Below are some great products to add to your routine that are beneficial in treating acne.  They will remove dead skin cells and debris, kill acne causing bacteria and reduce inflammation.   (Remember, less is more with treatment products!) These are customer (and staff) favorites. Don’t believe us? Read the customer reviews. They speak for themselves!

Jan Marni Bioglycolic Bioclear – Choose the cream for normal to dry skin and the lotion for normal to oily.  Contains glycolic, salicylic and azelaic acids to resurface the skin, clear out pores, calm inflammation and even skin tone.  Salicylic acid also has anti-bacterial properties.

Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Cooling Masque – This clay mask contains 10% pharmaceutical grade sulfur for it’s anti-bacterial effects and  zinc oxide for wound healing.  Eucalyptus provides helps calm inflammation and is also antiseptic.  Use once to twice a week to boost your acne regimen.

Belli Acne Clearing Facial Wash – It’s difficult to find an acne treatment when you are expecting.  This wash uses lactic acid, so it is safe for use during pregnancy, but it’s a great cleanser for everyone.

Stiefel PanOxyl Acne Spot Treatment 10% Benzoyl Peroxide – Kills acne bacteria.   It’s a very hydrating BP lotion that’s effective and doesn’t dry out your skin like other benzoyl peroxide treatments can.

Philosophy On A Clear Day Oil-Free Acne Spot Treatment – those who can not use benzoyl peroxide will appreciate this spot treatment, which uses sulfur and salicylic acid.

SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 – fantastic for speeding up cell renewal and helps with acne as well as anti-aging.

Bonus product – ANSR Beam – This is a great LED device that has a blue light for killing acne bacteria. The red light accelerates healing and cell renewal. It’s also great for hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.

It’s best to use a combination of products to address all causes of acne.  For example one might use the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Lotion daily for exfoliation and calming inflammation, SkinCeuticals Retinol a couple nights a week for cell renewal and Philosophy On a Clear Day Oil-Free Acne Spot Treatment on the other nights or as needed to control bacteria.  It is best to start one new product at a time to minimize irritation.  As stated above, “Less is more” because using treatments too frequently or too many at the same time can cause drying and irritation.

Moisturizer and Sunscreen is also a must.  Proper hydration promotes healthy cell turnover and you will need sun protection as these products make your skin more vulnerable to UV rays.

Unfortunately, your acne can’t go away over night (no matter how hard you wish for it).  It is common for you to see new breakouts at first.  For more information on that, please see our blog on skin purging.  Be patient and you’ll start to see clearer, healthier skin.

Visit SkinStore.com for more great acne treatments.

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.

American Idol contestants brave bright lights and harsh criticism on a weekly basis. The pressure of the spotlight beating down is enough to make anyone weak in the knees. With millions of viewers tuning in nightly, sweaty palms should be the least of their worries.

American Idol Make-Up Artist, Mezhgan has made it her top priority to give contestants a competitive edge. She begins every makeup application with a dollop of OC Eight Professional Mattifying Gel.

American Idol Make-Up Artist, Mezhgan, says she is “amazed by how great the contestant’s skin looks on film after using OC Eight.” She says, “OC Eight works like nothing I’ve ever tried before.“

OC Eight Professional Mattifying Gel acts as makeup primer absorbing oil continuously for up to eight hours. This unique product contains ACRYSORB® micro-particles that trap up to 6x their own volume in oil. As a result, skin remains matte and fresh all day, for that just applied look. Your complexion is more even toned, makeup stays in place and your natural glow is not masked.

If contestants can withstand Simon’s wrath without a makeup meltdown, our ordinary lives should be no sweat! With a flawless matte complexion, the only thing shining are their standout performances.

OC Eight Professional Mattifying Gel is formerly known as Clinac O.C. by Ferndale Laboratories.

Acne can be embarrassing and painful. Cystic acne can be extremely persistent, and unlike acne that surfaces and can be extracted, cystic acne can stay trapped under the skin and gives a bumpy, inflamed appearance. To reduce inflammation in the skin caused by acne, I recommend incorporating zinc into your diet as well as your skincare regimen. Zinc is an essential nutrient that is required for collagen formation and promotes healthy immune function as well as wound healing. Zinc acts as an outstanding anti-inflammatory and thus is very beneficial to inflamed cystic acne.

Here are some great zinc-rich products that you can incorporate into your skincare regimen to address your acne woes:

Leaf and Rusher Acne Serum Tx – Formulated with the most advanced form of botanical extracts and vitamins, it treats existing breakouts and reduces the frequency of future problems. This highly evolved treatment contains a unique soy extract that, with regular use, can help control regular recurring breakouts.
Cosmedicine Speedy Recovery Acne Treatment Nighttime Blemish Powder – This fast-acting blemish-fighting powder with Retinoic Acid and a soothing botanical complex works all night to not only fight breakouts and eliminate acne symptoms; it actually leaves your skin in healthier and better condition than before your acne problems began.

Cellex-C Betaplex Clear Complexion Masque – Alpha and beta hydroxy acids (3%) provide gentle exfoliation while antiseptic herbals and skin calming botanicals soothe troubled skin. This creamy kaolin clay mask dries on the skin without flaking or cracking while gently lifting loosened flakes of skin to help create a gleaming, silky smooth complexion.

Remember to drink plenty of water and get lots of sleep to allow for your skin to function at its optimum. Incorporate zinc-rich foods such as oysters, wheat bran and pecan nuts into your diet to promote healing and battle acne.

For more acne treatments, visit SkinStore.com!

I don’t know about you but when I think of a bar of soap I think about this icky, germy, bar just sitting in the shower growing fungus. (ewwww!) That’s not really something I’d want to use on my face. However, Cor has given the boring ol’ bar of soap a makeover.

Cor has patented a delivery system that allows active ingredients to target the “core” of the skin’s most problematic concerns. Their highlighted active ingredient is nano-silver with silica, and a compound of Collagen, Sericin and Chitosan (CSC).

The components of Silica prepare the skin to take in all the active ingredients the Cor Soap has to offer. With its sponge-like quality, the silica pulls the active components deeply into the skin. Silver is a new discovery in the anti-bacterial world and it has proven to be very effective. Silver prevents the transfer of oxygen through the cell walls, killing off the ability for the bacteria to grow. Silver is also very healing and has been shown to increase cell turnover. The CSC molecules are micronized to their minutest size while remaining in an active state. The tiny size of the molecules will allow for maximum delivery to the deepest point in the dermis, reaching the source of any damage in the skin. The collagen in this product is a marine based collagen and is used because of its smaller molecular size and provides a better performance once penetrated into the skin. Sericin is a soluble protein extracted from silk and supplies moisture binding benefits, leaving the skin soft and supple. Chitosan is a natural fiber that balances out pH in the skin and evens out skin tone, giving a more hydrated, youthful appearance.

Since Cor has a pH of 7.2 and contains all natural ingredients, it is safe enough for even the most sensitive skin types. Simply lather up, let the foam sit on your skin to work its magic and then rinse away to beautiful skin.

Product featured in this article: Cor Silver Soap.

Need a fast solution to an embarrassing zit problem? For quick overnight treatment of a rogue pimple, try dabbing a spot of Astara Blue Flame Purification Mask onto your pimple just before bed. This product is fantastic for spot treating those rascally rogue pimples. Overnight, the redness and swelling are noticeably reduced. For ladies, dab on a little concealer the next morning, then even or smooth out by applying your powder or liquid foundation on top and be on your way. Use a second nightly spot treatment when necessary. This is a must have for your beauty emergency kit.

Visit SkinStore for all of your beauty needs.