Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is the production of excess melanin causing dark spots on the skin. Age spots, liver spots, freckles, sun spots, pregnancy mask are all types of hyperpigmentation.

Hyperpigmentation refers to areas of skin where an excess of melanin has been produced and formed deposits, causing skin patches that appear darker than the surrounding skin.

 Common causes of skin hyperpigmentation include:

• Sun exposure
• Hormonal changes
• Heredity
• Acne
• Botched skin treatments

In situations where hyperpigmentation is caused by acne, botched skin treatment, or some other cause of skin inflammation, it is known as PIH, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

The darker your skin, the more susceptible it is to hyperpigmentation. Darker skins have more melanin and when there is any type of trauma the skin will create extra melanin in the area affected. AHA acids help to (break up) the melanin to create a more even skin tone.
AHA's include: Glycolic, Lactic, Salicylic etc... The molecular structure of these AHA's are all different so   depending on the level of color in your skin will determine which AHA is right for you. Consult your skin care professional.   

 Typically, hyperpigmentation is a harmless skin condition, however if moles or other possible signs of skin cancer appear, they should be checked by a dermatologist.

 

Latest trip to NY! I'm about that Tea..

New York! Concrete Jungle where dreams are made of.. 

I always have a wonderful time when I travel to NY. As soon as I get off the plane I can feel the energy in the air. I begin to walk a little faster, I'm excited, I'm on a mission! I find inspiration from talking to strangers, family and friends, from what  I see and how I feel. I love the fashion that comes with the change of seasons. People seem to have their own sense of style and there is a hustlers spirit in the people. Only the strong survive here, after all if you can make it here you can make it anywhere! 

During this trip I was in the market for some new Teas to try. I absolutely love tea! I drink it every morning along with a glass of water. Usually Green Tea is my preference in the morning, it tastes delicious and it gets my metabolism going right away. While in my favorite tea shop near Chinatown, I met a man from Trinidad and Tobago. He was sitting having a pot of tea himself and said that I should try Pu-erh Tea. He said it's a very old tea and has many medicinal properties. The man behind the counter grabbed a big glass container and opened it for me to have a smell. It smelled like dirt, old dirt, and cost $8/oz (loose leaf). I bought 1oz to give it a try. I also bought one of my staples (Jazmine Pearls) another of the Green Tea varieties, Dragonwell Green Tea and 2oz of Lavender Flowers (great for relaxation) 

When I got back to Brooklyn I immediately put a pot of water on to boil, I wanted to try this ancient tea right away! I also looked online to see what kind of information I could find on Pu-erh Tea,

 and I found a lot. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea

 http://www.teabenefits.com/pu-erh-tea-benefits.html

The way I drink tea is just to grab a pinch of the leaves and throw them in my favorite mug or pot, then pour boiling water over them and steep. I don't ever remove the leaves I just drink as they sink to the bottom. Whole tea leaves can be reused 2-3 times, so I refill a couple times with the same leaves. It's rare that I sweeten my tea (but if I do) it's with a little Agave Nectar, Honey or even Pure Maple Syrup.

Dragon Well Green Tea

 Jazmine Pearls (Green)




Pu-erh Tea

The truth about Blackheads!

Hello Everyone! Happy October!

So I've been noticing a lot of commercials and adds lately about certain products out there that claim they remove blackheads and rid the pores of unwanted dirt and debris. This could not be further from the truth and frankly it makes me a little irritated. 

So many clients come to me for facials and can't understand why they have massive blackheads all over their nose, chin, forehead, and everywhere else. Surely that scrub or small hand held machine is supposed to be handling this issue right?? Not the case! The only, and I repeat, ONLY way to remove blackheads is to have them manually extracted. During a facial I use steam and enzymes to soften and loosen blackheads, then I use a technique with my fingers to lift them up and out of the pores. When done properly the whole blackhead will slide right out. Now with time and everyday exposure to the elements (depending on how oily your skin) the blackhead will return, but you can prolong the process by taking care of your skin at home using good products for your skin type. 

If you have pesky blackheads that you are tired of and need to have removed, come on in for a Deep Pore Cleansing Facial.. I will take care of that for you, no prob!  And don't forget to try the delicious Pumpkin Enzyme on special this month. $40 for a 30 min treatment or you can add the enzyme to any facial for only $10. 

EL

Another Fabulous Giveaway!!

Hello Beautiful People!

Here I have another cute little giveaway for you all to enter.

This time I have some gorgeous nail polish colors from the Disney Vintage Minnie Mouse Collection by OPI.  This is a mini 4 piece set with the colors "The Color of Minnie", If You Moust You Moust", "Im All Ears", and a  RapiDry Top Coat. I have these colors in my own personal nail polish collection and I love them, I'm sure you will too!  

 

 

 All you need to do is click the link below where I have been featured on 7Jaded Creative Services' blog, and you will have multiple chances to enter to win!

 

Winner will be chosen this Friday Sept 28th.. So get your entries in now!

 

 

 

 

http://www.7jaded.com/2012/09/21/featured-guest-post-elle-puresthetics-giveaway-vintage-minnie-mouse-collection-by-opi/

 

 

 

 

Puresthetics SUKI Giveaway!!

 HELLO BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! CHECK OUT OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY! 

This is one of my favorite Suki products, so gentle even babies can use it.

Follow directions below to enter

Good Luck Everyone! 

EL*

 Puresthetics is giving away a jar of Suki's Butter Cream Salve (a $27.95 value) - part of our best-selling Suki Skincare line - along with a variety of Suki product samples. The salve is a multi-functional, long-lasting, non-greasy therapeutic balm for the body that relieves and calms inflammation, redness and irritation, reduces chaffing and chapping, and restores the essential moisture barrier. Suki blends advanced, high performance clinically-proven actives with 100% synthetic-free & organic ingredients, innovating the first treatment formulas that bridge the gap between science & nature.

 To enter: Leave a separate comment on this blog post for 1) Liking Puresthetics on Facebook, 2) Following Puresthetics on Twitter and/or 3) Writing a review of Puresthetics on Yelp! Make sure to leave your email address in your blog comment so we can contact you if you are the winner!

Giveaway closes at midnight on September 13th. Winner will be drawn using a random number generator

I'm in love with SUKI !

SUKI is an amazing product line I choose to use in my studio because of it's wonderful hydrating and balancing properties. They are vegan, 100% organic and pure. Free of any chemicals or fillers this line is excellent for normal and normal to dry skin types. Right now we have a SPECIAL going on. The Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser is a delicious scrub made of organic lemongrass, natural sugar and chamomile. It leaves your skin feeling refreshed and invigorated! 

Log onto www.pur-esthetics.com/purshop for more details

I'd love to know what you think of this product. If you have used suki before or would like to try I'd love to hear from you! 

EL

Something yummy for your tummy!

OMG! I just made the best protein shake EVER! I like to call it vanilla almond chai protein shake. Heres what I did..

I make tea by the pitcher, like green mixed with an orange blend. Or roobis with a few cloves. Whatever tea you like make it and set it aside to cool, or you can add ice cubes to it after it has steeped for about 5mins.

For the protein I like to use vanilla Muscle Milk powder. I only use one scoop because 2 is just way too creamy for me, plus it's half the calories of 2 scoops. I mix that with 5-7oz of Almond Milk Original flavor and shake it up really well.  Then I add the tea, probably another 5-7oz and i mix it all together.

It's so delicious and refreshing and I get plenty of protein from the powder and the almond milk.  Healthy and delicious!


Try it!

EL