Thoughts from a client after reading Timeless Skin

Thank you for your book, Timeless Skin. It opened my eyes to simple ways in which I can care for my skin better. It was so easy to read, well written, and very informative! Thank you for sharing your wisdom. The things that I have changed since I read your book are many:

• I now wash my face with only lukewarm water. I LOVE hot water; that will never change. However, now I will be much more protective of the delicate skin on my face and chest when I use hot water.
• I love using geranium oil on my breakouts! It really clears them up quickly without drying out my skin. I think that I like it more than other blemish control products, so for the price and the aroma, geranium oil is my pick!
• I am excited about your suggestion to take chlorophyll, as it has been recommended to me on several occasions. I am going to start that next month. I did not want to change multiple elements of my routine at once, so I am waiting for a few more weeks to start. 

Thanks so much for all your help with my skin :)

For more information, see:

• PLEASE—No Hot Water!
• Geranium (or Lavender)—spot remover for breakouts: Q & As
• How chlorophyll can help your skin (and ease constipation)

 

What is a clay mask and why use one?

What is a clay mask?

A clay mask is a deep-cleansing treatment for your pores. It is usually a mixture of different clays in an emollient or creamy base. The mask has a thick consistency and may be brown, green, white, or even blue. Clay is stimulating, helping to improve blood circulation yet calming to the outer skin (especially redness caused by breakout or capillary issues). Foremost is clay’s deep cleansing abilities. It is good for all skin types and can even be used on irritated skin. Clay is a contact healer and was used by Native Americans as a poultice (a clay “pack”) on wounds to stop bleeding and speed healing. Using a clay mask is another important step in keeping your skin clean, clear, and healthy.

Why use a clay mask?

A clay mask will help keep the skin clear and the pores cleaned out, which is of paramount importance. Clay helps lift debris and impurities from the pores with its strong drawing ability. Clay has a stimulating effect on the circulation. This brings in oxygen and nutrients from the blood to feed and nourish skin cells.

As mentioned above, clay also has a calming effect. Used on skin that is broken out or couperose (broken capillaries making the skin appear red), it can help to temporarily alleviate the redness, leaving the skin looking radiant. After using a clay mask, your face should be very clean, and the surface should be clear with a healthy glow.

I’ve read skin care books that discourage the use of clay masks. I suppose this is because the authors haven’t come across good masks that are truly effective. But effective clay masks do exist, and they are an essential step in your skin care routine, especially if you have clogged pores or problem skin.

I highly recommend reading the following articles to get you on the right path when using clay:

• How to use a Clay Mask—Important Instructions
• How NOT to apply a clay mask
• Blemish Help Quick Tip

The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care

You mention the 1-2-3 program a lot. What exactly is that?

In my first book, Timeless Skin: Healthy Skin for a Lifetime, I came up with what I term The Basics and The Extras for everyone’s daily and weekly skin care programs. (Everyone includes women and men.)

The Basics 1-2-3 Program is just that: the basic steps you need to do twice daily—every day—in order to have clean, healthy, hydrated skin. These three steps consist of:

1. Cleansing the face with a gentle milk cleanser or face wash
2. Toning, using a spray toner
3. Moisturizing with your day and night hydrating treatment creams (you may be using one cream for day and night, which is fine). Included in the hydration step is using an eye cream to moisturize that specific area

Any and all products you use on your face must be pH balanced (or acid on the pH scale). Please read the article listed below to determine the proper pH of your skin care products. (This is very important!)

Also, always use your skin care products on your neck as well as your face. Although the tissue on your neck is different (fewer oil glands, thinner skin), it still responds to care and will show signs of neglect. So include your neck in everything you do.

Skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. It also doesn’t require a lot of time. The best results will be found by being consistent. So your basic daily routine consists of the aforementioned cleansing, toning, and moisturizing; every day, twice a day. You can get by just doing The Basics, but there are a few additional steps I highly recommend, called The Extras.

For more information, see:

• The Extras—Do more to have healthy skin 
• Skin care is not rocket science—Back to The Basics
• Proper pH & your skin care products

Celebrating 20 years!

Carolyn Ash Skin Care is 20 years old today!

THANK YOU ALL 

for supporting my work for all these years, 

almost 30 in the industry so far.

Several discontinued items from Yonka-Paris

The following products are no longer available. In some cases they do have replacements. See links (at bottom) to find out more.

Lait Solaire. I have to say, I am so upset about this one. I love this sunscreen, and perhaps so do you. The “replacement” product is Yonka’s SPF 20. It’s not quite the same, but it is more of a milky consistency like Lait Solaire is/was vs. a heavier cream texture. Milky equates to a thinner lotion—better for a normal to oily or oily complexion vs. a cream, which tends to be thicker and a drier skin type can handle better. Give SPF 20 a try and see if you don't love it too. (See link below.)

All Dermols (replaced by HYDRALIA). Originally, there was Dermol 1, Dermol 2, Dermol 3. Each one was made to suit different skin types: D1 was for normal to oily skin, D2 was for true-dry (oil-dry) skin, and D3 was for red, couperouse, sensitive, rosacea skin. Now all 3 are wrapped up into one formulation: Hydralia. For more information on this still important product, see link below.

Mesonium 1 & 2 (replaced by SERUM VITAL). Out of all the discontinued/replaced items, the new Serum Vital is the most consistent to how Mesonium felt and made the skin look. The only real difference is now the two, separate bottles are combined into one. The only thing to remember is to shake before use! See link below for more detailed information on this wonderful product.

Hydratant 60. This was a hydrating mask that I almost never recommended. Not because it wasn’t effective—it was. But most people who need extra hydration need to at least exfoliate first to get rid of excess dead skin cells that can inhibit proper hydration. So if I had a client who was feeling excessively “dry,” it was Gommage or a scrub that I’d recommend, not this mask. No matter, it’s gone now.

Halo 70—“Instant glow concentrate.” Good riddance. I never even carried this product.

 
Kirogel, which is kind of gommage for hands and feet. As an aesthetician I have to say it is hard enough getting my clients to gommage their faces—let alone other body parts. This just wasn’t a big seller for me and apparently not for Yonka in general. Although Kirogel is gone, I do recommend my clients use Gommage on their legs before they shave if they are having difficulty with dry, flaky skin. It works wonders!

Men’s Mask. This clay mask can easily be replaced by using MASQUE 103 or 105, which are both clay-based. 


For more information and to find out the Yonka’s replacement products, see:

• Yonka-Paris goes PARABEN-FREE, The New Face of Yonka—along with other news
• SPF 20 (replacing Lait Solaire) 
• Hydralia (replaces all 3 Dermols)
• Serum Vital aka Elixir Vital (Mesonium’s replacement) 
• MASQUE 103 and 105