Yonka’s GOMMAGE 303—DISCONTINUED!!!

DISCONTINUED 10/2017:
I’m stunned. I’m in a state of shock. Yonka has suddenly discontinued Gommage 303.

I can’t say I’m totally surprised, although I am extremely disappointed. Last year when I had a private training at my salon, the Yonka rep discussed upcoming changes with the product line. She did mention the possibility of going down to one gommage, but I guess I didn’t really think it would happen. But it has. Yonka now only has one gommage product available: Gommage 305. With that said: I love Gommage 305. It certainly doesn’t have the citrus aromatics of Gommage 303, but I love it just the same.

A few years back Yonka changed the formulas for many of their products, taking out parabens and making overall changes to many of the ingredient lists. Unfortunately, 303 got hit with a major change that, for me as an aesthetician, was not only unfortunate but left me not wanting to use this citrus exfoliator on my clients. Gommage 303 quite simply didn’t gommage well. In treatment I had to use 2x the normal amount (and I use a lot of gommage in every facial). It didn’t peel off well and at home when I’d use it, I had to rub too hard to get any kind of a peel.

So really, this change doesn’t affect me personally. I didn’t love 303 anymore (after the ingredient changes) and I pretty much stopped using it in treatment. However Yonka headquarters didn’t highlight this change like I think they should have, and I wasn’t given time to purchase stock of this gommage for my clients who absolutely love it. There just wasn’t enough advanced notice to give my clients time to prepare for this large change in all of their skin care routines. Some—really most—of the products Yonka has chosen to discontinue lately haven’t affected too many people, although Creme PS was another biggie; discontinuing Gommage 303 is a big deal for many who love this gommage and that is a lot of people.

So for a large percentage of my clients this change will be a shock. Many of you just didn’t like the pungent smell of 305, preferring the citrus aromas of 303. Like Phyto 52, 305 has a rosemary-type scent, although there isn’t any rosemary in this gommage. Borneol, a camphor derivative, gives 305 a more earthy aromatic. I personally love it, some of you don’t. But please PLEASE don’t let this stop you from using gommage! It is essential to your routine and without it your skin will suffer.

The two gommages where originally combined into one blog post. I’ve taken all of 303 out and 305 stands alone in a new, solo article still published May 1, 2016, like the original. I will leave for posterity and happy memories the following details about our beloved Gommage 303. There are also links at the bottom of this page to articles I have written about what the gommage is and important instructions on how to use it.

So long, trusted friend. After our 32 years together, it’s time to say goodbye. Thank you for all the good work you’ve done for all of these many years!

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GOMMAGE 303 says on the packaging it’s for a normal to oily skin type. I will go a bit further and say that 303, because of its citrus nature, is best for ANY skin type that is not sensitive to citrus. Simply put, Gommage 303 is for non-sensitive skin. Because of the fruity aromatic, some people who have true-dry (oil-dry) skin may prefer this product over 305*—simply due to the scent. Personally, I love the aromatic of Gommage 305, but my experience as an aesthetician is it isn’t for everyone. Don’t let the label on this product keep you from trying it, even if you don’t have “normal to oily skin.” 

*Gommage 305, although not discontinued, has been rebranded with a new name: Gommage Yonka.

I use both 303 and 305 (personally and on most of my clients in the treatment room) and many of my clients do too. With essential oils of orange, sweet lime, and lemon, as long as your skin isn’t sensitive to citrus, Gommage 303 is heavenly—not just because it makes your skin feel smooth, soft, and well-exfoliated but also because of the lovely fruit aromatics.

Essential ingredients:

• Carob, brown algae derivatives—exfoliating, hydrating 
• Essential oils of orange, lemon, lime—astringent, balancing 
• Lemon extract rich in vitamin C—lightening, antioxidant 
• Plant glycerin—hydrating

I cannot over emphasize how important Yonka’s Gommage is to your healthy skin care routine. So many people who have tried and failed to use it correctly have missed out on this amazing exfoliator. Please click on the Q & A article link below to read a first-hand account of one of my client’s experience with Gommage—before she met me and after I gave her proper instructions.

For more information, see:

• GOMMAGE YONKA (formerly Gommage 305)
• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• GOMMAGE 305: Non-abrasive gel peel with amazing results
• Gommage Instructions—This is Very Important Information!
• Q & A: How to use Yonka’s Gommage (this is very helpful information!)

Oils in your skin care products

There is a misconception that oil in products (moisturizers) is a bad thing. I disagree. Oil-free products have to add fillers and emollients in order to make their product smooth and spreadable. If a product isn’t using oil(s), it is probably using synthetic, nonnutritive ingredients to replace natural oils.

High-quality, vegetal (vegetable) oils are not detrimental to an oilier skin type; petroleum derived oils, like mineral oil, probably are. Please do not shy away from using “oil” in your moisturizers if you have oily or normal to oily/combination skin. If the product is made for your skin type, you should be fine—as long as it is a quality product. As I've talked about in this blog, cheaper products with cheap ingredients (like mineral oil) are probably not going to work well if you have problem skin.

Here is a short list of oils that can be found in moisturizers. These oils (vegetable and other) are preferable to mineral oil or petroleum derived ingredients. This list is not every oil that is available, but it gives you something to compare with the products you are using. Note: termed vegetable oils, most of the following come from nuts and seeds:

• Almond Oil, Sweet Almond Oil
• Castor Oil
• Coconut Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
• Corn Oil
• Olive Oil
• Palm Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
• Pumpkin Seed Oil
• Shea Butter
• Soybean Oil
• Sunflower Seed Oil
• Wheat Germ Oil

Just because you are using a moisturizer with one or more of these oils in it doesn’t mean it will turn out to be a great product for you. But if you find your creams have mineral oil or petroleum listed as the main ingredient, I would opt for a moisturizer that contained more organic, “natural” ingredients and vegetable oils such as those in this list.

Please note: If you have internal allergies (food allergies) to any of the above, more than likely they will not make good ingredients in a topical skin care product—for you.

For more information, see:

• Finding the Right Products—for You
• Sensitive Skin: Q & A
• Hypoallergenic? Non-comedogenic? What do these mean?

Yonka’s GALBOL 190—Firming, hydrating concentrate for bust and body

From Yonka headquarters:

GALBOL 190 is an anti-sagging complex for the body and bust. This fluid concentrate is non-oily and is applied to all the areas lacking tone.  

With the firming, regenerating and hydrating action of its 20 plant extracts, the epidermis [outer skin] is smoothed and tightened, the bust shape is redefined, and the tissue gains firmness. Finally, Galbol 190 vitalizes with its natural fruity scent.

Here I go again! As many of you know, I truly do not believe that a mere product applied to the skin (epidermis) can do anything close to actually “firming” and/or “tightening” skin. Ever. There are wonderful ingredients in this body product, however unless you are the type who likes to apply lots of products to your body (other than moisturizer), I can’t really recommend using Galbol 190.

Similar to my feeling about the former “Galbol 90” face product that has been renamed “Lift +” (see link below), the ingredients are wonderful but I don’t for a minute believe either of these products is lifting anything, let alone your skin. If you use Galbol 190 and love it, please let me know! I am always open to hearing from Yonka users with positive experiences even if it contradicts my own professional opinion(s).

Essential ingredients:

• Horsetail—helps firm and promote cellular regeneration
• Hop plant—intensely shapes and firms
• 20% PCA (beets, potatoes)—super-hydrating
• Citrus Complex—tightens
• Sage—firming, regenerating
• Coltsfoot—stimulating
• White nettle—corrects tissue pressure, vasotonic
• Yonka “Quintessence” (essential oils of thyme, lavender, cypress, geranium, and rosemary)—revitalizing, toning 

Directions for use:

Apply morning and/or night:

• After the shower or bath 
• Concentrate on the areas of concern 
• Help it so soak in with active movements
• For a reinforced firming action, use GALBOL 190 in combination with PHYTO 152

Don’t let me stop you from trying this product. If the firming and tightening fail, you will at least be using great ingredients on your skin.

For more information, see:

• Moisturizing—Body: all links so far
• PHYTO 152—Revitalizing rosemary body cream
• GALBOL 90 (renamed LIFT +)—firming, hydrating concentrate

Case study: Paige’s hormone(less) breakout

One of my clients, Paige, suddenly noticed her skin breaking out, and she couldn’t figure out why. Nothing had changed in her diet, and her stress levels were unchanged as well. After further investigation, asking Paige about anything that might be new or different in any area of her life, she finally came up with the answer to her skin care problems.

Earlier she found out she had an ovarian cyst. Rather than operate, her treatment consisted of a shot that would stop her periods for perhaps an entire year, which would reduce and hopefully eliminate the cyst. Her skin was breaking out because her body’s hormonal balance was out of whack. Not having a menstrual cycle is a big deal! Women menstruate for a purpose, so not having this release can wreak havoc with your skin.

Paige had to basically wait out the year and contend with her new skin problems. Like with pregnancy, there wasn’t a lot she could do because of the course of her medical treatment. She continued to get her monthly facials and did a lot of at-home extra care for her blemishes. I recommended acupuncture to help Paige’s body adjust and get her back in balance, as well as previously mentioned helpers for her actual breakouts. Eventually her skin cleared, and I am happy to report her cyst disappeared.

I keep saying the breakouts you are experiencing are there for a reason. In other words, you are not breaking out for no apparent reason; it just may not be apparent to you—yet. Ask yourself questions to help determine the cause of the “sudden” breakouts:

• What has changed in your life recently or at the time your skin problems started appearing
• Look at what you are eating to see if there is a correlation to the breakouts you are experiencing

Usually you can figure out the cause of the problems by going back in time to when the breakouts began and what was going on in your life at that time. 

For more information on breakouts, read through the many categories in this blog pertaining to problem skin issues if you haven’t already. Through reading the different sections, hopefully you will have a better understanding of what might be causing your breakouts as well as how to go about clearing up your skin.

For more information, see:

• Why you want to get Acupuncture
• What is causing your breakouts?
• Problem Skin Q & As—Monthly Breakout

Become a skin care detective for your skin.

Cleanse once? Twice? How often and why

You want to cleanse both morning and evening. Here’s why:

• Washing your face in the AM: Even though your body goes into a more regenerative (less active) mode overnight, you still want to wash your face in the morning. This way you’ll have a fresh, clean start to your day. You clean your teeth in the morning even though you brushed them the night before, and you should clean your skin too.

• Washing your face in the PM: The need to cleanse in the evening may seem a bit obvious if you’ve been wearing makeup all day. But even if you don’t wear makeup, you still have a buildup of debris, sweat, and oil as well as pollution from the environment that needs to be removed.

A big mistake makeup-wearers make is to not clean their skin thoroughly. It’s not enough to just remove the day’s makeup, you must also clean the skin underneath. If you wear makeup, you’ll want to cleanse twice at night. Once to get the makeup off, and the second time to get your skin clean.

And don’t get me started on those of you who don’t wash your makeup off at night. I won’t write much about this subject assuming you already know it’s bad to sleep with makeup on.

For more information, see:

• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?
• Removing eye makeup: Part I
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated