Dry skin cannot be ignored. Dry skin leads to cracking of the upper layer of skin and can leave you susceptible to bacteria and infections. The main causes of dry skin include: dry climate, hormonal changes, too much exfoliation and treatment of other skin disorders. Moreover, dryness could be the inherent nature of one's skin. Whatever be the cause, 'dry skin care' is very important (but not very difficult). 

'Dry skin care' starts with moisturizers, the most effective remedy for dry skin. Generally moisturizers are classified under 2 categories based on the way they provide 'dry skin care'. 

The first category includes moisturizers that provide 'dry skin care' just by preserving the moisture within the skin e.g. Moisture Plus Night Cream. These moisturizers are relatively inexpensive and are readily available from most professionals. 

The second category includes serums that work by drawing moisture from the environment and supplying it to the skin. This is a very effective way of addressing 'dry skin care' in humid conditions. The serums that address 'dry skin care' in this way are also called humectants. For proper dry skin care, you must use a water-based serum with a small molecular structure for deeper penetration. The ingredients of humectants include honey, glycerine, hyaluronic acid etc. A great product to address this concern is Hydrate or Absorb from Tu'el Skin Care

'Dry skin care' is not about just using moisturizers but also using them properly. The best 'dry skin care procedure' is to properly cleanse the skin before the application of moisturizer. You can make your 'dry skin care' even more effective by applying the moisturizer while the skin is still damp (after cleansing). Also, make sure that you use surfactant-free products (especially on your face, neck and arms). Exfoliation does help in dry skin care, by removing the dead skin cells. However, don't exfoliate with force or using aggressive products. Your dry skin care procedures/products should also take care of sun protection. Avoid too much and too direct exposure to sun (simply by using an umbrella/hat etc). Use a good sunscreen lotion before going out. A lot of moisturizers provide sun protection too, along with dry skin care. 

You also have natural products for 'dry skin care' i.e. products that provide 'dry skin care' in a natural way (without the use of synthetic chemicals). These dry skin care products supply lipid enhancements to the skin, hence enabling moisture retention within the skin. Another, important thing for 'dry skin care' is the temperature of water you use for shower or for cleansing your face. Use cool or room temperature water; too hot or too cold water can cause dryness and other skin concerns.

'Dry skin care' is also about being gentle with your skin. You should avoid harsh detergents and alcohol based cleansers. Also, after a facial cleanser, do not rub your towel on your face, just pat gently to soak the water off. 

As a whole, dry skin care is really simple for anyone who takes their home care recommendations seriously. Are you in need of some hydration? Schedule a Deluxe 90 Minute Customized Facial with Richard Merrill-Rivas today or give the Moisture Plus Intro Set a go. Schedule you appointment today to get yours!

Life is hectic; it is true. There are so many things that demand your time and attention. Between work, kids, family and household chores, there is precious little time left over for you. So, it is completely understandable why things like salon reservations get pushed to the end of your priority list. But is at the end of the to do list where your next facial belongs?

The answer to that question is, of course, no. There are many reasons why you should keep your salon reservation. Aside from taking a little bit of time and relaxation for yourself, which I know is not going to motivate you since all of your energy goes toward enriching the lives of others and not your own, there are many practical reasons why you should not call and cancel your next reservation. 

Here are 5 Reasons:

1. Keeping up with skin maintenance saves you time. You know how it is, your skin is doing just fine until that fateful morning on which you realize that your skin is way past due for some pampering while that monster blemish stares back at you in the mirror. So, after hours of trying to conceal and hide that taunting pimple that was beautifully hidden just yesterday you resign yourself to the fact that nothing except a facial will fix your bad  day. But we all know that a spur-of-the-moment facial is hard to come by. That means that you will spend the next week or so wasting time trying online home remedies or over-the-counter recommendations from friends while waiting for your reservation. Only if you would have kept your original appointment. You see, getting a regular facial, even if you think you can squeeze by another week or two, prevents this mess from happening in the first place.

2. Keeping your reservation saves you money. If your esthetician has regular opportunities to keep your skin in tip top shape, he or she will have to do less in the long run to keep you looking beautiful. If you continually let your skin dull out or let products usage lapse, your esthetician will have to do more work to bring your wayward complexion back in line again. More work equals more time, and we all know that time equals money.

3. There is never a better time than today to get your facial booked. Sure, we all think that we’ll have more time next week, that our work load will be less than it is today. But does that ever really happen? Let’s face it; next week will be just as busy as this week. And when you’re busy, a little bit of R & R will give you the energy and confidence that you need to keep going.

4. Another reservation is weeks away. Why do you go to your esthetician? It’s because he or she is a fantastic skin specialist and knows your skin concerns inside and out. Well, if your esthetician is this great with you, I’m sure there are other clients dying for your esthetician’s services too. If you miss this reservation, it could be weeks before you get another one.

5. Keep your reservation out of respect. When you make a reservation, your esthetician carves out time from a hectic day to cater to you. If you don’t show or cancel at the last minute, your esthetician will end up sitting around making no money when he or she could have filled that time slot with another guest. Canceling reservations repeatedly may cause you to be placed on a pay in advance or last minute reservation list. Or even in some cases you can get fired for missing too many reservations. 

Granted, sometimes things happen that make canceling an appointment a necessity. When this is the case, be sure to give a minimum of 24 business hours and reschedule as soon as you can. Not only will your esthetician thank you, but your skin will as well.

Although there is no conclusive proof that antioxidants keep skin from aging, experts do agree they have the ability to ëcaptureí free radicals and may protect us from certain diseases. Antioxidant-rich foods can also give us a healthier, glowing complexion.

According to Susan M. Kleiner, R.D., Ph.D, a Seattle-based nutritionist, eating foods rich in antioxidants is best. ìThereís no substitute for getting nutrients through food. The body absorbs and assimilates them far better than in supplement form.î

Kleiner suggests following the U.S. Department of Agricultureís Food Guide Pyramid, and eating three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit each day. Choose at least one citrus fruit, such as an orange, a tangerine, or a grapefruit, for vitamin C. To increase beta-carotene intake, eat at least two orange-yellow or leafy green vegetables each day.

Eat Right for Younger Looking Skin

Eating healthy equals younger looking skin. Drinking a cup of orange juice and eating one raw carrot provides twice the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C and beta-carotene. The RDA for vitamin E is harder to meet, especially for those on a low-fat diet. 

ìDonít be afraid to add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to your diet, or to eat some nuts or seeds,î advises Dr. Kleiner.

The following guideline can be used for RDAs for three of the most common antioxidant nutrients, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene; good sources and how best to maximize benefits of each are included.

Vitamin C:  RDA at least 60 mg. (1/2 cup orange juice = 70 mg.)  Citrus fruits and juices and tomatoes are good sources of vitamin C. Eat whole fruit for extra fiber. Avoid juice in glass containers, and heat-pasteurized juice. Light and heat destroy some of the vitamin C.

Vitamin E:  RDA 8 mg for women / 10 mg. for men (1 tablespoon of canola oil = 9 mg.)  Good sources include nuts, seeds and their oils, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, and trout, and wheat germ. Use canola, olive, or another vegetable oil in place of butter or margarine when cooking.

Beta-carotene:  no established RDA. Expert Dr. Kleiner, however, recommends 5-6 mg. ( One carrot = 12 mg.)  Orange and yellow vegetables, and leafy green vegetables, including broccoli, are all good sources. Instead of potato chips or popcorn for an evening snack while watching television, opt for prepackaged, washed and peeled baby carrots.

If you feel you are unable to meet the RDAs through diet alone, by all means take an all-in-one antioxidant vitamin supplement a day, but continue to pay attention to rich food sources.

Because many over-the-counter cosmetics containing antioxidants don't have enough to be totally effective by themselves, it is best to feed them to your skin in combination with a healthy, antioxidant rich diet for younger looking skin.

Richard Merrill-Rivas cares about you and your wellbeing. With proper skin care, a healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and ample amounts of water, you can enjoy a more fit body, improved quality of life, increased stamina, and a glowing complexion!

'Facial skin care' is more a matter of discipline than anything else. A facial skin care routine is what you need (and you need to follow the facial skin care routine with complete seriousness). So let's check what comprises an effective facial skin care routine. Well, very simply, a facial skin care routine can follow the following 4 steps:

* Cleansing
* Toning
* Exfoliating 
* Moisturising

Cleansing is the first thing in facial skin care routine. Cleansing helps in removing dust, pollutants, grease and extra oil from your skin, thereby preventing damage to your skin. Just spot your face and neck with a good cleansing lotion or cream and gently massage it into your skin using upward strokes. Use a soft face tissue or cotton wool to wipe your face in a gentle patting fashion (do not rub).  Cleansing should be done at least twice a day i.e. morning (as part of complete facial skin care routine) and evening (on a standalone basis). Water soluble cleansers are the best for inclusion in your facial skin care routine.

Toning is the next in a facial skin care routine. However, this is the optional part of the facial skin care routine. Mostly, proper cleansing can compensate for toning. Toning helps remove all traces of dirt, grease and excess cleanser. Instead of making it part of your daily facial skin care routine, you can using toning occasionally i.e. when you have been exposed to particularly harsh environment/pollution.

Exfoliation is again, kind of, optional step in everyday routine for facial skin care. However, exfoliation is necessary at least once a week (or twice, depending on the skin type and the environmental conditions). Exfoliation finds its place in facial skin care routine because of the natural tendency of skin to replenish the skin cells every 3 or 4 weeks. As a facial skin care technique, exfoliation helps in removing the dead skin cells that block the pores, thus assisting the skin in the natural process. However, excessive or harsh exfoliation can cause damage to your skin; so you need to balance it out.

The next thing in facial skin care is moisturizing. In fact, moisturizing is the most important part of facial skin care routine. Moisturizers prevent your skin from getting dry. Dry skin is really undesirable since it may cause the upper layer of skin to become compromised, leading to various conditions. Again, use light upward strokes to make the moisturizer more effective. Moisturizers work the best when applied on warm and damp skin. So do not try to remove all the moisture in the previous steps of facial skin care routine.
 
Besides the normal facial skin care routine, you should also exercise the following for facial skin care:

* Use proper make-up remover instead of just washing it away
* Pay heed to your skin type and the environment, when choosing facial skin care products.
* Before you start using a new facial skin care product, test it by applying it on a short patch of skin e.g. behind the ear.
* Never rub your skin too hard.
* Use sunscreen for protection against sun.

Richard Merrill-Rivas offers a customized approach to addressing your chief skin concerns. Each visit begins with a consultation to establish your goals followed by a custom treatment to improve your skin health. At the end of every treatment you will receive home care recommendations and be asked to commit to your treatment plan with suggested rebooking dates.

This cusomized approach keeps you in control of your skin care journey creating bench marks for results to track the success of each treatment.

July 2017 is the perfect opportunity to begin your skin ritual! Every First Time Guest will receive their first treatment free of charge. Your first treatment will include a thorough consultation to determine your goals, a 90 Minute Deluxe Facial and a Customized Treatment plan with home care recommendations.

This offer is based on availablility, while supplies last. May not be combined with any other offers.

As an Award Winning Licensed Esthetician who started as a makeup artist, I've spent years looking for a color collection that doesn't contain incredients that dry the skin, clog the pores or contain photo-toxic ingredients that make hyperpigmentation and acne worse.

Advanced Mineral Makeup is Paraben Free, Talc Free, Gluten Free, Cruelty Free, Dimethicone Free, Bismuth Oxychlorode Free containing 100% triple milled pigment infused with hydrating butter and essential oils to help calm inflammation and extend the goals of your skin care routine.

Schedule your our Makeup Application appointment today for a special event or just to learn more along with some great application tips and techniques to make your morning routine a bit faster.

As long as I can remember I have wanted to attend the International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada but each year something prohibits my ability. I'm a firm believer that everything happens in its time and the time is now.