Why smoking is bad news for your skin

 Skin Care  No Responses »
May 082013
 

Smoking – ‘The Harsh Facts’

We agree – it is very difficult to give up smoking as it’s so addictive. For all of you trying to quit, congratulations – and good luck. Below are some beauty reasons for you to stay strong in your fight to leave cigarettes behind:

• Every cigarette starves the skin of oxygen and  reduces its ability to generate collagen.

• Skin absorbs smoke even from passive smoking.

• Everyone is susceptible to nicotine damage,  even non-smokers, albeit to a lesser extent.

• Smoking and nicotine asphyxiates the skin,   depriving the complexion of vital life enhancing   oxygen and essential nutrients, leaving a sallow   looking skin tinged with yellow nicotine.

• Smoking is a potent source of free radicals, which   dramatically speed up the ageing process.

• Smoking saps Vitamin C from the body and attacks Vitamin A, both being essential to healthy collagen production. With less collagen, skin tone becomes sullen and complexion gets limp, with lines appearing more pronounced.

Body Beautiful this Summer

 Body Care, Skin Care  No Responses »
May 032013
 

 

There is something very attractive about smooth, soft skin that makes you instantly feel better about your looks. Before summer, it is a great time to pay extra attention to your body with a few simple routines designed to keep your skin sexy just in time for summer fun. Body scrubs are a great, easy tool for healthy, smoother skin as they exfoliate the dead surface cells that make your skin look dull and can block pores, leading to breakouts. Likewise, if you’re prone to cellulite, a vigorous yet gentle scrubbing can be helpful in reducing the appearance of orange peel, especially when combined with exercises such as lunges and squats. Body scrubs are also a great way to prevent ingrown hairs before shaving or waxing.

Product Recommendations

 

To remove dead skin cells and reveal soft skin underneath, try Syence Honey Almond Scrub or Syence Body Bars. Gently brush your back, leg, chest, knees, heels and other areas prone to dry, hard skin. For most people, exfoliating 2 times a month is sufficient; if you’re prone to body acne, exfoliate once or twice a week.  After a scrub, it is a good time to apply specialist care products – such as Syence Celluless that works against cellulite with caffeine, the only ingredient scientifically shown to help reduce the severity of cellulite.

For thinning skin with stretch marks, cellulite and loss of elasticity, we recommend Syence Servital Intensive Body Defense that aids your skin by improving hydration, cell renewal and skin firmness.

For skin prone to dryness, a generous application of Syence Body Lotion will bring a surge of moisture without greasiness even to extreme dry areas such as knees and elbows. Don’t forget your hands – constant hand washing and having your hands exposed to the elements combined with the fact your hands have very thin skin mean hands often reveal the true age of an otherwise youthful looking person. Your best defense against premature ageing is sealing and protecting with a daily moisturizer. We recommend applying Syence Hand Cream after hand washing every day, and as an extra protection against thinning, apply Servital Intensive Body Defense at night.

Summer glow – skin care basics

 Skin Care  No Responses »
Apr 262013
 

Summer is almost here and now is the perfect time to give your skin a boost. Below are our essential timeless tips for radiant skin

 Gentle cleanser

When it comes to your skin, gentle should be the order of day with any products you use – anything harsh and drying is likely to aggravate any conditions you suffer from. In Syence range you have two excellent choices: Step 1 Immaculate Cleansing Solution,which is ideal for all types of skin, removes makeup, dirt and impurities and leaves skin soft and smooth; and Active Cleansing Gel which is ideal for oily, blemish prone complexions that need a little bit more help in keeping fresh and clear. Active Cleansing Gel gently exfoliates to help keep excess dead skin from blocking pores and causing pimples.

Eye Cream

Many of you may suffer from puffy, irritated eyes especially during spring when pollen and dust create havoc for allergy sufferers. My favorite tip for irritated, tired eyes: I refrigerate Syence Day/night Eye Gel for a few hours and apply under my eyes in the evening for a nice, cooling surge of moisture, and voila! Bags seem a little less pronounced and my skin more hydrated and youthful.

Sunscreen

Yes, this is one of the absolute must buy items for any smart beauty! Your skin will thank you later for not letting sun’s rays damage it – there is no way to repair intensive sun damage, not to mention the risk of skin cancer you may place yourself under by not using sunscreen. We recommend wearing sunscreen such as Syence Face Sunblock SPF20 on your face, ears, neck and décolletage; and Syence All Over Sunblock SPF20 on your legs, back and arms. If you find yourself not wanting to re-apply every few hours it is wise to invest in a sunhat and cover up.

Moisturizer

In the spring and summer months, humidity tends to rise and it is recommendable to wear a more lightweight moisturizer. We cannot recommend Syence Step 4 Super Hydrating Emulsion enough – together with Syence Hydra Mist your skin will literally drink in nature’s true moisture, water, to help immediately plump, hydrate and even out your skin tone.

Exfoliator

As about 98% of the skin cells on your skin’s surface are dead, exfoliating to remove these dead cells will make your skin look and feel more radiant. We recommend Syence Honey Almond Scrub mixed with your favorite cleanser once a week.

Great Skin in the Fall the Easy Way

 Skin Care  2 Responses »
Oct 102012
 

It’s that time of year again. Itchy, dry, irritated and just overall not great skin makes an unwelcome return. What’s a girl to do? Well, in my case it’s usually the lazy days of summer that have translated to lazy skin care routine. So time to get back on track – it may be almost Halloween time but that’s no excuse for scary skin!

As most of you already know, there’s a huge number of dead skin cells on the top layer of your skin, giving it that ashen and dull look. So the first step in getting your skin care house back in order is regular exfoliation. As I have little time or patience , I love the Eraser pads that  are pre-soaked in a natural exfoliating formula. Simply swipe the pad across your face and neck and the dead skin cells , pollution and dirt come right off and a much fresher looking skin is revealed. A great time-saving way to instantly brighter, healthier looking skin!

Next step – address moisture levels. The change in seasons with indoor heat and outdoor wind , rain and colder temperatures can easily leave your skin feeling raw and exposed. Making sure you are adding and retaining moisture on skin is important to keep away infection, accelerated aging and irritation. My absolute favorite products for a simple, easy and fast routine are found in the 4 Steps System. Having a sensitive skin I cleanse with Step 1 Immaculate Cleansing Solution – it’s gentle and milky, yet takes away makeup and washes dirt and pollution effectively. To balance pH levels I follow with Step 2 Ultra Gentle Normalizing Lotion – alcohol-free, non-stinging and very soothing toner to help fight infection and bacteria. Depending on the time of year, I will follow up with Step 3 Proteolytic Moisture Complex that restores skin’s surface lipid layer to bring nutrients to skin, and finally Step 4 Super Hydrating Emulsion – my all-time favorite moisturizer that I combine with Hydra Mist to allow pure natural water to penetrate skin to be absorbed through for immediately hydrating , plumping and nourishing effect.

I hope you will find this information useful – please send me any questions or queries and I’ll be happy to help you with your skin care needs.

Best wishes,

Maria Eerolainen

Syence Skin Care

 

Happy Scalp, Good Hair!

 Hair Care, Skin Care  3 Responses »
Aug 142012
 

Is your scalp in optimal condition? If you have dull, greasy or lifeless hair, your scalp might be in need of more attention. Surprisingly, and contrary to popular advertising, hair can’t repair itself as it is has no blood supply or nervous system ; it is really an extension of the scalp. The key to great looking hair is a healthy scalp and with a few basic tips, you can get your locks looking a million dollars in no time!

Wash With  a Gentle Shampoo

Keep your scalp clean o stop pores from getting clogged, and to wash away any chemical build-up that can lead to thinning hair.  Thoroughly dampen your hair with tepid water – never wash with hot water! Use a gentle shampoo such as Syence Summer Shampoo, and work it gently to your hair, massaging your scalp with your fingertips. Be careful not to be too scrub too hard as this will create knots. If needed, apply conditioner and rinse off with cool water. Don’t brush your hair when it’s wet – instead use a wide toothed combed to very carefully smooth your hair, avoiding pulling it. When towel drying, squeeze excess moisture from hair gently, and avoid rubbing with the towel as this will leave your hair looking dull.

Massage
Scalp massage in wonderful not only because it is extremely relaxing, but because it helps stimulate good circulation and can assist relieving muscle tension. Regular scalp massage can also increase the shine of hair.  The great thing about scalp massage is you can do it anywhere and don’t need any tools besides your fingers. To perform one, sit somewhere relaxing and comfortable. Work your finger tips in your scalp in a circular motion, starting from your forehead to your neck, then forward again, going over your ears , behind and above your temples , the top of your head and back to your neck.  To treat areas prone to hair thinning, massage every day 2-5 minutes before shampooing.

Don’t Over Dry
One of the main causes of irritated, dry scalp is using very hot water to shampoo. This will cause excessive dryness by stripping essential oils from skin. Likewise, excessive blow drying can cause itchy, dry scalp. When blow drying, keep the dryer at least 6 inches away from scalp, and use the cool setting to set hair once it’s dry.

 

ANTI-AGEING WITH SYNTHETIC SNAKE VENOM

 Skin Care  No Responses »
Jul 252012
 

beautiful face cover by blue butterfly

Besides their use in our foods and garments, animal products and animal-derived ingredients also serve a more unorthodox purpose – beauty. Shaily Bhusri investigates some of the world’s more bizarre beauty treatments.

Why go under the knife and risk infection when there exist magical anti-ageing creams? Snake venom is already a big hit internationally and now it’s catching up in India as well. These advanced anti-ageing creams contain synthetic snake venom, not the actual snake poison, which works to stop the skin from wrinkling around the eyes, forehead and
mouth.

When these creams are applied on the face, they relax facial muscles the same way that actual venom paralyses the skin. With this remarkable venom technology, clients experience improvement in fi ne lines and wrinkles in their skin. Hollywood divas Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and Jada Pinkett
Smith are big fans of these products.

Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, dermatologist and medical director of ISAAC, explains: “As we grow older, the elasticity of the skin begins to weaken, sag or wrinkle due to the loss of collagen. Snake venom acts like Botox by mimicking the venom’s paralysing action on the muscles and thus causing them to relax by blocking the nerve signals causing muscl contraction. It is usually applied daily to show reduction of wrinkles up to 52 per cent.” Though there  imported products are available here.

After Work Drink for Healthy Skin

 Skin Care, Vitamins  No Responses »
Jul 102012
 

After work drinks can be something of a tradition in some parts of the world (Britain comes to mind) and it can be a great way to bond with colleagues for a strong teamwork mentality in the office. Unfortunately though, most of the drinks tend to be the alcoholic kind ,with high percentages of sugar – perfectly fine now and then, but with excess consumption the aging process of skin speeds up. To give your skin a super boost, why not make this anti-aging drink as an alternative to the pub/cocktail lounge instead? This blend of carrots, beetroots, spinach, lemon and ginger has a lots of benefits for skin, including antioxidants against free radical damage, anti-inflammatory beta carotene for DNA repair, vitamins B,C and E for collagen and immune system boost, silica for strong bones, hair and skin ; and and capsaicin from ginger  that will help improve delivery of oxygen to skin cells, giving skin a healthier glow. Enjoy!Healthy Skin Juice

Skin Loving After Work Drink

Ingredients:

8 Small Carrots

2 Big Handfuls of Fresh Baby Spinach

1 Large Beet

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Small piece (1/2 inch) Ginger

Put the carrots in to the juicer, once well mixed add in spinach, beets, lemon juice and ginger. Serve immediately.

 

Preventing Breakouts this Summer

 Uncategorized  No Responses »
Jun 262012
 

It’s getting hot in here – and the combination of hot summer weather, sunscreen and tight clothes mixed with bacteria and blocked pores can lead to breakouts all over your body and face. Luckily,  you can stop the breakout cycle by targeting each of the elements that contribute to pimples: bacteria (p.acnes), clogged pores and oily skin. Below are some of the ways to help keep you pimple free on your face and body.

girl washing her faceBanish the bacteria

Everyone has the p.acnes bacteria present on their skin, and it would not cause problems on its own but when paired with clogged pores, the bacteria starts to multiply , eventually leading to a pimple being formed. There are a number of drugs and over-the-counter treatments to fight bacteria build-up on skin – such as antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide, but both have potentially quite severe side effects such as excessive drying and bleeding of skin, sun sensitivity and burning.

Syence Honey Almond Scrub

Syence Honey Almond Scrub

Syence Skin Care offers a more natural, drug-free solution to help reduce the bacteria on skin. Syence Repair™ uses sugar beet, sugar maple extract, citrus lemon fruit extract and salicylic willow bark extract to naturally kill bacteria and exfoliate skin to prevent infection.

Clogged Pores No More

As soon as oil and dead skin cells begin to accumulate in a pore, bacteria has a feeding frenzy and starts to multiply, causing a pimple. The best way to prevent clogged pores is to keep dead skin build up to a minimum, and avoiding face and hair care products that contain pore-clogging ingredients such as mineral oils and lanolin.

Syence Skin Care offers two effective exfoliation options that remove dead skin cells that contribute to blemish formation. Syence Skin Care Honey and Almond Scrub™ uses almond particles to gently dermabrase the skin, without irritating or stripping it of its natural oils. When using on the face, mix with Step 1 or water.  For added comfort there is honey to naturally energize skin and aloe vera to hydrate and soothe.

For those with some scarring, or who want a less messy quicker solution, we have developed Syence Skin Care  Eraser ™ pads which remove dead skin cells with natural White Willow Bark Extract (naturally salicylic) and are more suitable for sensitive skin.  Use Eraser to brighten and restore the freshness of your face as mostly dead surface cells are removed and fresh new skin emerges.   Gentle enough to use daily.

Oily Skin

Dermatologists have traditionally pointed the finger at hormones as the cause of oily skin but the fact is that genetics, the products you use and even the medications you use can cause the oil production to go on overdrive.If you suffer from oily skin, it is important to use products that are gentle and non-drying – ironic as this may sound – as letting your skin become dry will often cause oil production to increase even further. We recommend cleansing your skin with Syence Skin Care Active Cleansing Gel ™- ideally designed for oily yet sensitive skin. Salicylic acid, betaine and witch hazel will remove excess oil and dead skin, while Chamomile, Aloe, Vitamin B and Lavender will calm and normalize the skin leaving it soft and clean.

Syence Active Cleansing Gel

Active Cleansing Gel

When choosing a moisturizer, it is important to pay attention to the ingredient lists. Up to 90% of moisturizers in the market contain oil and wax, which at best can only keep the existing moisture in the skin, and at worst stop skin from breathing, clog pores and irritate skin. We recommended the Syence 4-Step skin care system Step 4 Super Hydrating Emulsion that uniquely binds moisture onto skin while allowing it to breathe. It is a medical fact that properly hydrated skin heals up to 50% faster – and binding true moisture, water, on skin is the best way to clearest, healthiest skin possible.

Body Acne

Although the location of the blemishes may be different,  body acne cycle is the same. Depending on the location there may be unique factors in play that can exacerbate the problem. Sweating is one of these causes and especially important during the summer months. Perspiration acts like a film that traps oil, dirt and debris in the pore. So when you work out, shower right away . Another culprit is tight clothing. Be sure to select natural materials that breathe – as non-breathing clothing can trap sweat against skin, especially when perspiring. Hair care, body care and fabric softeners can also irritate and cause blocked pores, as can mechanical irritation and friction, such as carrying a backpack, so if you do find yourself breaking out after using a new shampoo, or after switching your laundry detergent, you may need to check into the ingredients and try alternative products.

To help keep your skin soft and smooth, we recommend regular exfoliation using Syence Honey and Almond Scrub™ or Syence Body Bar with extracts of Bilberry, Sugar Cane, Citrus and a unique enzyme ingredient combination Serophate™. Word of caution – if you have severe breakouts and irritation , do not scrub very hard to further irritate skin. Instead, gently massage product onto skin with finger tips and using circular motion, go over irritated areas.

Vitamins for Beautiful Skin

 Vitamins  No Responses »
Jun 132012
 

Healthy SkinA diet full of vitamins and nutrients is not just good for your overall health, but also plays an important role in helping keep your skin in top condition. There are several key nutrients which can also help minimize and prevent damage and enhance skin’s natural beauty.The key is topical application. Unfortunately, only about 3% of vitamins taken orally reach the basal layer of skin as having to go through the digestive tract significantly reduces their beneficial effects. On the other hand, the percentage goes up to 20% with topical application – making vitamins in skin creams an excellent way to boosting and maintaining healthy skin. Some of our favorites are vitamins A,C and E.

Vitamin A – the wrinkle reducer

This fat-soluble vitamin helps cells function properly and is essential for proper vision and bone development. Vitamin A is known to increase cell turnover, which can help treat skin disorders like acne while reducing brown spots and wrinkles. Syence Moist Eye Cream contains the powerful retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that helps increase skin elasticity and suppleness while decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Vitamin A is also found in Servital, Servital Body, Fresh Youth Cream and  Hydrating Face Mask.

Vitamin C – the free radical fighter

Vitamin C is involved in collagen production, tissue growth and wound healing, as well as the maintenance of healthy bones, teeth and gums. Vitamin C rich foods and vegetables include peppers , oranges, strawberries, lemons and broccoli. When taken orally, vitamin C does not provide skin with the same benefits as topical application as it is difficult to get the vitamin into the skin and past the GI tract without losing its effects. Therefore, adding a topical vitamin C for your beauty routine can boost your skin’s natural beauty – we recommend Syence Youth  and Syence Servital .  Both include time-released vitamin C (Vitazyme C) to fight free radicals to smooth rough patches and fade brown spots.

Vitamin E – the dry-skin defender

Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble anti-oxidant that protects lipids from oxidizing, which helps skin retail its natural moisturizers.  To get the most benefit for your skin, applying vitamin E topically is the most effective route.  Infused with a high concentration of raw Vitamin E, Rescue Intensive Recovery Serum helps protect and repair damaged, irritated skin while ceramide III and quinoa oil that improve the health of the skin tissue and cell function.   Although there are 16 forms of topical vitamin E only 2 forms Tocophyrol  and Linoleate  have been proven in clinical studies to work.  Rescue contains a high percentage of Linoleate and Servital included both forms of this Vitamin. Vitamin E is also found in Servital, Servital Body, Fresh Youth Cream and  Hydrating Face Mask.

 

 

Pampering for rainy days

 Pampering, Skin Care  No Responses »
Mar 092012
 

Chillin' in a bathAs the hot summer weather has all but disappeared, nothing lifts our spirits than a bit of pampering at home. I’m a big fan of body scrubs – not only does my skin look silky smooth but having a scrub is amazingly invigorating! For a easy at home treat, I use Honey Almond Scrub – it has just the right texture to polish away any dry flaky skin. Usually, I would either have a nice warm shower or a bath beforehand to get my pores to open up nicely. Then if I’m lucky, I’ll get my boyfriend to help out smoothing my back – or alternatively I’ll use a lufa and some creative acrobatics to reach all of my back which is my worst problem area for dryness and blocked pores. A couple of minutes of vigorous brushing followed by a warm shower – and voila! My skin is transformed and ready for the return of sunny days and backless summer dresses.