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Rosacea, sensitive skin and inflammatory acne are all skin conditions that require gentle care. Very few people have true rosacea, but many people have inflamed skin due to environmental factors, harsh products, and stress. It is common for people of Northern European origin to be prone to what is often labeled rosacea, where the skin is dry, red and easily irritated; typically those people will have a fair, pink complexion. Acne rosacea is an eruption that affects the whole face and is associated with seborrhea (excessive oiliness). Pustules typically appear on the nose, cheeks and chin giving an over all red flushed appearance. Both types are affected by fluctuating temperature, sun exposure, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages, which all aggravate the condition. While there is no real cure for rosacea, it can be managed through life style and your daily skin care routine.
Whether you have a mild or more aggressive form of rosacea, it is important to eliminate any products that could cause irritation in the skin, this includes make-up! Switch to a mineral based make-up foundation that is as pure as possible. Use only products that are soothing and calming to the skin, so avoid any exfoliants except for a gentle peeling when your skin is not flared up. Use a sulfate-free cleansing cream or milk containing anti-inflammatory ingredients such as German chamomile or lavender. Follow with at calming, hydrating floral mist, and a light serum that contains skin-soothing essential oils of carrot seed, rose, or German chamomile. For a richer moisturizer, look for oat beta glucan (derived from oatmeal), calendula, burdock root, sea algae extracts as well as anti-oxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. Always, remember to wear sun block before going out, zinc oxide serves as a protective layer for the skin against the environment. If stress is the culprit, taking a daily blend of anxiety-reducing flower essences such as Rescue Remedy is helpful in managing your stress.
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How can you read your face? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine different areas of the face correspond to different organs in the body. Some times, acne, congestion, facial lines, and the color of our skin will tell us how we are doing internally in our bodies and can be an indicator of imbalances that we can correct.
Forehead: relates to digestive and bladder issues and can be caused by having difficulty breaking down certain foods. Watch out for hair products and dirty hats/caps.
Eyes: puffiness or dark circles in this area may be hereditary or can be a sign of stagnation or an imbalance with the kidney/liver. Daily dry brushing your body will improve the lymphatic system and in response promote circulation to the eye area.
Cheeks: breakouts correspond to stomach issues and can be caused by eating too much sugar. Stress is also a factor. Be sure to clean make-up brushes, pillowcases and cell phones, which are in contact with your skin and could be an irritant. Also, check your blush and make sure it is not causing any skin problems.
Lower cheeks: congestion or lines in that area are represented by the lungs so incorporating deep breathing as a part of your daily routine can be helpful to clear up your skin and reduce lines.
Chin: acne in this area has to do with hormonal imbalances as well as stress and is represented by kidney imbalances. Do avoid resting face on hands and watch your toothpaste, as those are both common aggravators.
As we know, the health of our skin depends on many factors that we can control externally with good hygiene, using the appropriate products, sleep, diet and exercise; however, sometimes internal imbalances can be the culprit. The Chinese Face Map is merely a guide and something to think about as you evaluate the health of your own skin. Doing a spring detox or a kidney/liver cleanse may help boost the clarity and radiance of the skin – it certainly will make you feel good!
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Gunilla Skin Alchemy
As featured in Sunset Magazine, February 2011 and San Francisco Magazine 2010. Check back soon for more information!
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The type of cleanser you use is very important since it is the first step in your skin care routine. It is important to use a cleanser that is not too drying for your skin, but will do the job. Your skin should feel slightly taut after cleansing but not overly dry and never irritated. I try to avoid any cleansers that contain sodium laryl sulfate in it, as they tend to be drying and often slightly irritating to the skin. Sodium laureth sulfate, on the other hand, although still a cleansing detergent is less foaming and therefore fine.
While picking the appropriate cleanser for your skin is very important, it is how you use your cleanser that often gets overlooked. Work the cleanser into your skin for about 60 seconds; count it out loud just to be sure. The massaging action of the cleanser into the skin stimulates oxygen flow to the tissues and encourages waste products to be flushed through the system. Follow with a soft washcloth to thoroughly remove the cleanser from the skin; any remaining residue could cause clogging of the pores. I recommend investing in a few nice, soft washcloths so that you have a clean washcloth preferably for every day of the week. I notice a significant improvement in the tone of my client’s skin when they use a washcloth daily. If you do a proper cleansing followed by a replenishing cream at night, it is not necessary to wash your skin in the morning. Your skin should feel fresh and clean upon waking so all you need to do is a quick rinse; moisturizer, sun block and you are ready to go.
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Facial oils also sometimes called facial serums are becoming very popular due to their emollient properties and purity of ingredients. There are different categories of oils; some are more moisturizing and regenerating whereas others are cleansing and purifying. The idea of using an oil for the skin follows the principles of “like treats like”, meaning that if you have oily skin, applying a light facial oil will actually balance the oil production of your skin and not enhance it. Face oils alone will not clog the pores unless you use a heavier oil as a base when applying moisturizer or foundation over it. On the other hand if you suffer from dry or dehydrated skin, you would want to use a moisturizing face oil as base, let it absorb and then follow with an appropriate moisturizer.
Is your skin combination to oily? Then look for facial oils that contain hazelnut oil; which is cleansing for the skin and jojoba oil which is very light and resembles the skin’s own natural sebum. Rose hip and primrose oils have wonderful hydrating and soothing properties whereas avocado and Argan oil are excellent for nourishing and regenerating the skin. The best way to apply a facial oil is after cleansing on damp skin, massage a couple of drops into the skin and let sit for a minute; if you need more hydration, follow with moisturizer; if it feels slightly oily, remove excess with a damp cotton pad – the skin will have absorbed what it needs!
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The challenges of keeping the skin radiant while traveling is loss of moisture, so these are the “must-haves”, I tell my clients when they travel; hydrating mist, such as a rosewater freshener to replenish moisture throughout the flight, a hydrating facial cream or facial oil, non petroleum based lip balm, and if you have extra space an eye gel to keep those crows feet away.
Also, it is good precaution to wear sun block if you travel on airplanes during daytime; due to higher altitudes you are subjected to higher than normal exposure from the sun, and UV rays can penetrate an airplane’s windows causing damage and dehydration to the skin. Drinking plenty of water is a beauty must of course!
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The key to treating fine lines and deep wrinkles on the upper lip area is prevention! While smoking is an obvious no no, women often forget that drinking from water bottles that have a sport top or from any bottle that requires a sucking motion, and thus puckering of the lips promotes lines to form or deepen in that area. Be sure to take the cap off when drinking from sports bottles or better yet switch to a stainless steel bottle that has a large rim and that can be re-used.
Eliminating the original cause for lines to form is the first step in treating wrinkles around the mouth, the second step is to incorporate treatment creams or serums that contain ingredients such as enzymes, vitamin A, AHA’s to smooth out the lines. Massaging around the mouth and the upper lip daily is also helpful. Start at the bottom of your mouth, using both your ring fingers in an upward motion, go the corners of your mouth then fingers meet at center of upper lip and then up around the nose towards the corner of your eyes. Repeat 6-12 times.
Lastly, a weekly cream-based mask to plump up the skin and keep it hydrated is a great addition to keep those lines at bay.
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Wow, this month it is 5 years ago since I opened Gunilla Skin Butik… so many things have happened since! I have launched my own line of Gunilla Skin Alchemy facial oils early this year and today we are launching the new look of my website that will include a shopping cart for those of my clients who have moved away and still want to have their beauty needs met.
I am celebrating this 5-year milestone with A Sense of Beauty event this Thursday evening, June 17th from 6:30-9:30 pm. This event is in collaboration with dear friends of mine who are also small business owners; it is meant to awaken our sense of beauty through taste, touch and smell. We will have wine tasting by my favorite award winning Vineyard Eden Canyon from Paso Robles, beauty conscious hors d’oeuvres from Persimmon Events and a chance to experience the intoxicating scents of pure aromatic essences from Gunilla Skin Alchemy facial oils.
Looking forward to this new online adventure and to serve your skin and beauty needs from near and afar.
I welcome any feedback and comments on the feel, look and user-friendliness of the new site.
Yours in beauty,
Gunilla
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