Tips and tricks

This list of “What not to do” helps you focus on some important skin care basics to improve the quality and look of your skin. 1. Don’t go to bed without removing your makeup. Your skin needs to breath. When you don’t remove your makeup it’s seeping in, clogging your pores and constricting oxygen flow. This creates a dull look. Besides, makeup’s not the only thing you want to take off your face. Over the course of the day you build up grime, pollution and sweat. Ew. 2. Don’t stay in the shower too long. I know, this one sucks, but sitting under the hot water too long is removing important moisture and oils from your skin. Try limiting your shower time, keep the water as tepid as possible and moisturize when you get out. 3. Don’t walk out the door in the morning without sunscreen. Sunscreen is your best friend as an anti-ager. Every skin care professional out there will agree. The best way to slow the signs of aging is consistent day to day application of sunscreen. Either get a face sunscreen and apply it after your moisturizer or use a tinted moisturizer or foundation with an spf of 30. Don’t forget to apply on your neck, decolletage and back of your hands. 4. Don’t ignore your body when it comes to anti-aging. We pay so much attention to our face and ignore our bodies. Your hands and decolletage can show major signs of aging as well. Aging hot spots are face, neck, decolletage and hands. Concentrate on these but don’t ignore the rest of your body too. Get a good quality moisturizer and use it after every shower. 5. Don’t over exfoliate. Is there a such thing as too much of a good thing? YES! There is when it comes to exfoliation. Every time you exfoliate you have compromised the skin barrier. You need to concentrate on barrier repair by topical treatments before you can exfoliate next. Over exfoliation leads to:

• Irritation.
• Tight, dry, scaling or flaking skin.
• Breaking down the skin’s barrier therefore exposing it to the environment and other damaging agents which can make you age faster.

GASP! I know! For barrier repair look for products containing Vitamin E. The rules:

• Exfoliate no more than 2-3 times a week. Create a schedule that works for you and stick to it. How about Tuesday, Friday and Sunday?
• Pick 1 product with exfoliating ingredients and stick to it. Cleanser or masque etc.

Live by these simple skin care rules and over time your skin will be healthier, younger and will support your other skin care efforts.]]>

Because DIRT is a 4 letter word. The first step in any good skincare routine is cleansing. This may require some trial and error but without cleansing properly all your other skin care efforts will be compromised. Some tips to get started:

• Use a cleanser suitable for your skin type.
• Remove any makeup every night to unclog pores and allow your skin to breathe.
• Massage in cleanser gently with fingertips for 2 minutes.
• Concentrate your time on problem areas like t-zone or large pores.
• Rinse, rinse and rinse some more. At least 20 splashes of warm water.
• Always use tepid water, not too hot, not too cold.
• Blot your face dry gently with a soft towel. No rubbing or pulling.
• The perfect time to moisturize is right after you cleanse.
• Follow up cleansing routine with an anti-aging serum or Anti-aging cream and then add a moisturizer if you need more moisture.

And a couple more things:

• Your results should leave your skin not too dry and not too greasy.
• If you have sensitive or problem skin you may want to consult a professional esthetician.
• Generally, if a process or product is creating an uncomfortable reaction cease immediately. If you have sensitive skin, always perform a patch test before proceeding.
• Use common sense and pay attention. It takes a while to get to know your skin.

One of the questions I get asked most is, “What is your routine?” Here’s how I cleanse and moisturize: Sally’s cleansing routine:

• I cleanse 1-2 times a day. ALWAYS AT NIGHT.
• I have oily skin so at night I take off my makeup with gel cleanser and massage in for 2 minutes. (I don’t wear waterproof mascara so the gel cleanser works great to remove all my makeup. If you wear water proof then try the 3-in-1 Cream Cleanser to remove it.)
• Rinse 20 times in tepid water.
• In the morning I apply the 3-in-1 Lotion Jelly on thick as a masque first thing as I step into the shower.
• Rinse masque and use Detoxifying Toner.
• For extra maintenance on my pores I use the Blue Clay Masque once a week to keep pores tight.
• I exfoliate 3 times a week. (When I exfoliate it replaces the cleanser for that step but I follow the same routine.)
• I mostly finish with my Anti-aging Serum. If my skin is feeling dry I use the Anti-aging Eye Cream all over and if that’s not enough I finish with Renewal Face Moisturizer.

Your routine should be gentle but also effective. A properly cleansed face is ready to absorb and let your other products work for you. ]]>

What you need to know to glow: Skin care DON’TS for the bride:

• Don’t do any professional facials or treatments within 10 days of your wedding.
• Don’t do any NEW facials or treatments within 3 weeks of the big day. If you’ve never done it before you don’t know how your skin will react.
• Don’t wing it. Establish a skin care routine and follow it. It’s worth it.

Skin care DO’s for the bride: Start here:

• Establish your skin care routines for 3-6 months before the ceremony if you’re not already committed to a skin care regimen.
• Start with a professional facial. Tell your esthetician that you’re getting married and consult with them about a routine for your skin type.

Bridal skin care nutrition and diet:

• Watch what you eat. Keep sugar and alcohol at a minimum. These are big culprits when it comes to swelling and tone of your skin. Puffy Bride? No bueno.
• Eat your antioxidants! Work these into your diet as soon as possible and eat them everyday. Smoothies are a great way to get them into your diet and will help control your weight at the same time if you replace one meal for one smoothie.
• Regular exercise is great for your skin.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

About your 3-6 month pre-wedding skin care routine:

• Make sure you wash off your makeup every night to allow your skin to breath.
• Exfoliate 3 times a week. Be gentle and don’t overdo it! You want your skin to glow, not look irritated.
• Use an anti aging cream or serum every morning and every evening before you go to bed. Include a moisturizer if you have a drier complexion.
• Follow a DIY mini facial everyweek.
• Go without makeup as much as possible the week before your big event.
• Get a professional facial about 3 weeks before your event.

Tanning and grooming:

• If you want to be tan, fake it but go light. Go for the sun-kissed look. Go ahead and get a professional spray-on but if you decide to do it yourself make sure you use a product you’re familiar with. Do a “tan” trial run so you know what you’re getting and make sure to use an all-over body scrub before applying. Orange streaks and splotchy tan, again, no bueno.
• Get your eyebrows done 5-10 days before the event.
• Get your hair trimmed and colored 2-3 weeks before the event. And I would counsel against making any drastic changes.

A few words about hair and makeup:

• Do a hair and makeup run through. Let your natural glow be the star and use minimal makeup. Drag queen look? Really no bueno..
• Make sure your makeup makes you feel beautiful.
• Consider these factors before you commit to a look: season, temperature, time of day, indoor vs. outdoor.
• Google “makeup tips for brides” to get a ton of great information.

Make sure to have a plan for your skin. If you have that natural and bridal glow, you won’t need much makeup to shine. But most importantly you want to feel great about yourself while you’re being celebrated by your family and friends. THAT is mui bueno.]]>

Because looking your best is not optional. Whether you’re hosting or attending a big event you’re probably a busy person. While I recommend getting a professional facial at least twice a year (once a month is ideal) sometimes this may not always be affordable or doable time-wise. You can keep your skin clean, glowing and maintain your pores by performing this 30-minute facial every week. Like most health-related issues you’ll get better results spending a little time once a week than trying extensive and extreme treatments less often. Important details:

• If you do facials regularly you can do this facial up to 5 days before your big event.
• If you don’t do facials on a regular basis, don’t do this one within a week of your big event.
• If you have sensitive skin try a patch test first.
• Trying any new facial regimen can cause your skin to break out. Although this means it’s working, it’s one of the reasons you don’t want to perform it too close to your event.

The 30 Minute Miracle Facial details:

• Always clean your face before applying a masque.
• In a small bowl or dish take some Blue Clay Masque about the size of a quarter. Add two spritzes of Hydrating Mist and/or a dime-sized dollop of Hydrating Lotion Jelly. You want it wet enough so it doesn’t hold its shape but is smooth and liquid.
• Mix together and apply a thin transluscent layer to your clean face. If the masque is too thick and opaque it won’t be as effective at pulling oil from your skin.
• Leave on for 15-30 minutes, then rinse.
• Use a cotton ball and apply some Detoxifying Toner then finish with Anti-Aging Serum.

About Birdy Blue Clay Masque:

• Because you add liquid to this clay masque there are hundreds of variations to try. Use yogurt, banana, avocado or egg yolk for sensitive or dry skin. Add egg white, toner or lemon for oily and combination skin types.
• If that’s too overwhelming just try water, which is great for all skin types.
• Clay masques can be too harsh for some skin types although Birdy’s Blue Clay Masque is different because it includes MSM to smooth, soothe, repair and balance your skin. It works to reduce wrinkles, repair stretch marks and scar tissue and can help people with acne and psoriasis. Our masque also contains honey which helps your skin retain moisture and elasticity.
• Birdy’s Blue Clay Masque is 100% natural with no preservatives.

Now go get your “glow” on and get ready for your close-up! ]]>