Many of us know the benefits of incorporating fermented foods into the diet such as probiotics yoghurt due to the friendly bacteria that it has in it which is a positive for gut health and therefore overall health.

Fermented ingredients in skincare are also beneficial…they have been in abundance in Korea for some time but now the world is catching up..and no it does not involve smearing sauerkraut all over your face (thank goodness).

So what actually is a fermented ingredient? In simple terms it is an ingredient where it has been put in an environment to allow ‘good bacteria’ to grow. The bacteria feeds on sugar and starch and generates lactic acid. This process creates a lot of by products like B vitamins, probiotics, Omega 3 fatty acids and enzymes, making the ingredient rich in things that it didn’t have before.

There is some though that fermented ingredients can help to build collagen as well as an antibacterial effect. Some reduce sensitivity and help skin repair itself.

There are a some of skincare brands that are starting to include fermented ingredients such as lactobacillus, bifida ferment lysate and fermented lemon extract.

We incorporate this into our Signature facials through our Enzyme exfoliant. It is ever so gentle but nibbles away the dead skin cells as an alternative to using a scrub and it contains Bacillus Ferment Extract. It creates a smoother more youthful looking skin.

Keep an eye out for these ingredients next time you are buying skincare..will this be a fad or something here to stay?

OMG Beauty Lovers..if you haven’t tried Baby Foot you are missing out. I have been using this for over 10 years and can now share it with you!

Baby Foot gets rid of dry / cracked skin on your feet leaving them beautiful and smooth and soft like..you guessed it..baby feet!

It is great to use in between pedicures if you don’t have the time or money to spare but also if you have extremely dry or cracked skin on your feet and you are due soon for a pedicure..it is great to do this treatment first a couple of weeks prior as it will get rid of the bulk of the dry skin so that we can get a better result in a pedicure. While we can rasp down those rough spots you can’t get rid of them in one session like Baby Foot can!

It simply involves cutting the tops off the two plastic booties..and sliding your feet in…then put socks over the top..sit and watch tv for an hour…and then remove the booties and wash the feet. It will then take up to 10 days for the feet to peel away all the dead skin and leave you with smooth feet.

While Baby Foot has a number of ingredients – 17 natural extracts to be exact..that all have high moisturising power, the active ingredient is fruit acid..that cleverly absorbs into the dead skin only to peel it away.

With a RRP of $29.95 you can’t beat it…as an introductory price we are selling the for $25 (or you can get a kit with the Baby Foot as well as the moisturising cream for after they have peeled for $45).

TIPS IF YOU ARE THINKING OF DOING BABYFOOT

1. Time it carefully….you don’t want to be caught out an an event with peeling feet because you didn’t give yourself enough time!
2. Don’t plan to spray tan while your feet are peeling – it is not attractive!
3. Peeling will be much more affective if you have a good bath or soak your feet prior to application..if the feet are softened, it allowed better penetration of the product.
4. Don’t apply any moisturiser until feet have finished peeling
5. It is water that activates the peel so have as many baths or foot soaks as you can after the initial application.

My recommendation is to do one of these each season..to keep feet in perfect shape all year round!

Check them out in store next time you are in.

We now need to get not only the skin on our face but also the skin on our body as hydrated and supple as we can so that we can survive the Winter months that are heading our way. If you are a spray tanner you will know just how important it is to exfoliate. You don’t have to go to any great expense of buying scrubs etc unless you just love them. All you need is a simple exfoliating glove. We now sell them for $3.95 so if you need one..grab one next time you are in. Every second or third night is enough..just to give yourself a quick once over in the shower to ensure that your tan looks perfect.

If you are someone who gets a lot of ingrown hairs then the glove is great for you also..leave it a couple of days after your wax and then again every second or third night just go over the affected areas  so that the hair grows through nicely and doesn’t get trapped under the skin.

Do you sometimes have a leg wax and then in a few days it feels like the hair is growing back…it maybe that your skin is quite dry and hairs are getting trapped under that skin. On the legs the hair is often not thick enough to cause an ingrown hair however it will be trapped under the skin enough that when you come in for your wax, the wax just takes the skin off leaving the hair there.

If this is you, try using the glove regularly which will removed dead dry skin and allows the hair to grow through – you will be amazed how much better your next wax will be.

Topping all this off with a great moisturiser after showing.

Keep this up through Autumn and Winter  for great looking pins all year round!

I counted up every foundation I had the other day and I had about 12 different ones – WHY? Different colours for tan or no tan and more importantly different formulas to use depending on how my skin is that day and what finish I want to achieve. What do I want today? Something more creamy with a full coverage, something more dewey, something hydrating because my skin feels dry, something more matt or something with a bit of a glow.

There is one foundation that was amongst the pack that I never realised just how versatile it was and how it could almost replace every other foundation I have! Yes you heard right..drum roll please..

Introducing Gorgeous Cosmetics NEW Base Perfect Foundation.

Why I love it..

Buildable coverage – To have a sheer coverage you can mix in with a little bit of the primer (or your
own moisturiser) and lightly apply, or you can apply on its own for a fuller coverage. Powder down for a more matt finish or mix a little
it of Gorgeous Superstar into it to get more of a sheen or glow that is so on trend right now. Naturally, its fin
sh is an undete
ctable skin like finish that lasts all day. It is long wearing, sweat and humidity proof and great for all skin types even sensitive skin.

Colour Range – the colour range is AMAZE..see below the swatches I did on my arm..It ranges from the super li
ght to the very dark chocolate brown and everything cool, warm and neutralin between. It is also dosed with light reflecting pigments to deliver a flawless, photo-ready finish. NEVER cakes.

Packaging…it is in an air tight pump pack, which makes it super hygienic because the unused product gets no air and also no oxidisation.

No Animals Hurt – It is dermatologist tested but cruelty free and not tested on animals.

Ingredients – Not only does it have vitamin A and E to improve skin density and keep skin hydrated while providing antioxidant protection. It also has a special naturally derived silicone that creates a barrier to protect the skin from environmental stresses and smooths over fine lines, wrinkles and pores.

Feel free to pop in and see what all the fuss is about and have your free colour match.

 

 

I sometimes laugh when I see images like the one above, with skincare products promising ’20 years younger in 5 applications’ , ok that was an exaggeration but you know what I’m talking about.

I think it is important for us all to be realistic about what certain treatments and what lotions and potions can actually achieve. There are a number of amazing results that you can have – particularly now days with certain cosmeceuticals as well as treatments however there is also a point at which no treatment or cream is going to be able to take you as far as what a surgical procedure will for example.

I’m focussing this piece on anti ageing and looking the best your can as these are the main things people request when visiting us.

One thing that can dramatically make you look different and more youthful is if your skin is supple, fresh and bright. Those things can be vastly improved with facial treatments and home care creams and yes it is important to look at the ingredients of what you are putting on your skin. We sell a variety of options at different price points and for different skin types.

Exfoliation is an important part of the process of achieving the above as it encourages new cells to come through. This does not have to be a rough scrub for your face – there are many different types of exfoliators for different skins but whatever you choose it is important. Our microdermabrasion treatment is also a winner here..ask us about it.

Sun protection is also imperative to bright fresh youthful looking skin. So every day application is a must.

If it has been a while since you have exfoliated and have some build up a peel can do your skin wonders. It would be like trying to rub cream in to the bark of a tree ..it won’t penetrate but once you remove the bark the substance will absorb. Same with you face – remove those rough dead layers and your products will be more effective giving a better appearance.

We can’t go past mentioning omnilux treatment that helps to stimulate collagen production (which is what gives our skin elasticity and plumpness) it helps to decrease pigmentation also (keep in mind it won’t disappear overnight as it depends what has caused it in the first place!)

If your eyes are looking a bit tired it is amazing what a brow shape and tine and lash tint (or lift) will achieve. It will open up your eyes and define them.

I think a big point in all of this is consistency. You are better to do one or two steps and do them all the time than start a skin care regime of 20 products, do it for 2 weeks and then find it all too hard. If I was to pick 2 things – EVERYONE and I mean everyone should be using some sort of sun protection each day and number 2 would be a good exfoliator to slough of dead skin and encourage new fresh skin cells to come through.

Someone once said to me ‘If that cream did everything it said it did you would need a script to buy it’. That’s something we should all remember next time someone is trying to sell us something that promises things that sound a little unrealistic.