Hair Removing, What is Threading?

Threading is an ancient Middle Eastern technique that is becoming common in the United States with threading shops popping up in every big city as we speak. 
Many of the top beauty editors in NYC get their brows threaded rather than waxed.
How does it work? An aesthetician uses a doubled-up strand of cotton thread to twist around individual hairs, then pulls them out from the roots. The procedure is used mainly on the eyebrows and upper lip. 

Threading is faster than tweezing. The average eyebrow procedure takes about 5 to 10 minutes, while tweezing takes about 20 minutes.
Cost is relatively cheap:We suggest trying a professional threading job, then maintain your new brow line yourself with tweezers.

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Skin Problems (Adult Acne)

If you noticed the acne you had when you were 15 has returned in your 30s, rest assured, you're in good company. One in five women between the ages of 25 and 40 suffer from adult acne. Here are a few facts about adult acne and how to rid your skin of it:

 Fact #1: Acne usually begins with blackheads 
                      Blackheads are not dirt, they're actually the result of oil and dead cells getting trapped in a pore where they block the duct and mix with bacteria. They then turn black when exposed to air. Red pimples develop when blackheads become inflamed and they spread when touched with dirty hands. When the pimple becomes infected, it develops a whitehead or pustule. These can break and cause scars. So how to banish blackheads? Gently, according to San Francisco Seth Matarasso to InStyle Magazine. People tend to scrub too hard which causes inflammation, he says. Instead of a grainy scrub, Matarasso suggests trying an exfoliant with alpha-hydroxy acids. You can also use a salicylic acid cleanser . These chemical products clean out pores better than scrubs. For a great quick fix.

 Fact #2: There are several causes of adult acne                     
                      These are: Stress, bad cosmetics, hormones and birth control pills. Stress causes your oil glands to overcompensate. Bad cosmetics lead to bacteria-laden pores. Hormones cause the sebacuous glands to overact and birth control pills with androgen in them can cause breakouts. To keep breakouts at bay, look for oil-free, non-acnegenic products

 Fact #3: Cheese and chocolate have nothing to do with your acne 
                            Your skin, however, WILL benefit from a good facial. Why? Because acne is not a disease, rather it is a condition of the skin and a good facialist knows exactly what your skin needs: Sulfur, zinc and camphor masks, exfoliation, blackhead extractions and at-home follow-up.

 Fact #4: Don't treat adult acne like the teen kind           
              The products you used as a teenager won't work on adult skin. Here's a 2-step program for cleansing and treating your blemished skin: Step 1: Pick the right cleanser. Look for medicated cleansers with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Step 2: Exfoliate with a salicylic acid treatment, which will clean out pores. Just don't exfoliate too much or scrub too hard (see the blackhead section above). Two to 3 times a week is perfect.

 Fact #5: Treatment systems have completely cleared up skin on many people
                               Proactiv Solution 3-step System ($40 at proactiv.com) is a classic kit that has worked wonders on many. L'Oreal Acne Response Daily Adult Acne Regimen is a 3-step program that is highly recommended.

 Fact #6: The dermatologist will clear your skin up fast
                                   Too many women wait to see a doctor for their skin problems. If you have basic acne, over-the-counter treatments with salicylic acid (there's that magic word again) to unclog pores and benzoyl peroxide to reduce bacteria on skin should do you, but for serious acne, a dermatologist has an arsenal of products to clear up your skin. Retinoids, antibiotics, azelaic acid and birth control pills are all options usually covered by insurance. You might consider laser treatments, but these are more costly (about $500-$2,400). Severe cases are best cleared up by Accutane, which is a 5-month course that is considered the most effective treatment available. It can, however, cause serious birth defects if taken during pregnancy. 

 Fact #7: Yes, those new machines that target acne do work  
                        We were surprised to hear this as well, but the reports are out on machines like Zeno Acne Clearing Device and they are good. They won't help blackheads or deep cystic acne, but they do work for your general run-of-the-mill pimples, according to the April, 2006, issue of Glamour. So how do they work? The Zeno, which is a handheld machine that looks like an iPod, works by driving heat through a pimple. The heat kills the bacteria and supposedly improves blood circulation to the affected area so it heals faster. Clinical trials show 90% of pimples treated with Zeno disappeared or were significantly reduced within 24 hours. 

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How to Protect Face Skin in the Winter

Your Face Needs Extra Care in Winter

Cold, winter wind can wreak havoc on skin. To keep your face supple in winter, apply moisturizer to your face before going out into the cold and cover your face with a scarf in harsh wind.
If you have super, duper sensitive skin, consider avoiding rinsing your face with tap water, which can contain harsh minerals that are especially drying to the skin (Dr. Dennis Gross once said New York water contains a lot of harsh minerals, while Seattle water, for example, does not. Go figure).
Instead, do like the French and cleanse skin in winter with a cleaner that does not require rinsing, like Pond's Cold Cream. You can also rinse with special water that contains selenium and chamomile, suggests beauty expert Valerie Monroe in the September, 2006 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine.
Extra tip: Try spritzing your face with facial water before applying moisturizer several times during the day in the office. The water locks in moisture and leaves skin refreshed even in harsh office heat.

Don't Forget Your Lips

 

Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps, as does my all-time favorite lip trick learned in high school from "Seventeen" magazine: moisturize your lips with Vaseline. Take a toothbrush and "brush" your lips in a circular motion. This will remove dead flakes and leave your lips soft and supple.

Consider Fish Oil Pills 

 

New studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks. "You can see, within six weeks, the skin, hair and nails improve markedly," according to skin expert Dr. Andrew Weil in Allure. Ever since I started taking fish oil pills in March, 2007, I have received numerous compliments on how amazing my skin looks. So there you have it.

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Homemade Face Mask for Sensitive Skin

This mask is great for soothing chapped, sunburned or otherwise irritated skin.
Extra tip: This mask works well for other skin types as well. For oily skin, add a couple drops of lemon or lime juice. For dry skin, mix in a couple tablespoons of honey.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural yogurt (we like it just-out-of-the-fridge cold)
• ½ cup oatmeal (any type of basic oatmeal works here)

 

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients together.
Apply to the skin for 10-15 minutes.
Wash off mask with a washcloth steamed in the microwave (careful that it's not too hot). 

Two other fun options for oatmeal face masks:
Egg whites. Mix the oatmeal and an egg white. Let the mixture dry on face, then gently wash off with a few splashes of warm water. Follow with a steaming washcloth to the face.
Peptol-Bismol. A friend of mine uses Pepto-Bismol with oatmeal for her masks. She got this tip years ago from a magazine. She suggests the active ingredient (bismuth subsalicylate) in Pepto-Bismol soothes your stomach as well as your face. 

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Homemade Face Mask for Aging Skin

Sugar is a preferred exfoliant to salt because it tends not to tear at the skin. When dead skin collects on the surface of skin, it's important to slough it away. This helps clear up clogged pores. When skin isn't exfoliated, it can appear ashy.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp warm water

 

Preparation:

Stir sugar into warm water so that it melts.
Make sure granules are dissolved, otherwise they could tear your skin.
Apply to the face.
Gently massage around the skin.

Rinse with warm water OR I like to take a warm washcloth that's steamed in the microwave. Make sure the washcloth is not too hot.

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Homemade Milk Mask for Dry Skin

This recipe makes a mask for two

Ingredients:

 

• 1 tsp powdered milk
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tsp aloe vera gel
• 2 drops essential oil

Preparation:

 

This is a classic milk mask for the face. Mix ingredients well, apply to face, let sit for 15 minutes, wash off with warm water. This recipe is enough for two. (Note: The original recipe called for 1 tbsp pulverized almonds, but I have removed it from the ingredients list because almonds, no matter how pulverized, can tear at skin).

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Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin

Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing.

Ingredients:

• ½ avocado
• ¼ cup honey

 

Preparation:

A classic recipe for dry skin. Mash the avocado in a bowl, then stir in honey.
Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes.
Rinse face with a cool washcloth.

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Homemade Face Mask for Combination Skin

This mask, based on roses, is perfect for balancing out the oily and dry areas of your skin.

Ingredients:

• Optional: 6 fresh rose petals
• 2 tbsps rosewater
• 1 tbsp natural yogurt, room temperature (not lowfat or non-fat)
• 1 tbsp runny honey (to get honey runny, you can warm it in a microwave for a few seconds).

Preparation:

Soak rose petals, then crush them in a bowl.
Add the rosewater, yogurt and honey.
Mix well and apply to the skin.
Leave on for 10 minutes.
Rinse.

Banana Mask for Oily Skin

This is a soothing face mask and great if you have bananas around the house.

Ingredients:

 

• 1 banana, preferably ripe (you can keep ripe bananas in the freezer. Let it thaw before using)
• 1 tbsp honey
• An orange or a lemon

 

Preparation:

Mix the banana and honey together.
Add a few drops of juice from an orange or a lemon.
Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing with a cool washcloth or a steaming warm washcloth.

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Homemade 'Cat Litter' Mask for All Skin Types

Ingredients:

 

• 1 bag cat litter (must be marked '100 Percent Natural Clay')
• Water
• Drops of your favorite essential oil

Preparation:

Mix in a couple tablespoons of the cat litter with water and drops of oil (we find the oil helps make the experience somehow less kitty litter-ish)
Apply mask to face
Wash off after 15 minutes.

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Yogurt Face Mask for All Skin Types

This simple (only two ingredients!) cooling mask is great for soothing a sunburnt face. It's great for all skin types.

Prep Time: 2 hours,

Ingredients:

 

• 1 tbsp natural yogurt, room temperature (not lowfat or non-fat)
• 1 tsp runny honey (microwave for a few minutes to soften hardened honey)

Preparation:

 

Combine mixture, then apply to face.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Wash face with steaming washcloth.
For dry skin, use an extra tsp of honey.
Oily skin? Add a few drops of fresh lime juice.

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Make Your Own Homemade Face Mask

You can use basic ingredients found around the house to make your own simple, hydrating masks. If you have oily or acne prone skin, mud or clay-based masks are great for balancing out your skin. Dry skin will benefit from hydrating masks made from glycerin, honey and oils. Ginseng or green tea masks are great for soothing skin.
Masks (homemade or otherwise) should stay on for 10-15 minutes, should follow with a cleansing and a thin layer of moisturizer. 

Here are recipes we've gathered over the years arranged by skin type.

All Skin Types 

Homemade Clay Mask for All Skin Types

Yogurt Face Mask for All Skin Types
Homemade 'Cat Litter' Mask for All Skin Types

 

Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Banana Mask for Oily Skin
Homemade Juice Mask for Oily Skin
Strawberry and lemon juice contain natural astringents.
Homemade Clay Mask for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Clay masks help neutralize skin. You can pick up clay from any health-food store.
Simple Mask for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin
Recipe adapted from Paula Begoun's 'The Beauty Bible.'

 

Combination Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Combination Skin
A rose-based mask is perfect for balancing out the oily and dry areas of your skin.

 

Dry Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin
Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing.
Homemade Milk Mask for Dry Skin

 

Aging Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Aging Skin

 

Sensitive Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Sensitive Skin
This soothing mask is great for chapped, sunburned or irritated skin.

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Exfoliating the Face with Face Cloths

With all of the new products and tools available to wash your face, trying to pick the facial cleanser that's "just right" for you can be confusing. Not too long ago, the only choices you had if you wanted to wash your face were bar soaps and cold creams. Now there are whole aisles devoted to various faclal cleansing options. To cut down on the cleansing confusion, you should make sure you read Skin Care 101.

Introducing the Face Cloth

One of the new types of facial cleansers is the face cloth. No, not the wash cloth that's hanging above your bathroom sink. These face cloths are specifically designed to cleanse your face, and they are very popular. Many enjoy the feel of a cool cloth on the face, and they are more sanitary than bar soaps, as they are designed for one-time use. One downside, however, is that they are more expensive than conventional cleansers.

Types of Face Cloths

Face cloths come in different varieties, and some are more appropriate for certain skin types and needs than others. 


Face Cloth Lathering

 
One way to classify varieties of face cloths is based on whether they lather or not.
Lathering cloths require wetting to activate the cleanser and rinsing off afterward. Some have a moisturizer embedded that helps hydrate the skin after cleansing. In one study, people with rosacea were able to use this type of cloth without too much irritation, so it should be OK for other types of sensitive skin, too.
Non-lathering cloths are pre-moistened towelettes that clean the skin by wiping the surface; you do not need to rinse your face after using one. They generally don't have a moisturizer embedded, but they can remove eye makeup without any irritation around the eyes. 


Face Cloth Weave

Another way to classify face cloths is by how they are made. The weave of the cloth, especially, can indicate which option may be best for you. 

Open-weave cloths have holes in between the fibers, making the cloth softer. These cloths are better for sensitive skin types. Closed-weave cloths have a tighter weave, which offers more exfoliation. These cloths tend to be better better for oily skin types or people who want an option that acts more like a scrub. 

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Facial Cleaning Tools

Do you think your face needs a more thorough cleansing than it gets with just soap? If so, you're not alone. This need to clean the skin "better" has spurred the invention of different face cleaning tools. Beware. You may feel like you're getting a deeper clean. But, just like abrasive scrubs, these cleaning tools can cause too much dryness and tiny injuries on the face.
Let's take a look at four popular face cleaning tools and how they affect the skin.

Woven Mesh Sponge

 

The original mesh cleanser was the Buf-Puf. It was made of non-woven polyester fibers designed to unclog pores. The fibers were held together with a glue that didn't dissolve or soften after it was soaked in water. This made the fibers very stiff and harsh.
Now, Buf-Puf sponges are made of a softer woven mesh. They also come in four different "strengths" depending on how soft or firm the fibers are.

Facial Cloths

 

One of the most popular tools for cleaning the face is the facial cloth. Some cloths have soap and moisturizers embedded in them and lather after you get them wet. Others don't have a lathering soap and work more like a moist towelette. Because facial cloths are a good choice for many skin types, get more in-depth information about washing your face with facial cloths.

Cleansing Pouch

 

The cleansing pouch is actually a variation of the facial cloth. The pouch is made of two open-weave cloths that have holes of various diameters. A plastic membrane with cleanser embedded is sandwiched in between the cloths, and the size of the holes determines how much of the cleanser gets to the skin. While it does control the amount of cleanser that's released, the cleansing pouch doesn't exfoliate as much as a non-woven cleansing cloth.

Face Brush

 

The latest facial cleansing tool is the Clarisonic face brush, made by the same company that developed the Sonicare Toothbrush. And yes, this brush works like an electric toothbrush for the face.
It's a hand-held device that has an oscillating brush head with soft bristles. You use your own cleanser: The brush lathers it and cleanses your face. The level of exfoliation or irritation depends on the type of bristles used, the type of cleanser used, and the amount of pressure applied to the skin.

Is One Of These Tools Right For Me?

The makers of all these tools claim their products are gentle enough to use on your face, even if you have dry, sensitive skin. However, studies have shown that using a tool to exfoliate the face causes more dryness and irritation. Some types of facial cloths are an exception because they do little exfoliating. You can find out more about the best facial cleansing routine for your skin.

Dr. Brannon's Bottom Line

The woven mesh sponge and face brush are the most abrasive facial cleansing tools. If you have very oily skin, you might want to rotate one of these tools into your facial routine every couple of days to help exfoliate and remove sebum. If you don't have very oily skin, stick with a facial cloth designed for your skin sensitivity.

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