Sharnell Skincare» Body Care

Super Sale on Method Baby and Kids

Sharnell — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:33:55 +0000

If you’ve never heard of Method products, allow me to introduce you. The Method line is a collection of “green” products created for body and home care. This innovative line made from naturally derived and biodegradable ingredients offers adult body care products such as body wash and hand sanitizer as well as baby and kid products like buble bath and diaper cream. There is also an extensive line of home care products ranging from soy candles to dish soap to floor cleaner. For a more detailed description of the Method products and to explore their amazing line, visit Method Home. If you find something you like, particularly in the baby or kids collection, be sure to make your purchase through drugstore.com as there is a fantastic sale taking place right now on these items - buy one and get one for free! Don’t wait too long as the sale ends on March 13! And remember, free shipping everyday at drugstore.com on orders of only $25 or more!!

Happy Bargain Shopping!

What is a Back Facial?

Sharnell — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:57:08 +0000

Back facials are a skin treatment that is offered to all spa clients, including teens and men. The techniques used in a back facial are very similar to those applied in a regular facial treatment. The only difference is that the skin products used in a back facial are formulated specifically for the skin on your back, which is much tougher than the delicate skin on your face. Back facials are great for treating the hard to reach areas of your back. Many of us will experience some clogged pores and breakout on our backs, especially during the summer months when we tend to perspire the most. A back facial treatment will help to exfoliate the skin, treat any congestion and reveal a brighter and smoother skin. This is a perfect way to prepare and beautify the skin on your back for the upcoming summer days on the beach.

When you are receiving a back facial, you can expect the following:

A double cleanse of the skin under steam. The first cleanse will clean the surface of your skin while the second cleanse gets deeper into the pores as they open up from the steam.
Exfoliation is then performed with a scrub of some sort and then extractions, if necessary.
Most treatments will follow exfoliation and extractions with a back and shoulder massage. This is usually the best part of a back facial!
After the massage, a customized body masque will be applied to the back and left on for at least ten minutes.
Finally, the masque is removed and a body toner and skin moisturizer is smoothed onto the skin for a radiant finish.

Some spas will also offer a peel of some kind with your back treatment, as an upgrade. This can be anything from a glycolic peel to dermabrasion. However, an aggressive peel is really only necessary for very congested or acne prone skin. If you’ve never experienced a body treatment of any kind, a great starter would be a back facial. It’s a fantastic treat for both your skin and yourself!

How to Treat Body Acne

Sharnell — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:00:29 +0000

Body acne has become just as much of a problem as facial acne. This condition can affect anyone and is becoming a common skin ailment for both teens and adults. There are certain factors that will make your skin more prone to breakout. For instance, people who lead a very active physical lifestyle tend to be more likely to suffer from body acne, particularly on their backs. The reason for this is the more frequent perspiration that they experience than someone who is less active. However, there are also several other areas of the body that can be vulnerable to acne, such as the shoulders, neck, chest and even your bottom! In general, the skin pores on your body are much larger than those on your face. This greatly increases the risk of pore irritability due to over production of sebum (oil), perspiration and inadequate skin exfoliation. This trio can be detrimental to your skin, not to mention additional factors such as tight fitting clothing and heavy body products, which can worsen the irritation.

Just like the skin on your face, your body skin needs to be exfoliated regularly. Imagine all the build-up of dead skin cells, lotion, perfume and debris from your clothing just settling on your skin. When you do not exfoliate, this layer of grime just continues to accumulate on the surface of your skin. It is the perfect recipe for acne. There is quite an easy fix to this problem. Prevention of body acne starts with showering. It is crucial to not only shower at least once a day, but you should also cleanse your body immediately after any activity that causes you to sweat. While in the shower, you should always use a loofah, or some method of exfoliating your skin while cleansing with your soap or body wash. You can take your pick of many options such as the previously mentioned body loofah, body brush, bath mitt, body sponge… the list goes on. If you don’t already use one of these shower tools, I really encourage you to start now. You will surely see and feel a difference in your skin.

If you are already plagued with body acne, there are many products designed to help treat the condition. For severe cases, I would not recommend using an exfoliating shower tool. This will be too aggressive and only spread the bacteria. Rather, I would strongly urge you to use a washcloth combined with a body acne clearing wash such as the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash, Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment or Murad Acne Body Wash. Murad also has a very unique Clarifying Body Spray which is highly effective in treating body acne. Another method of treating body acne is with microdermabrasion. Most spas and salons will offer this treatment for your chest and other areas upon request. Finally, the last step in treating body acne is to only use an oil-free body moisturizer such as Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, Fragrance Free or Clinique Sun Care UV-Response Body Gel-Lotion SPF 15 on the affected areas of your skin. It is also a good idea to wear breathable clothing, especially in the summer. Cotton and linen fabrics are most ideal and will be less irritating to your body acne.

Body acne can definitely a be painful, annoying and embarrassing ordeal. With consistency and the proper tools, it just takes a few simple steps to treat the problem. If you have tried all of the above methods of treatment and still find no relief, visit your dermatologist. Your skin may require prescription strength treatment or an oral medication that will work to heal the skin from the inside out.

Do Paraffin Wax Treatments Work?

Sharnell — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:00:53 +0000

Paraffin wax treatments are incredibly soothing to the skin. Most women learn of paraffin wax from seeing the treatment listed as a service at their nail salon. Many manicure and pedicures are offered with the paraffin wax treatment as a soothing and relaxing method to treating dry skin. However, paraffin wax can be used to treat more than just dry skin. Paraffin wax is one of the best methods of heat therapy.

What is Paraffin Wax?

Paraffin is a soft wax containing paraffin oil, which is nonflammable and refined from petroleum. Due to it’s very high capacity for heat, paraffin wax is able to absorb and retain a great amount of heat, but at a lower than normal temperature. This allows the wax to be used on the skin without the risk of causing burns. As with all wax substances, when at room temperature, paraffin remains a solid. Once placed into the paraffin tub and warmed, the wax becomes a liquid. When the paraffin is applied to the skin, it begins to solidify again as it cools. All of the heat that the wax retained during the melting process then transfers to the skin. This process is called heat of fusion and is precisely what makes a paraffin wax treatment so unique and special.

What is Paraffin Wax good for?

Skin Treatment – Used on the skin, paraffin wax provides an intense moisture therapy, making this treatment most ideal for dry to severely dry skin. The warm wax opens up the pores, allowing maximum absorption of the paraffin oil and other calming oils such as lavender into the skin. The heat from a paraffin treatment also helps to promote circulation in the skin, which results in a more radiant appearance. Paraffin wax treatments are not only nourishing, but are also extremely soothing and will help to soften the texture of the skin.

Heat Therapy – Paraffin wax is not only beneficial to the skin. Many body treatments will incorporate paraffin wax due to it’s superb heat therapy. Here are some of the ways paraffin can be used as heat therapy:

To relax tired and stiff muscles
To soothe Arthritis joint pain
To alleviate Tendinitis pain
As a treatment before therapeutic massage or exercise
During physical therapy
To warm very cold hands or feet

Overall, I would say that paraffin wax serves as an excellent treatment. With it’s many uses, owning your own
paraffin bath is a great idea. A paraffin tank is easy to use and maintain. It is a small investment, with great gain.

Preventing Pregnancy Stretch Marks

Sharnell — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:05:33 +0000

One of the many first thoughts to cross the mind of a newly pregnant woman is, “OMG, I don’t want stretch marks!”. If this sounds like you, I have good news! Preventing stretch marks is one aspect of pregnancy that does not require a class, a book to be read or timely visits to the doctor. Rather, a very simple plan of action to avoid the onset of stretch marks should be started from the time you find out that you are pregnant.

The mistake that most women make is that they wait until their belly begins to swell before treating the potential problem. Some even wait until after the first few stretch marks appear. By this time, it can be too late and treatment may never completely rid the skin of the marks. This is why I chose to start conditioning and preparing my skin from as early as seven weeks of pregnancy.There are many skincare products that are specially formulated to moisturize and prepare the skin for pregnancy. With so many to choose from, all varying in price, which work the best? All of them do! They all use the same key ingredients that help to keep the skin moisturized, soft and supple. Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E, Collagen and Elastin are the elements in which work their magic and are the main ingredients in all stretch mark prevention and treatment products.

During my first pregnancy, I used Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula, Massage Lotion For Stretch Marks religiously throughout my pregnancy. I also used Queen Helene Natural Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Body Oil with Vitamin E for added moisturization. When I say that I used these products religiously, I mean everyday, several times a day without fail! The key is to be consistent. My skin was so well moisturized that I can honestly say there were only a few times that I ever experienced itching of my skin. I took that as a good sign, and sure enough, I ended my pregnancy completely free of any stretch marks! By taking the necessary steps, you can do it too!

What are some of your favorite pregnancy stretch mark creams or home remedies?

Sunday’s Sensational Skincare Deal!

Sharnell — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:37:50 +0000

Calling all of The Body Shop lovers! This week’s super hot skincare deal is from Amazon.com, offering a $20 gift card with the purchase of only $75 or more from The Body Shop. This purchase will also qualify you for free shipping!

Who doesn’t love The Body Shop? There are tons of great gift ideas, like the The Body Shop Feet Treat Petite Gift and The Body Shop Tropical Shower Sensations Gift , which are both 50% off at only $9 each right now! With awesome prices like that, you can easily get several separate gifts, plus a treat for yourself!

Amazon is only offering this great deal until December 18th, so don’t miss out on it!

Essence of the Island Tropics

Sharnell — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 04:52:11 +0000

While reading about Oprah’s Favorite Things 2007 on one of my favorite skincare and beauty sites, Savvy Skin, I discovered Kai’s Fragrance, a line of perfume oil and body products inspired by the uplifting and pleasurable scents of the Hawaiian Islands. Kai Fragrance originally piqued my interest because of it’s name, which happens to be the middle name that I gave to my son. But now, after reading more about the fragrance line, I am dying to try it!

Kai Fragrance was created by a woman named Gaye Straza, whose successful career started when she opened up the first ever upscale women’s boutique in Southern California. She eventually sold her boutique, but continued to manufacture the Kai Fragrance line due to it’s ever growing popularity. I am eager to become acquainted with Kai Fragrance because the line seems very simple, yet nutritious for the skin. Their body products contain excellent ingredients that are vitamin-rich and natural, such as and plant, flower and fruit extracts and essential oils. I am not surprised that this very unique line of perfume oil and body products, which encapsulates the exotic aromas of Hawaii, has developed a long list of fans, including many celebrities.

“not only do kai’s products have the most beautiful fragrance, but my skin is just the softest it’s ever been” -Minnie Driver

I can’t wait to experience Kai Fragrance for myself and become a part of the Fan Club! If you are interested in trying out Kai Fragrance too, click here to find a boutique in your town that carries Kai Fragrance, or order it online at eLuxury.com.