Spring is here and warmer longer days are fast approaching. Many of us may have been prisoners of long pants, long sleeve shirts and no sunlight. Even if you’re not going to be out in direct sunlight, those lightweight spring outfits usually show a bit more skin, and who wants to be a ghastly pale shade?
For those of you who want a little extra color without hitting a Tanning Booth (please don’t!), SkinStore offers some excellent self tanning products that are safe and effective:
1. Fake Bake Original Self Tan Lotion – New technology promotes a smoother application for a deeper, darker, longer-lasting tan on the skin by up to 50%. Four and a half Star Customer Rating!
2. ARCONA Bronzer – Self Tanner – This light, oil free bronzer/self tanner creates radiant, natural looking color without the sun. Natural based product! Be the first to rate this product online!
3. Pevonia Self-Tanning Emulsion – This self-tanning light-textured emulsion combines natural color (Caramel), with DHA (Sugar Cane), Squalane, and Vitamins B and E, to promote immediate absorption for a smooth, streak-free application. Natural based product with a Five Star Customer Rating! 4. Tan Towel Plus Half Body Classic Self Tanning Towelettes – Provides a natural looking glow that is simple to apply, with no odor or mess and it does not streak. One towelette will cover the whole body. For fair skin. Four and a half Star Customer Rating! Recommended by staff member Valerie!
5. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pad – The only anti-aging, exfoliating sunless tanner that contains active Vitamin D, Soy Proteins, Alpha and BetaHydroxy Acids to exfoliate, tighten pores, eliminate blackheads and help fade existing sunspots for an even, streak-free glow. Four and a half Star Customer Rating, Recommended by staff member Anthony!
As with almost all self tanners be sure to exfoliate any areas of skin you intend to use a self tanner to promote smooth even application and prevent early fading!
Visit SkinStore on Facebook.com and let us know what your favorite self tanning products are!
Hooray, the warmer weather is here bringing with it wonderful sunny weekends and a desire to get away for a few days. Looks like it’s time for a weekend getaway! The only problem left after deciding where to go is trying to decide what to pack. If your bathroom vanity or cabinets are anything like mine, they are filled to the brim with various beauty products. How on earth do you decide what to take with you?
Here are my top three essentials for every weekend getaway:
For a quick yet thorough cleanse the Ole Henriksen Truth to Go Cleansing Wipes are my go-to items. These wipes not only cleanse, they are also infused with anti-aging ingredients such as Pepha-Tight micro algae, Vitamin C and CoQ10. You gotta love multi-tasking products!
Another compact time saver that I love is the Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo. It’s perfect for use in between regular shampooing or to revive hair during the day. Excess oil at the roots is quickly absorbed by the rice, oat and tapioca starches while lemon verbena leaves a refreshing scent.
For the most part, I like to keep my makeup pretty low maintenance on vacation unless I’m going out somewhere special. That’s why I love tinted moisturizers! My favorite is the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare All in One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15. Moisturizer, color and SPF in one step, it doesn’t get much easier than that. It’s lightweight and provides lasting hydration and it also contains the antioxidant benefits of Vitamins C and E.
Lets be honest, one of the greatest perks of my job is the abundance of products I get to try. I’m like a kid in a candy shop when something new comes our way. Not only do I want to try any new products because I’m obsessed, but also so I can better educate our customers about the products we carry.
Now, this type of situation comes with its goods and its bads. The good? A seemingly endless supply of products at my disposal, doing at-home facials when I feel up for it, having a variety of gifts readily available and getting to try something new whenever I’m bored.
The bad? Products go bad before you get a chance to use them and the biggest downer of all… a random breakout caused by a product. When I jump back and forth from different products or use too many at once, my skin will tell me it’s had enough and punishes me. I guess I can’t say it’s “random” because it’s obvious why it happened… the greedy got to me… too many products at once. Sigh….So what to do now? Here’s a guide to all you over-users and abusers that love products as much as I do…
Step One: Purge and Purify
Action: You need to remove all the impurities. Therefore things are most likely going to get worse before they can get any better.
Customers frequently contact us with many questions about their skin care and hair care products. Here are some of the top questions we receive on a regular basis. Hopefully the answers will be helpful to you!
1. How long do the products that we purchase last?
•Most products have a 2-3 year shelf life unopened.
•Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months.
2. When do products expire?
•Each product depending on brand and ingredients has a different expiration date. Unfortunately there is no universal labeling system for cosmetics that allow you to definitely tell what serial numbers on the packaging means. The exception would be sunscreen (SPF). The Food & Drug administration (F.D.A.) requires sunscreens to have a printed expiration date on the packaging. Using sunscreens after this expiration date will compromise your skin’s protection to UVA & UVB rays and make you more susceptible to sunburns and skin cell damage.
3. When does product efficacy (effectiveness) begin to diminish?
•Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months.
•The longer you continue to use the product after that time period the less effective it will be in providing the results you desire.
•Many U.S. manufacturers are beginning to put the European labeling on their products that have a picture of a jar or packaging with a number and an “M” (i.e. 12M) meaning the product has a 12 month shelf life AFTER the product has been opened.
4. Is my product compromised by being exposed to heat or cold?
•All products must pass a heat/cool and freeze/thaw test in order to make it to the market. All products must be tested to ensure the active ingredients and overall composition has not been compromised. Although not recommended, products are tested and can be exposed to extreme heat or cold for extended periods of time but cannot last if the extreme temperatures are constant and repeated.
•Normal exposure to heat or cold while in shipping from the SkinStore warehouse to your delivery location should not affect your product. If your product has been sitting outside in elevated levels of hot or cold weather, bring your product inside and allow it to come to room temperature (70-75 degrees Fahrenheit) before using it. If your product has separated, the active ingredients are not compromised; you should be able to stir the product (i.e. skin cream) until the correct consistency is achieved.
5. Where do you get your products from?
•All of SkinStore’s products come directly from the brand manufacturer. We do not purchase any products that do not come from the manufacturer.
6. Where do you store the products SkinStore sells?
•SkinStore receives all of the products directly from the manufacturer and we store all of the products in a climate controlled warehouse in the United States.
7. My product color varies from my last order, is it still okay to use?
•Some products, especially those with a higher level of natural ingredients or L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) can have varying color from batch to batch depending on where and when the ingredients were harvested from.
•L-Ascorbic Acid begins to oxidize and darken as soon as it is exposed to oxygen. This is a natural process and does not mean your product has been compromised or has expired.
8. How should I store my product?
•Store your product in a cool, dry, dark place, away from heat, moisture and sunlight.
9. I ordered a product that comes out of a pump. I pump the container and nothing comes out. What’s wrong?
•This is one of our most frequently asked questions regarding product packaging. Nearly all of the products that come in a pump dispenser, regardless of brand, will have a certain amount of air in the package. Sometimes an air bubble can get stuck in the between the product and the dispenser. Firmly tapping the bottom of the dispenser bottle several times and then rapidly pumping can help to get the air out of the packaging and release the product. Click here to learn more about air pump issues.
10. Why don’t my products have the same packaging and seals as when I purchased them at the retail store?
•In an effort to save packaging for environmental reasons and passing those savings on to the consumer, some of the products shipped to SkinStore do not have the same packaging and seals that you would find at a retail location. All of our items are stored in our climate controlled warehouse and shipped directly to you with no retail setting where the product can be tampered with.
As always, if you have questions about a product you are welcome to contact us and we will be happy to help you!
What is Matrixyl 3000? Matrixyl 3000 is a combination of two peptides palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. This is an advanced formulation of the early edition of Matrixyl. These peptides are believed to stimulate collagen production by approximately 117% and also increase the hyaluronic acid production in your skin. The peptides stimulate the skin to reduce wrinkles and will also increase firmness in the skin. It is also believed that Matrixyl 3000 is less irritating on the skin than retinol or vitamin C. Even the most sensitive skin types can use this peptide, as it does not cause inflammation.
A combination of the palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, will provide greater benefits then versus when used alone. Together, they increase collagen production, reduce wrinkle depth and density. There has also been reports of an overall improved tone and texture of the skin. Matrixyl 3000 is said to firm the skin by reversing and preventing glycation damage to your skin. Glycation occurs when glucose and protein link together and cause the skin to stiffen resulting in dramatic decreases in collagen and elastin within the skin. This ingredient is a skin saver because it slows down the skin’s natural aging process, by promoting healthy skin from the inside out.
Here are some featured products on SkinStore.com that contain Matrixyl 3000:
Before you layer product atop product, think about the combination of active ingredients you’re putting on your face. There are some ingredients that work well in conjunction, while others are a big no-no. Here is a useful guide of what not to mix:
Don’t mix Vitamin C with…
Retinol: retinol is uber-active in a high concentration, so is vitamin C. Unless the product doesn’t list a marriage or vitamin C with retinol in its ingredient list, the two shouldn’t be layered one on top of the other. Both retinol and vitamin C can cause some dryness, peeling and flaking, so a combination of the two can cause a serious skin irritation.
Copper: Copper helps to firm and strengthen the skin by promoting collagen production. Vitamin C, in addition to stimulating collagen synthesis provides antioxidant protection. When copper is layered together with vitamin C the effects of each are canceled and render each other inactive.
Don’t mix Retinol with…
Alpha Hydroxy Acids: AHA’s and retinol can both increase skin sensitivity by way of chemical exfoliation. AHA combined with retinol can cause the skin to become aggravated and inflamed, so if you like to use both an AHA and a retinol, use the former in the morning and the latter at night.
Benzoyl Peroxide: Both retinol and benzoyl peroxide are great treatments that address acne, but when the two are combined together excessive peeling can occur, causing the skin to flake and pigment irregularly. The skin’s lipid barrier can also become compromised by use of excessively drying agents. Use either retinol or bezoyl peroxide as part of your nightly regimen, but not the two together.
If you have any specific questions, you may ask our estheticians and skincare experts by clicking here.
We are proud to announce our latest giveaway! We have partnered with Purlisse to bring you our Purlisse Bright and Beautiful Jet Set Starter Kit giveaway! Starting today, we are giving away 7 Purlisse Bright and Beautiful Jet Set Starter Kits! If you didn’t already know… The Purlisse Bright and Beautiful Jet Set Starter Kit has everything you need for brighter, more even toned skin, in petite packaging perfect for first-time users and jetsetters! 14 days of TLC brightens to a radiant glow, even for sensitive skin. It’s pure genius!
Entering the giveaway is super easy – just click below!
So you love makeup and skin care but at the end of the day you are tired and just want to go to bed and you still have the dreaded task of makeup removal. Sounds like a typical day for me. For a quick and easy fix, I hit the makeup wipes on occasion.
Rice has been used for centuries as part of traditional beauty and skin care regimens in many places around the world. Recently during our Juara training, co-founder Metta was training us on the Juara Rice Facial Cleanser and she gave us a beauty tip that has been part of her culture for as long as she can remember. Briefly, she said when you rinse rice at home, take the water from the rinsed rice and use it to rinse your face and you will find that your skin is softer and smoother. Then of course we asked if we could just use the Rice Facial Cleanser instead and of course she said “yes!”.
When researching this ancient beauty tradition I found that for centuries rice has been used to ease many skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and dryness. Rice has also been used as a skin care mask when ground up finely with milk or water added to create a paste that is then applied to the skin for 15-20 minutes then rinsed. Since rice contains allantoin, it also acts as an anti-inflamatory and is used for skin irritation and redness which makes perfect sense when considering the many uses in skin care products.
Learn more about rice in our key ingredient feature, and find out which products we carry by visiting our Rice section!
4. Tan Towel Plus Half Body Classic Self Tanning Towelettes – Provides a natural looking glow that is simple to apply, with no odor or mess and it does not streak. One towelette will cover the whole body. For fair skin. Four and a half Star Customer Rating! Recommended by staff member Valerie!
Before you layer product atop product, think about the combination of active ingredients you’re putting on your face. There are some ingredients that work well in conjunction, while others are a big no-no. Here is a useful guide of what not to mix:
We are proud to announce our latest giveaway! We have partnered with 
We are proud to announce our latest giveaway! We have partnered with Purlisse to bring you our 
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