I have a confession to make….. I am an anti-stressing, spa-loving, relaxation junkie and my only cure is an at-home spa day! Stress can tend to make a girl grouchy, so indulging yourself once a month to a head to toe spa session is the least you can do for yourself (and for others). Here are a few pointers to help you to release and unwind after a long week of work, and the boss, and the kids, and the dog, and in-laws and the….well, you get the point- it’s time for a mini get-away!

 

First, set the mood. Light your favorite scented candles and let the aroma work its magic. Archipelago Botanicals Pillar Candle in Luna is one of my favorites. Low lighting helps the body and mind to relax, so the dimmer the better. Next, playing soothing music will set the body into a relaxing rhythm. Try to avoid anything with lyrics because the words may make you want to cry, tense up or get upset. Using music that mimic sounds of nature will add that perfect spa like setting.

 

Before you hop in the tub apply a hair mask to soften those locks. Alterna TEN Hair Masque will give a luxurious treatment thought only possible in an upscale salon. The ten exotic ingredients smell absolutely divine; this is truly the crème del crème of hair treatments. Next, let’s pamper that pretty face of yours! Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel contains pumpkin enzymes, antioxidants and vitamin A to gently exfoliate and reveal a more radiant, refreshed skin. You’ll step out of your bathroom looking like you just got back from a weekend spa retreat.

 

Now to the fun stuff, the bath products! Find a great bath soak to use to loosen up any tense, tight muscles. Molton Brown Unwind Atoll Crystal Bath Soak is so indulgent; I start feeling relaxed just by looking at it. There are so many different types to use, there are; oil’s, salts, bubbles, powders, its fun to try something new each time. Once you’ve soaked in the tub and your skin has started to soften, try using an exfoliating scrub to remove any dead skin. Kerstin Florian Thermal Mineral Exfoliating Body Scrub contains thermal properties that warm when applied, releasing the fragrance of aromatherapy oils, leaving your skin soft, soothed and your mind calm and relaxed.

 

Once you’re lavished up in pamper-me-heaven, lay back with cucumbers over your eyes, and take a few deep breaths to fully relax. Let all your worries be left behind, this moment is for you to re-charge and recuperate; enjoy it, you will thank yourself later. 

 

Products featured in this article: Archipelago Botanicals Pillar Candle in Luna, Alterna TEN Hair Masque, Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel, Molton Brown Unwind Atoll Crystal Bath Soak, Kerstin Florian Thermal Mineral Exfoliating Body Scrub.

 

Click here to find more great at-home spa products!

Recently the ladies from Peter Thomas Roth were here at SkinStore sharing their skin care knowledge and experience with us, we got to play with all of the PTR products, and it was so much fun! While they were here, I tried the Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Cream and I have to admit I was sold. For those of you who follow us, you know I have true dry skin (it’s a desert), and I am no spring chicken. Dry skin and wrinkles are my major skin care concerns. My new skin care love –  Mega Rich.

 

Mega Rich has the patent pending PTR Firma-CELL-4 peptide technology that stimulate collagen and elastin function, so my skin looks and feels good, not tight, stingy and blotchy like it normally would this time of year. Based on my own personal experience with the Mega Rich, I love it for my dry skin, the feel and consistency and feel reminds me of Crème de la Mer.

 

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Winter… It comes around every year and brings us those windy, cold, and rainy days. As your skin type is affected by these weather changes, so are your lips. Your lips can easily become dry, cracked and even more sensitive during this time. It is important to remember to tend to them just as you would your normal skin care regimen around these seasonal changes.

 

You can easily prevent your lips from drying by following a simple set of steps. First exfoliate your lips about one to two times a week. This will remove the dry, rough skin sitting on the surface of your lips and make room for soft lips. A lip scrub that is great for the lips is Philosophy’s Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub. Then make sure everyday to apply some kind of a treatment or conditioner. It doesn’t matter if it is just a hydrating lip balm, lip gloss or actual lip treatment product. Most of these items will have ingredients in them to not only prevent damage but to maintain lip health and nourish them. For already damaged lips we suggest NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm; made from natural ingredients with a delicious taste of honey and grapefruit. With that said, everyone should be able to find a product specific to keeping your lips smooth, moisturized and lively!

 

Products featured in this article: Philosophy’s Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub, NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm.

 

For more great products, visit us at SkinStore!

If you could better your health in twenty minutes, twice a week, while simply relaxing would you do it? Of course, who wouldn’t?! Mineral bath therapy has been used for centuries in Europe to help with a wide array of aliments including: psoriasis, rosacea, dehydration, eczema, stress, depression, bone healing, insomnia, slow metabolism, anorexia, pregnancy aches, and side effects of chemotherapy. Although mineral bath therapy has been widely used for years, it is a relatively new trend in the United States. The fast paced lifestyle of Americans does not allow them the luxury to relax at the spa for the day or travel to the nearest mineral hot spring. (Haha…wouldn’t that be nice!)

 

Phytomer Laboratories has simplified the mineral bath experience and brought the day spa to you! Their hero product, Oligomer (freeze dried seawater packaged in convenient sachets) has all of the wonderful benefits of a thermal mineral spring without the hassle. Oligomer products contain blue, brown, green and red seaweed that fight free radical damage with super powered antioxidants, flush lymphatic waste, stimulate collagen and elastin production, bind moisture to the skin, and speed metabolic function.

 

It’s simple, just run a bath, grab a glass of wine (if you feel so inclined), add your Oligomer sachet and unwind! For maximum efficacy just add one sachet to your room temperature bath water twice a week for five weeks and soak for twenty minutes. For maintenance thereafter use every three to four weeks.

 

Here’s to a healthier and more relaxed you!

 

Products featured in this article: Phytomer Oligomer Lyophilized Sea Water Bath, Phytomer Alguomer Aqua-Detoxifying Bath.

 

For more great products, visit SkinStore.com!

Besides the great prices, free shipping on orders over $49USD, and great customer support, there are a lot of fantastic features at SkinStore that make it a great shopping environment.    

 

For those of you who are regular SkinStore shoppers, you have seen that over the last 10+ years we have consistently made site enhancements. For our newest customers, we thought that we would take a moment to journey back in time and share with you some of our more popular features that bring our customers back time and again.

 

Product Talk. This is an amazing feature that is somewhat new at SkinStore. When you click into any product details, you have the option to interact with other SkinStore shoppers! It’s our very own community. You can ask other shoppers questions, view all questions and answers, or answer other user’s questions. You can even add photos and video! This is such a neat feature that I am sure it will be very helpful as more individuals within our community become aware of it. I love it!

 

Product Ratings. We’ve had product ratings for as long as I can remember, but recently we made some major improvements based on our shopping community’s feedback. As always you can read and add reviews, but now when you select the reviews tab, you can not only see the first several reviews but when you click on the link at the bottom of the first page that allow you to “Read All” reviews, you have all sorts of options that appear! This topic should have its own blog really, but basically a whole world of reviews comes to life like I have never seen before. You can see the top reviews by product category, application area, and so on. I don’t mean to toot our own horn, but it is really a neat feature to have when you are in research mode.

 

Product Advisor. This is a fantastic tool to use when you are looking for a quick product suggestion. Just answer a few short questions and you are on the path to finding some great products.

 

Newsletters, BeautyTalk and TheProductfiles are customer favorites that focus on skin care education. If you don’t currently get these, you can log into your account and go into your “Account Changes” to manage the emails that you receive.

 

Live Chat. One of our more popular features…live chat is an instant way to get quick answers to product questions, tips, product suggestions, consultations and more. You can take care of just about anything on live chat that you can take care of over the phone.

 

The SkinStore catalog – online. After many customer requests for this feature, you can now view our SkinStore catalog on line. Our latest catalogs are easily to search and easy to use. With click through function on the products, shopping is a breeze.

 

What’s Hot / What’s New. These two features are loved by our customers because not only can you see the SkinStore new arrivals, but you can also see the products that are our best sellers and top movers.

 

Special Offers. In one click you can find all of our gifts with purchase items that are available while supplies last. This page is hugely popular with our regulars because the offers are so great.

 

Ok, so this list could go on forever but I think that you get the idea that there are a lot of great features available at SkinStore that make it a great place to shop. Visit us at www.SkinStore.com.

Eczema is a common inflammatory skin condition which is characterized by dryness, flaking, blistering, crusting, swelling, and cracking of the skin. Eczema is typically caused by factors such as skin over-sensitivity, allergies, stress, and genetic factors. Those with asthma are more likely to develop eczema. Typically eczema is treated with a topical corticosteroid cream. Eczema skin types that are prone to infections will often be treated by a mild course of antibiotics. Antihistamines (topical and oral) may often be prescribed for the treatment of eczema as well. Antihistamines reduce swelling thus reducing the irritation and itchiness associated with eczema-prone skin. Eczema can be frustrating and embarrassing, and the doctor route can get costly and is quite unpleasant (why take antibiotics and slather on smelly prescription cream when most eczema outbreaks can be treated by appropriate over the counter products) Here are some great product choices that will help to treat, calm, and prevent eczema outbreaks:

 

Cleansing:

 

Stiefel Sarna Sensitive Antibacterial Cleanser is a gentle cleansing wash that is excellent for eczema-prone skin. This mild non-drying formula contains triclosan to help reduce bacteria on the skin.

 

If you prefer a bar cleanser we suggest PCA SKIN Dry Skin Relief Bar, which is a mild cleansing bar that contains a bit of salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and reduce inflammation, in addition to moisturizing honey and vitamin E to hydrate the skin.

 

Toning:

 

La Roche Posay is a small French province that’s well known for its therapeutic spring water. Until recently, healing spring water treatments have been available through thermal baths, but now we are able to attain thermal spring water in the States through the well-known company La Roche Posay. La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water contains healing properties which help to restore the skin’s barrier while providing antioxidant benefits and removing traces of hard water (which contain heavy minerals that are irritating to the skin). And the best thing about this water is that it can be used throughout the day when your skin craves moisture or feels dry and irritated. The fine mist will not disturb your make up but will make your skin look fresh and hydrated.

 

Moisture:

 

Skin prone to eczema can often feel taut and dry no matter how much moisturizer is slathered on. We recommend therapeutic moisturizers with skin-building properties that not only hydrate the skin but also strengthen the skin’s barrier. Using a serum under a cream can be beneficial to drawing moisture deeper into the skin.  The Topix Citrix CRS 15% Serum with Growth Factor is a great serum to use under your cream as it contains Growth Factor TGF- beta-1 which can play a significant role in stimulating collagen growth and strong tissue structure. It also contains a bit of vitamin C to provide antioxidant protection. After applying a serum layer a cream for additional hydration. ATOPALM MLE Cream is a great choice as it helps to restore the skin’s barrier function while soothing and hydrating. If your skin is extremely dry, try using a balm like the Osmotics Cream Extreme Barrier Repair, it looks like butter in the jar, but emulsifies into a fine balm once you warm it up in the palm of your hand. This product will last and last, and a tiny bit goes a long way to restore your skin’s compromised barrier.

 

Exfoliation:

 

Get rid of dead, flaky skin by exfoliating regularly with a non-irritating enzyme mask. Enzymes eat dead skin cells without compromising your skin’s barrier. The Tracie Martyn Enzyme Exfoliant is a great choice as it contains enzymes as well as skin brighteners and gently resurfaces the skin without irritating.

 

Body:

 

If you experience eczema break-outs on your body, we recommend using La Roche Posay body products to address your concerns. The La Roche Posay Lipikar Syndet is an outstanding non-drying foaming body wash that cleanses without irritation and neutralizes drying effects of hard water. The La Roche Posay Lipikar Balm is a rich hydrator that soothes the skin while providing dry-skin relief and hydration to last all day.

 

I hope these suggestions help! While eczema can not be cured you can often easily control it with soothing over-the-counter skin care products. And as always, if your skin condition worsens or becomes intolerant to over-the-counter products, consult your doctor for other treatment alternatives.

 

Products featured in this article: Stiefel Sarna Sensitive Antibacterial Cleanser, PCA SKIN Dry Skin Relief Bar, La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water, Topix Citrix CRS 15% Serum with Growth Factor, ATOPALM MLE Cream, Osmotics Cream Extreme Barrier Repair, Tracie Martyn Enzyme Exfoliant, La Roche Posay Lipikar Syndet, La Roche Posay Lipikar Balm.

 

For more great products, visit us at SkinStore!

The holiday season is notorious for putting your already hectic schedule into overdrive. Priorities quickly change, if it means scoring big at an infamous Black Friday sale (wink, wink). But ladies, beauty no longer has to take the backseat during this time of year! There are handy tools to help make your beauty regimen snappy and more convenient. Stila makes a fabulous little gadget that has saved my tail a time or two! Stila Convertible Eye Color is a one stop makeup shop. It is not only your eyeliner, but also your eyeshadow and smudging tool all in one compact pencil. The Convertible Eye Color comes in an assortment of shades that will compliment every occasion. The holiday lights won’t be the only thing sparkling this year!

 

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Ok, so at this point we have already talked about solutions for skin types. (Catch my earlier blogs, I’ll put links at the bottom of this post for you) Now it’s time for the all over body products! Hold on tight, we have some beauty boosting to do!

 Shower Gels

 

 

Body Scrubs

 

Self-Tanners

 

Shaving Barriers

 

Body Toners

 

Body Moisturizers

 

Body Firming Products

 

Products For Uneven Skin Tone

 

If you missed any of my series on product comparisons, please check them out.  Choose your skin type: Normal/Combination, Oily/Acne Prone or Dry/Sensitive. Coming soon: Beauty Products! Though we love all our products, we sincerely hope that you can see the value and benefits of the products at each price range.

 

Want more recommendations? Get your own personal consultation now at SkinStore with Product Advisor, developed by our estheticians!

Many people these days have different skin conditions to treat, however differentiating and understanding each condition is not always easy. Psoriasis is a major skin condition that affects an estimated 7.5 million Americans according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Having any skin condition is not only uncomfortable but very stressful.

 

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. There are 5 different types of psoriasis listed as: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular & erythrodermic. The most common form of psoriasis is plaque. The usual symptoms of this type Psoriasis are usually raised red patches or lesions which are covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells. This condition can appear anywhere on the body, but is not contagious.

 

Prevention is a major aspect of treatment. Psoriasis triggers can be different for each individual however, there are some more common or known triggers. The first known trigger is stress. Stress can actually activate a first time flare up or aggravate an existing condition. The second known trigger is injury to the skin. For example: vaccinations, sunburns and even scratches on the skin can trigger a reaction. Medication can also be a big trigger and can easily be disregarded when contemplating trigger factors. Some of the many different medications that have been found to trigger a reaction are: Lithium, Antimalarials, Inderal, Quinidine and Indomethacin.

 

Other known triggers such as weather, diet, and allergies can play a big role in a Psoriasis flare up. Although there is no known cure for psoriasis, there are ways to alleviate symptoms.

 

Treatments will generally consist of topical or internal solutions. As the severity of each case and treatment options will vary from one person to the next, it is recommended that each individual consults with a licensed physician for professional opinion before use of any product.

 

It is also important to understand that many times an individual will go through various products before they find one that best suits them. You can find products on our site ranging from cleansers to shampoo and even body products. Some of those include Therapeutics Psorent Topical by Neostrata and Plasmalg Marine Gel by Thalgo. We hope after this read you’ll understand this condition better. We also want you to know we are always here to help and wish you all the best on the road to healing!

 

Products featured in this article: Thalgo Plasmalg Marine Gel, NeoStrata Therapeutics Psorent Topical.

 

Source: National Psoriasis Foundation 

 

 

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We know that finding the right gift can be very challenging. As the gift giver you just don’t know if your friend (or love) would rather have a fragrance, skin care, a new beauty tool or oh-my-gosh…just about anything! Take the stress out of the equation and give the perfect gift – a gift certificate from SkinStore.com! The gift certificates are in denominations of $15, $25, $50, $75, $150, $200. Make gift giving easy, just click!

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