BC Skin Journal

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Beauty Collective - Urban Skin Syndrome

Urban Skin Syndrome

by Jo Boyden on Apr 16 2019
It’s a reality. And if you thought that hormones were a nightmare to contend with now the air we breathe every day is causing our skin to prematurely age, erupt in breakouts and might even be the cause of annoying skin conditions such as eczema. Pollution is a real problem, so real that the World Health Organisation now considers it a major skin health issue.Sadly, even if you are a beacon of good living: eat a healthy diet, drink your bucket of water each day and exercise like a boss, yet your skin isn’t glowing like an Instagram selfie, you are most likely suffering the effects of toxicity from urban living.Know your enemyOur skin is our largest and most exposed organ and it struggles to cope with the constant onslaught of chemicals in the atmosphere. The end result is skin that becomes sensitive, hyper-pigmented, acne-prone and unbalanced and of course, prematurely aged.So why is pollution your enemy? You’ve no doubt heard of free radicals, these are atoms or molecules that contain unpaired electrons making them unstable and are considered to be associated with a wide range of illness and disease. They can evolve from natural reactions in the body (in food and drink). You can also find them in the air we breathe, the exhaust we inhale, in smoke, industrial waste, pesticides and many other processes in every day life.And sadly free radicals don’t like to be alone, these “Billy no mates” are always on the lookout for friends, they break through cell barriers and steal an electron from our healthy cells. This oxidization process creates another free radical and does untold damage to your skin at a cellular level.Ultimately the result of all this destruction is unhealthy skin cells and unhealthy cells lead to loss of elasticity due to collagen breakdown, unbalanced oil levels and overall dullness that no amount of exfoliating and massage will overcome.Thankfully, as we learn more about free radical damage we are also learning ways to prevent it! One the easiest way is to pack your diet and skin care routine with anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants neutralise free radicals by generously donating a spare electron (friend) before it can steal one from your skin.But there’s more you can do…Firstly, cleansing your skin properly (not aggressively) each night. While pollutants can be like cell munching monsters that stick to the skin like Velcro a great cleanser, used gently will help remove them and still maintain your skin’s natural barriers.While all anti-oxidant ingredients have benefits, research has shown that there are some other ingredient discoveries that used in combination with anti-oxidants yield even better results! Cue PHYTOMERMore than 15 years ago, PHYTOMER discovered the powerful anti-pollution action of Armeria maritima, the only seaside plant that survived the Erika oil tanker disaster, capable of filtering and depolluting the contaminated water. PHYTOMER then launched its first anti-pollution product, Souffle Marin.Since then PHYTOMER researchers have created an advanced solution that comes in the form of an amazing sorbet cream, CITYLIFE Face and Eye Contour Sorbet Cream. CITYLIFE sweeps away toxic micro-particles and repairs skin damage caused by pollution. Its prowess comes not only from its sorbet texture, in perfect affinity with the skin, but also from its high-tech formulation composed of: CITYSAFE complex, a trio of anti-pollution biotech marine sugars. OLIGOMER®, an emblematic ingredient of the brand, providing true mineral replenishment for the skin. And what is great about it, is it’s also, suitable for the eye contour, CITYLIFE re-oxygenates tired eyes while it diffuses mineral water into dehydrated skin.Fast forward to 2018 when they launched another award winning product: CITYLIFE Ultra Cleansing Flash Peel. This is the first of its kind, a pollution defense deep cleanser. Power packed with a high concentration of exfoliating enzymes, it leaves the skin healthy, purified and with an incredible glow.So, the long and the short of it is: pollution bad, antioxidants good. Until we find a way to remove these nasties from our environment, it’s essential to maintain a good skincare regime that protects your skin from chemicals in the air and prevents them harming your health. Urban living will always be full of things to stress you out, but, thankfully, damaged skin doesn’t have to be one of them.Now, where did I put that glass of red?
face mapping

What is your complexion telling you? Learn to read your skin

by Jo Boyden on Apr 03 2019
Dealing with a sudden breakout? You’ve awoken to a chin full of pesky pimples? Or your skin of yesteryear is suddenly looking dull, dry and lacking in life?Whatever your “skin” nemesis, it’s your bodies way of trying to tell you something is wrong and we are here to tell you what!Like reflexology, areas of the face can help give us information about what's going on in our body, making our skin one of the greatest mirrors to inner imbalances! We call this Face Mapping.It’s not new, we know, in fact it’s been around for centuries, but it’s the best method of understanding which areas of your face connect to an organ or body part and what you can treat internally for the best external results! Clever stuff.Here’s an easy-to-follow face map we at Beauty Collective use, which will help you determine why your skin might be “acting up”.FOREHEAD – DIGESTIONRemedy; Avoid processed foods and opt for fresher natural alternatives including raw veggies Try to cut down on sugar Increase fibre intake Chew food well to improve digestion Eliminate alcohol or drink less Drink plenty of water Take probiotics Practice some form of exercise every day, fresh air is particularly beneficial and Yin Yoga is GREAT BETWEEN THE BROWS – LIVERRemedy; Eliminate alcohol or drink less Avoid greasy food and reduce dairy intake which all put a strain on the liver. Drink plenty of water to cleanse the system Get plenty of fresh air Avoid eating late at night and keep food lean and clean Rest up, like you, your liver needs plenty of time to rest and recuperate TEMPLES – KIDNEYSRemedy; Anything around the eyes (including dark circles) point to dehydration. Flush the system and rehydrate with plenty of fluids (think water and hydrolytes!) Cut down on soft drinks, coffee and alcohol as these will cause dehydration! Cooling food like cucumbers and melon are ideal for your diet Cut down on salt intake UNDER THE EYES/CHEEKS – RESPIRATORY Do you smoke? Have allergies? Or are you suffering from a bronchial cold or asthma? This area is affected by the lungs.Remedy; Keep your body cool and don’t let it overheat Eat more cooling food and get more fresh air. Keep the body more alkaline by avoiding foods that make the body acidic (think meat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, sugar – all the good things for you-not!) Add a lot more alkaline foods to your diet like green leafy veggies. JAW LINE – HORMONESRemedy; This is the zone for stress and hormonal changes. And while both are sometimes unavoidable, you can decrease their effect by getting adequate sleep, drinking enough water, eating leafy veggies and keeping skin scrupulously clean. Breakouts in this area also indicate when you are ovulating (and on which side). NOSE – HEARTRemedy; This area can indicate high blood pressure so get your blood pressure checked You also might have a Vitamin B deficiency so consider a vitamin supplement. Try to avoid too much spicy food and cut down on meat intake. Look into ways to lower cholesterol, like replacing “bad fats” with “good fats” such as Omegas 3 and 6 found in nuts, avocados, fish and flax seed Indulge in green tea! Massage the area around your nose to improve circulation Make sure you get plenty of fresh air where possible. CHIN - STOMACHRemedy; Step up the fibre intake Reduce the toxin overload and drink herbal teas to help with digestion. Don’t eat before bed, try to eat dinner earlier. Avoid hydrogenated fats and processed sugar Reduce stress as much as possible – we recommend practising yoga or meditation While this is a very useful guide and will definitely provide you with some answers to your complexion woes, do remember not to take it as gospel. Just because you break out between the brows doesn’t necessarily mean you have a bad liver!
Beauty Collective - ELES Cosmetics Perfect Foundation

Q & A - How Do I Choose The Perfect Foundation For My Skin?

by Jo Boyden on Mar 26 2019
Oily, dry, combination, blemish-prone skin…it’s important when choosing a foundation to select what is right for your individual skin type, but with so many foundations promising to deliver an array of benefits as well as the multitude of formulations from liquid to powder, stick to tinted, it is a wonder how any of us manage to get it right, and that’s before having to wrap our head around selecting the correct shade too!Well you’ve asked us for our guidance and here we are to help! Read on to determine once and for all your perfect foundation match! UNDERSTAND YOUR SKIN TYPE This is fundamental when choosing your foundation as the last thing you want to do is invest in a formulation that is only going to exacerbate your dry skin or pesky pimples.Oily skinIf your complexion is prone to that 3pm shine, opt for a matte powder or oil-free liquid foundation and avoid dewy formulas. Mineral foundations work well on oily skin because the dry particles tend to absorb moisture and prevent shine.You can also try prolonging the wear of your foundation with a primer and then setting with a translucent lightweight powder.Try: ELES Mineral Powder FoundationDry SkinIf you tend to have dry skin, choose a hydrating liquid foundation. These have a creamy consistency which delivers moisture to the skin and offer great coverage too.Try: ELES Mineral Sheer Tint SPF 20 for natural, radiant coverage or ELES Luminous HD Foundation for even more luminosity.Combination SkinAvoid powder formulations since they can make dry patches look even dryer, and treat extra oily spots with a mattifying primer before applying your base.Try: Liquid Powder Mineral FoundationSensitive SkinIf you struggle with blemished or sensitive skin, you really need to navigate the ingredients in a foundation. It’s best to avoid skin irritants like alcohol and fragrance which can be found in many a foundation and opt for a mineral formula every time. These contain no chemical nasties and will allow your skin to breath freely.Try: ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation or ELES Mineral Powder Foundation PREP YOUR SKIN It is important to have clean and well moisturised skin before trialling foundations, this will stand you in good stead for finding your perfect match! KNOW YOUR SKIN’S UNDERTONES You want to choose a foundation shade that has the same undertones as your skin. Either ‘cool’ or ‘warm’. If you have a warm complexion go with a shade that has yellow undertones, if your complexion is on the cool side, a foundation with a pink undertone will be best.To tell which undertones your skin has, look at your veins on the back of your arms. People with blue or purplish-looking veins usually have cooler undertones. If your veins, on the other hand, look a greenish colour, then you have warm undertones. FIND YOUR SHADE MATCH Finding the perfect shade is the single most important part of foundation shopping. The ultimate goal is to find a shade that looks like your own skin but better!Firstly select three shades that you think are a close match to your skin colour. Forget testing them on your arm and test directly on the face instead, swiping all three side-by-side down your cheek towards your jawline. The shade that seemingly disappears is the one you want!Make sure you test in good natural lighting. ADAPT TO THE SEASON In the winter months, our skin tends to be paler so you need to adapt your foundation shade accordingly. We recommend having one key shade for spring/summer and another for autumn/winter.Now go forth and be flawless!
Beauty Collective - Probiotics

Probiotics in skincare – what are they and why are they trending?

by Jo Boyden on Mar 19 2018
I’m sure we’ve all heard about the benefits of ingesting probiotics, whether it be by taking a supplement or eating certain foods. Now a new trend is taking centre stage – probiotics for the skin! Serums, Moisturisers, Masks…packed full of friendly bacteria to help restore the natural balance of our skin while refining, protecting and rejuvenating the complexion all at the same time!Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty for those of you who like to be further informed. What exactly are probiotics? And how is it that they actually work?What exactly are probiotics?Probiotics are good bacteria that normally reside in our bodies and in our skin. Due to sickness, toxicity, the use of antibiotics, and other external factors, our good bacteria diminishes and the bad bacteria becomes more prominent in our system.How do they actually work on our skin?For the skin, they work in a similar way as they do for the digestive system. Topical probiotics help deliver a dose of good bacteria directly to our skin, restoring radiance and balance. Some are recommended for mature skin because of their ability to regenerate as well as protect the skin by retaining moisture, healing wounds, and increasing collagen and elastin production for anti-aging effects. They are also an effective anti-inflammatory which means they bring calm to the skin soothing redness and irritation.Would I benefit from using skincare featuring probiotics?Yes! With its multitude of benefits, skincare rich in probiotics are great for anyone wanting to restore balance and radiance to the skin! They have the ability to boost the skin’s natural defence, rebuilding and strengthening it. Thanks to their calming, nurturing and anti-inflammatory qualities, they are also really beneficial for those with skin conditions such as Acne, Rosacea and Psoriasis.Interesting right? Sound like something you need right now? If so, Pevonia have just launched a new skincare range – Micro Pores Bio-Active Collection. It is formulated with a new breakthrough probiotic called Pseudoalteromonas (you don’t need to know how to pronounce it, just know that it’s darn good stuff for your skin!). By incorporating probiotics in this collection, Pevonia offers a natural, powerfully effective solution to counteract the most searched concerns: pore-refinement, uneven texture, oil control, aging and dehydration!
Beauty Collective Enlarged Pores

ENLARGED PORE: Truths and Common Misconceptions

by Jo Boyden on Mar 01 2018
If you don’t like the size of your pores, read up! Here are common truths and myths about this whole pore thing:The TRUTH will set you freeIf you’ve been wondering… Yes, POREXIA is a thing! There are two types of pores. Having pores is healthy and essential. UV rays can make them look larger. Hormones can also make them look larger. Enlarged pores come with age. Over-washing your face makes them bigger. Men have larger pores. Many of us are obsessed with our pore size and if we’re given a chance to make them smaller, we would! Some of us are even more worried about our pores than our wrinkles.Oil pores are hair follicles that contain sebaceous glands. These produce sebum (oil) that causes our pimples. Sweat glands are very small and don’t cause irritation. Both are very important to our health. Sweat pores are our body’s breathing holes, transporting unwanted substances out of the body. Oil pores are needed for hair to grow and hair is needed to protect skin.The average adult has about 20,000 pores on their face.When pores become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, blackhead and whiteheads may form. When bacteria comes in contact with these two, a pimple is born!Ultraviolet rays weaken collagen and without collagen, our pores become less tight. Decreased elasticity causes them to enlarge.When hormones spike during OVULATION, our pores enlarge and will shrink again when hormone levels decrease. Hormonal shift during PREGNANCY and MENOPAUSE also do the same. So yes, mood swings and pores are related. Try to relax during these trying times.As we age, our body produces less Elastin and Collagen and without these two, our skin sag and our pores become enlarged. This is something inevitable but can be managed. WE WILL REVEAL OUR NEW SOLUTION LATER IN THIS ARTICLE.Wash your face twice a day – morning and evening. Washing too often can dry the skin leaving more dead skin cells on the surface.Men have larger pores than women. Because men are naturally more active, their oil glands produce more oil and so their pores appear more visible.The Pore MYTHology Blackhead is dirt. You can close pores. Toothpaste can tighten pores, just like how it solves acne problems. Blackhead is oxidized oil, not dirt. Sebum is usually white. There may sometimes be dirt but blackhead is mostly oil.Pores dilate and can change from wide to narrow but you can’t totally close them. You can only TIGHTEN them.Never put toothpaste on your face. Toothpaste doesn’t cure acne and it certainly doesn’t clean and tighten pores. It will only cause irritation. Use proper skincare products that address your skin concerns.If large pores have always been a problem for you, fret not! We’ve found a solution!Pevonia’s NEW Micro-Pores Bio-Active and Probiotic Skincare is an anti-aging and pore-refining in one. If you have been dreaming of flawless skin with refined texture, Pevonia’s NEW Power Repair Micro-Pores collection is the solution you have been waiting for.Benefits: Reduces pore size Normalizes oil and moisture levels Increases collagen and elastin formation Bio-active formula contains elite actives that positively affect skin Probiotics help address uneven texture, and dehydration and other skin concerns Get the entire Pevonia Micro-Pores Bio-Active Collection and see visible results within just 2 weeks!
Beauty Collective - Exfoliate

Exfoliate Your Skin and Achieve a Radiant Glow

by Jo Boyden on Feb 23 2018
Exfoliate for a Radiant GlowSummer is almost over and we have a few days to go until it’s officially autumn. The weather will be cooler and friendlier. If you’re a beach bum like most Aussies are, you seized every weekend strolling along the beaut seaside. Some have patches of sunburnt skin all over, and some just look like they had a very relaxing holiday! Want to know their secret? EXFOLIATE!Do you know how good exfoliation is for your skin? Rubbing it with granules help remove dead cells from the surface, revealing a softer, smoother, and youthful you. It is important that you know what exfoliant to use as there are plenty of products in the market that are too abrasive and do more harm than good. We’re proud to say that Pevonia exfoliants are gentle on the skin but do a great job in getting rid of the dead skin cells. Pick the right exfoliant for you:ALL SKIN TYPESYour skin needs a little help every once in a while. A regular cleanser cleanses your face but Pevonia's Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser has exfoliating jojoba beads, saponaria and chamomile that wash away impurities and toxins. A true bonzer! The beads are finer than what you’ll usually find in regular exfoliants so it’s gentle but truly effective in refining texture and adding glow to your skin.PROBLEMATIC SKINIt’s easier to clear the skin of acne with a cleanser that has powerful anti-bacterial properties. Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser combines Soapwort, Triclosan, Grapefruit Oil, and Citric Acid to gently remove impurities. It helps control breakouts, brightens the skin tone, and refines your skin.DRY, DULL SKINAnd for a more intense solution to dry, dull skin, the Enzymo Spherides Peeling Cream is a must-have! Experience the cutting-edge technology of this cream’s unique enzymes entrapment. The encapsulated Pineapple and Papaya enzymes eliminate impurities, blackheads, dead cells, sebum, and toxins as you work this cream into your skin. Using this once a week will help you gain a bright, smooth complexion with ABSOLUTELY ZERO DOWNTIME.Regular exfoliation with one of Pevonia's refining exfoliants promotes a brighter, satiny texture. Get rid of unwanted impurities and dead cells, and prevent follicular clogging and surface accumulations. Your skin becomes luminous and revived.