Is Cetaphil OK to use as my facial cleanser?

If you are looking for an inexpensive product that does a good job of cleansing and is the correct pH for your skin, give Cetaphil a try. You can usually find it at any grocery or drug store in America. There is no guarantee that it will work for you, but it’s a good start. It is inactive (synthetic) and doesn’t cause reactions—for most people. That said, I have had several people contact me after trying Cetaphil and reacting to it.

If Cetaphil does not work for you, consider finding pH papers (see links below) so you can test any cleanser on the market to make sure it will be pH balanced at the very least. Cetaphil is certainly not the only cleanser, but it is easy to find and inexpensive, and that is why I continue to recommend it.

I know that you recommend cleansing with Cetaphil, but believe it or not it makes my skin rashy. You also talk about pH balance. Do you have a list of cleansers that you recommend? For some reason I cannot seem to find a cleanser that will get me back to the clear skin I have always had.

This client has heightened sensitivities, evidenced by her inability to use an inert (inactive) product like Cetaphil. Still, I have had several people tell me Cetaphil bothered their skin, and therefore they couldn’t use it. Perhaps in another publication I will indeed list popular and commonly found products, cleansers included, along with a pH test for each one. But for now, I highly recommend purchasing the test papers and finding cleansers you can use based on your own test results. This way you can buy products that are easy for you to find, that you like, and most importantly that are the proper pH. 

With that said, a cleanser is not going to “get you back to the clear skin you have always had.” Clear skin, if you are prone to problems, involves so much more than using an appropriate cleanser. Hormones rule the oil glands and are affected by stress, diet, and your skin care habits. Please read through this blog and if you have them, my books too, to get general as well as specific information about how to truly create healthy skin (—for a lifetime).

Cetaphil does contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a soap derivative found in many cleansing products. It is doubtful you will find it in higher-grade milk cleansers, for instance. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with sodium lauryl sulfate*, it is not the best ingredient for the face. If you find you have problems using Cetaphil, it may be this particular ingredient that your skin finds disagreeable. Still, if you are looking for an inexpensive cleanser, Cetaphil is a good choice.

*If you lookup sodium lauryl sulfate you can find alarmist arguments about why you shouldn’t use it. I am not in that camp, but perhaps some of you reading this article disagree with me. In life and especially in skin care, I choose my battles. The use of sodium lauryl sulfate simply is not one of them—for me.

I realize a lot of this article talks about some ill effects of Cetaphil, but in general I have found that most people can use it without issue. When I was writing Timeless Skin I used an entire bottle of Cetaphil, forgoing my normal (and favorite) Yonka cleanser. It took several months to get through the container, and I found Cetaphil to be good at surface cleaning without drying or otherwise adversely affecting my skin. This is why I feel free to recommend it. Give Cetaphil a try and see how it works for you.

For more information, see:

• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 
• HOW TO test the pH of your skin care products—DO THIS! (coming soon)
• Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!

“Will my whiteheads ever go away?” What is a whitehead and thoughts about extraction

What is a whitehead?

Milia is the technical term for whiteheads. Some people think the term is pronounced Amelia, but it is not. (One milia equals “a milia,” and that is where the mispronunciation comes from.) Milia are found when dead skin has grown over a pore that has become congested (filled with oil and debris).

Whiteheads need to be professionally extracted—even more so than pustules. Why? Because even though you can see the whitehead on the surface of your skin, it takes someone who really knows whether or not it can be extracted. Just because you can see the milia doesn’t necessarily mean it is ready to come out. 

I am 50 years old and have pretty good skin. It is best described as combination skin—a little drier along the cheeks and under the eyes but a little oilier around the forehead and nose. I do not have breakouts to speak of.

I do have a few spots that might be whiteheads, but I’m not sure. They are relatively hard to see (unless you are really looking for them), but they are almost like tiny cysts under the skin. They are white, but the clog itself is like a little hard bead, not a fluid. [This, by the way, is a great description of a whitehead.] 

I do not typically try to extract these myself. Over time some go away. I do not know if they can be extracted during a facial or if a dermatologist would be required. Like I said, though, they are few and small so it’s not a big problem.

The way she described her little white bumps is a good description of a whitehead. This, in a nutshell, is a whitehead. It is like a seed or bead nestled inside a closed pore. Some are easier to see than others, but sometimes they really can’t be detected.

Because there is skin grown over the opening of the pore, the debris (oil) can’t just come out if you squeeze like a blackhead will. An opening has to be made (in the salon, a lancet is used) in order for the actual extraction to take place. Then if you don’t have knowledge about what is extractable and what isn’t, you may go after a whitehead that won’t come out no matter how hard you try. What comes next is possible capillary damage (couperose) and almost definitely a small infection.

Don’t self-extract your whiteheads. Have your aesthetician do this delicate work!

Since the whiteheads are few, small, and hard to see, I would leave well-enough alone. If you go in for a facial, see what the aesthetician thinks, and if possible have them extracted. Know that if you are prone to whiteheads, they will more than likely return.

I’ve recently had several new clients come in due to whiteheads and their desire to have them removed. I go into every facial with the hope to get rid of any and all milia a client has in their skin, however my wishes (and the client’s) don’t always come true.

As I’ve mentioned, although you can clearly see a whitehead, that does not mean it can be successfully extracted. One helpful tip for any clients coming in for extractions: do a clay mask once or twice right before coming in for your facial. The clay will help to bring the debris (oil in the pores) closer to the surface, which can make extraction more *successful. The clay mask will also get your pores super clean, removing superficial blackheads, creating super clean and clearer skin.

For more information, see:

• Blackheads & Whiteheads explained 
• Extractions 2.0: A How-To for those who can’t or won’t go to a professional (blackheads, whiteheads & pustules) (coming soon) I am only including this article for those of you who won’t heed my advice to leave whiteheads alone!
• “I have little white bumps under the skin—help!” (upcoming)

Ingredient highlight: Glycerin—hydration booster

Glycerin is an important ingredient to look for in your skin care products—especially for those of you with true-dry (oil-dry) skin.

Glycerin is a humectant, attracting moisture to itself; it has emollient properties, meaning it helps to make the skin feel smooth; it has a binding action, which helps to hold a cream together; and it is an excellent moisturizer. If you look at the ingredients in your skin care products (mostly moisturizers) you will no doubt see glycerin as one of the main ingredients.

My toner lists glycerin as one of the first ingredients. Is this a good thing for me to be using?

The answer to this question is it depends. Glycerin is an excellent ingredient in a toner for dry (true-dry) skin—skin that doesn’t produce enough oil on its own. I have found, however, that glycerin in a toner for normal to oily skin can be too much for this skin type. And although this seems to hold true for toners, glycerin is not necessarily too much for oilier skins if it is in a moisturizer. It really depends on the product and where the glycerin is on the ingredient list.

I say this based on Yonka-Paris toners, which are from the product line I use (and have since 1985). Their toner for true-dry skin has glycerin in its ingredient list. In their toner for normal to oily skin types, it is not. I have found that if a client mistakenly purchases the dry-skin toner when they actually have normal to oily or oily skin, they will almost always experience breakout. The contributing factor between these two toners is glycerin.

Interestingly, when you use a moisturizing cream with glycerin in it, no matter your skin type, it is doubtful you will have issues with it. I also recommend pure glycerin or glycerin-based elixirs added to your creams to help with hydrating skin, even oilier skin. But in general, glycerin makes a good ingredient for normal or normal to dry skin types.

Hydration boosters. I like to apply hydration boosters to help with the dehydration that inevitably occurs from the indoor heat and the cold wind of winter. I purchased a bottle of glycerin at my local grocery store—in fact, it was the store’s own brand. Although I have more expensive glycerin products, I wanted to experiment and see if I could use this store brand with the same results. I will say that although the less expensive glycerin product worked just fine, it didn’t have all the wonderful aromatics (as well as beneficial surrounding ingredients) as my Yonka product: Hydra+ (see information below).

In the winter, when your skin is feeling drier, I recommend applying a glycerin hydration booster to your skin by mixing it in with your moisturizer. If it is an exceptionally cold day or series of days and adding glycerin to your creams doesn’t feel like it’s giving you enough added moisture, you could try applying glycerin straight to your skin—enough to cover your entire face and neck after cleansing—then spray on your toner, and apply moisturizer. If you have true-dry skin, you can add more glycerin in with your moisturizer. 

Many clients ask when they should use this type of product, and I always say their skin will give them all the information they need. If you feel dehydrated (dried out)—include a glycerin elixir. If your skin feels perfectly hydrated without it—skip that step. Once the weather starts to warm up, your skin will tell you it’s time to stop using the added glycerin.

For more information, see:

• Yonka’s Hydra+: For Extra Hydration—without adding oil (For Yonka lovers, this is the glycerin product I use personally and professionally)
•  Airplanes, travel, and skin care: Help for Dehydration
• Yonka toners: Which one should I use?

Proactiv—Solution? Part II: Donn’s story

Donn is a beautiful young black man. He is fit, happy, and healthy. He eats a good diet and yet was still experiencing skin troubles—mostly located in his beard area.

Men—especially African-American men—have a propensity to develop a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae. This is where the hair coming up to form the beard cannot find its way straight to the surface. For black men, this is primarily because of the curly nature of their hair. But men of all races can face this dilemma. The result is what seems like acne in their beard area. Some men have so many problems with pseudofolliculitis, they may simply let their beards grow and not deal with the daily hassle of these ingrown hairs.

Donn had to take daily medication for an unrelated condition. Although he was only on the medication for a year, it caused a lot of his skin problems. Once he got off the drug therapy, his skin problems persisted, and all he wanted was clear skin. So he turned to the advice of some people who had used Proactiv and decided to give it a try. Why not? He felt he had nothing to lose. After the first month on Proactiv Donn’s skin improved dramatically, and he has enjoyed clear skin ever since.

Donn’s is a success story. He approached me one day and asked if I could tell he used to have skin problems. His skin looked clear, without scars, and his beard didn’t seem to be housing any infected spots—all looked good. That is when he announced he had been using Proactiv for the past eight months—faithfully and successfully. He was so happy he had found something to help his problem skin.

I include Donn’s story for several reasons. First, it is not my goal to knock down every skin care regime out in the marketplace although I don’t find many products that are very effective. Proactiv has “torn up” many of my clients’ faces, but it has also helped some tough cases of problem skin.

A 20-something co-worker of Donn’s also used Proactiv. She said it seemed to work at first, but after a month or so her skin looked dull and felt dry. She didn’t get the results she was looking for and was asking me for recommendations.

This seems to be a common complaint about Proactiv. It helps, or seems to help, at first. Then it either stops working or the skin just can’t adjust to all the drying out and starts to look worse. In my opinion, this isn’t a good enough reason to use Proactiv. However, there are many people who swear by it. Try it and see. It’s pretty inexpensive, but beware if you don’t cancel your required membership after the first shipment you receive, the company will automatically send you a new batch of products on a regular basis—and charge you for them too.

The bottom line is no one product or product line works for everyone. Sometimes, especially if you have problems with your skin (whether breakout or sensitivities like rosacea, for instance), you will have to go through a trial and error period—trying out perhaps many products until you find the one(s) that work.

As you’ve read, Proactiv works for some people and not for others. If you have problem skin, I hope you will utilize the many articles on this blog that, no matter the products you’re using, can help you understand more about why the problems exist.

For more information, see:

• Proactiv—Solution? Part I
• What is Folliculitis? 
• What is causing your breakout?

Yonka’s CREME PS—DISCONTINUED

FINAL UPDATE 9/2017:

BELOVED CREME PS IS NOW OFFICIALLY DISCONTINUED

UPDATE 5/2017:
Yonka will be discontinuing Creme PS soon—probably by summertime. If you love this creme, order it now before it’s gone forever. There are many moisturizers for true-dry skin in the Yonka line, but this happens to be a favorite of a lot of clients. It is also one of the least expensive creams at $54. Oh well, can’t do anything about this change. If you know me at all, you know my very favorite Yonka moisturizer for dry skin is Masque N° 1. CLICK HERE to be taken to one of the articles I’ve written about this wonderful day/night cream. Perhaps this will be a good choice for you!

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From Yonka headquarters:
CREME PS is a nourishing cream for true-dry (oil-dry) skin. [“PS” stands for pour sèches, which basically means “for dry” in English.] This smooth, nourishing, vitamin-enhanced cream leaves your skin feeling comfortable, supple, and velvety. Hydrated and protected, the skin takes on a beautiful satin appearance. 

Creme PS instantly increases the skin's elasticity and restores suppleness. It helps to defeat dryness with a synergetic hydration-softening action. It provides a visible nourishing boost while your complexion gains a new vitality and even tone. This deep-penetrating cream stimulates the skin's ability to repair and leaves the surface feeling supple and hydrated.

With all the Yonka descriptions above, I can say as an aesthetician recommending this cream for years, Creme PS is a wonderful, all-around good moisturizer for true-dry (oil-dry) skin. In other words—it works!

Essential ingredients:

• Wheatgerm oil, olive oil, lecithin, beeswax—nourishing, protecting
• Vitamin F—anti-dehydrating
  PCA—hydrating
  Vitamins A and E—antioxidants, regenerating 
• Allantoin—toning, soothing  
• Climbing ivy—strengthens capillaries, clarifying  
• Yonka “Quintessence” (essential oils of thyme, lavender, cypress, geranium, and rosemary)—vitalizing, balancing

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply a pea-sized dollop of CREME PS over face and neck
• Then use eye cream

For more information, see:

• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin
• Moisturizing—Face: all links so far

Hair Removal Options: Waxing

Please first read Thoughts about Hair Removal Options for some important preliminary information.

Waxing is a popular hair removal technique. Your success rate with waxing will depend on the wax used (there are hot waxes, cold waxes, and some with special ingredients), the aesthetician providing the service (some people have more skill at waxing than others), and how your skin is attended to after the procedure (after waxing, a cream or salve that helps to soothe the skin should be applied). Hair regrowth is individual, but waxing should keep the hair away anywhere from three to six weeks.

Waxing is one of the least expensive ways to remove hair, but it is not a permanent removal, nor is it without side effects for some people. It is possible to have a reaction to certain ingredients in the wax itself, or the skin may become overly irritated due to the process. Welts can form, sometimes blisters, and although these are rare occurrences, they can happen.

Wax is applied to the area and a cheesecloth or cellophane strip is laid on top of the wax. Pressure is applied, and then in one quick movement, the cloth is ripped off the skin, taking with it a lot of hair pulled out from the root. As you may have guessed, or perhaps you have experienced this yourself, waxing is a painful procedure.

The hair needs to be long enough for the wax to grab hold of it. If you are waxing on an ongoing basis, this is not much of a concern; the hair grows in at different rates instead of all at once, making it less noticeable as you are growing it out. But if you’re waxing for the first time, letting your hair grow out can be tedious.

I am not a fan of waxing. When I was an employee at a spa, I had to wax—or at least so my employer thought. I was so against waxing that I would try to talk a waxing client out of getting the procedure, especially facial waxing, and instead opt for an actual facial that had a host of benefits for their skin. Although facials and hair removal are mutually exclusive, I made the spa more money giving a more expensive service, so if I was ever found out, how could they complain? And I was providing the client with solid information about how to take care of his or her skin, which in my eyes was a much more beneficial thing to do.

Because waxing can be lucrative for an aesthetician (employed or self-employed), this may lead her to encourage waxing even when it is clearly not needed. If you have been a victim of this practice and have only had one or two lip waxes, you’re probably OK. But if you continue to wax, your hair may start to grow in darker—different than it was before. So please, take caution. Don’t just go with the flow and agree to a service you are not sure about getting. And don’t wax your lip simply because you think you should.

What do you think about waxing my entire face? I have a lot of hair and it’s dark—especially on the side of my face to my hairline. I hate it and don’t know what else to do but wax. Is that OK?

Please do not start waxing your entire face! Admittedly, there may be some women who can find no other relief for excessive, dark hair growth on their faces. But for most people, this is not why they wax the face. I have met many clients who are obsessed with every little hair they may see growing out of their skin. I know women who wax their lower arms to get rid of all the hair there—even light-colored hair. This is due to some belief that all hair, other than on the head, is bad. And I don’t want you to get caught up in this and subscribe to the ultimate “solution”—waxing.

Waxing your whole face can bring on a host of problems. Ingrown hair, irritation, small bumps that don’t go away, stubble, obsession with your looks, and financial expenditures.

As with anything I may talk about, there are always exceptions. And with any of my recommendations or suggestions, they are only my opinions and may not fit into your lifestyle or needs. You will be the ultimate decision maker about what you do with your face, your skin, your looks. But waxing—especially your entire face—is something I strongly recommend not doing.

For more information, see:

• Shari’s (chin hair) waxing story
• Eyebrows: Should you wax or tweeze?
• Just Say NO to a Lip Wax!

Please do not start waxing your entire face!

A confused client needs help: “Dry? Acne? Rosacea? What is going on with my skin?”

I have dry, scaly patches on my cheeks, but my dermatologist said I have acne. He gave me a topical ointment plus oral antibiotics. Is my skin dry or is it acne? It’s all so confusing! Help! Plus an aesthetician said I have a little rosacea on my cheeks. I’m so sensitive and have spent so much money at the dermatologist and having different treatments—what should I do? What is my skin type?

I love this person’s remarks. She exemplifies the confusion so many people face when it comes to their skin. “A doctor said this, and I am taking a prescription medication, but with little or no results. I don’t understand my skin.” Sometimes clients even say “My skin is confused.” Your skin isn’t confused; it is simply reacting to its environment (internally and externally). Your skin, in fact, knows exactly what to do—and is doing exactly what it needs to do. It is the consumer who gets confused, and for good reason. I will break down her comments to see if I can make better sense of what is going on with her skin.

I have dry, scaly patches on my cheeks, but my dermatologist said I have acne. Dry and scaly skin does not equal acne. If your skin feels dry and looks scaly, you probably need to exfoliate. True scaliness could mean your skin is having an allergic reaction or perhaps an intolerance to a product, especially a new product. Dry and scaly skin could be eczema, a common dermatitis. Dry and scaly could also be your skin’s reaction to harsh and drying products you may be using to decrease oiliness or problem skin. Remember: your skin is reacting to something when it becomes dry and scaly. Look to your skin care habits and the products you are using, even extreme weather conditions, to find out what may be causing these reactions.

He gave me a topical ointment plus oral antibiotics. A topical product for acne may help with breakouts, but it also may be causing the dry and scaly condition of your skin to continue or even get worse. Many times dermatologists prescribe creams and ointments that are meant to dry things out. This, as you know (or will find out), is not how I would go about treating an acne or problem skin condition. If your skin seems drier and more scaly or red and irritated after the prescribed treatment products, don’t use them! Monitor your skin and let it be your guide, but do contact your doctor about any reactions.

Regarding antibiotics, taking anything orally affects your entire body. Constant or repeated use of oral antibiotics can cause several problems. First, it can create a healthy environment for unhealthy bacteria to flourish in your large intestines. Your colon is set up with a particular balance of both good and bad bacteria; antibiotics kill both the bad and the good bacteria. Second, your immune system can weaken from constant use of antibiotics. If and when you really do need to produce antibodies to fight off bacteria, your system is less able to do so, which makes you vulnerable to getting sick. Antibiotics—long term—set up imbalance.

Is my skin dry or is it acne? It’s all so confusing! Plus an aesthetician said I have a little rosacea on my cheeks. I have found acne and rosacea to be the most misdiagnosed conditions or at least the two most overused words to describe skin problems. You may very well have rosacea, although the description of your skin didn’t necessarily indicate that. I would suggest reading about rosacea so you can see if the symptoms match your skin’s condition. The treatment for rosacea is miles apart from acne treatment. Perhaps you truly do have acne or even rosacea, but you may just have problem skin that has been adversely affected by the actual treatment of your problems. Now that is confusing. You may simply have problem/dehydrated skin.

I’m so sensitive and have spent so much money at the dermatologist and having different treatments—what should I do? What is my skin type? If you take away all the treatments and medications that could be causing problems, it might be easier to determine your true skin type. Your skin’s condition is what you need to treat first and foremost. It is the immediate need, secondary to skin type. Once your skin has normalized, you can better determine what products would be effective for your actual type of skin or skin type.

It’s difficult to treat skin conditions yourself if you don’t know what is going on. That is the purpose of my writing—to help you determine for yourself what the problems are and how to go about solving them. I want to give you the knowledge and the tools to help you help yourself. If you have acne and cannot get rid of it by changing your lifestyle habits (or because you refuse to), then absolutely, go see your doctor. Medications may indeed help you, but in this person’s case, it didn’t help her and seemed to cause her skin more problems.

For more information, see:

• What is acne? Acne explained
• Sensitive Skin: Q & A
• Dermatitises (skin inflammations) explained

Yonka’s FRUITELIA PNG & PS: DISCONTINUED

DISCONTINUED 5/2017:
Yonka is on a roll—morphing and discontinuing products at a rapid pace. It’s almost too much to keep up with and it is almost changing this product line so much it will no longer resemble the line I fell in love with over 30 years ago. Regardless, here are the changes for this particular product:

FRUITELIA PNG (for normal to oily skin types) is discontinued. FRUITELIA PS (for true-dry skin) has a name change; at this point I’m not sure about a formulation change, too. It is now called ALPHA FLUID.

I have kept most of the original 12/2016 article below in case anyone is interested in reading about these now gone products. ALPHA FLUID has its own post under that name in Yonka moisturizers as well as Serums & Concentrates.

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From Yonka headquarters: FRUITELIA creams are moisturizers that employee the exfoliating ability of AHAs. Thanks to fruit extracts naturally rich in alpha hydroxy acids, these creamy emulsions are quickly absorbed and gently renew, hydrate and revitalize the skin. These creams stimulate the renewal of the epidermis, smooth wrinkles and fine lines, soften the complexion, and restore the skin’s natural glow and freshness. Fruitelia leaves your complexion clear, reduces roughness, and smooths out wrinkles and fine lines.

As many of you know who know me, I’m not a fan of AHAs—for the most part. In certain circumstances they can definitely help skin. Where AHAs along with other acid products fall short for me is their action on the delicate capillaries of the face. Acids irritate; that is a normal response to an acidic compound. With the irritation comes a dilation of the capillaries. On paper, that isn’t such an issue, but in practice it can cause or further redness in even those without much redness in their skin.

I have used Yonka products for over 30 years. When the Fruitelia products came out, about 15 years ago, I wasn’t a huge fan. And now, all these years later, I am still not a fan. I have seen a progression of redness in the skin of my clients who love to use this product or a new client who has been instructed to use this AHA cream. I have just a handful of clients on this cream—and have since these 2 creams were announced. It just isn’t a product I reach for when I have a client with specific skin care needs.

I’m a big believer in trying things to see if you like them and if they work for your skin. If you are sold on the benefits of AHAs, then by all means, try Yonka’s Fruitelia. However if you notice more redness in your skin after using this cream, please discontinue use and choose a Yonka product that won’t threaten the sensitivity of your capillaries. 

Essential ingredients:

• Lemon, orange, sugar cane, maple, blueberry, rich in AHA (fruit acids)—anti-wrinkles, renovating, hydrating 
• Mimosa tenuiflora, marine peptides—regenerating, smoothing 
• Cereal germ oil—nourishing, protecting 
• Rice oil, vitamin E—antioxidants 
• Wild pansies—astringent, purifying
• Calendula—soothing, softening[PS version]
• Titanium dioxide—physically blocks harmful UV rays 
• Essential oils of grapefruit and geranium—regenerating 

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply a pea-sized dollop of FRUITELIA over face and neck 
• Then use eye cream

For more information, see:

• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?
• Sensitive Skin explained
• All About Exfoliation

Tips and helpful information if you wear foundation

What foundation do you recommend to your clients? Which brand?

I am frequently asked that question. There are so many different products and colors of foundation and so many different colors and types of skin. Even if there was a brand I thought was good, it wouldn’t work for everyone. That is one reason why I don’t recommend any company’s foundation. But it’s mainly because I don’t want to promote something I don’t think is a good thing for the health of the skin in the first place. I understand some women want to or have to wear foundation, but I do not have one product to recommend.

If you have to wear foundation, try a water-based product vs. an oil-based foundation. The oil-based product will stick inside the pores more than a water-based type. Many times when I have a client who comes in for a facial with an oilier foundation on her face, it will take me more than the normal two cleansings to get it all off. Sometimes I see small bits of foundation sitting in the pores after cleansing and even exfoliating during the course of a facial, which indicates she is probably not getting her skin clean at home. I always let my client know if she isn’t doing enough to get her skin clean—namely getting all the makeup off.

Cleaning at least twice at night is in order if you wear makeup. The first cleanse is to get the makeup off; the second cleanse is to get your skin clean. Without doing at least two cleansings, you are increasing your chances of getting clogged pores—at the very least.

When a foundation has a label that says it doesn’t clog pores, does that mean it doesn’t clog even if you wear it all day long, or is there a time limit?

There is no time limit for how long a foundation can stay on your skin without clogging your pores. Just know that whether you are wearing an oil-free coverup product or not, if it is sitting on your face all day long, it is contributing to clogging on some level. Be sure to get it all off every day. Also try to do The Extras (exfoliating and using a clay mask) once to several times a week to ensure your pores are getting sufficiently and regularly cleaned out.

Can I use my spray toner over my foundation during the day?

It would be more beneficial to spray your toner on before applying foundation or powder. If you spray afterwards you may set the makeup further into your pores. Why? The moisture from the toner will bind with the makeup and then set or harden onto your skin. Spraying toner throughout the day if you aren’t wearing foundation or powder would be a great thing. You’ll get the benefits of the toner whenever you spray.

For more information, see:

• Mineral Makeup: a better alternative to foundation
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• MYTH: Foundation is good for your skin

Yonka’s CREME 28—hydrating cream for dehydrated skin

From Yonka headquarters:
Creme 28 Protective and Hydrating Cream shields against environmental aggressors and effectively alleviates dehydration. Aromatic essences, humectants, and emollients work together to rebalance dehydrated skin. 

By stimulating the skin’s ability to repair, the epidermis feels smooth and velvety. This cream seals in essential moisture and provides lasting softness. Creme 28 infuses the skin with protective “hydralock” phyto sources to guard against harsh weather—wind and cold. It reduces lines and fatigue traces resulting from dehydration. The complexion is vibrant clear and smooth to the touch.

Quench your complexion with this vitamin-charged hydrating cream moisturizer that protects and hydrates the skin with age-prevention effects. Its non-oily formula softens rough spots and lines caused by skin dehydration, making it the perfect anti-aging ally for dehydrated skin. Its use is also recommended after sun exposure, after dehydrating acne treatments, and to repair skin that is irritated by extreme dehydration.
 
This vitamin-rich hydrating day cream is a precious ally for all skin suffering from dehydration. A restorative day moisturizer that battles the after-effects of harsh weather.

Although Creme 28 is marked for “dehydrated skin”—dry and oily alike—I usually only recommend this hydrating cream to those with normal to true-dry (oil-dry) skin.

People with oily skin who are also dehydrated, I recommend using Gommage and then a moisturizer for normal to oily or oily skin. Creme 28 is wonderful, but truly for drier skin types, not just for anyone with dehydration. If you use this cream and notice your skin is breaking out or seems congested (with clogged pores) when it wasn’t before, you probably produce enough oil and therefore don't need Creme 28.

Please read through some of my blog posts (a few are listed below) to better understand the difference between “dry” (true-dry) skin and dehydration. The difference between the two is crucial to understanding how to best take care of your skin, no matter its “type.”

With all of that said, Creme 28 can and will take away the “taught” feeling of dry and/or dehydrated skin.

Essential ingredients:

• PCA, plant glycerin—hydrating
• Vitamin F—anti-dehydrating
• Olive oil, lecithin—nourishing, protecting
• Allantoin—soothing
• Vitamin A—regenerating
• Vitamin E—antioxidant
• Yonka “Quintessence” (essential oils of thyme, lavender, cypress, geranium, and rosemary)

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply a pea-sized dollop of CREME 28 over face and neck
• Then use eye cream

For more information, see:

• Is Your Skin Truly Dry or Just Thirsty?
• Dehydrated Skin explained

The Importance of Drinking Water—your life depends on it!

Water is essential to all life. But do you know why? I am including an article I found a long time ago on the importance of water. I was unable to locate the author, Bob Hoffman, who deserves every bit of credit for this well explained and easy to understand information.

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All Life Depends Upon Water
by Bob Hoffman

All life depends on water. Breathing, digestion, elimination, glandular activities, heat dissipation, and secretion can be performed only in the presence of water solutions.
 

The role of water in metabolism, in assimilation, in regulating body temperatures, and in nourishing the tissues explains why we cannot survive very long without adequate amounts of water.
 

While the average person (128 pounds for women, 154 pounds for men) in the temperate zone may “get along” on six pints of water daily if he or she is only moderately active, two to four times as much are needed during periods of vigorous exercise or work, particularly in hot or humid weather. When I had my biggest day as an athlete, competing in 13 races in one day, finishing not worse than third in any one of them, I weighed 167 to start, 154 at the end of the day. By coincidence, I averaged a loss of a pound a race.
 

Almost without exception, a domestic animal, horse, cow, pig, dog or cat, will upon arising take a drink of water if it is available. The custom of early morning drinking of water should be universally followed.
 

Most people do not drink enough water. When taken by the glassful, a fair measure is consumed, but when drinking fountains are present, a drink is usually a small mouthful.
 

With every meal, about a pint of saliva, which is over 99 percent pure water, is secreted by the salivary glands of the mouth and swallowed to make possible the digesting of food.
 

Approximately 96 percent of one’s perspiration is water, so when I lose an average of four pounds in an hour of weight training and running, I have lost mostly water, but the other four percent represents a loss of calories and fat also.
 

The quantity of water excreted by the kidneys is almost in direct proportion to the amount of water taken into the body. The quantity eliminated by the kidneys varies from three pints to one gallon daily, although in certain forms of physical irregularity, notably diabetes, as much as three gallons of water is eliminated in 24 hours.
 

Increased elimination by the kidneys will lower blood pressure. R. Lincoln Graham, M.D. who spent his life practicing hydrotherapy instead of drug therapy, stated that “...thus it is a very splendid rule in all conditions of excessive blood pressure, to drink on an empty stomach, large quantities of water, which will result in excessive stimulation of the kidneys, long after the water is eliminated. In this respect water is a remedy without a rival.” When a doctor finds that the diastolic blood pressure is very high, he looks for kidney trouble.
 

More water in the system is a great help to elimination. When there is too little water in the system, it is taken first for necessary processes and there is not enough to materially aid elimination. The stool is hard and dry, and defective drainage, which many authorities call “the disease of disease” is the unfavorable result.
 

It is so much better to have too much water in the body than not enough. The kidneys will eliminate any surplus with surprising speed, but nothing but harm to the efficiency of the body will accrue when there is not enough water.

You will notice that we say drink more water. Not more sugar laden soft drinks or more coffee. Most soft drinks are strictly a chemical product. When the sugar is not used in their manufacture, only a synthetic sweetener, the manufacturers of such products advertise that the drink contains less than one calorie. This indicates that it indeed has no food value. Good water is the best answer.
 

The Department of Agriculture book on water states, “How far most of us have strayed from the old family spring. Generations of men and women have grown up without experiencing the joy of satisfying their thirst from cool, sparkling spring water.”
 
You will be wise to drink more water, much more water. Too much water is not harmful, as the kidneys remove the surplus, but too little water can indeed be harmful to the body, which of course is YOU. 

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For more information, see:

• Tips to help you Drink More Water!
• Constipation anyone?
• WATER! How Eight Glasses A Day Keeps Fat Away