Tips for Winter Skin Care--Staying Beautiful throughout the Holiday Season!

Tis the season for holiday parties and face to face gatherings. In this era of cell-phone and digital cameras, your friends and family will capture and share your face again and again--with many candid, bare-faced shots included. Are you ready for your close up? If not, don't fret.  A few simple changes in your skin care regimen and your daily habits can help you navigate the festive weeks ahead and look great, with or without makeup, all season long!

Challenge:
Harsh winter cold and dry indoor heat can cause skin to feel tight and itchy.

Solutions:
Exchange your exfoliating cleanser for a gentle cleanser several times a week and splash with cool water after cleansing to make sure there’s no residue left on skin. If you already use a gentle cleanser, use it at night . AM – massage and rinse your face with cool water and apply your AM moisturizer.

Also, layer a serum under your regular moisturizer or change to a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, the most powerful natural moisturizing ingredient known to science.



Challenge:
After work gatherings can be fun but late nights and alcohol can contribute to dark circles under the eyes. Sugar overload can make morning eyes puffy.

Solution:
Drink plenty of water with lemon throughout the day to help flush toxins from your system and take extra vitamin C to keep cells healthy. Use a hydrating eye and neck crème for sensitive skin.

Challenge:
Your big party is tonight but your make-up looks flaky and your blush is blotchy.

Solution:
Remove makeup and gently cleanse. Apply a 10 minute enzyme mask with HA to loosen dead cells, rehydrate and smooth skin. Remove, moisturize, reapply makeup and -you’re good to glow!



Challenge:
Lips are dry, chapped, cracked and sore. Lipstick and lipgloss make it look worse.

Solution:
Moisten the dead skin on lips, apply a gentle exfolient for 1 minute only. Gently wipe the loosened dead skin from lips being careful not to pull the skin. Apply a lip butter with hyaluronic acid and healing emollients to help heal lips and prevent dryness. Find some mistletoe and …pucker up!

Lifestyle Do’s and Don’ts for winter skin:

-Don’t take long hot baths or showers ..it increases moisture loss and dehydration. And reduce the number of baths or showers that you take.

-Don’t use harsh soaps or cleansers and reduce your use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

-Don’t use fragrance(the number one irritant) in soaps or lotions on dry, sensitive or cracked skin.

-Do hang hand-washed clothing in your bedroom to help increase humidity.

-Do treat cracked skin on hands and feet ASAP to hydrate and protect it. Left untreated it could become infected .

-Do turn down thermostat at night- and use a cool-mist humidifier in your home or office to maintain proper humidity.

Stay Beautiful & Happy Holidays,
Millie

Nurturing Your Skin Through the Changing Seasons

You’ll find major changes in your skin as the seasons change. Where sun-kissed skin looks tanned, toned and terrific, as cooler weather approaches, skin can become dry, flaky, rough to the touch and discolored.


Fall marks the start of nature’s renewal system. Like Autumn leaves, summer skin dries, loses moisture and its luster and needs to be removed. Oil and sweat glands that were overly active in summer’s heat slow, so oils solidify and block pores, especially in the T-zone. If you don’t have a trusted esthetician or skin care specialist to treat your skin professionally, you can manage by adding a couple of key products to your skin care regimen.



If your skin is dehydrated/mature:

Use gentle cleansers and add Vitamin C(known to help reverse sun-damage) and/or a retinol to your routine. A moisturizer rich in water soaked hyaluronic acid plus anti-oxidants like green tea, grapeseed extract, olive extract, vitamins and soothing botanicals will help protect cells and nurture new cells.

If you have oily/dry skin:

Start using a gentle cleanser in the AM and exfoliating cleanser PM for deep cleansing. Start using a mild exfolient like lactic acid, to remove dead surface cells 3 times a week and more if needed to help loosen clogged pores and smooth surface skin. Use your water based moisturizer AM and PM to keep skin hydrated.

For acne/oily skin:

Oily skin needs special care because as the weather cools, skin gets dehydrated and dead cells accumulate even more around pores. Oil can’t escape and solidifies causing plugs that combined with bacteria (which is found all over our body)cause blackheads, pustules and sometimes cysts. Drying out the oils in your skin with harsh over the counter products will further irritate the condition. Use a moisture balanced acne cleanser that contains 2% salicylic acid and AHA’s. The salicylic will help kill bacteria while working with the alpha hydroxyl acids to remove the surface cells and unplug pores.

If skin is not inflamed, add a topical exfolient or retin A daily to further exfoliate surface cells. A water based moisturizer will actually help suppress oil production and keep skin moisture balanced. Look for a water based moisturizer with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, calendula, arnica, and tamanu to help soothe and heal skin while keeping it hydrated and healthy looking.

Start now to get your skin looking flawless and fabulous before the start of the winter holidays. For more assistance or recommendations for dermHA products to meet your skin care needs, call: 1.877.9dermHA

Stay beautiful,
Millie

TLC for Healthy, Smooth, Soft Summer Skin!

Skin is your best fashion accessory during this hazy, humid, hot summer weather. Skimpy tees, sun dresses, shorts, mini’s and sandals all expose more skin in one outfit than most of us have exposed all year! Guys keep it cool with everything from short sleeve dress shirts and sockless shoes to tanks and shorts. Even feet and toes are set free …(but that’s a whole other blog, stay tuned.)

But to keep your skin looking great all summer long, you’ve got to provide it with a little TLC.

T: Take the ‘touch’ test by lightly running your hands over your shoulders and upper back, the backs of your arms, the backs of your thighs, legs and over your feet. These out-of-sight areas could be unsightly to others. Check for bumps, rough or scaly skin.

(If a mole, unusual growth or raised lesion is tender or painful to the touch, check in a mirror for discoloration… and if the condition persists, see your dermatologist.)

L: Layer a film of dermHA’s lactic acid exfoliating gel on rough, scaly areas. The leave on gel helps to gently lift dead cells and smooth skin on elbows, knees and feet. It also unroofs and lightens blemishes on the shoulders, chest and back to reveal a softer, smoother, clearer skin.

C: Cleanse your skin morning and especially at night to remove dirt and grime as well as dead cells, sweat and oils that are naturally excreted every day.

Calm, cover and clothe sun stressed skin with a light film of dermHA’s therapeutic crème--loaded with moisture soaked hyaluronic acid to keep skin soft and smooth, plus arnica, aloe and calendula to calm and help heal damage caused by the sun.

Start now to keep skin touch-ably soft and healthy all summer long. If you have questions for special skin issues, call 877-933-7642 for a complimentary consultation.

Stay Beautiful,
Millie

Always remember to use sunscreen on any area of the body that is exposed to direct sun. Reapply as necessary, especially on the face, earlobes, shoulders, arms back and chest.

Summer Skin 101

Summer skin needs special care to stay healthy looking and prevent damage. Although we all can derive benefits from the sun’s seductively simmering rays, we have to use care when we’re exposed to it or you can do more harm than good.  A sun screen of with UVA & UVB protection of SPF 15 or more is non-negotiable. If you’re in the sun for long periods of time, reapply sunscreen every two to three hours.  Pay special attention to areas where the skin is thinnest, like the nose, forehead, earlobes, chest and shoulders. Make sure that you are also paying attention to your lips, where skin is even more vulnerable.

Although the sun feels great, stay in shaded areas whenever possible. Wear a hat (there are some really cute ones that can add to your 'look'), and sunglasses with UV protection to prevent damaged to those precious eyes.


All summer skin needs hydration, even oily, acne skin. dermHA’s Therapeutic Crème is a must-have for summer skin care. High concentrations of hyaluronic acid provide skin soaking moisture, while healing aloe, calendula, arnica montana, plus a combo of vitamins help to soothe, calm and protect sun stressed skin.
In addition to daily use, apply dermHA’s Therapeutic Crème immediately after prolonged sun exposure to soothe irritation and help prevent peeling. Reapply as often as needed to soothe and moisturize.
No matter what your skin color, you will burn if you get too much sun. Symptoms of severe sunburn don’t always appear while you’re in the sun, but usually occur within twenty four hours and usually peaks in two to three days. Extreme reddening, swelling, blisters and pain need immediate care. Dehydration, chills, fever, nausea and/or delirium often accompany severe sunburn and so does dehydration. Avoid the sun completely until the burn is repaired.

**Sun Burn Alert-- For severe sunburn consult a physician.  Sunburn is especially dangerous in children so make sure they’re protected and limited their exposure to direct sunlight. A child having more than two or three serious sun burns will be more likely to develop skin cancer as an adult.

Summer Skin Regimen

for additional skin protection:

**If you take medication ask your physician or pharmacist if it may increase sun sensitivity.

• Eat raw fruit and veggies as well as protein for tissue repair.

• Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water.

• Try to avoid the sun between 10 AM and 3 PM.

• Cloudy or hazy days have 80% of UV rays passing through clouds- so keep your guard up.

• Avoid alcohol based fragrance on exposed skin as it could lead to discoloration or heightened skin damage

• Wear light colored, lightweight, tightly woven material that breathes for maximum comfort.

• If you are sun burned, avoid further exposure until the skin has healed.

• Use dermHA Vitamin C Therapy to help repair and protect dry, dehydrated environmentally damaged skin

Stay Beautiful,
Millie

One Man's Shaving Victory: Banishing Ingrown Hairs

My name is KG and dermHA has changed the way I shave and view skin care forever. I have gone from hating to shave to looking forward to it because it gives me an additional opportunity to utilize one of my favorite dermHA products, which seems to make my skin smoother every time I use it.


I am 32 years old and most of my shaving life I have had tremendous battles with razor bumps and ingrown hairs. For several years I tried products like bump stopper products and like most African-American males that I know, I still found myself plagued by razor bumps and ingrown hair. I also tried a product called Tend Skin, and I rotated between shaving with razors and with machines manufactured for shaving. I was told I was doing it wrong so I tried using a warm towel before I would shave, and I applied well known cleansers like Noxzema. I even tried very harsh exfoliating products which left my skin raw and feeling like an open wound. Everthing I tried ended with frustration. My relief eventually came when I was introduced to dermHA almost four years ago.


I first started using the dermHA cleansers and therapeutic creme, and I saw a tremendous decrease in the amount of razor bumps and ingrown hairs that shaving produced. Then I began using the product that I now simply cannot live without, the dermHA gentle exfoliating creme. Since I have been using it my battle with razor bumps and in-grown hairs is over. My in-grown hairs and razor bumps are now a thing of the past. Now, every day after shaving, I use the dermHA rejuvenating cleanser, then I apply the gentle exfoliating creme. After that dries, I apply the dermHA therapeutic creme, which also helps to prevent that dry, rough, and raw feeling that seemed to come with my irritated skin. I am convinced that the dermHA gentle exfoliating creme by itself is the ultimate "bump stopper", but these three products in combination seem to have reversed the damage done to my skin before I found dermHA. It seems to have reversed the clock of my skin's age...


Grateful,
KG

Staying Beautiful: Behind the Scenes with Angie

Conquering Common Skin Challenges

Taking care of my mind, body and spirit is important to me, I know that they are all connected and I make a daily effort to nurture all three. Having a mother who is a skin care expert has made it easier to take care of my body and skin because she shares her wealth of expertise and knowledge with me. I have been using hyaluronic acid (HA) products since I was 17 years old, knowing how incredibly beneficial HA is to beautiful skin. However, she also taught me that skin care is an ongoing commitment and knowledge, without effort, could not give me my desired results.

My skin care challenges are sensitive skin, adult acne and hyperpigmentation that results from breakouts, leaving dark marks on my face. But I do not let problem skin keep me from being beautiful! As Director of Production for dermHA, I have amassed a lot of knowledge about key ingredients that help a variety of skin challenges and I utilize that knowledge and our companies products to take care of my skin. Read below to learn how I manage my skin care challenges, my routine, combined with healthy diet and exercise, keep me feeling and looking beautiful...

Washing my face morning and night is a must and is always followed by dermHA Eye & Neck Creme. I use to think eye and neck creme was unnecessary until I attended esthetics school and learned that the skin under our eyes, neck and chest is thinner, dryer, and does not have as many oil glands as the rest of our skin. It gets dehydrated and starts to wrinkle, darken and age faster than other areas of our skin. Just imagine a grape that dehydrates and turns into a raisin! Eye creme has more lipids (fatty oils) to compensate for the lack of oil glands in the eye and neck area and helps hold the moisture in those dryer areas. Using eye creme can help lighten the appearance of darkness and minimize any wrinkles that have already appeared, but its best to start using an eye creme as a preventative tool before wrinkles occur!

In the morning:

I cleanse with our dermHA Rejuvenating Cleanser because it leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh. I love the green tea in it because it helps fight the free radicals that cause skin to age, and at age 36...well...

Then I apply a layer of dermHA Hyaluronic Moisture Serum to my freshly cleansed skin because it is like giving my skin a green tea cocktail to nourish and moisturize my skin. I have an oily t-zone and because the Hyaluronic Moisture Serum has the highest amount of hyaluronic acid of our products, I am hydrating my skin with the water it thirst for, instead of a lot of oils and waxes that would add to my oiliness and clog my pores.

Next I mix my foundation and sunscreen with a dab of dermHA HA Therapy Plus to help protect my skin from the damaging rays of the sun while giving it a natural glow. The HA Therapy Plus is beneficial to my acne prone skin because it contains Tamanu Oil, an ingredient that helps relieve irritations, inflammation and has the ability to help heal cuts and wounds and prevent infection.

In the evening:

I use the dermHA Cleansing Lotion to remove my make-up, then follow with the dermHA Acne Cleanser. the Acne Cleanser has salicylic acid which neutralizes bacteria and helps unclog pores. It has the ability to penetrate pores to exfoliate the dead skin cells, keep the pores from clogging, and prevents the breakout of acne.

Next I apply a thin layer of dermHA Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum to accelerate cell turnover. By exfoliating the top layers of skin I help to lighten dark marks on my face until they eventually disappear. I follow with the dermHA Eye & Neck Creme and my dermHA Hyaluronic Moisture Serum.

My favorite skin care tips are: drink water and use an eye creme! Dehydration is the lack of water and expedites the aging process. In order for our skin to be healthy, we must keep it hydrated inside and out. We can do this by drinking enough water and applying moisturizers that contain and can deliver water to skin cells.

It may seem like a lot, but once you get into the habit and see the results you desire, it will become second nature. I haven't let labels like 'sensitive skin' and 'adult acne' keep me from having healthy, hydrated skin and feeling beautiful!


Wishing you happiness, peace and beauty in the New Year,
Angie


Angie is a co-owner and Director of Productions for dermHA. She is also the mother of a beautiful son and very involved in community activities and with her church family. To order any of the dermHA products that Angie highlighted above, just click on the product name. For more information about dermHA skin care products go to http://www.dermha.com For a free phone skin consultation, call 610-269-7009 to speak to one of our skin care specialists.

AGELESS BEAUTY: Behind the Scenes with Millie

Mildred Bell, Founder of dermHA

dermHA Founder and Co-Owner Mildred Bell knows that beautiful skin is a constant work in progress and is diligent about her skin care routine and habits. Read on to hear Millie's skin care challenges and how she conquers them to remain an ageless beauty...

"My skin care challenges change a little with the seasons and as I get older they seem to magnify. My skin has always been sensitive to the cold and the heat. Winter weather packs a double whammy as I go from the frigid cold to high heat in my car and home. Luckily, my regimen of gentle cleansing and super hydrating keeps my skin glowing!

In winter months, I cleanse my face daily with dermHA's Cleansing Lotion. Although you need water to activate the lotion, it doesn't lather. But that doesn't keep if from gently and effectively cleaning off make-up, dirt and oils. I combine a pea sized amount of cleanser with a little water and massage it over my face in circular motions. In addition to cleansing, this stimulates circulation and helps with lymph drainage. After cleansing I rinse with cool water and then take a damp cotton pad or clean, wet washcloth and wipe away the residue. If I've used heavier make-up that day, I sometimes follow my cleansing with a cotton ball dampened with dermHA's Rejuvenating Tonic to make sure all traces of makeup are removed.

My night time cleansing is followed by a thin application of the dermHA Vitamin C Therapy all over my face and neck. I then apply a dot of dermHA Eye & Neck Creme from the outside area of each eye inward, being careful not to get it too close to my lower lash line. I also massage the Eye & Neck Creme onto my neck and I apply a dot on my lips as well to keep them soft and lubricated. A quick application of our luscious Moisture Creme Plus all over my face tops off my nightly routine to keep my face glowing.

In the morning, my mature skin lacks oil as well as moisture. In order to keep those precious natural lipids from being washed away during the winter, I often skip my morning cleanser and just rinse my face several times with cool water. After blotting dry, I reapply my Eye and Neck creme and my luscious Moisture Creme Plus. After waiting two minutes, I apply my sunscreen and makeup and I'm ready to start my day.

Because cellular turnover slows as you age, I occasionally use the dermHA Lactic Acid Exfoliating Gel to speed the removal of dead surface cells. And once a week, every week, I use the dermHA Enzyme Mask to nurture and polish my skin.

I know that it is important to take care of not just the skin on my face, but my whole body. dermHA's Hand Creme is a staple in my glove compartment, desk drawer at work and my purse. After every bath or shower, while my skin is still damp, I quickly massage the dermHA Therapeutic Creme all over my body. A moist body allows a small amount of the creme to liquefy and glide smoothly over the body, quickly absorbing into the skin. Because feet (and elbows and knees) can become especially rough and/or dry, before popping into bed, I apply an extra coat of the Therapeutic Creme to keep my feet silky soft.

Taking the time to nurture my skin each day is a must, and I challenge you to take that time for yourself!"

Stay beautiful,


Millie

...to learn more about the dermHA products Millie uses or to order, go to http://www.dermha.com ...

Behind the Scenes at dermHA

Carletta Williams, co-owner of dermHA

How Carletta Stays Fabulous...

Carletta Williams, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, community leader and one of the co-owners of dermHA, has one, no excuses, beauty rule: wash your face before you go to bed. Carletta remarks, "when I started washing my face before going to bed, that really made a difference in my skin. I can tell that extra step has helped my skin stay clearer, softer and supple."

As a woman on the go, and one who is frequently in the public eye as the Director of Sales and Marketing for dermHA, maintaining a healthy glow starts from the inside with a healthy diet, vitamins and holistic health practices. Carletta's commitment to her health and beauty gives her confidence and energy, and allows her to keep up with her active life and active family.

Carletta's dermHA skin care regime includes:

rejuvenating cleanser, moisture creme plus, therapeutic creme, vitamin C, lactic acid exfoliating body gel and the enzyme mask.

Carletta shares her routine:

-I use the rejuvenating cleanser morning and night. I love the way it lathers and removes my makeup.

-After a shower I use the lactic acid body exfoliating gel to keep feet, heels, elbows and other hard to hydrate areas soft and exfoliated. It also helps keep ingrown hairs at bay from shaving. I follow with therapeutic creme because it contains arnica and calendula, two ingredients with great healing and soothing properties. The therapeutic creme is great for all over body moisture.

-I hydrate my skin morning and night with our moisture creme plus, it's full of botanicals and anti-oxidants.

-I use vitamin C at night, it's great for anti-aging.

-Once a week I use the enzyme mask to rejuvenate and exfoliate. It gives my skin a nice rosy glow and I feel good about taking that extra 10-15 minutes to pamper myself!


~Stay Beautiful!


For more information about dermHA skin care products or to order Carletta's regimen, go to www.dermHA.com or call 877.933.7642. You can email Carletta directly for more information about her regimen or her healthy living regime at cwilliams@dermha.com