Why do we have dark circles?

Extra thin eye skin allows you to see the blood vessels.  An inset bone structure (deep set or hollowness around the eyes) can cause a shadow.  Leaky vessels and blood leaks from capillaries can cause eye dark, because of excessive blood.  After surgeries, severe bruising under the eyes can form which can give a rust-colored stain under the eyes.

What happens when you have lack of sleep?

Lack of sleep decreases circulation and can cause it to appear dull, lifeless, and lack of circulation under the eye can make under-eye circles become more apparent.  Lack of sleep makes the skin look pale and tired, dull, and lifeless.  When the circulatory system is compromised and stagnant, the blood movement slows down it then areas aren’t properly draining.

Massage eye cream in circular motions.  Use an eye device to really get things moving.  Eye creams that have vitamin C can help increase capillary strength which helps make vessels healthier.  Healthy blood flow prevents accumulation of blood under the eye.  Retinol and peptides are also helpful in collagen building and support tissue renewal process.  Be careful not to treat the eyes with a face retinol as it can prevent translucent skin from the stronger retinol, so it’s best to stay with a retinol eye cream that is designed for the eyes.

** Promote Age Defy Eye Creams & Eye Device

Jaclyn has spent years owning a spa, spray tanning clients, and of course, applying her own self tanner!  She chooses a sunless tan any day over sun damage.  Here are the best tips and tricks for really getting a bronzed and a glowing sunless tan.

Prepare your arsenal for a sunless application:

• Skin Exfoliator (such as a scrub and remover shaving)
• Moisturizer
• Tanning Mitt
• Sunless Tanner for the face (if you choose to tan your face)
• Sunless Spray (for hard to reach areas)
• Sunless Wipes (to correct any mistakes)

Exfoliate and Shave 24 Hours Before Tanning

For a truly even color, you’re going to want a smooth canvas for application. You should always wax or shave the day before you apply your tan because sometimes [hair removal] can cause irritation initially and make your skin slightly sensitive. You should also fully exfoliate 24 hours before your tan to ensure it’s even and to get rid of any dead skin.”

In addition, just before you apply your tan, Jaclyn recommends running an ice cube or frozen bag of peas (nope, not kidding) over your legs and face to constrict hair follicles and pores. This will prevent self-tanner from entering these tiny crevices and leaving small, darker-colored dots on your skin.

Prep Problem Areas

You’ll need to pay special attention to breakouts or any normally dry areas of skin before you apply a self-tan. Always apply a moisturizer barrier to joints, feet, hands prior to tanning since they can develop darker than anywhere else on the body. In addition, you’ll want to apply a concentrated amount of moisturizer using a Q-Tip or cotton ball to any skin conditions you’re dealing with like acne or eczema. The ingredients in self-tanner develop darker when they come in contact with these areas and extra moisture will block the product from highlighting what you’d rather hide.

Be Very Generous with the Amount of Product You Use

First-timers who are afraid of being too dark may be hesitant to use large globs of product while applying. Don’t be. Zebra-like stripes are caused by lack of product and over-rubbing. Always use enough so that the product glides effortlessly and smoothly over the skin and buff away any excess with your tanning mitt.  You can never use too much self-tan, as the skin can only absorb a certain amount of tanning agent (I recommend St. Tropez products specifically for this reason) but using too little self-tan will result in the dreaded streaky tan.

Avoid Application on Your Hands and Feet

While you want to be generous with the product on all other areas of your body, you actually shouldn’t apply the product at all to your hands and feet. Always work excess product from the arms onto the hands and leftover product from the legs onto the feet and ankle.  Don’t apply tanner directly on those area because it always looks too dark and unnatural.

Enlist a Friend or Get Creative to Address Hard-to-Reach Areas

Use the sunless tanning spray for hard to reach areas or tape a large wooden spoon to the mitt and use a “scratching your back” motion to apply.

Remember, sunless tanning can be scary, but once you get the hang of it, you will love the results.  If you are truly afraid, start with gradual sunless tanners to dip your toe into the process.  And of course, remember, when you are on vacation, use the gradual sunless tan to maintain so as your skin exfoliates, you still will look like a bronzed goddess.

To kickstart the year (and your skin), Skin Perfect owner, Jaclyn Peresetsky, runs down her top 7 skincare resolutions.

1. Never go to bed without washing your face.
   This is allows your skin to breathe, sweat out toxins, allow the oils to secrete and rebalance your skin, and allow your skin cells to regenerate.
   
2. Wear sunscreen every day.
   You are still getting UV exposure even on cloudy days.  A physical sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxide will reflect the sun’s light, not absorb it.
   
3. Maintain a regularly schedule facial every month.
   Minimally you should be getting a facial every month by a skincare professional in order to properly exfoliate, nourish, and turn on the rejuvenating cells and youth factors.
4. Schedule a deeper chemical peel, microneedling, or advanced LED (light therapy) treatment every quarter.
   Doing an advanced treatment will help to rev up your skin to see greater results.
5. Integrate a new skin therapy regularly to challenge your skin.
   Try a new therapy such as Microcurrent, Nano Current, LED, Cryotherapy, or Intensive FSD (Fractionated Light Therapy).
6. Only wear makeup that is beneficial for your skin and not harmful or clogging.
   Select makeup that is nutrient rich with ingredients that are going to nourish and improve your skin.
7. Switch out at least one skincare product every three months.
   Mixing up your skincare products will keep your skin constantly changing and challenged to continue to get positive results.

For more information on how to maintain healthy skin or for a facial skin treatment, call either of our Skin Perfect locations:

Columbus, Ohio – (614) 762-6623
Naples, Florida – (239) 262-5110