Since there are quite a few Clarisonic models & colors, picking one out can be difficult! It’s actually easier then it seems to figure out which one would be best for you. All you have to do is keep reading…

- The Mia Clarisonic Cleansing System- Has a 1 year manufacturer warranty. It comes with a Compact pLink International Charger, a sensitive brush head, the standard speed and a 1 oz. Clarisonic Cleanser. It’s compact size makes it very easy to travel with!

- The Mia 2 Sonic Cleansing System- Has a 2 year manufacturer warranty. It comes with a Compact pLink International Charger, a protective travel case, a sensitive brush head, two speeds and a 1oz. Clarisonic Cleanser. It also has the same compact size as the Mia, which means super easy to cleanse on the go!

- The Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy– Has a 2 year manufacturer warranty. It has a Universal Charging Cradle, 1 oz. trial size of a Clarisonic cleanser, 2 oz. trial size of the Refining Skin Polish, a protective travel case, 3 speeds (one for the body), one deep pore cleansing brush head, one normal brush head, and one body spot therapy brush head.

- The ARIA Sonic Skin Cleansing System- Has a 2 year manufacturer warranty. It has a drying stand, a USB-enabled Universal Voltage pLink Charger, 3 speeds, a battery life indicator,  a wall adapter, a sensitive brush head and a 1 oz. refreshing gel cleanser. The ARIA is the newest model in the Clarisonic family and doesn’t disappoint! The newly shaped handle is now covered in a modern high-gloss finish.

Fall in love with your skin again.  Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules will help bring back the radiance to your skin that the cold winter weather may have hidden.  Any skin type will benefit from the luxuriously scented with rose for the morning and lavender for the evening.  Just one jar gives day and night rejuvenation.

Simply twist the capsule to release the oil into your hand and gently massage onto your face.  These aromatic oils are full of antioxidants. They help strengthen and repair skin, calm any inflammation and de-stress your complexion giving you healthy, hydrated skin.  They are perfect for anyone who travels a lot or just needs a pick-me-up.  These little jewels are so worth picking up!

Start repairing with NIA24 Sun Damage Repair for Decolletage and Hands. The key ingredients of this product include Bearberry, Licorice and Mulberry extracts help brighten the skin. Luna-B White decreases hyperpigmentation. This product has the added benefit of White Tea to protect against free radicals and future damage. The main ingredient is Pro-Niacin, it is a patented form of Niacin, or Vitamin B3 that penetrates deep down to the dermis level of skin to really change the way your skin ages for more healthy looking skin.

Our neck, hands and décolletage are the first areas to show signs of aging. Why shouldn’t we treat these areas with NIA24 to help decrease the signs of aging and have glowing skin?

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.

Summer is right around the corner and who doesn’t want that golden glow when they’re rockin’ shorts & flip flops? Here are our Top 5 Self Tanning Products that are sure to give you that just back from the beach glow!

- Kate Somerville Somerville360 Body Self Tanning Towelettes have a fast drying formula that dries within seconds to prevent staining & Towelettes make it very easy to apply.

- Hampton Sun Sunless Tanning Gel leaves the skin incredibly smooth and with no lingering scent.

- Fake Bake Instant Self Tanning Spray is perfect for those hard to reach areas. It’s specially designed air-shaft provides a continuous spray that can be used at any angle on the body.

- Pevonia Self-Tanning Emulsion is a very lightweight texture and combines natural color (Caramel), with DHA (Sugar Cane), Squalane, and Vitamins B and E to promote immediate absorption for a smooth, streak-free application.

- TanTowel Half Body Classic Self Tanning Towelettes are great for travel. Each towelette is packaged individually for ease of use and there are no leaks or spills to worry about.

We all love to try new products for free right?! SkinStore just launched our exciting new pick your samples program! Samples are the perfect way to try something new and who knows maybe even find your next favorite thing! With every order you have the opportunity to select from an assortment of three free samples. Simply choose your three faves when you’re in your shopping bag and we’ll ship them with your order. It’s that easy, happy sampling!

Before you decide to switch regimens to address breakouts for the 100^th time, read this!

So you just started a regimen a week or two ago that your esthetician raved about and now you are breaking out more than ever?  Believe it or not, this is not the time to change routines.

It is crucial to understand how your skin functions and how certain ingredients influence its behavior so you know what to expect when starting a new regimen.

Normally, your skin regenerates itself every 28-50 days depending on age and skin health. You shed skin cells daily, but the amount is so minute that you rarely see it happening.  This is called natural exfoliation.  Acne regimens rely on products that will enhance this process (along with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients).

When starting a new acne regimen, your skin goes through an accelerated exfoliation and renewal process.  This allows for breakouts to show up much more quickly than they would have otherwise.  The products are not creating new breakouts, but rather unveiling them at a sooner date.  You would have seen the same blemishes surface weeks down the road, but since your skin function has been sped up you are seeing 5-6 weeks worth of breakouts in one or two weeks.  This amazing and horrifying process is commonly referred to as “purging”.

This can definitely be alarming, but it is very important to adhere to the regimen suggested to you so you can get through this period, and you will get through it.  The average time frame is 7-10 days, but it is not uncommon for it to stretch to 2-4 weeks.  It all depends on the severity of acne you were experiencing and how quickly you can advance your regimen.  Sensitive skin has to advance more slowly so the “purging” period may be a bit longer than tolerant skin which can increase the frequency of product usage more quickly. This breakout period can be minimized by using products with anti-bacterial properties such as benzoyl peroxide or topical antibiotics from your derm.  We suggest sticking to a regimen for 6- 8 weeks and sometimes longer before deciding to switch, unless you are have a reaction (not skin purging).  Keep in mind that not all acne will clear in 8 weeks, but you will definitely get a sense of the products and if you will be able to achieve better results over time.

The bottom line is to stick it out and you will see clearer, more refined healthy skin.

The key players in this acclimation process are:

Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids (glycolic, lactic, salicylic, malic, mandelic acids) -   Hydroxy acids have the ability to break down corneodemosomes on the surface of the skin.  These are what hold the dead skin cells together.  Think of the mortar on a brick wall.  Once the corneodesmosomes are dissolved, the dead skin cells are ready to fall off.  Using a hydroxy acid will speed up the rate that the cells are shed which means your skin has to make new skin cells to fill their place.  When these new cells die, they are pushed to the surface for their turn to be shed. Any debris or microcomedones (pimples) rise to the surface too, which is why it seems like the product is making you break out.  When using these ingredients for acne, daily is usually best.

Retinol – Retinol works from the inside out, which is opposite of a hydroxy acid.   This ingredient stimulates cell renewal first, which then forces your skin to shed the dead skin cells from the top layer.   This is a very potent ingredient and flaking and peeling is a common reaction because it has the ability to speed up the production of new skin cells so fast that you can visibly see the shedding of the old skin cells, which is usually invisible.  This is generally not a desirable outcome, so moderation is the key with retinol.  Use maybe 2-3 times a week.

Ask a professional before starting a regimen with either of these active ingredients.

Have a questions for our estheticians? Ask us here.

We are so excited to announce our latest giveaway! Starting now, through April 10th you can enter for a chance to win a Yonka Violet Bon Voyage Bag with Creme Teintee, Hydralia, and Serum Vital. ($300 Value!)

CRÈME TEINTEE:  Go from drab to fab in an instant!  This lightweight tinted and protective crème also leads to a healthier complexion due to pumpkin seed oils and a power packed cocktail of antioxidant vitamins a, c and e.   A golden glow and protected, healthy skin is just a dab away.

HYDRALIA:  A few drops of this super-hydrating concentrate are enough to eliminate rough spots and the feeling of tautness.  Also eases fine lines and crepiness caused by dehydration.  Mix with your favorite crème for best results.

SERUM VITAL:  Is stress and fatigue showing up on your skin?  Yon-Ka Paris to the rescue…this unique dual phase serum (oil & water so shake well!)  is highly concentrated in botanical extracts and  24 amino acids.  An essential beauty serum for  regenerating and  boosting healthy radiance all year long.

Want to win one? ENTER HERE

It has been said, “your eyes are the window to your soul”. If that is the case, shouldn’t we keep our eyes looking as young as we feel? Here is a list of our Top 5 Eye Creams:

StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles (New Beauty Award Winner)- clinically proven to visibly diminish lines, creases, dark circles and puffiness in 2 to 8 weeks.

Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Firming Eye Cream  (New Beauty Award Winner)- The Best Firming Eye Cream, ideal for sensitive & dry skin.

Neocutis Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream- PSP and Hyaluronic Acid help firm and hydrate the delicate skin under and around the eyes.

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex- Dramatically improves puffiness & dark circles within 4-12 weeks.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Eye Serum- Single dose capsules, strengthen the skin’s barrier against crow’s feet for a younger, brighter look.

So many brush heads, so little time to figure out which one is the right for your specific skin type.  Many people are either using the wrong brush head for their skin type or have no clue which one to use. So, I’m here to help. Here are the basics:

Normal Brush (light gray) – For those with normal skin and for use on your body. (Men love this brush head for their skin)

Sensitive Brush (white) – Most popular, gentle brush designed for normal skin, sensitive skin and first time Clarisonic users.

Delicate Brush (light blue) – Ultra sensitive brush best for extremely delicate skin.

Deep Pore Brush (aqua ring) – The only double-action brush designed to effectively clean large pores and the T-zone. Gentle enough for daily use.

Acne Brush (green ring) – Super Soft, specifically designed to be gentle on acne-prone skin.

Body Brush (gray) – For the body only, makes skin noticeably softer & smoother. Helps reduce dry patches on elbows & knees. Also, helps improve Keratosis Pilaris on the upper arms. This brush head will only work on the Clarisonic PLUS device.

To keep your brush head clean, simply rinse the brush head with antibacterial soap and warm water. We recommend replacing your Clarisonic brush head every 2-3 months.