questions answered

The Differences Between The Peel and
The Collagen Attraction & Activation Therapy

Deciding which is best for you depends on which areas need the most attention.  Both of these treatments overlap in the benefits they provide.  That being said, each of these have a primary benefit different from the other, it’s the secondary benefits that overlap. What does that mean? 
 
Let’s start with the benefits of the Peel & down time

The main objective for the peel is to exfoliate the skin, to rid the skin of any dead cell build up exposing the fresh new skin beneath.  In doing so the peel also has other secondary benefits, which are helping the skin to build new collagen which helps fill in fine lines and wrinkles, it also lightens the skin making dark pigmentation less noticeable.  In a nutshell, it’s main purpose is to resurface the skin leaving the skin softer, smoother, brighter and more radiant with improvement to fine lines and wrinkles.

Healing from the peel:

Down time - 7 days with 4 full days of noticeable and active peeling.
How long without make-up - 7 full days, no make-up.  After day 7 you will return to your normal routine of caring for your skin.
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Collagen Attraction & Activation Therapy (C.A.A.T. ) & down time

While the main purpose of the peel is to resurface, the main purpose of the C.A.A.T. is to build massive amounts of new collagen resulting in fullness and lift.  It’s secondary benefits are that it also resurfaces the skin and lightens dark pigmentation.  This treatment results in tighter lifted skin that is softer, smoother, brighter and more radiant.  In a nutshell it’s main purpose is to lift and fill in areas that have dropped or become hallow due to the loss of collagen.
 
Healing from the C.A.A.T:

Down time - 36 hours with nothing on your face, not even water.
How long without make-up - 36 hours,  no make-up.  After that you return to your normal routine.  With this treatment your skin will release, as it does in the peel, only without the actual peeling affect.  Instead of noticeable peeling it sheds.  This is why we bring you back for 2 Diamond Microdermabrasion during the course of your treatment.

So which is best for you?  It depends on your needs.  Generally a good rule of thumb is this:  The C.A.A.T. is best for anti-aging purposes because of it’s ability to lift the skin and in ADDITION is also provides a thorough resurfacing. 

The Peel is a better choice if you problem is blemishes or scaring left behind from scaring, or simply wanting the remove a layer of skin to lighten and brighter your complexion.