Skincare Archives - Skintuition Studio | Scottsdale Skincare

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021

How to Get Glowing Skin by Exfoliating

Everyone wants glowing skin and the way to get it is through exfoliation. However, there is a fine line between exfoliating to get glowing skin and exfoliating to get red and irritated skin. In this article, I am going to explain how often you should be exfoliating and what you should be using based on your skin type.

What Is Skin Exfoliation?

To begin let me first explain what exfoliating is. Exfoliating is an extensive process of removing the dead cells from the upper layer of the skin. Exfoliation can be chemical or physical. For those wanted to fight aging chemical exfoliants are best. I love the aha accelerator from Glymed and the Skintuition Brand Retinol. For those trying to even out texture, you should try the physical exfoliants. One of my favorites is the Anti Aging exfoliating mask from Glymed.

How Often Should You Exfoliate?

This all depends on your skin’s sensitivity and health. For normal skin, the frequency of skin exfoliation is 2-3 times a week. For sensitive skin, only once a week and if you have oily skin, then you can exfoliate 3-5 times a week. If you start to get any redness or irritation take a break and let the skin calm down and then scale back on the amount of times you are exfoliating each week. You never want red skin, so not over exfoliating is crucial. If your skin is already red or irritated then you are not ready to exfoliate yet. First, you must fix your skin barrier.

Why You Shouldn’t Over- Exfoliate Your Skin?

While there are numerous benefits of exfoliating your skin, overdoing it can backfire as well. If you over-exfoliate your skin it can cause irritation or even widen your pores. It can also dry out the skin and give you a wind-burned look.

Additional Tips For Exfoliating

• Be sure to use a professional exfoliant. Over-the-counter products rarely work as they are advertised to and can damage the skin.

• Don’t use harsh products on your face. For instance, body scrubs are not meant to be used on the face.

• Avoid exfoliating the night before a big event as some irritation can occur

• Start Gentle. Less is more with exfoliation and if you are too aggressive right away you will end up with irritated skin

• Make sure to wear sunscreen as exfoliation treatments make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

• Don’t wax before or after you exfoliate your skin. You can end up with a burn.

April 29, 2021

Difference between OTC (Over-the-Counter) skincare and Professional skincare products

OTC skincare products have active ingredients in lower concentrations ideal for prolonged use and maintenance. Professional skincare products have active ingredients in higher concentration and are specially formulated to have a faster result.

There are a lot of skincare products out there and they are formulated differently for different brands, applications, and purposes.

Skincare Manufacturing and Production

Professional skincare products are available and sold in small to limited quantities, we can find these in Skincare clinics, Beauty Spas with the guidance of professionals. However, OTC skincare products are mass-produced and can easily be found in the beauty and cosmetic section of groceries and department stores.

Skincare Ingredients and Quality

Results and Effectiveness of Professional skincare products are achieved with the guidance of a Skincare professional, a higher concentration of active ingredients, and through molecular technology where active ingredients are made the right size to penetrate the skin from within.

OTC skincare products on the other hand have active ingredients that are lower in concentrations. It is highly recommended to seek guidance from Skincare professionals on recommendations when using Professional Skincare products.

Weigh in on Costs and Quality

Professional skincare products cost more compared to OTC products because of the following:

Prices of High-quality ingredients are high.
Formulating high-quality ingredients are costly. It takes time, resources, and money with formulating them correctly.

You don’t need to overspend on Professional skincare products because you don’t use as much of these. Remember, they have a high concentration of active ingredients which makes the effect lasts long, maintaining your skin healthy, treat and prevent skin problems, and gives value for your money.

Skintuition Studio can help you find the right and effective skincare. Feel free to ask!

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021

Retinol, Retinoid, and Vitamin A

Retinol

Retinol is a vitamin A derivative used for skincare solutions of dermatologists for all sorts of skin remedies in fighting acne, sun damage, wrinkles, skin aging, and any other skin problems.

For many of us, we’ve heard not so good stories about retinol use and I’m beginning to have second thoughts on the retinol being on the hype spot. Skin cancer, sun damages, dryness, and itchiness of the skin are some of the side effects of retinol.

Retinol, Retinoid, and Vitamin A.

Vitamin A is a group of organic compounds and is essential in maintaining our immune system, vision health, and reproduction. Vitamin A is also important for the health and functions of the Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, and other organs in our body.

Retinol and Retinoid are the same and both derivatives of vitamin A. Both are used for skincare solutions such as wrinkle reduction, acne treatment, and collagen production but since retinol has a lower concentration of retinoic acid than retinoid, it can be found in many OTC (over the counter) creams. Retinol is still effective but with low potency and results will take time to be noticed.

The majority of dermatologists would recommend a topical retinoid regimen since it has a pharmaceutical classification which means that you will need a prescription before using retinoid skincare. Retinoid (adapalene 0.1% gel) has been recently available as OTC without prescription.

How do they work?

Retinoid promotes surface skin cells to turn over rapidly and make way for new skin cell growth. Skin wrinkles, age spots, and rough patches on the skin can be reduced by Retinoids by increasing the production of collagen making the skin moist and youthful.

It is also used to treat inflammatory skin conditions like acne and pimples.

Do we need to worry about side effects?

Due to the concentration of retinoids, redness, and irritation of the skin, sensitivity to sunlight, peeling, and acne breakouts (rarely happens) are observed.

These effects usually last for about three to four weeks. Start at a low dose, use sunblock and skin moisturizer. The skin will adjust eventually, thickening its deeper layer and increasing strength.

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

Vitamin C: What it does and why you should be using it.

Vitamin C is a powerhouse for the skin. Uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines, acne scars, general dullness — you can name just about any common complexion concern and there’s a good chance that vitamin C is a good treatment option. Let’s deep dive into what vitamin C is and how it works in skincare.

First off, what is vitamin C?

As far as your skin is concerned, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin’s natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells.

So, in the same way that consuming antioxidant-rich foods aids your body in fighting off free radicals, topical antioxidants do the same for your skin by helping to offset daily aggressors like UV damage and exposure to air pollution. This free-radical fighting power isn’t just important for helping to keep signs of premature aging at bay. In neutralizing these free radicals, vitamin C may also help protect skin from precancerous changes caused by UV exposure.

Amazingly, vitamin C’s benefits aren’t limited to its antioxidant status. It has plenty of other skin-healing properties that make it worthy of a permanent place in your skin care routine. For one, because it’s highly acidic, when vitamin C is used topically the skin is alerted to heal itself by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are both naturally occurring protein fibers that help keep skin plump and firm. So, in helping to promote collagen production, topical vitamin C can help prevent premature aging of the skin.

Another benefit of vitamin C is it contains a property that inhibits your skin’s melanin production, which is what causes skin discoloration like dark spots and hyperpigmentation. With continued topical use, vitamin C can help prevent dark spots from forming in the first place and brighten the overall complexion of your skin.

How can you add vitamin C into your daily skin-care routine?

Vitamin C should always be applied as a serum and never as a cream. (The one I recommend is here) This is because serums penetrate deeper into the skin. Vitamin C actually breaks down when it’s exposed to light or air, so dark glass bottles help maintain its stability (and therefore, efficacy). As a general rule, serums should be layered underneath your moisturizer and vitamin C should be used in your morning routine. A little goes a long way and if you are just starting out you should start with an every other day application and work up to daily use.

Who should avoid vitamin C?

Those with sensitive skin may have allergies or redness from vitamin C. You should never apply vitamin C to skin that is already red. If you have red skin you need to start by hydrating the skin.

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

All about Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in skin known for its stunning capacity to attract and hold onto 1000x its weight in moisture. It works overtime by replenishing skin to enhance a healthy, supple look and feel. You can see why this is something you want in your skincare routine?

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan, a fancy name for a vital naturally-occurring substance that’s part of skin’s youth-supporting matrix. As the chief glycosaminoglycan in skin, hyaluronic acid works to keep every aspect of skin stable, safeguarded, and constantly renewed.

Hyaluronic acid is also a humectant, which is a category of skin care ingredients that are hygroscopic, meaning they draw moisture from their surroundings. Humectants are often found in water-based moisturizers, serums, and other leave-on skin care products because of their ability to help boost hydration for all skin types, which is especially beneficial for dry, dehydrated skin.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Help Dry, Dehydrated Skin?

The science-based magic lies in hyaluronic acid’s ability to replenish a LOT of moisture. One gram (or 0.03 oz.) of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six LITERS of water. Talk about mind-blowing! What’s even more impressive is that hyaluronic acid can do this for skin without tipping the scales and giving skin too much water.

Hyaluronic Acid’s Anti-Aging Benefits

Hyaluronic acid’s moisture-binding characteristic is exceptionally important when it comes to skin aging. When we’re young, our skin can hold onto water and retain a balanced amount of moisture, but it loses this ability as we age. The result is a visible loss of firmness, pliability, and a diminished appearance of plumpness and suppleness. Simply put, hyaluronic acid has powerful anti-aging properties.

How to Use Hyaluronic Acid in Your Skin Care Routine

Now that you know how hyaluronic acid can benefit skin, you might be wondering how tp use it. The answer is it depends. Some skin can handle using this both morning and night and other skin it is for day use only. You will need a skin evaluation to see what is best for you. I think this is a staple in any skincare routine. Especially for anti-aging, dryness and rosacea. Click here for my recommended HA serum.

Category: Skincare