This last weekend, I went to Vegas for a weekend of intense skin care education.
The International Esthetic Conference and Spa Convention is the largest spa conference in the nation, showcasing hundreds of product lines, advanced education, demonstrations, and networking. Watershed’s in-house product line, Eminence Organic Skin Care, was one of the largest exhibitors there, with 6 classes total as well as live demonstrations at the booth.
Armed with new knowledge and some hot new massage moves, here are a few things I picked up.
Did you know?
After the age of 30, the skin loses an 1/8th of a teaspoon of volume every year!
Your skin’s volume is comprised of collagen, adipose (fatty tissue), and hyaluronic acid. Optimal levels of all three give your skin the bounce and luminosity many of us enjoy.
So, what happens when your skin loses the ability to retain all three components?
Collagen and adipose are hard to replace naturally (read further), but lucky for us, hyaluronic acid is replaceable. Look for cleansers, masques, and serums that contain hyaluronic acid that can easily be absorbed into the skin. Eminence’s Firm Skin line contains acai berry and naturally occurring hyaluronic acid derived from marshmallow root.
When combined with a professional facial massage, prime absorption occurs, expression lines are softened, and facial muscles are relaxed. In addition to hyaluronic acid, regenerative stem cell technology has proven to rebuild the skin’s fatty tissue and helps us to retain useful hydration.
Look for products containing natural Retinol alternatives using tara tree and chicory root–these ingredients will be your biggest line of defense in helping to re-up your natural collagen content. Eminence boasts a huge line of these products, including the Bamboo Age Corrective Masque, the Monoi Nighttime Body Lotion for face and neck, and the Bamboo Firming Fluid, among others.
Did you know?
A lot of your wrinkles and expression lines are the product of your poor posture!
Think about it. The way that you scrunch your shoulders when you’re stressed, the way you hunch over at the computer, the way you’re constantly tilting your neck down to look at your smart phone? These little things will eventually contribute to unwanted wrinkles.
When your shoulders and back are tense, your face holds more tension. That’s where the “worry lines” and furrowed brows appear. When you’re tilting your neck to check out emails on your phone, you’re contributing to premature neck wrinkles. Unintentionally shrugging or hunched over at your desk, poring over work documents? You’re creating creases and lines on your chest/décolletage.
What’s the remedy for this?
Upper body massage during a facial works wonders.
We’re not just talking about a light circular movement with fingertips. We’re talking neck stretches, pinching and rolling the facial muscles, sliding the hands into the upper back to release tension, using the hilt of the hand to pressure-release the forehead lines, and pressure point work at the base of the neck to fully relax the entire body and allow premium facial products to do their best work when applied during massage.
It’s amazing to discover that the healthiest skin comes from being relaxed and supple from simple, timeless facial massage techniques.
After a weekend of advanced skin education, and the excitement from being surround by other enthusiastic skin therapists, I’m excited to treat your most concerning skin conditions this summer. Here’s to perfect skin texture, ultimate sun protection, and learning the tricks to take care of your complexion outside of the treatment room!
