by Q Pro-team | Jun 7, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
Exciting New Discovery Could Rejuvenate Your Skin
It’s well known that some reptiles, like salamanders, are able to regenerate a great number of their body structures such as limbs, tails, jaws, and even parts of their organs such as the heart, brain and spinal cord. Recently, a team of Australian researchers including Dr. Godwin discovered that the white blood cells called macrophages play a key role in this muscle regeneration.
Where it gets interesting, is that macrophages also exist in the human body. The term, which means ‘big eaters’ refers to the cells ability to eat up dead cells and germs within the body, thus helping our muscles to repair and grow. Earlier studies have also revealed that stimulating macrophages can help the synthesis of collagen in our skin, which leads to optimal results in skin rejuvenation.
While it might still be too early for scientists to determine how we can regenerate complete arms or legs as salamanders do, they may be able to let people heal wounds without forming visible scars, or make more advanced anti-aging products in the very near future.
by Denise Stern | May 25, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips, 2.8 Skin Tightening
Chin Workout
Many individuals exercise every day but forget one important body area — the face and neck. Exercising your chin tones the muscles of your lower face, your jawline and your neck for a more youthful appearance. Exercise the muscles of your lower face and chin on a daily basis and you may benefit from the natural facelift results that you could begin to see in a matter of weeks.
Chin Lifts
The chin lift exercises multiple small muscles that make up the lower portion of the face, including the hyoglossus, the mylohyoid and the platysma, the large muscle flap that extends from your chin down along the front of your throat. Toning these muscles purportedly slims the front part of the neck and chin where they join. Start with your head and neck in a relaxed position. Tilt your head backward until the chin points upward to the ceiling. Push your chin forward. You’ll feel a strong pull all along the jawline and front of the neck. Hold the position for 10 seconds. Lower your chin and repeat the exercise sequence 20 times.
Double Chin
Get rid of your double chin by performing focused exercises in the front of the neck area. One example of an effective exercise is to do what is called kissing the ceiling. Tilt your head back and purse your lips in an exaggerated kissing position. Extend the lips toward the ceiling and hold a second, then release. Continue repeating the kissing motion 10 to 20 times. You can do this exercise several times a day.
Yoga Lion Pose
The lion pose helps tone and exercise all the muscles of the face, but also targets the lower jaw, chin and neckline. Kneel on the floor, hands on your thighs. Open your eyes and mouth as wide as you can and stick your tongue out, trying to touch your tongue to your chin. Hold this position while saying “ah” for five to 10 seconds to start. Release the pose. Relax a moment and then repeat. You can do this exercise as often as you wish through the day.
Hanging Head Lift
Lie on a sofa or bed with your head hanging over the edge. Lift your chin toward your chest. Place a hand behind your head to help if needed until your neck and jaw muscles grow stronger. Hold the contraction for a few seconds and then slowly lower your head back to its starting position. Repeat five more times and then relax.
by Q Pro-team | May 6, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
How Hyperpigmentation Is Formed
Hyperpigmentation is a harmless skin condition triggered by an overproduction of melanin which causes the skin to appear darker. Melanin is responsible for producing the pigment that determines eye, hair and skin colour; it is a dark-brown pigment that is a natural filter from UV rays. Melanocytes, found in the bottom layer of the skin’s epidermis, are the cells responsible for the production of melanin. The pigmentation process encompasses 3 major stages:
1. Melanin is created when tyrosinase, an enzyme naturally found in the body, converts tyrosine into melanin.
2. Melanin is then held in melanosomes which start to migrate to the surface of the skin.
3. Once the melanosomes are mature they are transferred to keratinocytes, and are then moved to the surface of the skin.
Hyperpigmentation such as melasma, age spots and uneven skin tone can add an average 10 to 15 years to woman’s perceived age. Fortunately, in most cases, the appearance of hyperpigmentation can be improved dramatically by chemical peeling, photorejuvenation or fractional laser resurfacing.
by Allergan | Apr 20, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips, 4.1 Cosmetic Injections and Fillers
Soft Lift with Botox and Juvederm
Soft Lift treatment refreshes your appearance with Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm facial filler.
30s — a refreshed new glow
lines around eyes and forehead relaxed with Botox Cosmetic
smile lines smoothed with Juvederm
jaw contoured and lips enhanced with Juvederrn
40s — looking refreshed and relaxed
forehead lines, frown lines and crow’s feet relaxed with Botox Cosmetic®
smile lines and marionette lines filled in with Juvederm
lip and cheek volume enhanced with Juvederm
jawline contoured with Juvederm
50s — a revitalized appearance
forehead lines and crow’s feet relaxed with Botox Cosmetic®
smile lines and marionette lines softened with Juvederm
cheeks enhanced and jawline contoured with Juvederm
60s — replenished and renewed
forehead lines and crow’s feet relaxed with Botox Cosmetic®
cheeks and lips enhanced with Juvederm
smile lines softened and jawline contoured with Juvederm
Soft Lift — a customized cosmetic treatment that gives you a balanced, nutural-looking makeoover, with no downtime!
by Good Housekeeping | Mar 26, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
How to Find the Perfect Anti-Aging Foundation
It’s not called base for nothing: The right foundation sets the stage for your whole makeup palette. The overall effect you want is dewy, to help compensate for any drier-looking or rough-textured skin. Here are some simple steps to help you find—and apply—the perfect foundation.
Choose a Fail-Proof Formula
A hydrating or satin-finish liquid foundation is your best choice, especially as hormone levels dip and your skin gets drier. A product that contains moisturizing glycerin or hyaluronic acid will help remedy dryness. You may be tempted to reach for a cream foundation, but these can actually be more drying — and that will make your skin’s texture rougher and accentuate lines. Thicker, creamier formulas are usually made to provide fuller coverage for uneven skin tone, age spots, and more, which means they’re packed with pigment. They may start out looking fine, but as your skin absorbs the hydrating ingredients the pigments can start to look cakey. However, if you like a creamy formula’s coverage, try using it with a richer face moisturizer or a hydrating primer. You may also consider a foundation with added antioxidants and peptides, anti-agers that can boost your makeup’s performance.
Pick a Warmer Shade
The rule that says your foundation must exactly match your skin tone doesn’t hold up any more. Your complexion tends to grow paler with age, so a matching shade can leave you looking pasty (or, in the case of brown skin tones, ashy). “Today, if I put on the ivory tone I wore in my 20s, I’d look like Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” says Sandy Linter, makeup artist and Lancôme’s beauty-at-every-age expert. Warmer base shades have fewer pink undertones, so they counteract ruddiness in light-skinned women. Linter keeps the life in her skin by using a slightly warmer tone that’s a shade deeper than her old one. If you’re wary of going up a full notch, mix your current shade with the next darkest on the back of your hand, and then apply with a foundation brush.
Apply All Over
Using a damp sponge or brush, smooth foundation over your entire face — including under the eyes, on the eyelids and brow bones, along both sides of your jawline, and onto your neck.
Exfoliate Regularly
The anti-aging bonus of regular exfoliation? Your skin will absorb more moisturizing plant oils, collagen/elastin boosters, and antioxidant ingredients from your other skin-care products, such as cleansers, moisturizers, and serums. Your makeup will also go on more smoothly, so you’ll need less and look more fresh-faced. Start your facial clean-sweep today and get ready for the compliments!
by Jessica Girdwain | Feb 26, 2013 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
7 Ways You’re Aging Your Skin
Do you hop into bed still wearing your mascara? Try out every new skin product to hit the shelves? These common mistakes may not seem like a big deal, but over time they can take a toll on your skin and leave you looking prematurely aged.
Don’t worry: It’s not too late. Here, we break down your bad skin habits and show you how to avoid them—and look 10 years younger.
Skipping sunscreen
The No. 1 way you’re aging your skin? Not wearing sunscreen daily.
“The sun is the primary cause of skin aging,” says Neil Sadick, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. The sun can reach you on cloudy, rainy, or snowy days as well. Plus, Dr. Sadick adds, “skin-damaging UV rays can penetrate through glass, so you need to apply sun protection even indoors.”
He suggests choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which blocks both types of UV rays, UVA and UVB, with an SPF of at least 30. Antioxidant-fortified formulas containing ingredients such as resveratrol, vitamin C, idebenone, or coffee berry can offer additional protection.
Neglecting your hands and neck
Your face isn’t the only area that needs a little TLC. Overexposure to sun affects your hands and neck just as much as your complexion. These areas show signs of aging, like dark spots, dryness, and loss of firmness, notes Dr. Sadick.
Treat your neck and the backs of your hands as you would your face by generously applying moisturizer and sunscreen. While you can buy body-specific products, they aren’t necessary. Those formulated for your face will work just fine, Dr. Sadick says.
Spot treating pimples
Thanks to fluctuating hormones, women over 40 routinely experience acne problems. But using a spot treatment to relieve red spots will only dry out the skin, leaving a raw and irritated area—and it won’t help heal the pimple either.
Instead, says Carolyn Jacob, MD, director of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology, treat your entire face with an acne-fighting cleanser or moisturizer once a day. It’s your best bet for preventing future breakouts.
Going to bed without removing your makeup
You may find it tempting to fall into bed after a busy day—or a late night on the town—without cleaning your face. But skipping a cleanser at night can lead to breakouts later.
During the day, environmental toxins (like dirt and pollution) build up on skin and invade pores, which can cause complexion problems, says Dr. Sadick. So don’t hit the sack before you wash. Use a good cleanser and save your skin. Keep a box of cleansing towelettes bedside for added convenience—simply swipe and sleep.
Ditching products too quickly
If you’re frustrated that your new anti-aging moisturizer isn’t doing its job, stick it out longer before switching. Bouncing from product to product may leave you with the impression that nothing works for your skin.
Dr. Jacob recommends that you give a new product at least six weeks to produce a change in your complexion. “One skin cycle takes 30 days [for new cells to reach the top layer of skin], so in order to see a real difference in texture, tone, and clarity, you need to use it for more than a month,” she says. If the product contains anti-aging ingredients, wait even longer. Your skin takes about four months to regenerate collagen and elastin, she says.
Using too many products at once
If a new moisturizer is good, then the combination of a new serum, toner, and night cream must be better, right?
Not so fast. If your skin gets irritated after you use a handful of new products, you won’t know what’s causing the problem and assume they’re all irritating. Instead, “start with one at a time, and integrate a new product every two weeks,” says Dr. Jacob. That way, you’ll be better able to identify what’s aggravating you, or know what combination of them makes your skin go haywire. Plus, you’ll also save some cash by buying only what you need.
Skimping on sleep
Getting insufficient shut-eye can age skin prematurely—and, in the short run, result in dark circles and a lackluster complexion. During the day, our skin cells are battling against an onslaught of stressors, like UV rays and pollution. Sleep is vital because stress hormones drop to normal levels at night, giving cells time to repair and rejuvenate, says Dr. Jacob.
Plus, stress raises the levels of the hormone cortisol, which increases oil production and can lead to bouts of acne, according to Dr. Jacob. So make sure you’re not depriving yourself of the sleep you need.
