Glow October 13 2016
Want to achieve the Hollywood Glow that you see on the red carpet?You can get your skin in shape and glowing by supporting your skin inside and out. You can achieve a face that the camera loves under any light with a few top tips from me below!
1. Start from within! My go-to skin supplement is "Bend Beauty."
It's packed with anti-oxidants and omegas. After a month your skin will have a natural internal defense against harmful rays from the sun and you will a notice an improvement in the appearance of the size of your pores, creating a beautiful texture. Your skin will be nice and plump with the right, balanced amount of lipids. This formula helps defend your skin from environmental factors, which is super important for us living in Los Angeles.
2. Hydrate.
A majority of people have little water content within their skin climate. Dehydration causes fine lines and a lack luster complexion. Drink water high in enzymes and electrolytes. It's even more effective to eat foods high in water content like cucumbers and watercress. Topically apply a hyaluronic acid morning and night to feed your skin with high performing hydration. My favorite is Luzern's "Rehydrate."
3. Skin Gym.
Getting a monthly skin treatment is very important to keep your skin in tip-top shape. It's natural for our skin to have different needs month to month due to stress, weather, hormones, etc. I work from a place of inspiration versus inflammation. Treatments that work with the skin's own phenomenal ability to stay beautiful are the best if you want to stay youthful and natural looking.
4. Know your ABC's!
Support your skin with vitamins A, B, and C. These are the building blocks to strong skin.
Vitamin A supports proper exfoliation, builds collagen and helps to diminish fine lines.
Vitamin B increases the production of ceramides and fatty acids, major components of your skin's outer protective barrier. This creates a calm environment for the skin and prevents water loss. It also evens out skin tone by preventing melanin transfer, helping to creating a beautiful glow.
Vitamin C helps protects against oxidants, balances pigment by being a natural tyrosinase inhibitor. It also supports production of collagen type 1.
5. Tone your muscles.
To create your most photogenic, Hollywood glam face, you have to create clean lines by having a defined and toned architecture. Due to internal and external factors, our muscles weaken and the layers of our face start to loose their once strong and vital connection to each other. You can receive treatments like the Bio-Lift, or DermalBonding at my clinic to keep these layers strong and to retrain and tone the skin and muscles of the face. You can purchase a NuFace devise and use on a very regular basis to help achieve toned skin and muscles at home.
Whether you're walking the red carpet or just want to feel camera ready at any moment, you can feel confident by just giving a little extra love and time to your face!
Photo courtesy of LVBX Magazine
My Article featured in LVBX Magazine! xo
Our skin loves a good workout!
When our heart rate goes up, more blood flows to our muscles. Our capillaries expand to carry needed oxygen throughout our body. Our blood vessels dilate to carry more blood near the skin’s surface, feeding the skin with good things.
But it’s important for us to support the skin against excessive water loss and excessive inflammation. Always make sure to prep your workout using a soothing foaming or lathering cleanser. Nothing too harsh or abrasive.
I have my patients use my soothing “Modern Cleanser” to help prep their skin. It contains licorice root, a potent ingredient that reduces redness and inflammation. Harsh exfoliants or cleansers will only exacerbate extra inflammation.
Since sweating causes a lot of moisture to evaporate, it’s important to keep up the pH of the skin while sweating by using a balancing toner. My favorite is Luzern’s Alpine o2 Glacial Toner. A lower pH balance results in redness and breakouts while higher results in dryness and sensitivity.
Sweating also causes a lot of moisture to evaporate, so be sure to apply a hyaluronic serum. Even if some of the serum sweats off, your skin will still get some protection. Sweating can be a great way to detoxify your skin, but touching machines and equipment can spread bacteria to your skin.
If you have long hair, put it up in a ponytail our use a headband so you do not have to touch your face and hair. When I go to yoga class I bring a washcloth that I soak in witch hazel and distilled water. I use it on top of my mat and yoga towel for extra protection from bacteria.
It’s always important to support your skin from the inside too! My favorite juice alchemist Kiel Pollitt, the founder and owner of L.A Juice has created my two favorite workout drinks. “Green Juice” is always great for your skin with its chlorophyll content to create more oxygen in the blood. It’s lighter and works great for sipping throughout your workout. Celery, cucumber, cilantro, spinach, lemon ginger and green apple is always a great mix! If you’re not a fan of flavor while you workout, I recommend sipping electrolyte water to rehydrate. His “Moon Smoothie” is delicious. It has homemade almond milk, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, red cabbage and bee pollen. It’s super fresh, has lots of protein, and makes for a nice breakfast before an early workout or an ideal post-workout shake.
After your workout, make sure to wash with a gentle cleanser using cool water to take down inflammation. Stay away from harsh scrubs! Your skin is a bit more vulnerable. My go-to post workout serum is Luzern’s Rehydrate. It’s filled with hyaluronic and b5 to support and replenish the water balance in the skin. It also has lipids and ceramides that restore our vital moisture barrier. Your face will absorb things faster right after a workout so hold off a bit on strong retinols, or AHAs.
If you can relax after, this is a great time to apply your hydrating and soothing sheet masks. Your skin will drink it up!
Working out does the mind, body and soul good. Just remember to give some extra love and support to your skin!
Photo courtesy of LVBX Magazine
Growing up, I loved old Hollywood. I was watching a documentary and saw Bette Davis dipping her face in a sink full of ice cubes. This was a tried-and-true beauty ritual of many actresses and actors, including Paul Newman. I right away ran to the freezer; grabbed all the ice cubes I could find and tried it for myself! It felt shockingly cold, but it was invigorating and gave me an extra “glow”. Okay, granted I was in the 1st grade, but it did make me feel very glamorous. Maybe it’s the Swedish in me, or growing up in the cold Santa Cruz Ocean, but I’ve always loved the powerful feeling of the cold.
Today, Crotherapy, ice baths and freezing facials have been gaining more and more popularity and media attention.
So why does the cold feel so good and how does it create health and beauty?
Let’s start with our beauty sleep.
Sleep cool. Over a 24-hour period, our body temperature naturally peaks and declines. While we sleep, our bodies naturally cool down. Helping your body get to that lower temperature faster can encourage a deeper and more restorative sleep time.
This deep sleep will allow your body to release more melatonin, one of our best anti-aging hormones. Another perk! Studies show that sleeping in a 60-67 degree room makes you burn more calories than while awake, and can inspire your body to burn more calories the following day.
Air conditioning can create a dry and dehydrating environment, so I recommend keeping a bedroom cool by opening windows, sleeping naked, using light bedding, running a fan, and keeping your feet out of the sheets. You can also purchase a “cooling pillow” to help naturally draw the heat away from your body.
Cooling ingredients in skincare create comfort and beauty.
Sensitive skin especially loves feeling relief from heat and discomfort. Whether it’s caused by rosacea, post treatment inflammation, eczema, dermatitis, etc., there are products that can deliver the cool! Peppermint, violet-Viola Odorata Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, and menthol are extremely effective. When topically applied to the skin, menthol produces a cooling sensation by blocking a current along the nerves responsible for detecting temperature, triggering a response in nerve endings that makes the body think it’s cooling down. Cooling ingredients can also improve the flow of blood to the skin causing a temporary plumping effect. Love the plump! Starting to see now why cold is such an essential beauty tool?
Another point to consider when it comes to the power of cool; many products heat up their ingredients to be able to mix them to achieve a certain texture or to bottle the product more efficiently. This, just like when we over heat food, can kill vital nutrients and change the product on a molecular level. Do your research on how your product is created.
CryoFacial: Next level skincare.
This is the “Bette Davis ice dip” on steroids!
Benefits:
–Reduces inflammation, which supports our own anti-aging mechanisms.
–Relieves edema/swelling. AKA puffy face.
–Makes your pores look tight and your texture smooth and firm.
–The treatment creates a vascular reaction that enhances the penetration of products, creating better hydration and performance of topically applied vitamins and nutrients.
It not only stimulates collagen but also the Queen of Youthful Skin: elastin.
Cold promotes cell repair, making it a game changer for healing, especially post-procedures. The treatment flushes your skin with healing blood and nutrients making it feel revitalized.
How it works:
Therapies that use cold temperatures stimulate circulation.
The cold causes the blood vessels to contract and then dilate. This improves the oxygen and nutrient supply to the skin’s surface, making it appear more youthful.
Skin cooling increases the amount of neurotransmitters in the nerve fibers. This speeds up the metabolism and enzymatic cellular processes.
Therapies that use cold stimulate the release of good growth factors, including cytokines. The signs of aging in the skin can be attributed to a breakdown of collagen and elastin, which gives way to fine lines and wrinkles. Studies show that when the surface of the skin is cooled during cryofacials that the layers beneath are disrupted, and respond by increasing production of elastin, collagen and anti-aging growth factors. This results in brighter, firmer skin as it regains elasticity.
The anti-inflammatory responses of the skin by this cold are also a very effective in caring for chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
Self-care.
You can do many things at home during your beauty routine to benefit from the effects of cold.
Don’t want everyone to know you just injected your lips?
Ice rollers have been popular in Asia and Europe for years, and are now gaining popularity in the States. Retailed Cool Globes are filled with water and gel that you keep in your fridge or freezer and can be used to relieve inflammation in general but are very beneficial following clinical procedures such as lasers and injectables, especially for the extra vascular lip area. Just lightly roll the globes over the entire face and neck or just apply in a specific area.
Big night/Big pimple? Use an ice cube!
Ice reduces the redness by diminishing swollen tissue and any possible weakened capillaries. It can also help to reduce the production of excess oil and acne-causing bacteria. Wrap the ice cube in some gauze soaked in witch hazel for 3-5 minutes.
Too much fun in the sun?
Soaking in a cold ice water bath can provide instant relief. Not only will it alleviate the heat and swelling, but also slightly numb the pain and soothe irritation. Add a cup of apple cider vinegar or an oatmeal bath recipe with some organic chamomile oil and you will feel instant relief.
Have morning after eyes?
Cold Eye Rollers to the rescue! Because blood pools around the eyes and causes dark circles, specially designed cold eye rollers can restore a healthy appearance by reducing swelling and inflammation. Applying a great eye gel with vitamin K will give you even better results.
Keeping it cool.
Simply keep certain products like gel masks, eye treatments, toners and spritzers in the fridge! You can also create your own mask. Try making a mask consisting of Greek yogurt, cucumbers and strawberries. Using cooled products is a simple way to make your skin feel amazing and awake. It can also add to the life and vitality of many products.
Go ahead, enjoy these last days of summer, and just remember to stay cool.
With grace,
Mia Belle
Photo courtesy of LiveBoxMagazine
Want to achieve sufficient exfoliation without using chemicals that will make your skin more sun sensitive?
Derma planing is a manual exfoliation technique used to gently and effectively remove the outermost layers of dead skin cells from the face using a customized medical grade blade. Utilized by a medical practitioner, it can also remove vellus hair or the “peach fuzz” on the face.
It improves texture and lightens up the appearance of hyperpigmentation. This type of exfoliation is suitable for sensitive skin because it’s not aggressive or harsh on the tissue.
There’s no downtime, your products will penetrate more efficiently and your makeup, especially bronzers, will go on smoother.
Dermaplaning is a Summer-Smart choice because chemical peels create heat in the skin and can create an ongoing flaking, making your skin more sensitive to the sun.
I prefer this treatment to other manual or physical exfoliation treatments like microdermabrasion. With microdermabrasion, you’re creating pressure with a vacuum that’s bringing up heat and leading to erythema. With dermaplaning we use a gentle blade on dry skin with light pressure, leaving the skin more resilient against the summer sun and heat.
With smart skin choices, you can have a healthy glow all summer long!
Why does our skin love cold treatments so much?
A few reasons:
It reduces inflammation, edema and pore size. It stimulates collagen and promotes cell repair.
A CryoFacial will flush your skin with blood and nutrients making it feel vital and cool!
"Get Your Skin summer Ready!"
Most of us take great care in keeping our faces looking their best. Then, all of a sudden, we notice our body isn’t looking quite so good.
Many of my patients, like many of you reading this, want to feel empowered with knowing what we can do to get our bodies looking as vital and youthful on the outside to match how vital and youthful we feel on the inside.
There are many options for treatments, but you will get the most out of them if you prepare properly first. This is an important step many patients skip in their treatment plan.
Start four weeks prior with supporting your skin from the inside with high performing supplements such as:
Omegas: to protect from mitochondrial breakdown.
Antioxidants: to protect from cell damage and collagen and to support our connective tissues. Make sure that in particular, your digestive system, liver and adrenal glands are healthy and supported so they’re not draining your bodies natural rejuvenation processes.
Add electrolyte water and beauty foods high in vitamin A such as, sweet potatoes, carrots and butternut squash. Lessening your sodium and alcohol intake is one of the most important diet changes you can make to see a difference in the hydration of your skin.
Make sure you’re exfoliating! Our cells turn over at a slower rate each year, so we need to help inspire new cells with daily exfoliation. You can use a homemade sugar scrub, practice dry brushing, or purchase a mechanical body brush.
Exfoliating creates a prepped canvas for your topicals. I’m a huge fan of serums versus old school body lotions. Your skin can more readily absorb and utilize them. Use serums packed with fatty acids, powerful antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins, my favorites are B3, B5, C, D3, E, and K.
Add yoga or pilates to your exercise routine. You have to support all the layers of the body to have the fittest skin, from the inside bones to the epidermis. These disciplines help strengthen the connective tissues and help make everything look tight and right!
Now your skin will be ready to get the most out of clinical body treatments.
Different areas of the body tend to respond better to certain treatments or modalities.
The knees and elbows improve the most with muscle lifting treatments and peels. (Ulthera, microcurrent, cosmelan peel.)
Muscle laxity will be more visible in these areas and you need to make sure you target both the muscle and the skin to get real results.
The abdomen responds well with heat therapies such as radio frequency and ultrasound. (Thermage, venus freeze) The heat inspires the heat shock proteins and the fibroblasts to create collagen. A lot of patients want to also target fat burning in this area, but you have to consider that any volume loss can create laxity in the skin.
The thighs and buttocks respond well to heat and suction. (Viora) Make sure the suction isn’t too aggressive, this can lead to weakened blood vessels and more trauma than desired to the tissue. The suction can help lessen the appearance of cellulite and help relive water retention, creating a more pleasing aesthetic to the eye and be smoother to the touch.
Keep in mind that if you’ve had liposuction in these areas, the integrity of the tissue can be a bit compromised and you may have to be more patience before you see results.
LED treatments have become trendy for the body. You want to make sure the bulbs are binned to create the perfect therapeutic wave length for real results. The photodynamic light therapy helps regenerate the skin by stimulating collagen and elastin production. (best on market MAX LED technologies)
It has also been proven that certain wavelengths, such as 635 nanometers, can trigger the body’s own natural ability to breakdown fat; a process called lipolysis. During this process the body can release fatty acids which are then used by the body during exercise. Although, I believe it’s best utilized for skin rejuvenation.
Cryotherapy is also trending as an anti-aging skin treatment. This “cold therapy” stimulates growth factors and relieves the body of depleting inflammation. Freezing temperatures send the body into a “survival mode,” which causes blood supply to flow to the most vital organs to relay more oxygen and nutrients. All this supports and feeds the skin.
Some patients respond very well to a mix of modalities. I’ve seen great results with mixing radio frequency and CIT, or needling in the same treatment , or hand piece to tone the skin. This is also especially helpful in wound or scar revision where there’s a loss in pigment, or hypopigmentation.
Keep in mind that your body is half of the chemistry. You need to do your part in prepping for these treatments and you might have to spend a little time and money before you find what works best for you.
Remember to enjoy your body and be grateful for it everyday. Be gentle and loving to yourself, knowing that living a vital lifestyle is truly a beautiful venture.
-Mia Belle
Photo courtesy of LVBX Magazine
We are so inspired by Tisha Morris's passion and knowledge!
She's a best selling author and the creator of Earth Home, a platform that's committed to creating a new way of living where spirituality meets design by using a combination of principles in feng shui, space clearing, interior design, sustainability, clutter clearing, and land healing.
We discussed our views with her about the structural aesthetics of the face and how every line and detail, similar to interior design has an effect on the eye of the beholder. She then shared with us some theories on facial characteristics from the art of Chinese Face Reading. Below is a piece she wrote for us to share with you. We are grateful for Tisha and all the beauty she adds to this world! We hope you enjoy the read!
Feng Shui For Your Face
Not only does beauty runs skin deep, but it also reveals a lot about your personality. The ancient art of Chinese Face Reading has been used for thousands of years and reveals a lot more about your face than you might think. Chinese Face Reading was originally used for the purpose of making medical diagnoses and still used by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners. Every major organ is represented in the face and presents a complete picture of one’s health.
Each facial feature is also associated with one of the Five Elements. The Five Elements are the cornerstone of Chinese Medicine and Feng Shui. That’s right, your home and body are both made up of the same Five Elements. We are a composition of the Five Elements, but predominant in one or two of the elements, which reveals our personality, strengths, and challenges. The more prominent that feature is on your face, the more indicative of your embodying that element.
And if you’re wondering if cosmetic facial treatments and alterations can change your personality, the answer is yes. We have the power to change ourselves and become who we want at any time. The following are some of the key facial features associated with each of the element types.[1]
Wood Facial Features:
- Thick, strong eyebrows
- Protruding brow bone
- Indented temples
- Prominent or well-defined jaw
- Tall and lanky body type – or short and compact
Fire Facial Features:
- Sparkling eyes, “light” in the eyes
- Red and/or curly hair, spiky or extreme hairstyles, balding on top of the head
- Easy smile and laugh
- Slim hips
- Pink flush to complexion, freckles
- Dimples
- Pointed tops of mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and/or eyebrows
Earth Facial Features:
- Round face
- Roundness to the body, especially the stomach
- Generous mouth in comparison to rest of features
- Full lips
- Full and/or softly rounded lower cheeks
- Large breasts in women; large muscles in men
- Thick calves
Metal Facial Features:
- Large nose
- Prominent upper cheeks
- Wide spaces between features
- Fine bone structure, small wrists and ankles
- Graceful, regal bearing
- Hypermetabolism, tend to be slim
- Pale complexion for racial heritage
Water Facial Features:
- Broad or high, domed forehead
- Distinct shadowing above and/or below the eyes; dreamy, mysterious-looking eyes
- Well-defined philtrum
- Strong, prominent chin
- Large ears and/or earlobes
- Large hips and/or slight plumpness or softness to the face and body, with no sharp features
- Large, strong bones (thick wrists and ankles), healthy teeth
- Thick or wavy lustrous hair
- Black undertone to complexion
Now that you’re seeing your face in a new light, what does it say about you? Below is a snapshot of each of the elemental characteristics as they pertain to people. You may recognize yourself simply by reading the description.
Wood Element - Wood Element people are the leaders, inventors, seekers, and visionaries. They will take the lead in groups and take action steps to create movement in projects. They can easily vacillate between being introverted and extroverted depending on what a situation calls for. When movement in projects or relationships stalls, the Wood element is quick to become frustrated. Wood elements keep things in forward motion and their challenge is to know when to contract their energy or take a step back in order for real expansion to occur.
Fire Element - Fire Element people are high energy and generally extroverted. They are often the life of the party and enjoy life. Similar to a flame, they create the highest expression of energy in the form of enthusiasm and passion. Fire elements provide the fuel in projects in order that they manifest in its highest and truest form. When out of balance, the Fire element can become burnt out. Its energy can easily scatter in too many areas without proper focus, which can lead to anxiety.
Earth Element - Earth Element people are the grounding force that keeps the status quo maintained so that change doesn’t happen too quickly. They are highly supportive people that bring harmony to groups and help maintain the peace. They go out of their way to not ruffle feathers. They do not like change and can become controlling if taken to the extreme. Worry is their default emotion, especially when something seems out of their control that could lead to possible change.
Metal Element - Metal Element people are natural organizers and keep things in check and on schedule. They make great accountants, engineers, scientists, editors, architects, personal assistants, and professional organizers. They are detail-oriented, focused, and love an orderly environment with even their storage items labeled appropriately. They tend to cut to the chase in conversation without the need for embellishments. Their imbalance can show up as being obsessive, perfectionist, or overly rigid in their mindsets. They tend to have tunnel vision without the ability to see a bigger picture.
Water Element - Water Element people are quiet and typically introverted, and yet so unassuming. They hold a quiet strength. They may seem fragile at times, but they are anything but. All creation is born from water and those of the Water Element are no exception. They are deeply creative, contemplative, and introspective. When out of balance, Water elements can become withdrawn and aloof. They tend to keep their emotions close to them and process slowly before taking action.
To learn more about Tisha, go to http://www.earthhome.tv
Tisha Morris is the best-selling author of Decorating With the Five Elements ofFeng Shui (Llewellyn 2015), Mind Body Home: Transform Your Life One Room at a Time (Llewellyn 2012), and Feng Shui Your Life: The Quick Guide to DeclutteringYour Home and Renewing Your Life (Turner Publishing 2010). Tisha is based in Los Angeles and works one-on-one with clients’ homes and business. Tisha also facilitates workshops and trains others to become certified feng shui consultants.
[1] The following is from Tisha Morris, Decorating With the Five Elements of Feng Shui, Llewellyn Publishing 2015, quoting Jean Haner, The Wisdom of Your Face, Hay House Inc. 2008.
POWER TO THE BROW!
The way humans read/scan other human faces is beyond fascinating. The space between our eyes, the length of a nose, the bow of a lip, all create a reaction in the human mind. We will observe, take in data and create an idea of that person coming from our understanding of spirituality,politics,aesthetics,community,intellect and our past experiences. Next time you look at a face, allow yourself to be conscious of how you're taking that person in!
View:
http://www.attn.com/stories/3987/eyebrows-and-feminism?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=internal
HUM nutrition creates some of my fav supplements!
I joined a team of health care experts including, nutritionist Alex Caspero, and holistic medicine physician Dr. Agarwal for HUM's latest article on healing and preventing dry skin.
Check out the full article at :
https://www.humnutrition.com/blog/truth-dry-skin-care-guide/
Just a taste:
In addition, sun exposure in the summer along with dry, arid climates can damage cells and limit the skin’s ability to hold onto moisture or repair itself. Mia Belle, Paramedical Aesthetician and CEO of Mia Belle skin, describes the process. “Your body via the organ of the skin will try to keep itself hydrated by absorbing water from its external environment. If you live in a dry environment, it will have to grab more water internally to keep hydrated, eventually creating epidermal water loss.”
So happy to have been able to help celebrate Francesca Camp in Malibu's article on her skin treatment "face camp".
The product was created around the amazing helping properties of niacin on the skin. I've used vitamin B complexes to heal wounds, balance out acne, and smooth out scars and fine lines. It's also part of many of my body treatments. Great for cellulite!
Read below to check out Derm NZ's info on test recently done on the use of B complexes.
And check out face camp @ http://www.francescacamp.com/feel-the-burn.html
xo
-Nicotinate, has been shown to be effective in clearing acne. In a controlled clinical trials nicotinamide gel was found to be as effective as topical antibiotics. The study concluded that the anti-inflammatory properties of nicotinamide may have contributed towards its success in acne.
Nicotinamide also reduces facial sebum production.Nicotinamide gel is marketed as an over-the-counter treatment for acne in Canada, Australia, NZ, UK, USA and Ireland.
Nicotinamide has anti-aging benefits. It serves as a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), which are co-enzymes essential for numerous metabolic pathways. These co-enzymes play a key role in the metabolism of glucose, cellular energy production, and synthesis of lipids. The levels of NADH / NADPH (the reduced forms of NAD and NADP) decrease with age, and topical nicotinamide appears to reverse the decline.
In multiple clinical studies, topical nicotinamide improved fine lines and wrinkles, hyper pigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness (yellowing) as well as elasticity. One study showed nicotinamide to increase the skin's production of ceramides, which are natural emollients and skin protectants, thus improving skin hydration.
Nicotinamide is well tolerated and often can be used by those who cannot tolerate topical retinoids or fruit acids.
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a major risk factor for skin cancer development. The mechanisms by which UVR leads to cancer are complex including direct damage to DNA and effects on the immune system. Nicotinamide has been shown to enhance the repair of direct and oxidative DNA damage in human keratinocytes and in human skin. A reduction in skin cancers has also been observed in high-risk sun-damaged patients treated with nicotinamide.
We are so inspired by Tisha Morris's passion and knowledge!
