Favourite Self Tanning Products

           As a skin therapist I'm not one to condone tanning beds but I still love how I feel when I have a tan. I thought I'd share a few of my favourite products to help achieve that natural sun kissed glow.

          St.Tropez tanning products are hands down my favourite tanning products :) I prefer the spray over the lotions. Just make sure that you prepare your skin properly. Proper preparation includes a really good exfoliation for the whole body. I would recommend using Dermalogica's ultimate buffing cloth along with a pH balanced body wash (one that doesn't dry out the skin) such as conditioning body wash by Dermalogica.

          After exfoliating the skin you want to make sure it's properly hydrated for a nice even application. Be sure to moisture your skin earlier on in the day NOT immediately before applying the tanning product because if you do it may act as a barrier cream. With that being said, you can use moisturizer immediately before on dryer areas such as elbows, knees, palms of the hands and feet, knuckles, and ankles so that you don't absorb too much product in those areas creating darker pigmentation.

Clarisonic

We got this product in our spa not too long ago and started to use it in all of our facials during the second cleanse. It is an effective and efficient way to do a really deep cleanse without disrupting your skins integrity. There are different heads and attachments you can use depending on your skin type or the part of the body you are working on. I'm going to get the body brush with my next order because it's such a great exfoliation, it stimulates circulation and it helps reduce the appearance of cellulite (daily vigorous massage & increased circulation).  May as well give it a go!

Sonic Cleansing Benefits:

• Removes 6X more makeup than manual cleansing
• Leaves skin feeling and looking smoother
• Removes impurities that keep creams and serums from working their best
• Gentle enough to use twice a day
• Reduces oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes
• Minimizes the appearance of visible pores

How to Use Sonic Cleansing

Our Sonic Skin Cleansing Systems gently and effectively remove dirt and oil, and prepare your skin for moisturizers and serums. 

Softer, smoother, cleaner skin in just 60 seconds:

Charge the handle in the charging cradle.

Wet your skin and apply cleanser to the brush head.

Use circular motion; 20 sec. on forehead, 20 sec. on nose/chin, 10 sec. on each cheek.

Wedding Season

Wedding season is upon us so I'd thought I'd share a few useful tips when it comes to photo ready skin :)

      The most important aspect of wedding makeup starts with the canvas. Having smooth, refined, and hydrated skin is the best base for flawless makeup. I recommend a series of 3 facials, 2 weeks apart leading up to the big day. Your last facial should be 7 to 10 days prior to the wedding. This just ensures that you have time for your skin to heal incase it starts to detoxify before the big day. If you have it in your budget, try and incorporate a microdermabrasion or an AHA peel into that series at least once for best results. Night before the wedding, exfoliate your skin and use a nourishing masque - my favourite "pick me up" for your skin is Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask by Dermalogica.

          Now that you've prepared the perfect canvas, ensure you have the right make up style picked out. The main focus should be your skin. Ensure that you have a flawless base (foundation set with a powder - preferably a mineral powder as they tend to give you a nice natural glow), and a nice soft blush and maybe a little bronzer. If  you don't typically wear a lot of make up, now is not the time to be experimenting. Simple neutral colours on the eyes always look best. Maybe incorporate some bronze colours in the eyes if you want. If you don't wear strip eyelashes on a regular basis, I would advise against wearing strip lashes on your wedding day. They can be quite heavy and cause you to look like you have "lazy eyes" in photos. You can achieve the same look using individual eyelashes - they are much lighter and won't weigh down your eyelids. Eyebrows frame the face so make sure they've been shaped and trimmed before hand. If you are going to fill them in (which I recommend) use a colour that is a couple of shades lighter then the colour of your actual brows. For your lips, lip liner tends to work best and last the longest. Be sure that you fill in your lips completely with the liner after you line them and then top off with a nice gloss. Powder is best for lining the lower lash line of the eyes and use a dark brown not black. Most brides tend to cry, so we want to try and avoid "racoon eyes" or streaking. With that being said, waterproof mascara is a must!

     Be careful when it comes to spray tans, as a lot of them rub off onto light clothing, especially if you sweat. Maybe try out a few spray tans before the wedding and see which ones look the best. You want it to look natural and ensure that it doesn't streak or rub off on clothing. Make sure you exfoliate your body before the tan and use moisturizer everyday so that it lasts :)