What Are Those Tiny White Bumps?

Those little white bumps you get right below your eyes, on top of your cheekbones, or on other parts of your face? Those pesky bumps are called Milia (pronounced mill-ee-a). Singular - plural, same word (well, technically the singular is "milium", but no one uses it).  They're like tiny pearls underneath the first layer skin that won’t come out no matter how much you squeeze, unless you literally scratch the darn thing off your face. Please don't do that.

Whatever others might have told you, it’s not “calcium deposits” or acne breakouts. It doesn’t require two rounds of Retin-A or massive chemical peels (although there are those with a genetic propensity that do have luck with AHAs and some have even been helped with careful and monitored use of Retin-A). However I've seen way too many people with prescriptions renewed a thousand times before they asked their doctor why it doesn't seem to be working.  

So, what are these milia?

Forget The Ads On TV! Here's How To Really Wash Your Face...

You might think that washing your face is a no-brainer, but you’d actually be surprised!

I’ve seen many clients over the years who I could tell were breaking out and/or had dry skin largely because they didn’t cleanse their faces properly. 

Many people will avoid the periphery of their faces, like the hairline and jawline, because they don’t want to get their hair wet, or because they hate getting water all over themselves with the amount of rinsing necessary. Other times, they skip washing with cleanser altogether in favor of splashing their faces with plain water, especially in the morning.  On the other end of the spectrum are those who use towelettes instead of cleanser, or two-in-one cleanser-scrubs, but rub at their faces so vigorously that they may as well just use sandpaper.

Here are some basic instructions for the best cleansed face you can have. It’ll go a long way to clearing up your skin, making it glow and even making it a little less dry (which is a big part of my method for clearing adult acne).

The Journey To Clear Skin: Facials Or Products?

It's like I always say:

Getting facials without a good skin care routine at home 

is like jogging to Krispy Kreme! 

Especially if you're trying to solve a problem like Adult Acne.

The bottom line is that you need to have top notch products for home use.  Your skin won't get clear without them. It's that simple.

If you’re on a budget, skincare products for home use is where you should really put your money. Facials are great!  But without effective products for a skincare routine at home, you just won’t be able to get the results that you want.  If you need to choose between products and facials, you really should focus on products.

So what does a facial do in the first place? A facial from a licensed esthetician basically does three things: 

Healthy Skin From Head To Toe: Part 3

Spring is finally here! And it took long enough... The warmer weather means shedding those clunky winter layers and letting your skin breathe! In this Healthy Skin series, I'll be talking about what you'll need in the coming months to protect your skin from head to toe. (This means a lot of sunscreen!)

You know about what ingredients and claims to look out for when buying SPF sunscreen and you now know how to apply it effectively (and when to reapply!), but what about the rest of your body?

Healthy Skin From Head To Toe: Part 2

Spring is finally here! And it took long enough... The warmer weather means shedding those clunky winter layers and letting your skin breathe! In this Healthy Skin series, I'll be talking about what you'll need in the coming months to protect your skin from head to toe. (This means a lot of sunscreen!)

I already touched base on what kinds of ingredients and claims to look out for in your SPF to make sure that you won't break out from your product.

My clients often ask me, "How much sunscreen do you need for the face?" The answer is pretty simple.

Healthy Skin From Head To Toe: Part 1

Spring is finally here! And it took long enough... The warmer weather means shedding those clunky winter layers and letting your skin breathe! In this Healthy Skin series, I'll be talking about what you'll need in the coming months to protect your skin from head to toe. (This means a lot of sunscreen!)

First of all, you know that your body skin is not the same as the skin on your face. If you suffer from breakouts or have even slightly oily skin, most sunscreens just feel gross. The creams are either goopy or greasy and even the ones that say "oil-free" often don't feel so great.

One thing you need to know about sunscreen for the face, is that for a long time manufacturers thought consumers wanted to have a moisturizing sunscreen, since the sun has a slightly drying effect on certain skin types. This has caused way too many SPF moisturizers to be formulated as though everyone has super dry skin. Watch out for labels that talk too much about the cream having moisturizing qualities. What skin really needs is water, not lubrication. 

Sometimes the claim of "oil-free" can actually be a red flag.  Many base ingredients that are meant to replace oil are waxy substances that clog pores until they're totally stuffed.  If you like natural or organic brands, check in with a knowledgable Esthetician (like me! :)) to make sure the ingredients are suitable for your skin type.

People email me all the time with ingredient lists, and what surprises them when I respond is that some of the most pore-clogging ingredients are natural!  Raw materials like cocoa butter and coconut oil are known to be very pore-clogging. Shea Butter is another comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredient.

What Ingredients Really Matter In Your Skincare Products?

"I’ve read that it’s better to use 'all natural' products to treat acne because there are no chemicals.  Is it better to use all natural products or is it all hype?"

As an Esthetician who deals exclusively with adult acne and sensitivity, I'm asked this question a lot. You might think the answer is quite simple, but it really isn't. The problem is that acne cannot always be effectively addressed by ingredients that are typical of "all natural" skin care lines. In fact there are some "all natural" ingredients that can be horribly aggravating to acne.