The Definitive Way to Moisturize Your Skin Properly for Maximum Results

Think of moisturizing your skin as architecting skin support and an environmental shield -- which is even more critical during travel or when visiting places that are typically more polluted than Colorado. 

1. What do you really want to accomplish and focus on? Dryness, Wrinkles, Rosacea? If you need help, this is one of our favorite topics -- schedule a consult with us.
2. Cleansers can be the culprit of quite a few skin concerns -- mild is better, and use enough of it, meaning at least a dime size, and if you wear foundation and waterproof eye makeup, you probably need to double cleanse.
3. Apply your skincare and sunscreen from light to dense formulation and let it soak in at least five minutes before applying any makeup. Do your teeth, toss the dishes in the dishwasher, but give it time to soak in and set.
4. Do not neglect your neck and chest areas when applying moisturizers and facial oils. Is there extra product left on your hands? Apply to tops of ears and cuticles, backs of hands.
5. Wash your hands frequently and be aware of how often you touch your face.

That’s it. I know people who line their products up in order or use a sharpie to number them, so it’s super simple every AM/PM. Once you get into a routine, it’s effortless to stick with a healthy regimen that addresses your needs, and the results are always there after a few months -- just stick with it! 

Also, consider a consultation with your facialist seasonally, (in person or via email) because shifts in weather can mean you might need to swap to either a lighter or heavier moisturizer.

Whaaaat are those red bumps on the back of my arms? Can you get rid of them? Yes. Here's How.

Ah, those! Medically, this is called keratosis pilaris, and some people mistakenly call them arm acne. First of all, they’re common and benign so while they may be cosmetically unappealing, they are medically harmless. Second of all, keratosis pilaris is not contagious. They appear on the upper arms and sometimes thighs. While the cause is mostly unknown outside of an overproduction of keratin and dry skin, we’re sure you still want them to go away; here’s how to help that.

Here’s how to battle those bumps:

• Use mild, non-drying soaps when bathing
• Avoid really hot water; this dries skin and can make bumps worse
• In the shower or tub gently exfoliate with a loofa or other at home exfoliating product
• Be sure your skin is well hydrated; this condition thrives on dry skin, so apply lotion immediately after showering and look for one containing urea and lactic acid
• Consider using an exfoliating lotion on your skin like PCA SKIN Body Therapy which has both the ingredients mentioned above.
• Professional treatments include applying exfoliating acids such as glycolic, salicylic or lactic acids
• Results are not immediate so be patient. You should see improvement in 4 to 6 weeks.

Did you know your cells have an energy source and we can help you recharge it?

Remember mitochondria from middle schools science? Our mitochondria provide power as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a form of energy our cells use to grow and divide. ATP can be thought of as molecular currency because it is the only energy molecule the body can utilize.

Over time, beginning in our 20s, oxidative damage adversely affects the mitochondrial membrane where youth-giving ATP is located and produced. By our 60’s our mitochondria’s ability to synthesize ATP is reduced to just half of what it produced in our youth. Since ATP synthesis is essential to our overall health as well as a youthful appearance, it is important to eat well and exercise.

When it comes to aging skin--reduced ATP is near the top of the list of causes and increasing ATP synthesis is one of the hidden keys to “the fountain of youth.”

For the facial area, there are two known and scientifically proven ways to reinvigorate and recharge your cell energy, and we have both of these remarkable innovations available:

1. LED Light Therapy: it works by delivering energy-packed beams of light into the dermis layer of the skin, energizing the cells responsible for collagen and elastin production. In turn, it builds up collagen in the dermis layer, plumping up aging skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Red Light LED stimulates the fibroblasts that produce collagen, which gives skin its youthful, plump look while Infrared Light penetrates deeper and provides a firming effect.
   
   
2. Microcurrent Lifting: this uses tiny electric currents to gently stimulate the muscles of the face while increasing blood circulation, lymphatic flow, collagen, and elastin production. It targets face and neck muscles and tightens and tones the facial contours.

We also offer a highly effective combination of LED therapy and microcurrent lifting, which combines the benefits of both procedures for incredible results.

All LED and microcurrent treatments are painless, relaxing, have no downtime, and are safe for nearly everyone. We recommend using them in a series for optimal results. We believe they are beneficial to just about everyone!

It can be hard to believe that these technologies are so effective since most of the time clients fall asleep during the process! However, if you ask any of our clients (or us) who get these treatments regularly, they are the closest thing we have to an anti-aging miracle.

Questions? Let us know.

Spring = Glossy Skin (right on trend!). 6 Ways to Get the Glow!

Every time we see an image of Katie Jane Hughes @katiejanehughes on our IG feed, it makes us happy. We love seeing a woman who celebrates life, tackles new projects readily, doesn’t take makeup too seriously but takes skin care very seriously allowing her to feed her own, and our, glossy skin devotion. We love the look.

6 ways to amp up your youthful glow:

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water improves your body’s overall health and does great things for your largest organ: your skin. Glow from the inside, out. And, yes, those daily La Croixs count as water.

Know Your Skin

Do you have oily skin, dry skin or combination?

Products like astringents, retinoids, hydroxy acids and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) decrease sebum or oil, and help eliminate shine. Oily skin is caused by hormone changes which cause excessive sebum production and enlarged pores. There’s definitely a difference between oily skin and healthy skin that glows. The right combination of water, foods, treatments, and products help you achieve the look you want.

If your skin feels tight, cracks or peels you may want to adjust your environment. Lower the heat or air conditioning and shower and cleanse skin in water that isn’t super hot. Dry or ashy skin can be due to lack of moisture from overuse of products that dry skin like retinoids, hydroxy acids or BPO, changes in estrogen levels due to menopause or even workplaces with dry environment. The right combination of water, foods, treatments, and products help you achieve the look you want plus an at-desk, in-room, or whole home humidifier definitely makes an impact.

Taste the Rainbow

Green tea and chamomile extracts soothe the skin, while fruits add moisture. Vitamins C, B and E decrease free radicals in skin, which helps eliminate brown spots and dull, flaky skin. Think, strawberries, brussel sprouts, broccoli, papaya, tomatoes, kale, and bell peppers to name a few of the top sources. So, another reason to aim for rainbows of color on every plate.

Try a Topical Retinoid

Retinoids are vitamin A products that increase cellular turnover so younger cells replace old, dull skin cells. Retinoids cause younger, plumper cells to absorb moisture and they decrease pigmentation or brown spots. But these wonder products are not one size fits all. Ask your facialist which might be best for your skin, and follow the directions. With retinol, more is not better!

We all use one at LNAA. Our top selling retinoid is: PCASkin Intensive Age Refining Treatment .5 Retinol

No matter what, wear sunscreen every day and be extra vigilant if you use a retinoid since they increase sensitivity to the sun. There’s a reason I have so many hats now!

Use a Serum Containing Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid (HA) helps draw moisture from the environment so skin looks and feels more dewey and plump. In the right form, it can also penetrate quite deeply and maintain hydration for a full 24 hours plus smooth the surface of the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines. We don’t recommend scrimping on this ingredient; look for a serum that has various molecular weights of HA for the very best results. We are loving PCA Skin’s newest serum, Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum, which contains a proprietary blend of ingredients that encourage your skin to make its own HA. $115

Enhance Your Natural Glow With Makeup

One of the quickest ways to make your skin glow is by finishing your look with a luminescent highlighter or a hydrating setting spray. Swipe on a powder, cream or liquid highlighter to give your skin an instant glow. Set your makeup with a hydrating setting spray to keep your makeup from melting off, while increasing your skin’s glow. Look for product descriptors like cooling, dewy or luminous. These don’t do much for your skin overall, but they do enhance the look of dewiness. Be sure to let them set for a few minutes before applying more. You can go from dewey to space-glow really fast.

Milk Makeup and Glossier both have great products for simplifying your makeup routine and adding a little luster.

Here’s to Spring, we’re glad you’re here!

My Peel Journey: Buh-Bye Melasma (a true story from one of our clients).

After the birth of my children, my skin changed. Dark melasma splotches would pop up seemingly overnight and no matter what “lightening” products I bought, my skin looked awful. A (probably) well-meaning woman at Sephora looked at me with mercy before showing me heavier foundations to wear in order to mask my uneven skin tone. But I didn’t like wearing so much makeup and I felt like the overall effect made me look much older. In a panic, I Googled someone to fix the melasma problem. After enduring two procedures with her, my skin looked even worse.

Then, we moved to Boulder and I found Leah. She explained that my skin tone was not a good candidate for the procedures that had been done before and prescribed me a series of peels and products to heal and peel my skin plus a maintenance routine. After only 5 peels over the course of 9 months, my skin looked remarkable. Now, I get ~3-4 per year as maintenance followed by microderm/petite facials 3 weeks later, and get compliments on my skin! Of course, I also bathe in Elta sunscreen and have a serious hat collection to create my own shade year-round. Leah’s approach was kind, gentle, and modern while also taking into account what I was and wasn’t willing to do at home. As silly as it may sound, the peels salvaged and restored my self-confidence. She proved out the motto: skin first, makeup second.

About Chemical Peels at Leah Nickie Advanced Aesthetics, a MedSpa

Some people refer to chemical peels as a skin reboot.

Here’s what they can do for you:

1. Improve the texture of your skin
2. Increase the cell turnover rate of your skin
3. Improve your skin’s ability to hold moisture
4. Help your skin produce more collagen
5. Reduce fine lines
6. Decrease hyperpigmentation
7. Unclog pores and help clear up acne
8. Leave your skin smooth
9. Make your skin softer
10. Make your skin look more even-toned
11. Give you a “glow”
12. Make your skin look dewy
13. Improve minor scarring

Who should get peel?

• Anyone over age 25 (younger if you are struggling with acne or pigmentation)
• Someone looking to improve skin tone, texture, signs of aging

Who should not get peels?

• Someone who is pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
• Someone who is taking Accutane or recently discontinued Accutane
• Someone who is undergoing treatment for cancer

How to prepare for a peel:

• Stop using Accutane & Retinol **No Peels for 6 months after stopping Accutane and 1 week after stopping Retinol**
• Get any brow or facial waxing taken care of a week before your peel. You won’t be able to wax for about 14 days after your peel.
• No hot workouts 48 hours post-peel (no heated yoga or extreme, strenuous sports)
• The best effects are from clients who get a series of 3 peels over 3-6 months. As a package, they can be bought for $355 and the effects can last for up to 6 months.

What if feels like:

• It ranges from tingly, to itchy, to a little warm. At LNAA we have products and tricks to make it as comfortable as possible and we monitor every second of the peel for performance.
• It is not painful.

Can you go back to work afterward?

• With a wash of Vitamin C and sunscreen on your face plus your eye makeup intact, you can go back to work afterward but you will look shiny -- in Boulder, no one seems to notice.

How to care for your skin post-peel:

• We will send you home with a PCA Post Procedure kit that lasts about 5-7 days to nourish and care for your skin with gentle products containing anti-inflammatories and soothing agents for maximum effect and minimal downtime from the peeling that starts 36 to 72 hours after the procedure.
• DO NOT pull or pick at the peeling skin; this will irritate your fresh, new, glowing skin that is emerging and could lead to discoloration or scarring.
• Instead, use a baby washcloth or just your fingers and warm water with the PCA cleanser to gently remove the peeling skin that is ready to come off. These wisps of skin usually start peeling away near the nose and mouth first. 
• Do not use any mechanical or enzymatic facials scrubs, or your Clarisonic  for 10 days
• Use sunscreen 24x7 to protect your new skin (yes, even on cloudy or stormy days or indoors) OK, you don’t actually have to use SPF when you are sleeping ;-)