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Buying Chemical Peels from Amazon

Posted on May 26, 2015 at 4:06 PM

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We all love Amazon. And Amazon Prime - free two day shipping! what's not to love? I don't care what skin care products my clients buy from Amazon. EXCEPT chemical peels! Sometimes I'll have a client who feels that chemical peels are too expensive and they'd rather just buy one and do it themselves at home. In order for a chemical peel to be effective, we have to know if the ingredients are the correct ones for your skin type and we also have to know the pH of the peel we're using. So unless you know a lot about product ingredients, the percentages of those ingredients and how the pH of a products affects skin penetration, I really suggest you see a professional for chemical peels. Because here's what going to happen.......you spend a decent amount of money on a bottle of peel solution and if it doesn't contain a high enough percentage of active ingredients and the pH isn't low enough, you've just wasted your money. That peel isn't going to do a thing for your skin. Or, on the other hand, suppose you do buy a peel with a high concentration of active ingredients and a low pH. Do you really know how to use it? Do you take it off with water? Does it just stay on the skin? Are there clear and correct step by step instructions with this peel? If you don't know what you're doing and you end up with a professional grade peel in your hands, you could end up severely burning your skin! You could cause more damage than whatever it is you're trying to correct. You can cause hyperpigmentation and scarring. A chemical peel is a very tightly controlled, mild burn of the skin. When we cause a bit of damage to the skin, we get fresher, younger looking skin once it repairs itself. Buy all the cleansers, toners, masks and eye creams you want from Amazon. But please see a licensed professional for your chemical peels.

My Thoughts on Multi Level Marketing of Skin Care Products

Posted on May 4, 2015 at 4:12 PM

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There are so many products, especially skin care, being sold by multi-level marketing, MLM, these days. In years past, the term used was "pyramid" marketing. I have issues with this type of marketing. First, the average person selling the products to friends and neighbors isn't making a lot of money. MLM relies on not only selling products, but recruiting others to sell under you so you're getting a portion of the commission they earn on selling products as well. No one gets that Mary Kay pink Cadillac selling lots of lipstick! They earn it by getting others to sell lots of lipstick. With each person going up the chain taking a commission from each sale, the cost of these products skyrockets.

The main issue that I have with skin care products being marketed and sold in this manner is that while the ladies who sell these products mean well, they aren't estheticians trained in skin care. I spent two years of my life and $16,000 to become a licensed master esthetician in Virginia. I have extensive knowledge of skin conditions and how best to treat them as well as knowledge of skin care ingredients. People selling Mary Kay, Rodane and Fields, Arbonne, Nerium, etc - they do just that - sell you the products. They aren't trained or licensed to do a complete skin care analysis and recommend a custom skin care routine based on your specific skin care needs.

It's not that any of these products are bad. But if you're going to spend money on quality skin care products, then I believe you should be taking the advice of a trained and licensed professional.

What is a chemical peel?

Posted on December 26, 2014 at 10:16 AM

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Just the name, chemical peel, sounds scary! But all is comes down to is exfoliation of dead skin cells. There is a chemical peel out there for every skin type, even sensitive skin or clients with rosacea. Some peels aren't even really "chemicals" at all. They can be in an aloe vera base with ingredients like Vitamin C and fruit enzymes. These mild peels leave your skin feeling fresh, smooth and plump. No redness, no irritation and no down time. These chemical peels are great if you have an event coming up and you want your skin to look fresh. Or when the winter cold and lack of humidity are leaving your skin feeling dull and tired.

There are chemical peels that contain ingredients to treat various skin conditions, like acne, the fine lines and wrinkles that naturally come with more mature skin and hyperpigmentation. These peels will feel very active and warm when being applied. Afterward, your skin may be red and feel a little irritated for a day or two. Then the skin becomes a bit dry and flaky. With this kind of peel, you need to know that your skin is going to look and feel worse before it gets better! But about 7 days post peel, your skin will look more vibrant, acne breakout will begin to clear and those fine lines will be less noticeable. Friends may start to comment that you look good, well rested. These types of peels are best done in a series, usually 6 treatments, 2 to 3 weeks apart. Then monthly to maintain the results.

This is a very brief overview of chemical peels. Keep checking back for more posts on peels as well as many other skin care topics!

Microdermabrasion

Posted on December 22, 2014 at 8:18 PM

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Microdermabrasion is coming soon to my Purcellville location!

Karen Lockhart