If you’ve been even slightly aware of recent skincare trends, you’ll know that face oils have been becoming incredibly popular the past few years. While I love face oils, it also seems like it’s opened doors for a whole new area we have to be educated on. Questions like: What type of oil should I be using? Is coconut oil okay? What about fractionated coconut oil? What’s the difference? Will it help if my skin is dehydrated vs. dry?

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PART TWO Welcome back to Part Two of the 411 On Sun Damage! If you missed last week’s article, we talked about all of the ways you can prevent sun damage. However, most of us have at least a little…and some of us have a lot. (Excuse my while I hang my head in shame.) Here’s what you can do to help repair the skin: 1. Use the steps listed last week to prevent even more sun damage. 2. For specifically sunborn-freckles (sun damage in disguise), skin discoloration (patches of brown, for example), and just a generally uneven skin color, consider IPL treatments. It’s possible to just do a spot treatment, or the entire face. I’m going to include a photo below of one of the treatments we did that was so close to miraculous I almost wept. Seriously, y’all. IPL can do amazing things. For those of you who don’t know, IPL is Intense Pulse Light (a laser), and it works by targeting pigment differences in the skin. 3. For sun damage that includes issues like fine lines and wrinkles, as well as sun spots, consider getting a Fractional treatment. Some of you may recognize this as “Fraxel”, but since we use use a Venus Viva Fractional laser at Infinity, I’m trained to say Fractional and that’s what I’m going to do. Moving on. Fractional is basically a “head” or a “tip” that has a bunch of needles grouped together. The button is pressed, those needles go into the skin, and you get a solid dose of radio frequency (heat) that tells your skin “SOS! Repair! Send collagen!”. Which is precisely what your skin does. Generally three treatment are all you need to start out with. Fractional won’t target pigment the same way IPL will, but it also works on more issues, and since usually sun damage = wrinkles, it’s great that it can treat everything at once. FYI, it also helps with enlarged pores and overall skin texture, in case those are also concerns. 4. If you’d prefer to stay away from lasers, consider a medical grade peel. A peel is basically asking your skin to fall off at a faster than normal rate, and as the skin sheds, all of the sun damage will start to fall off, too. Peels, in my experience, don’t work as quickly or efficiently as laser treatments. But, they can be equally as effective with time and dedication. 5. Make sure your skincare routine supports cellular repair and collagen production, amongst other things. A great skincare routine can work wonders, especially in conjunction with other treatments. Skincare is your daily tool. Lasers and peels are fantastic, but it comes down to what you do at home that’s going to make the biggest difference. If you don’t know what kind of skincare products you should be using, go to an esthetician and get their recommendations. Some great skincare lines are: Eminence Organics, Lira Clinical, SkinMedica, Image Skincare, Herbivore Botanicals, ZO Skin Health, and One Love Organics, amongst others. Some great makeup/sunscreen combo lines are: Eminence Organics, Lira Clinical, ColorScience, and Jane Iredale. It’s important to follow recommendations from your esthetician or dermatologist, but I’ll also list some products that help with sun damage. These are: Retinol products, hydroquinone (you have to have physician approval for this), and AHA/BHA products (to help the skin exfoliate properly). Keeping the skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water and applying good products, such as those containing hyaluronic acid, will also keep the skin looking soft and dewy, in the meantime. Some last considerations: -Everything I listed may sound overwhelming, but it breaks down to this: drink water, use good skincare products, see an esthetician, get a laser treatment (or a few), wear a hat, and reapply sunscreen as much as you can. -When you’re out in the sun, enjoy yourself! The sun has great qualities. Many people suffer from vitamin D deficiency, and the sun can help with that. It also has the ability to lift the mood, and even help acne. So don’t be afraid of it. Treat it like a piece of chocolate: full of good things, like magnesium and iron, but also sometimes full of sugar, so moderation is key. Remember that life is a balance! You don’t have to be a hermit in a cave in order to have beautiful skin. And it wouldn’t be worth it, would it? So go to Hawaii, and enjoy laying on the beach–just bring you sunscreen with you! Ok lovelies! Let me know if you have any questions. Layla Raz Reach out if you have questions using the contact form located on the home page. Questions & suggestions are always welcome. While you’re at it, check out my Instagram for more fun tips & tricks, and to say hi! This article was originally published on www.RozeCollective.com. The author has given full permission for it to be republished on our website, www.InfinityWellnessSpa.com

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PART ONE Not so fun fact: even on a cloudy day, 80% of harmful UV rays can reach your skin. Just say no to the myth that cloudy = safe! I am going to start by telling you that I am 100% a sun worshipper. I’m like a lizard. I think I was born cold-blooded, because my natural instincts tell me to go lay out in the sun for most of the day, and retreat under cozy blankets at night. I was on the tennis team in high school, which meant that in the summer, we were on courts that were upwards of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, since the courts get about 15 degrees hotter than the actual air temp. This could be unpleasant at times, but while my teammates were roasting and fainting, I sort of felt like, “wow, it’s a bit hot.” Then I would drink some ice water and get back to playing. Like, I said…lizard. I’m saying this because I want to connect with all of the people out there who are like me, and love being out in the sun. I’m not here to make you afraid of the sun; on the contrary, you’ll enjoy your time outdoors so much more because you’ll have an understanding of all the risks and benefits. To begin: let’s talk about what the sun does to your skin. Remember that blog post I did on LED lights? You can read it here. We talked about allll of the different rays, from gamma rays to x-rays to infrared waves. Basically, if you read that article, you’re a scientist now. Congratulations! The sun emits all of the above rays mentioned, plus more. That’s why the sun can have great benefits: just like heading into an infrared sauna, the sun (especially at dawn) can give you the same perks. The downside? The sun is a giant sphere of hot plasma, which is pretty much just as violent as it sounds. This means it has the ability to do some serious damage. Namely, UV aka ultraviolet rays. So let’s break down UV rays. There are three parts: 1. UVA is the most abundant form of UV light we receive (about 95%). It laughs at clouds and car windows and barges right through anyways, causing, horror of horrors, the dreaded “W” word: wrinkles. Take deep breaths, ladies (and gents, if you happen to be reading this. I support you. #weallhaveskin). UVA also causes sun spots. Eeek. 2. UVB is what causes burns, so it tends to cause problems on the surface of the skin more than anything, and it’s what gives you a tan. You can remember it this way: UVB for “Burns”. UVB is only present on sunny days, unlike UVA, which we now know can cut through clouds and more. 3. UVC is extremely dangerous, but luckily, if you’re reading this I’m assuming you’re not an astronaut, and only those out in space have to worry about UVC, since it’s absorbed by our atmosphere. For now, that is. Remember to reduce your carbon footprint whenever possible! Otherwise, we’re all going to be frying in the future. #savetheplanet If I’ve freaked you out and your dreams of becoming an astronaut are now crushed, I’m sorry. I don’t make the rules. The sun is a pretty amazing thing, and like I said, I LOVE being out in the sun. But, unfortunately, the sun doesn’t always love us, especially as our atmosphere continues to erode, and things get more, shall we say, intense. There are basically three things you can do to protect yourself before you get sun damage: 1. Avoid the sun. Become a hermit and/or live in a cave. This doesn’t tend to work for most people so let’s skip to options 2 & 3. 2. Be careful when you’re out in the sun–try to find shaded areas; cover up whenever possible; and when in doubt, at least wear a big hat to protect your money maker aka your face (for the purposes of this article). 3. Wear sunscreen, and replenish it often. Try for SPF 30, and reapply every 1.5-2 hours or so. Supposedly you should be reapplying every 80 minutes, but honestly, trying to time that is irritating. If you’re in extremely intense sun where you have to be perfect about reapplication, well, you shouldn’t be out there in the first place, so go back inside. If you are, you should be reapplying pretty much non-stop anyways. So although I appreciate the 80 minute rule, if it drives you nuts like it does me, just try to reapply every 1-2 hours and leave it at that. So that’s all the preventative stuff, and it’s great and all, but unfortunately, some of us lived in decades where putting on baby oil before laying out by the lake and deep frying our skin was the norm. And once the sun damage has occurred…well, that’s one doodle that can’t be un-did (kind of. We’ll get to that in a minute). That’s why that old saying is so true:” an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure”. So get your broad spectrum sunscreen going, buy a cute cover-up for days at the pool, invest in a trendy-yet-practical hat, and prevent prevent prevent! Let’s come back to that doodle that I said can’t be un-did. I kind of lied. There is an extent where if you’ve really roasted your skin, it’s hard to come back from it. If your entire body is covered in wrinkles and sun spots, it’s pretty difficult to completely repair that. HOWEVER. There are things we can do to improve texture, sun spots, smooth wrinkles, and clear other skin discolorations, particularly those on the face. Since most of us don’t walk around in the nude, it’s our face, chest, and arms that take the brunt of the sun over the course of our lives. If you do walk around in the nude…well, like I said. Broad spectrum sunscreen is your friend. Otherwise, you do you, boo. But for the purposes of this topic, I’m going to assume you’re most worried about your face, neck, chest, and arms. That’s why it’s important to know what you can do to treat sun damage….which will be the next post! Stay tuned! It’ll be in your inbox bright and early next Sunday morning. Have a great week, lovelies! Layla Raz Reach out if you have questions using the contact form located on the home page. Questions & suggestions are always welcome. While you’re at it, check out my Instagram for more fun tips & tricks, and to say hi! This article was originally published on www.RozeCollective.com. The author has given full permission for it to be republished on our website, www.InfinityWellnessSpa.com

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WHAT LORI G. HAS TO SAY ABOUT SUNSCREEN & MORE Hi lovelies! Layla here. Normally I’m the one writing the blogs, but when it comes to skincare, I want the best of the best for y’all, so I asked Lori G., one of our amazing estheticians, about some things she wished people knew about skincare. These posts she wrote are going to be short, to-the-point, informative blogs that help you stay on track with your skin health and understand what’s really going on with sunscreen, facials, skincare products, you name it. This week, we’re combining two great topics for a double-whammy of info, just in time for your summer skincare needs. Enjoy! What Lori G. has to say on sunscreen, everyone’s must-have (and must-use!) product when it comes to the summer months: Bigger numbers are better than smaller numbers right? Wrong! At least it’s wrong when it comes to sunscreen. The standard formula for calculating what number SPF you should be using has been inconsistent at best. That causes many people to default to the highest number they can get, with the belief that higher SPF numbers are going to give them longer protection. An SPF 30 is generally sufficient. Those higher digits aren’t helping you out as much as you think. It seems reasonable that an SPF 50 will give you twice the protection of an SPF 25. But, let’s look at a few facts. The SPF number is the level of protection the sunscreen provides against UVB rays (The Burning Ray). Higher SPF numbers do not deliver significantly more protection. Truthfully, the higher you go, the smaller the difference becomes. An SPF 15 sunscreen filters out about 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98%, and SPF 100 about 99%. You also want to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen. No sunscreen protects you completely, so it’s important to re-apply at least once a day, fairer skin more often. Be liberal with the amount of product for each application. Apply sunscreen evenly every day, rain or shine. UVA is a silent and invisible ray, and it does penetrate through heavy cloud cover, non-tinted windshields, non-tinted eyeglasses, and is present in most fluorescent lights. So heads up…literally look up and see if your workplace or school is using fluorescent lights. Look for Physical sunscreen ingredients, specifically Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide. These two physical ingredients are best for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Don’t forget UV sunglasses, floppy hats, and UV protective clothing for outdoor activities. Be aware that layering or mixing SPF products on top of one another can be misleading. For example if you have a moisturizer with an SPF 15 and, let’s say, a makeup product with an SPF 15, layering the two will not get you to an SPF 30. The two products will somewhat neutralize each other. To be safe, always choose at least an SPF 30. As a reminder, water-resistant does not equal waterproof. Water-resistant just means it doesn’t rinse away as quickly as traditional sunscreen. So if you’re sweating, or you’re in water, you have about 40 minutes before you should reapply. Be aware that environments with lots of water, including swimming pools, lakes, oceans, etc, and white surfaces such as white sand and snow intensify the ultraviolet that hits your skin. This accelerates the aging process, hyperpigmentation, and the possibility of certain skin cancers. So here is a concise list of do’s and don’t to practice all year: 1. Reapplication of sunscreen during the day is by far the best way to boost your sunscreen protection. 2. Use a Broad spectrum SPF to help protect from UVB and UVA rays. 3. Use at least an SPF 30. 4. Apply sunscreen liberally. 5. Do not neglect to use your sunscreen on an overcast or rainy day. 6. Utilize UV protective clothing, hats and sunglasses. 7. When possible limit long-term sun activity. 8. Physical SPF ingredients (Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide) are best for sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Sunscreen product manufacturers are able to formulate more sophisticated products than ever before, including lighter weight sunscreens for those who prefer an extremely sheer feel, and retractable powders that are ideal for those quick makeup and sunscreen touch-ups. New research and the launching of new ingredients is just beginning to address other ways skin can receive damage from sun and the our changing environment. The exciting thing is that we will continue to see formulations change as they incorporate new technologies to deliver more choices and more protection for consumers. And as consumers all we have to do is stay informed and BE CONSISTENT! For more personalized information about how the sun and environment may be uniquely affecting your skin, it’s best to schedule a consultation and analysis with an esthetician. What Lori G. has to say on The HydraFacial, a must-have treatment for glowing summer skin: I’ve been an esthetician for 34 years and from the beginning there have always been new treatments, devices and products. Some of of them have lasted the test of time, such as microdermabrasion, microcurrent, LED therapy, ultrasound, Retinol, peptides, stem cells, chemical peels, and massage therapies, such as manual lymphatic drainage and pressure point. Although these are considered to be of the most elite treatments, therapies, ingredients and modalities in skin care today, they are delivered as part of very different systems and compartmentalized in different facial treatments. From the perspective of your esthetician, the introduction of Hydrafacial is revolutionary, as it combines many different therapies. Here’s why I love this skin therapy system: 1) The Results Some modalities are considered back in technologies. This basically means that you have to wait for the results. Sometimes the wait is weeks or months. It’s very difficult for people to stay motivated during this wait time. The Hydrafacial therapy system delivers many immediate results. Deep pore cleansing, smoother texture through exfoliation, and the use hydroxy peels. This creates plump, moist, and very hydrated skin. 2) Time Consideration Hydrafacial is able to accomplish multiple results in 30 or 45 mins. Using smart technology considering skin types and conditions to deliver the most beneficial doses of specialized products for maximum results. 3) Extractions To be honest, I never thought I would see the day where a device could better accomplish extraction procedures over my manual extractions. I have 34 years of extraction experience and I have to concede that I cannot come close to the amount of extractions that this device is able to deliver. Furthermore, the Hydrafacial accomplishes these extractions pain-free! Although I consider myself to be gentle with extractions and effective, I have to throw in the towel here–I can’t compete with totally pain-free. It really makes me happy for my clients. 4) Congestion Removal Confirmation: I literally just made up that term myself. But this is possibly my favorite part of the HydraFacial. It comes at the end of the treatment when I can remove the plastic container that has been collecting the debris removed from the skin during the treatment, along with the many solutions used. My clients and I can observed their skin debris floating around in the used solutions, blackheads, and dead skin cells. Reactions to this sight from my clients are typically somewhere between disgust that all of those things were in/on their skin, but mostly, it’s relief that its all gone! The real reward is handing my clients the mirror following the HydraFacial and letting them see the incredible glow, the softness, the plumping and vitality that they often haven’t seen in many years. I often hear comments such as: I feel like my face had lost weight My face feels really light My face feels like it’s breathing for the first time This is what my skin looked like years ago Or, I’ve never seen my skin look this happy. I have to admit, that last one is my favorite.

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WHY YOU SHOULD ADD IT TO YOUR NEXT FACIAL Fun fact: your skin contains over 11 miles of blood vessels, with the average adults skin weighing 20 pounds. In case you were wondering, that’s the weight of your average pug. I may be alone in this, but I feel like I’m in a constant battle with my skin. Either it’s dry, or I’m having a breakout that might be related to that dairy I just ate or maybe it’s hormones or maybe I’ve just been extra stressed recently? Etcetera. It seems like everyone falls into two groups: either they’re battling acne, or they’re battling wrinkles. I suppose the third group would be people who are genetically blessed with the face of an angel and have never experienced a pimple or wrinkle in their life, but I try to pretend those people don’t exist. So we don’t need to talk about them right now. Okay! Moving on. Whether you hail from the City of Zits, or the Town of Wrinkleton, both in the Province of I Don’t Wanna Look Like The Crypt Keeper, there is one device that will welcome you into its warm, colorful bosom: the LED light. “LED” sounds much more concise and sophisticated, but for educational purposes, and if you want to get techie, it stands for “light-emitting diode”. Not quite as sexy sounding, but that phrase in and of itself tells you what LED is–light. Basically, these bad boys (and girls #equality) convert electrical energy into light energy. Back in college I thought I wanted to be an engineer (spoiler: I didn’t) so I took a buttload of science classes where I was forced to memorize the electromagnetic spectrum and its corresponding wavelengths/etc. Right smack dab in the middle of this spectrum is visible light (on either side are things like microwaves and x-rays). Stay with me, because this is where it gets interesting: while we can only see visible light (duh) we can feel parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are outside of our visibility. For example, infrared light. Now, you might be extremely confused at this point, but don’t worry, this all has a purpose. Infrared light has extremely therapeutic benefits and I highly recommend seeking out a spa or yoga studio that uses it. In some ways, though, infrared light is a bit of a misnomer. Infrared is right after “regular” red light on the electromagnetic spectrum, but it doesn’t actually have any color, it’s just light energy that feels warm but is completely invisible to the human eye. So, returning back to LED light–this light IS on the visible light spectrum, and because of that, it doesn’t penetrate as deeply into the skin, but works very effectively on the surface. And, in conclusion, this is what makes it a must-have addition for facials! I know it seems like a lot of effort to get to such a simple conclusion, but I’m not done yet. If you trust me and just want to go get some light therapy without reading any more, go you. But for those of you who are interested–read on! Returning to our main point: 1. Infrared light: we can’t see it, but it penetrates deeper into the skin (about 1.5 inches into the body) making it great for injuries, sore muscles, detoxing, etc. 2. LED light: we CAN see it, and it’s most active on the surface of the skin, making it perfect for aesthetic concerns like acne, hyper-pigmentation, and wrinkles. Let’s dive back into the science again. Take a peek at this handy-dandy graphic below: On one side we’ve got the Idyllic Indigo (blue/purple) and on the complete opposite end we’ve got Ravishing Red. Notice that Idyllic Indigo has the most energy–she’s the life of the party. But Ravishing Red has the longest wavelength–she’s got the best dance moves. Here’s why that’s important: longer wavelengths, as a general rule, penetrate the skin more deeply. But, don’t forget, Idyllic Indigo has tons of energy, being the life of the party. All of this energy means that blue light is perfect for killing bacteria i.e. eradicating acne. Wild, right? In case you’re wondering, that bolded text also happens to be the answer to an often-missed MCAT question, so if anyone reading this is pre-med…you’re welcome. For those of you not taking the MCAT, you just got a heavy dose of physics thrown at you, so if you want to go pour a glass of pinot, rest your brain, and then come back, I would highly approve. Moving forward (I swear that was the last of the science lesson), let’s talk about the actual uses for LED light. Red light: red light penetrates the deepest into the skin (p.s. I’m sorry I keep using the word “penetrate” but is there really another word??) which is what makes it great as an anti-aging tool, since anti-aging starts deep in the skin, by building up and strengthening your cellular structure. Blue light: blue light is our friend Idyllic Indigo who is chock-full of vibrant energy, ready to get the job done. This is what makes blue light perfect for slaying acne bacteria on the skin. Red AND blue light: whoa-ho-ho did you think this wasn’t an option? Because guess what, it is! Here’s what I didn’t tell you about red light: it targets oil glands to diminish cytokines (I don’t want to overwhelm you with more science, so let’s just call these Pimple Demons). Pimple Demons aren’t always bad (other forms of cytokines are great, actually) but the ones that become Pimple Demons are suuuuper inflammatory. Like, super super inflammatory. As we all know, inflammation=acne. So by using red and blue light combined, you’re reducing acne on both the surface of the skin, and on a cellular level! Woop woop. I’m hoping I’ve convinced you of the magic of LED light, and if I have, then you’re probably thinking, “Great! How do I get started?”. Well, buckle up buckaroos, because I’ll tell you how: go find a professional medical center or spa that offers it. I know all of the cool cats are buying those somewhat-freaky-looking LED masks for at-home use, and this is totally a-okay to do, but, to put it bluntly, they just don’t work the same. The at-home devices are not as potent as the in-office systems. The at-home systems are generally $100-$400, while in-office systems run closer to $1000. This should give you a pretty solid clue that the professional versions are much more effective. So while I don’t discourage anyone from buying a system to use at home, remember that it’s not a substitute for professional treatments. In case anyone is wondering what to expect from an LED treatment, it’s pretty simple: you’ll have some small goggles placed over your eyes (like the ones used for tanning), the light system placed over your face, and then you get to chill for 15-30 minutes. Sometimes the systems have a pulsing component which helps the light penetrate (sorry) more effectively, but it can bother some people, so if it does, make sure to let your esthetician know. I also find that that I feel a little dizzy after an LED treatment, so make sure you’re careful as you sit up. Make sure you also drink plenty of purified water post-treatment (although this is also a good rule for life in general) as light therapy promotes detoxification and it’s important to make sure you give your body a way to flush itself out. Happy Facial-ing, everybody! This was a science-heavy post, so let me know if you have any Q’s! Layla Raz Reach out if you have questions using the contact form located on the home page. Questions & suggestions are always welcome. While you’re at it, check out my Instagram for more fun tips & tricks, and to say hi! This article was originally published on www.RozeCollective.com. The author has given full permission for it to be republished on our website, www.InfinityWellnessSpa.com

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