Archive for the ‘skin care’ Category

How To Get Ready For A New York City Heat Wave

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

New York City is currently in the midst of a heat wave. 

Most New Yorkers cope with the high temperatures, the blinding sunshine and the dripping with sweat humidity by locking themselves in their air conditioned urban oases or escaping to the local water houses.

I paint my nails tropical orange, give my lips a juice shine with a watermelon lip gloss, spritz on a tangerine and mango eau de perfume, throw on my favorite summer dress and nude high heeled sandals…sip my coconut water and…sit at my desk…at work…and fantasize …

Tropical island…golden sand…crystal clear water…blue sky…gentle sea breeze…

I am wearing my favorite two piece bathing suit…my blond beach hair is flowing down my golden shoulders in its “never get it from a bottle” perfection…while I lounge on a plush “made for two” towel, sipping my favorite “serve only with an umbrella” summer drink…

While I am working very hard on an even tan on my “posterior”…a  tall, dark and handsome figure appears…

I smile…

No worries…

Whatever my imagination has in the cards for me…I am ready for it all.

In the real world I have been prepping for the “heat wave” for quite some time.

Months of laser hair removal have left all the “touchable surfaces” silky smooth and simply irresistible.

Two weeks of Zerona Body Slimming Laser made sure that the curves have been sculpted to their optimal visual perfection.

Eight sessions of Smooth Shapes Laser erased the hated cellulite dimples, toning my booty to a perky flawlessness.

Three sessions of Affirm Skin Tightening Laser made sure my face and decollate are baby soft, tight and youthfully plump.

Regular chemical peel sessions combined with pearl powder mask gave my face flawless complexion, healthy color and the “ooh, ooh, ooh” dewiness and glow.

Religious use of sunblockVitamin C serum, and antioxidant moisturizer guarantee that the hard work will not go to waste.

In the midst of a New York City heat wave… I sit at my desk… and fantasize of tropical vacations… but the skin and the body are all real, well deserved and all mine…

Now I am ready for a New York City fun in the sun!

By Sabina Kozak of Sensitive Touch – NYC Laser Hair Removal & Skin Treatment MedSpa


Sleeping Beauty-24 Hour Anti Aging Cycle

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

 

Putting away the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale many years ago, I never looked back at the fountains of wisdom it contains. 

Who would have guessed that it is filled with skin saving advice and beauty tips for all girls, big and small?

Sleeping Beauty is really a tale of how to take care of your skin to stay young and beautiful forever. 

The magic is not in the wands of the Fairy God Mothers but in the power of sleep.

Nighttime is the optimal time to slow down and reverse the signs of damage done during the waking hours. 

The sleeping hours are the true secret to slowing aging, and choosing the right ingredients is as important as when you use them.

If you are not getting enough of the “vitamin zzz”, the first place the signs will appear is on your skin.

Healthy skin needs a good night’s sleep.  During the hours of sleep cortisol and insulin production peaks and collagen production is accelerated. 

At night, the skin is hard at work reversing the damage inflicted from the day.  The circadian rhythm of skin has been studied and sleep is essential for skin renewal and proper skin function. 

It is during our sleep cycle that cell renewal occurs and blood flow is elevated, leading some experts to believe that active ingredients are better absorbed into the skin at that time and continue to work long after they’ve penetrated.

When there is increased circulation and greater oxygen and nutrient exchange and lymphatic circulation, metabolic waste is cleared away and the skin will look and feel healthier and younger.

Save products with the ingredients listed below for night time shift:

-RETINOL-increases cell turnover, works on molecular level in terms of skin repair, reduces fine lines and wrinkles

Retinol is the most abundant form of Vitamin A and should always be used at night since it’s unstable in sunlight.

-ANTIOXIDANTS-help regenerate skin, protect against oxidative damage by absorbing free radicals

Antioxidants should be used at night so they are properly absorbed into the skin.  Sun will destroy an antioxidant before it can be absorbed by the skin’s cells.

-HYALURONIC ACID SPHERES-keeps skin hydrated, collects moisture and creates plumping effect

Moisture levels drop as we sleep, which can leave skin dry.  Layering on a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid spheres will help sustain hydration

-GAMMA AMINO BUTYRIC ACID-stops lines from forming, temporarly controls muscle contraction

Night time use of gamma amino butyric acid containing products help to minimize the look of wrinkles

-MELATONIN-helps cells relax, relaxes the skin puts it to sleep

Melatonin not only acts as an antioxidant, but puts cells to rest so that their functions are enhanced

The ideal night time routine:

-cleanse skin with a pH balanced cleanser

-apply retinol to clean, dry skin

-apply a serum or gel

-moisturizer with hyaluronic acid rich hydrator

If you follow these few simple steps and take an example from your good childhood friend the Sleeping Beauty and utilize the time you rest to do some serious “Skin Work” you will surely be living happily ever after…

By Sabina Kozak of Sensitive Touch – NYC Laser Hair Removal & Skin Treatment MedSpa


Serum – The Magic Potion In The Bottle

Friday, May 28th, 2010

beauty potion
Everyone needs a little bit of magic.

If you are a living, breathing human being, then your skin is in constant need of one potion or other that will make the current problem de jour disappear.

Whether you are tormented by acne, discoloration, redness, wrinkles, saggy skin or all of the above; your quest for the solution that will be a revolution in your daily skin regimen is an ongoing affair.

You had long-term relationships with a few skin care products that were your “skin-mates” in the past, but you out-grew each other.

You dated on and off few of the “skin-match made at the cosmetic’s counter heaven”, but the magic fizzled after a month or two.

You even had a dozen or so, one night stands, with ” the hottest skin thing”, that lets just say did not live up to the promise of “rocking your world.”

What is a girl or boy to do?

Give up? Learn to love ” the skin you are in”?

You are not a quitter. Nor are you a cheesy TV ad.

You have to start to believe in a little bit of magic. Serum Magic.

Serums are the magic potions that will turn your frown upside down, and your less than desirable complexion into pure perfection.

What? How? When? Why? You ask.

Lets start at the very beginning.

Once a upon a time, in a laboratory far away…

…scientist formulated potent ingredients into tiny molecules.

After many, many trials, a potion was created that they called-SERUM.

Lightweight and similar in texture to gel or oil, serums can tackle just about any beauty concern. They are essentially a vehicle for delivering antioxidants, peptides, vitamins, retinol and other anti-aging ingredients into the skin. They are looser than creams or ointments, which allows them to absorb faster and better. Serum’s molecules are small enough to penetrate deep within the skin. The deeper the ingredients are delivered, the quicker the result.

The most potent ingredients in serums are:

-exfoliators-lactic and glycolic acids to remove dead skin.

-antioxidants-the efficient delivery system in serums infuses the skin with radical fighting benefits.

-vitamins-A, C, and E are used for their antioxidant properties.

-skin brighteners-willow bark extract and rose address dull looking skin.

-hyaluronic acid-stimulates new cell growth

-peptides and growth factors-water soluble with ability to ward of signs of aging.

Serums are great for anyone with oily or acne prone skin, since they don’t clog the pores. Acid basesd serums also offer a form of antibacterial effect.

Regardless of your age, you should be using a serum regularly. Younger skin will benefit more from the serums, as they protect the skin and work to improve some sun damage.

If you have more mature skin, serums alone can be sometime a bit irritating. Look for a serum that will provide some moisture and the results will be wonderful.

Use your serum every morning, after you cleanse and tone. Follow with an application of your daily moisturizer. Keep in mind that brightening serums are used in the evening.

Do not forget your sunscreen everyday!

Most serums will improve your skin in about 3 months, however you will notice your complexion change for the better in just few days.

Have your own mirror will tell you that “you are the fairest of them all.”

Who knew that you don’t need a Prince Charming, just a small bottle of serum, to have you living happily ever after?

The end:)

By Sabina Kozak of Sensitive Touch – NYC Laser Hair Removal & Skin Treatment MedSpa


Time to love your face

Monday, November 16th, 2009

In the superficial world we live in, surrounded by air brushed perfection, we forget to appreciate our own not-so-perfect beauty.

Looking in the mirror we find countless reasons to hate the way we look.

Where is the love?

In order to wake up from unrealistic and unnecessary expectations, we need to be shaken up by the images of unfortunate victims of evil husbands and vicious chimps. We need to see the faces of women who have to face a life without a face.

Where is the love?

All of a sudden not-so-perfect is just perfect. Your face is beautiful and you found the love.

But for how long will it last?

Each time we look in the mirror will we always wish to see another, “prettier” face?

By Sabina Kozak of Sensitive Touch – NYC Laser Hair Removal & Skin Treatment MedSpa


Nature vs. Nurture – Looking Natural Does Not Mean Looking Careless

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

If you have not been affected by the green movement yet, then you must live under a rock.

If you live in New York City you can’t take a step without being bombarded by messages of keeping the earth green and clean and you body clean with “green” products.

Whether we like it or not our choices are influenced by these messages. We eat only organic foods, use paraben free cosmetics, drive electric cars and use solar panels to heat our homes.

Great! Hopefully our small and earth-friendly decisions will make a big difference in the years to come, allowing us to enjoy natural resources, breathtaking views and the beauty of the fauna and the flora.

Great! Hopefully our complexions are radiant and youthful without unneccessary chemicals and preservatives. “Preserving” and protecting our skin is not only about our looks anymore but our health as well.

Our “natural” lifestyle” begs for a look that is natural. But haven’t you noticed that many of us use the “green” movement to simply look and act careless?

Looking natural does not excuse you from “nurturing” the skin you are in.

Caring for your skin and body is just as important as caring for your organic garden in the back yard.

Organic cosmetics are a great start but do not stop there.

Just because a product is not labeled “organic” does not mean it is filled with chemicals.

Science had advanced so much in the recent years. We can re-create potent natural ingredients in the labs and modify them to be absorbed by our skin’s dermis to deliver all their benefits.

Not all natural ingredients can be absorbed by our skin and most of their benefits are left on the “surface.” What good is that?

Take inspiration from nature and “shed” your old skin, like a snake, with gentle chemical peels to reveal new and smooth complexion.

Nurture you skin with anti-oxidants, like the ones found in IS Clinical Super Serum, to fight off free radicals and keep you wrinkle free and cancer free.

Care for your skin and body like you do for the planet Earth. You are a beautiful part of it!

By Sabina Kozak of Sensitive Touch – NYC Laser Hair Removal & Skin Treatment MedSpa


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