Acne is for many people a nightmare come true.  But blue light acne treatment can help restore self-confidence, reduce inflammation and bring acne under control.  Find out more about this unique acne treatment now.

For most people, acne starts and ends in their teens and early twenties; although for others the acne tends to persist and becomes a daily problem for them until they are much older.  It can have an impact on day-to-day activities and shatter self-confidence too.  Desperate to get rid of these horrible spots such as blackheads, whiteheads, red inflamed spots or yellow pus-filled spots, some people tend to turn to blue light in the hope that it can prove a positive solution.

The treatment known as blue light acne is a non-invasive procedure that uses light in the blue wavelength range of 405-420 nm to eliminate the Propionobacterium acnes or P. acnes bacteria inside the skin.  This photodynamic therapy originates in the US, where it is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris or acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies.

The process works efficiently due to the porphyrins.  These are released by the bacteria in the acne in the skin. The porphyrins are naturally occurring substances in the body that arise from the breakdown of haemoglobin in red blood cells.  When the porphyrins absorb the light of particular wavelengths, the free radical damage is produced and this helps destroy the bacteria.

Blue Light Treatments will get rid of acne quickly!

Blue light acne treatment normally uses a narrow-band, high-intensity blue light source that is readily absorbed by porphyrins released by the bacteria causing acne.  There were some former light therapies that used UV light (usually UVB) and this can be quite damaging for the skin.  This is why UV light is no longer used to treat acne and blue light devices that are currently available do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light.

Blue light acne treatment can either be used alone or in conjunction with a photosensitising agent such as topical aminolevulinic acid (ALA) hydrochloride solution.  The pre-treatment with the photosensitiser appears to offer additional reduction of lesions and pustules (informally known as zits and spots as well) but will cause a crusting reduction for some days.

The blue light acne treatment is usually carried out through a blue light delivery system.  The process normally involves a patient sitting in front of a blue light lamp for about a quarter of an hour.  A total of 2 sessions per week over a period of four weeks is required for efficient treatment.

Pre-treatment with ALA requires the topical application of ALA thirty minutes prior to sitting in front of the blue light lamp for about eight minutes.  These treatments are normally spaced at 2-week breaks and the number of treatments depends on how severe the acne is and how well the improvements are coming along.

Patient before Blue Light Therapy Treatment

Patient after Blue Light Therapy Treatment

Blue light devices can be bought and used at home, though at first at least, it is strongly recommended that the blue light acne treatment takes places in the presence of a dermatologist.

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If you are looking for the solution to perfect skin then we recommend checking out SIMI Essentials wonderful skincare line.  They have something for every skin type including one that targets acne!

SIMI Essentials Skincare

Acne Attack includes:

• Lavender Cleansing Gel 8 oz
• Herbal Astringent 6 oz
• Eucalyptus Botanical Cream 1/4 oz
• Tamarind Day Cream 2 oz
• Pineapple Cleansing Mask 2 oz
• Avocado Oil Cream 1/2 oz

Water Boost, great for skin needing more hydration, includes:

• Camelia Milk 8 oz
• Chesnut Horse Astringent 6 oz
• Pinneaple & Papaya Scrub 2 oz
• Sweet Almond Oil Hydrating Cream 2 oz
• Safflower Mask 2 oz
• Avocado Oil Eye Cream 1/2 oz

Fountain of Youth for turning back the clock includes:

• Rosemary Cleansing Gel 8 oz
• Hazel Astringent Toner 6 oz
• Citrus Revitalizing Cream 2 oz
• Aloe Vera Micro-Dermabrasion Cream 2 oz
• Mango Luxury Nourish Mask 2 oz
• Almond Oil Eye Cream 1/2 oz

Pampered Temple, a sophisticated hydration system for your body, includes:

• Almond Body Milk 8 oz
• Body Scrub 8 oz
• Seaweed Shower Gel 8 oz
• Mango Body Nourish Cream 8 oz
• Sesame Body Cream 8 oz
• Cucumber Body Cream 8 oz
• Calendula Soothing Gel 8 oz

Get smoother softer skin from head to toe with SIMI Essentials

Seducing your skin daily with Simi Essentials products compares to diving in to the clear blue serene sea soaking in all it’s natural goodness.  The finest fruit and herb extracts penetrate the pores, cleansing, calming, and preserving ones skin.

Product prices range between $25 and $100

For more info please visit: Simi Essentials

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The new Schick Hydro Silk razor delivers an experience far beyond just an incredibly close shave, and actually cares for the skin by replacing moisture shaving can take away.  The razor is a combination of breakthrough technology delivering a proprietary water activated moisturizing serum that hydrates skin with each shaving stroke coupled with patented 5 Curve Sensing Blades and unique Skin Guards that protect and care for sensitive skin.

New Schick Hydro Silk Razor

The Schick Hydro Silk razor features:

1.    Water-activated moisturizing serum hydrates throughout each shave: The act of shaving is known to strip skin of essential moisture and can leave it dry, dull and irritated. The Schick Hydro Silk™ razor has moisturizing serum that activates with water to help replenish skin’s natural moisture throughout each shave. This advanced lubricating reservoir is more than a reinvention of the traditional lubricating strip – it is a totally re-engineered system to be more effective, delivering soothing lubricating ingredients while hydrating the skin.

2.    5 Curve-Sensing Blades deliver an incredibly close shave: this is Schick’s first 5-blade razor for women and it leverages 7 years of blade technology research to bring women Schick’s closest shave yet. Unlike many of their razors, the Schick Hydro Silk™ razor blades are individually mounted to the cartridge which allows the specially designed blade tips to flow smoothly over a woman’s distinctive skin contours.

3.    Unique Skin Guards help protect skin from irritation: the invention of Skin Guards on the top of each blade–to smooth the skin while shaving, which helps reduce irritation–represents both a completely new approach to achieving closeness and an industry advancement in shaving comfort and irritation reduction. The result is a unique shaving experience that no other women’s shaving system offers.

4.    Compact oval cartridge shape for closeness and hydration in all zones: the unique design was developed to answer consumers’ calls for a razor head that easily fit into sensitive and/or hard to reach areas as well as easily maneuvering around curves and contours.

5.    Beautiful, ergonomic and soft aqueous handle: Recognizing that the design aesthetics are as important as the actual functional purpose that the handle serves, Schick spent two years developing the handle. This is Schick’s most beautiful, feminine handle that is as easy to control and maneuver around curves as it is attractive.

Retails for $9.49 at your local drug stores, target, etc.

bsw beauty dept.

Beauty Style Watch and La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center are giving away renowned anti-aging skincare line, SkinMedica, valued at $100.

Contest starts today, January 30 and ends Friday, February 3, 2012 at midnight!  Tell us when you realized your skin needed help!

SkinMedica Tri-Retinol Complex

Three forms of vitamin A improves the appearance of fine lines, aging and sun-damaged skin. Enhances skin texture to renew and revitalize.  Sustained release formulation delivers vitamin A slowly to minimize irritation allowing nightly use.

SkinMedica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer

This light, oil-free formula effectively hydrates skin while antioxidant vitamins C and E protect against free radical damage.

Enter today and you can win!  Winner will be randomly selected according to their answer to our question!  SO, make it a good one…LOL!

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For an event at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City Utah over the weekend, Kate Bosworth’s makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan wanted to be sure the star’s face was clear and happy—in spite of the harsh conditions.

She started by massaging a soothing cream all over Bosworth’s face and neck, turning next to an under-eye moisturizer and a gentle serum, which she applied in small circles outward from the center of the face. “Kate has amazing skin so she really doesn’t need a heavy foundation. I went with a sheer-glow formula that evens out the skin tone without a heavy coverage,” Deenihan said.  A dusting of mineral powder and a creamy poppy blush dabbed on the apples of the cheeks were the finishing touches.

Now if we can just get someone to do the same for her hair.  A bit of a stringy mess wouldn’t you say?

Anything that can turn back the hands of time and improve the texture and firmness of my skin is a product that I will always be willing to try.  So, when the opportunity came to check out WrinkleMD I was eager to get started and see the positive results.  I made the commitment to do exactly as the instructions said, and in a little over a month I was a believer.

After just one treatment I noticed a big improvement around my eyes, so naturally I was psyched to keep going.   In just 40 minutes, WrinkleMD continuously replenishes skin with Hyaluronic Acid to help fill lines and wrinkles, leaving the skin hydrated, smooth and younger looking.

Designed specifically for the wrinkle prone area around the eyes,  WrinkleMD helps to diminish the look of crow’s feet and fine, deep lines underneath the eye while firming the skin at the same time.

No injections, no surgery, just 40 minutes of TLC to your eyes, and results you will love.  The advanced delivery system works deep within the skin’s surface, deeper than the leading anti-wrinkle creams or serums for clinically proven, superior results.

For $129 I would say this is definitely worth the investment, and you can check out these amazing results from women whose have used the product and see for yourself.  WrinkleMD is available at universitymedical.com.

Prep and balance your skin to restore and maximize moisture delivery into your skin with Cellure Stem Cell Skin Care.  Their RECODE balancing toner is fabulous!

Cellure Stem Cell Skin Care Balancing Toner

In a fine mist, this toner hydrates skin, balances the surface and refines pores while it prepares skin for ideal moisture absorption.  Skin looks and feels dewy, supple and luminous.  Chamomile, antiseptic, and aloe help calm and soothe irritation and help bind hydration.

After cleansing, mist directly onto your face and neck.  It can be held up to 12” from the face. Pat gently into your skin follow with moisturizer.

Ingredients include:   Aloe vera leaf juice, Butylene glycol , PEG 40 hydrogenated castor oil , Human Adipocyte Conditoned Media Extract , Ethylhexylglycerin , Sodium benzoate, Panthenol (pro-vitamin  B5), RED 33, BLUE 1.

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Interested in  products that are for both men and women, are 100% organic and are Fair Trade Certified? Then look no further than Kumani Essentials, made in West Africa.  Created with shea butter, Kumani Essentials also utilizes ingredients like Aloe Leaf Juice, White Tea Extract, Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil and more.  Sounds great, right? You can read more about these and how they are made by going here. 

I tried a few items from Kumani and love them! The Shea Drench Hydrating Cleanser with Micro Beads is ideal for dry skin. I like the micro beads- they are not gritty or harsh at all. I actually use this all over my body, not just my face. The Daily Dose Tonic is a soothing toner that removes dirt and other impurities, think of it as the final step in the cleansing process to remove whatever  cleanser has left behind. The Hydrating Moisturizer infuses skin with rich skin softening hydration. I love this for my hands, chest, neck and dabbed on my smile lines and eye area.

As I age (I’m silently weeping over turning forty soon) I really want to treat my skin gently and use the best products I can, as naturally as possible. I’m thrilled to be able to recommend Kumani Essentials to you. Take a moment and read about this brand. They also offer body care and hair care.

Check out more of Cindy at hellodollface.com

Is 2012 finally the year that you’re going to get your body back into shape?  Have you put it off so long now that you can’t even see the path back to a better you?  Well, don’t throw in the towel yet!  You can still get yourself to the pre-pregnancy, pre-marriage, pre-holiday weight in no time.  All it takes is the right attitude, a very strong will power, determination and a great support system.

Get yourself a jogging partner

If you enjoy the quietness of the morning, grab a friend or spouse and get moving.  You can jog, run, or speed walk.  All great for the heart, mind and body.  Try not to eat before your work out since it can slow you down.  Believe it or not, eating a healthy breakfast after a work out will speed up your metabolism.  Do drink plenty of water and carry a bottle with you.  Remember, as you sweat, your body loses fluids and you’ll need to replace them quickly.  Dehydration can cause dizziness and nausea.

Yoga is one of the best ways to get your body back into shape from head to toe!

I am a HUGE fan of yoga!  Another great way to get yourself back into shape!  People are always asking me how I stay so slim…YOGA!!!!  I really don’t do anything else except cardio on my yoga off days and sit ups, of course.  (Gotta keep those abs toned for bikini weather.)  There are many types of yoga ranging from slow breathing & stretching to fast tempo type aerobics.  There is also hot yoga where you sweat for an hour and a half while doing all of your favorite yoga poses and stretches.  All while getting out your toxins and impurities and opening up your vital organs like your kidneys and liver!  Fabulous:)  Try them all if you’re up for it and see which one is best for you…

Regarding your diet, try waking up every morning to a glass of water with lemon.  It will cleanse your body and give you a little boost of energy before your work out.  Keep a diary throughout each day of your food & beverage intake and the amount.  At the end of each week look at your progress and see if you’re keeping to your new health routine.  Eventually, it will become part of your regular every day life and the pounds will start shedding slowly.

DO NOT EXPECT an immediate weight loss.  Gradual is better…this way it WILL STAY OFF!  I know you’ll have days where you want to quit.  BUT DON’T!  Give it at least 1 month and I promise you will look and feel so much better about yourself!

A New You For 2012

Please keep us posted on your progress!  Send before & after photos!

xoxo

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Now that 2012 has officially begun, it’s time to get your beauty routine back on track.  Start by making a list of all the things you need to buy and do in order to achieve better, clearer,  healthier, and younger looking skin…Get that glowing skin you have been dreaming about!

How to get healthier glowing skin in 2012

First, before you do anything to your face, I would suggest getting a facial.  You’ll want to slough off those nasty old dead skin cells and get that face circulating again.  If you don’t have a regular facialist, I would suggest asking a friend who does.  Recommendations are the way to go!  Pamela Ford-Stevens, owner of Wild Flower Skin is my girl here in Los Angeles.  She has magical hands and my skin just glows for weeks after one of her facials!

Second, buy yourself a fabulous skincare line such as Sudden Youth, Is Clinical or Tata Harper.  Three of my favorite lines!  Each one makes my skin brighter and younger looking…I sometimes combine all three on my face.  There are so many skincare lines out there…But you need to know your skin type before you purchase one.  That’s why I recommend a facial first.  (She/he will analyze your skin before they touch your skin)

Remember, wash your face in the morning and especially at night!  I can’t tell you how many young gals I know who do not wash their face at night!  Your pores are being clogged all day long with pollutants and other harmful environmental factors that need to be cleansed on a daily basis.  Girls!  DO NOT, I REPEAT…DO NOT go to bed with a stitch of makeup on…eventually you will wake up to a pimple or pimples…NOT PRETTY!

Other skin brighteners I recommend are:  Exuviance, I use a pad in the morning and my skin just glows!  Love, love this product!!!  I get lots of compliments when I use it.  My all time fav is Egyptian Magic.  For an instant glow under my eyes I apply a little bit each morning before I apply my SPF 50 by Bioelements.  Never leave home without applying a good SPF!

Well girls, get to it!!!  No more excuses for not taking proper care of your skin.  Start today and by 2013 you’ll be surprised how much better your skin looks!  Make sure to take a picture before and after.  Let us know how your skin is progressing along with a list of the product you are using!  We’ll feature it on BSW:)

Here’s to a new you:)!

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