Hair Removal Options: Bleaching

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

Bleaching, of course, is not removing hair physically, but I’m  including it in the posts on hair removal because it can remove hair visually. And sometimes this is all that is needed.

The most common reason (and my recommendation) for using a bleaching cream is for dark hair on the upper lip area. With bleach, all you are doing is lightening the hair, not removing it; so the hair doesn’t change (get darker, thicker) due to this application. Other than a reaction to the bleaching cream itself, there aren’t really any negative effects of using this method to remove dark colored hair. In short, bleaching is the least harmful way to take care of unwanted hair on the upper lip.

Jolen® is a brand of facial hair bleaching cream that has been around for years. There are other brands on the market as well. Full directions will be on the box or bottle of bleaching cream. Just be sure to read and follow those instructions to the letter. Also, since you are working with bleach, be careful not to get it on anything, especially clothes you care about.

Bleaching your upper lip is a painless and simple way to get rid of dark hair. I recommend doing a patch test first before using any bleaching cream. You never know if you will have a reaction, and you certainly don’t want to find out after you’ve applied bleach to your entire upper lip area. 

I recently had a facial, and the aesthetician told me not to wax or bleach my upper lip for a few days. What do you think—is that true? 

I agree with your aesthetician. Waxing causes irritation for almost everyone. If the facial contained strong acid peels or a lot of active ingredients, your skin might be too sensitive to use chemicals like bleach. So, since the skin is susceptible to irritation in that area, although it may not cause a problem, play it safe and don’t bleach either directly before or after a facial. And definitely don’t get waxed there for a few days.

If I see a client who is asking about getting her upper lip waxed for the first time to remove unwanted hair, I always recommend she try bleaching the area first. If she can achieve the results she’s looking for by simply bleaching, that is a good thing.

I also recommend not obsessing about this or any other area of your body. It is very possible that whatever you “see” no one else can or does. Be kind!

For more information, see:

• Just Say NO to a Lip Wax!
• Hair Removal Options: Electrolysis
• Hair Removal Options: Women & Shaving

Holiday Recovery Program: Part I

Did you go to a few too many holiday parties? Stay out late, drink too much, eat too many sweet or rich foods, and did you even go to bed with your makeup on? Not to mention the in-laws spending the holidays with you, getting all the presents bought and wrapped, and to top it off—looking good throughout the process! Or maybe you caught a cold or came down with the flu. Well, if you can relate to any of the above, you’re not alone.

The holidays are usually a time of letting go of your normal routine and letting yourself indulge in all the heavenly treats this time of year brings. And if you went a little overboard or just stayed the course and still suffered some stress getting through the holidays, no doubt your skin is showing the signs of neglect, and I have some tips on how to put your face back on the road to recovery.

Dehydration is the most common side effect encountered at this time of year and can be caused by many factors. Here a just a few:

• Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic and leaches water out of your body leaving all of your organs, including your skin, without adequate hydration.

• Simply not drinking enough water can be detrimental to your skin. Water is essential at a cellular level. Without enough water, your body has a tougher time releasing toxins and all of your organs (including your skin) have to work harder to keep up their normal functions.

• Indoor heat is a leading cause of surface dehydration. It dries out the air inside your home, leaving your skin (every inch of it—face and body) feeling itchy and scaly and looking as rough as an alligator’s skin.

• Even the cold, dry air outside can cause your skin to feel like it needs to vacation in a rain forest.

• If you got sick this winter, your skin probably paid the price. Sometimes medication can cause dehydration. And usually when you’re sick, your daily routines don’t get accomplished, including your daily skin care routine.

There are two easy solutions for surface dehydration: Exfoliating and using a hydrating mask. Exfoliation is the number one problem solver when it comes to dehydration. Getting rid of the surface dead cell buildup will allow your skin to retain moisture more efficiently; smooth out the rough texture associated with dehydration; give your skin a healthy glow, due to the circulatory benefits of exfoliating; and better enable you to have clear skin, since it’s dead skin and oil that clog the pores.

Using either a scrub or a soft gel peel (gommage) will immediately lift off surface dead cell buildup and reveal healthy, vibrant skin underneath. Applying a hydrating mask will quickly and easily add moisture to your skin. (Don’t have a hydrating mask? Simply apply a thick layer of your favorite day or nighttime moisturizer.) Leave it on your face for 10-15 minutes then remove the mask and enjoy softer, smoother skin instantly! Create your own at-home facial by exfoliating, using a mask, then hopping into a warm tub full of bubbles and letting the stress release from your body.

Incorporating some or all of these suggestions will help your skin look and feel more hydrated during and after the holidays and keep it looking good all year round.

For more information, see:

• Holiday Recovery Program Part II
• Holiday Hangover Helpers
• Help for a winter (or anytime) cold
• At-Home Facials—A DIY How-To

Help for dehydrated skin on an airplane

Have you ever wondered what the effects of air travel are on our bodies? Certainly humans were not designed to fly. Our digestive systems, for instance, work in conjunction with the earth’s gravitational pull. So what really happens to the digestive process 30,000 feet up in the sky? Perhaps you’ve even experienced indigestion after taking a flight somewhere. Other than the possibility of bad airplane food and dehydration, isn’t it possible poor digestion comes from the change in altitude? (Unless you fly 1st Class, you aren’t “served” food up in the air anymore, so what you eat is in your control.)

Not only do our inner organs have to adapt to the altitude, but our outermost organ—our skin—seems to take the brunt of all things bad in an airplane as well. Although this environment isn’t ideal for optimum health or healthy skin, there are several things you can do before, during, and after your flight that will do wonders for keeping your skin in tiptop shape and help to make your traveling experience more enjoyable. Follow some or all of the suggestions here and in (2) future blog posts on air travel and you may find your skin (and body) feeling better when you fly.

Curbing dehydration. Dehydration is the number one concern when you are flying. Ask any flight attendant and they will tell you, dry (dehydrated) skin is a chronic problem. Misting your face with water is the best and most immediate way to get moisture to your thirsty skin. You can purchase small Evian® water bottles that spray, or you can make your own. Get a travel-size plastic bottle at your grocery or drug store and fill it with clean, filtered water. I mention clean water because why spray chlorinated tap water on your face? You are trying to improve the conditions for your skin during your flight, not reinforce negative ones.

If you have already put your toner in a spray bottle (something I talk about often and highly recommend), you can use this instead of plain water to mist your face with. Not only will you receive superficial hydrating benefits due to the toner’s high water-content, you will also get the benefits of all the other soothing ingredients from your product. Obviously, if you are using an astringent-type toner that contains alcohol—something I do not recommend—this would not be appropriate to spray on your face. Even the word astringent brings to mind something that would be drying. Small, travel-sized spray bottles are widely available in stores or online.

The next order of business is exfoliation. I will repeat that word over and over again since it is one of the most important things you can do to help your skin survive air travel.

• Getting rid of the dead cell buildup will go a long way to helping your skin retain water, which you lose a lot of when you fly.
• Lessening the dead skin also allows any hydrating products you’ve put on your face do a better job of moisturizing.
• The fewer dead cells a moisturizer has to penetrate, the better it will work, and the more hydrated your skin will feel.
• Finally, while exfoliating improves and refines the texture of your skin, it also increases the blood circulation to your face, bringing out the natural, healthy color of your skin. 

You should consider exfoliating the day of your flight, getting your skin ready for what’s to come. Exfoliating ahead of time will diminish the amount of cell buildup on your face so anything you do to hydrate the skin will be more effective. Less dead cells equals better quality hydration.

You may not have thought of doing this, but if you are on a long flight (I consider long over five hours), you might try exfoliating en route. When I went to Australia several years ago, I was in the bathroom of the plane exfoliating (a couple of times) during the 15-plus hour flight. Although the quarters were cramped, exfoliating helped my skin combat the extreme dryness from the airplane.

I even have a client who exfoliates right at her seat! She always flies first class and her attitude is, “If someone thinks it’s weird, so be it. At least my skin will feel good!” She puts a towel on her lap and does a gommage right then and there on the plane.

I choose to exfoliate in the bathroom, but however or wherever you feel most comfortable doing it, do exfoliate on long (or even short) flights. Your skin will reap the rewards. And if you do it at your seat, you might even strike up an interesting conversation with someone sitting next to you.

I also recommend exfoliating upon arrival at the hotel or wherever you are staying. Obviously you can wait until you are getting ready for bed, but do exfoliate before retiring on the day you reach your destination. Your skin will benefit from getting all the dirt, debris, and unclean air out of your pores along with lessening the dry, dead cells on the surface of your skin. Don’t hesitate—exfoliate!

For some additional insurance to keep your skin hydrated during your flight, try using a hydrating elixir or mask under your moisturizer. An elixir might come in the form of a special oil or serum, which will not only add a lot of moisture to your skin but will also act as a humectant, drawing in moisture from the air.

Elixirs (especially oils) are best used by those of you with normal to dry or true-dry skin. If you have an oilier complexion or problem skin, I would recommend using a gel-type hydrating mask or glycerin product underneath your moisturizer. These will essentially do the same thing as an elixir without adding extra oil to your already oily skin. (Actually, any skin type can use the gel mask or glycerin approach, but oils should only be used by those of you with drier—oil dry—skin types.)

Whether you travel a lot, or even just a little, there are ways to help your skin get through the sometimes rough time it goes through when flying.

For more information, see:

• Dehydrated Skin explained
• Is your face in need of extra hydration?
• Airplanes, travel, and skin care: Help with internal hydration

Why you want to use a moisturizer

What is a moisturizer? A moisturizer (also called a hydrating cream or lotion) is an emollient oil-in-water mixture, usually a cream (sometimes a gel), that is spread over the skin to help lock in moisture. Moisturizers generally contain a humectant (an ingredient that draws moisture to itself ) to further hydrate the skin. Moisturizers, whether for the face or specifically for the eye area, do not erase or in any measurable way reduce lines and wrinkles. They may lessen the appearance of lines, but that is all they are equipped to do.

Why use a moisturizer? Moisturizers add a layer of protection between your skin and the outside environment. They help to plump up dead skin cells, which gives the appearance of reducing fine, superficial lines (wrinkles). They also make your skin feel smooth and well-hydrated. If you have true-dry skin, skin that doesn’t emit enough oil, you already know a moisturizer’s importance. Without one, your skin would feel like a flaking, cracking desert. People with dry skin need to make up for the lack of oil in their skin, and moisturizers serve that purpose.

Those of you with oily skin may have trouble understanding why you should use a moisturizer—or if you need to use one at all. Using a poor-quality moisturizer on problem or oily skin can indeed cause problems. But this doesn’t mean all moisturizers are bad for oilier skin types. My belief is that practically everyone needs a moisturizer. Even people with acne need to hydrate their skin. In fact, those of you with problem skin usually have very dehydrated and depleted skin as well as blemishes. The constant use of harsh and drying products that attempt to dry out the oil can really do a number on the skin.

There definitely is a controversy surrounding the use of moisturizers on oily skin. If your skin seems excessively oily and you don’t feel you need a moisturizer, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I use soap or a harsh cleanser that may be stripping my skin? 
2. Do I use a toner with alcohol in it? 
3. Do I use blemish pads that help to “dry up” excess oil? 

If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, your skin might be pumping out more oil than it normally would due to all those drying agents. Test your products with nitrazine (pH) papers to make sure they are acidic. If they aren’t, consider throwing them out and find others that are non-alkaline. After using these gentler products, see if you have less trouble with oiliness. Then find a light-textured moisturizer to use day and night to complete your Basics program.

If your products are acidic (which is what you want) and are not drying out your skin, yet you still produce a lot of oil, you may not need a moisturizer. Your diet could be a factor, you may be predisposed genetically to oily skin, or perhaps your hormones are imbalanced. This would be a good time to seek out a professional facial and hear what a licensed specialist has to say. If you truly feel you don’t need to use a moisturizer, although I hesitate to say this, then don’t use one.

pH strips to test your products

I hesitate because without a moisturizing cream, you leave your skin’s surface vulnerable to the environment. Without the protection of a cream or gel, dirt and debris can find their way deeper into your pores. And without adequate moisture on the surface, your oil glands may feel the need to pump out more oil than necessary to compensate for the dryness. Finally, high-quality products contain ingredients to combat the oiliness and can actually help tackle the problem.

Clients with very oily skin often cringe when I suggest they use a moisturizer. I can usually convince them to at least try one for a few days after explaining my position. Hydrating gels, which are water-based vs. oil-based lotions, are an alternative to creams, giving you protection without adding oil.

For more information, see:

• Determining Skin Type to help you figure out what kind of moisturizer to use based on your skin type
• Using dry skin products on oily skin—STOP THE INSANITY!
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program
• Proper pH & your skin care products 

Holiday Hangover Helpers

Overindulging during the holidays is inevitable for many of us. Overeating, staying out past our bedtimes, and drinking too much are commonplace. And alcohol has a definite effect on your skin. If you’re going to drink, incorporating the following steps will not only help replace lost nutrients and water in your alcohol-depleted skin, these suggestions will also help curb some of the “morning after” problems you may encounter.

It is preferable to attend to this the night you do the drinking instead of waiting for the morning after. But in case you weren’t able to get to your cure the night before, take these steps in the morning, first thing after waking if possible. Nothing will completely eliminate the ill effects alcohol can have on your skin (and your entire body), but hopefully these suggestions will help lessen the negative effects and make the next day a productive one.

WATER. Try to down two glasses of water for every glass of alcohol you drink. Although this method is optimum, it may be an impossible request. So at least try to get one glass of water for each alcoholic drink. Alcohol is a diuretic and causes dehydration throughout your entire system. Add to that the toxic nature of alcohol, and your body is in serious need of fluids. And the body’s fluid of choice? Plain, clean water. Even if you’re just having a glass of wine with dinner, drink a few extra glasses of water. It will help to replace what is being taken out of your body (and your skin) from alcohol consumption.

EVENING PRIMROSE OIL is another wonder cure for a hangover. Many friends and clients have marveled at how effective it is on hangovers. Evening primrose oil is an essential fatty acid (EFA). Alcohol blocks the absorption of this “essential” body building nutrient, so getting extra EFAs is important. Taking several capsules (6-10) before bed can go a long way to curbing a hangover. Most health food stores carry evening primrose oil 500mg capsules. 

EMERGEN-C is a wonderful hangover helper that I talk about in my book. It is a powder that you mix with water. I highly recommend taking it before bed and upon arising after a night of drinking. Even if you didn’t drink heavily, Emergen-C contains vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes that are lost through the consumption of alcohol, no matter how little. If you’re hungover, the fizzy nature of Emergen-C can help to quench the inevitable thirst that hits you in the middle of the night and the next morning. Hopefully you drank enough water during your night out to help keep dehydration at bay, but Emergen-C will help to replace lost elements and hopefully get you back on your feet again. It can also be found at most health food stores. 

I am in no way advocating drinking alcohol and certainly not overindulging when you drink. I am, however, a realist, so if you are going to drink at least take some steps to help reduce the ugly morning after monster. Go to the store and get stocked up on Emergen-C and evening primrose oil—and of course good, clean water. 

For more information, see:

• Tips to help you Drink More Water!
• The Many Uses for Evening Primrose Oil 
• Emergen-C—a little effervescence for your health
• Hot water and lemon to the rescue

Enjoy your holidays!