302 Skincare

A lot of my readers have been emailing me, or even calling me (I had a girl from VT call me at my MAC Store to ask about this!) asking where they can get 302's amazing products.

Anyone who's interested in 302, or already using 302, can email me for addition product information and my New Price list which is now equipped with prices, product sizes, and the potency of the vitamin products. (Did you know A-Boost is .75% Retinol AND 6% Retinyl Palmitate? That's alot of Vitamin A!)

Also, if you go to the 302 website and search for an Esthetician, I am the 302 Esthetician/Vendor for the East Coast and International Distribution.

Email me at Danmakeup@gmail.com which is my preferred method of communication, or call me at 978-395-5667 - We live in Boston, so please be mindful were in EST!

Contact me today to see what 302 can do for your skin!
-Danny Vanity

P.S. - I'm ordering an Ultrasound probe for Face & Body Treatments. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my skin spatula, but sometimes I just want to quickly treat my face (and would like the option to easily do body treatments) and I think this will be convenient and more enjoyable for my clients. I'm waiting for them to email me back, and of course I'll post the email if their is any valuable inforation. :)

Chinese Face Diagnosis

Hi everyone!

Lately I've been wanting to go back to school to recieve advanced Esthetic training - I wanted to go back and get my last bit of hours (so I can have a full 1200 hours license, vs. the 900 hour one I have) and then I want to spend some time at the International Dermal Institute (or IDI) getting some post graduate training - Yes! I love education. Unfortunately, I have a very demanding full-time job @ MAC that stops that from happening right now - but It'll happen ;)

Anyway, I've been reading about Chinese Face Diagnosis, which is a class offered at IDI. Basically, it is used as a tool to look at the face and diagnose or predict illness otherwise not visible to the naked eye - However, I'm interested in seeing if by correcting the underlying issue, if the skin will reflect that.

Here is some really cool information I borrowed from HealthMad.com

• Face becomes slightly green: the liver’s ability is low.
• Face is too red: heart disease or high blood pressure
  
• Face becomes yellow: the spleen and stomach’s ability is low
• Face becomes dark: kidney function is low
• Face or skin too white: the lungs’ ability is low
• Black moles appear on the face: the accumulation of acid and toxin levels in the vaginal are extremely high and may cause inflammation and pain in the vaginal. In this case, the patient should avoid sexual intercourse and any sexual relations with the male.
• Folding between the areas of two eyebrows: the lymph’s ability is low, the immune system is weak and the possibility of catching flu is higher
• Red spots or pox around the eyebrows: more likely to get flu in the next few days or the person is suffered from the flu.
• Eyebrows become red: brain nerve is too active to enable the person to sleep well
• Eye socket becomes red: inflammation in the kidneys or back pain
• Nose becomes red: bladder inflammation or pain of the back
• Swelling veins on the nose: the kidneys and bladder functions are deteriorating
• Lips become red: the stomach is too active
• Lips become black: both spleen and kidney functions are low
• Pox spots or cold sores near the lips: stomach ulcer
• Cheek turns red: the liver is active
• Black eyes or black/ brown spots: the kidney function is low
• Skin around the eyes is dark: the kidney function is deteriorating or bladder is more likely to have “stones”. When the male’s kidneys and bladder function is low, he is more likely to have an enlarged prostate.
• Black moles in between the nose and the lip: acid and toxin levels in the body is extremely high, and Chinese fortune-teller has related the formation of black moles as a sign of loneliness
• Black moles in between the nose and the lip are too dark: one should aware of getting cancer
• The region between the chin and the ear with depressed, scars, pox marks or any other anomalies: the intestine is not functioning well. If this region becomes red, it is possible that the person will have diarrhea in a few days.

Now, I took the liberty of taking that image and marking it based on what I see on my own face. Here goes:



So, when I break-out (which isn't a whole lot, thanks to 302, but since I've been drinking lots of cleansing/detoxifying foods and taking up weekly fasting, I've been breaking out a little bit more - but skin flushing is expected when cleansing the body) I get white heads in my chin and jaw area, which usually start out beneath the skin and then eventually form an inflammatory whitehead. This area, marked in the pinky color, is supposed to be lead by the colon. It's interesting because I've read plenty of literature (www.DrNatura.com, being one of the leaders in colon cleansing) suggesting about how a healthy colon is beneficial for just about everything, especially the skin.

I've also marked areas of congestions and clogged pores in and around the nose and inside portion of my cheeks. Also, the area between my brows tends to get a little congested at times - Which is primarily the Colon (again!), Intestines, and Bladder. Hopefully with more healthy eating and bodily cleansing the condition of these organs will improve, as will my skin. :)

I thought the whole thing was very interesting! It's definitely something to consider, as the skin is our bodies primary way to detoxify, so by using the skin as a map we can figure out where impurities need to be removed. The website (HealthMad.com) also had a section on Chinese Hand Diagnosis, that I liked to above.

Wishing you all great Skin,
Danny Vanity

(P.S. I'm fasting today, as I've been reading about how detoxifying and good for the intestinal track a 1 day a week fast is. Lots of Water and Apple Cider Vinegar cocktails for me today! Wish me luck!)

Skincare Supplements

Ok, so anyone who's really into skincare is either already, or will soon learn, Supplements and proper diet accelerate ANY skincare regime by 100%, especially 302! I remind my clients all the time, 302 Skincare will give you amazing TOPICAL results, but your overall skin health will be dictated by the condition of your body. Proper Diet, Exercise, Nutrition, etc, all have a huge role in your skin.

So I just placed my latest order on Vitacost.com, which is my favorite (and in my opinion the most affordable) website for quality vitamins and supplements. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites, and what I'm currently taking:

I take Supplements twice a day, one in the morning, and one in the evening. I never miss my morning vitamins, but sometimes I forget about my night time ones. Anything with a serving size greater than 1 pill or capsule I break up, and take 1/2 a serving at night and half in the morning.

**NOTE! All my supplements are NSI unless otherwise noted, based on price and the following information I took from their site: All NSI supplements are packaged in HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) bottles. These bottles keep moisture vapor out, protecting the freshness and integrity of their contents, and are 400% more effective compared other brands currently using PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles. HDPE bottles do not break as glass can and are also recyclable so we urge you to please recycle them.

At rising:
NSI Probiotic 10-20 - for digestion and intestinal health
NSI L-Carnitine Fumarate - for metabolism, energy, and burning stored fat
8oz water with 2tsp Apple Cider Vineger sweeted with Stevia

Morning:

NSI Synergy Once Daily Multi-Vitamin - speaks for itself. this is a high quality multi in my opinion, with some great anti-oxidants added in!
NSI Advanc-C with Quercetin & Citrus Bioflavonoids - 1/2 Serving Size - ideal form of vitamin C, which is probably the most important antioxidant. comes with extra antioxidant quercetin and citrus bioflavonoids!
NSI Vitamin E - great antioxidant, Patricia Bragg is huge on making sure you get enough vitamin E for body regeneration and health
NSI Mega EFA Omega-3 EPA & DHA - 1/2 Serving Size - anti inflammatory and ofcourse, a huge source of Omega-3s. Switched to this from Flax Seed Oil, but may switch back - when I decide I'll post my findings :)
NSI Black Currant Oil - I was formally taking Health from the Sun, but have to save some budget! This one is highly comparable and has about twice amount for the same price. Great source of GLA which is great for acne (many of my skin care friends use it to help control hormonal breakouts) and good for eczema.

Evening:
NSI Advanc-C with Quercetin & Citrus Bioflavonoids (linked above)- 1/2 Serving
NSI Mega EFA Omega-3 EPA & DHA (linked above)- 1/2 Serving
CSI Alpha Lipoic Acid Facial Complex - I got a ton of these when I was reading the Perricone books, as it's a knock off of his vitamin. I'm finishing this up, and I'm not sure if I will get a replacement as all those ingredients are in my Multi. I need to research the recommended doses :) Regardless, ALA is a called the universal antioxidant, and almost anyone will tell you to get some in daily!
NSI Black Currant Oil - another one, for good measure :)


Now In addition to replenishing my Multi-Vitamin, Stevia drops, Probiotics & Black Currant Oil, I also purchased some:

NSI Psyullium Husk Powder - For healthy body and especially healthy skin, you needto make sure the body is properly eliminating toxins that live in the body, and keeping a clean and clear intestinal track. Patrica Bragg recommends a tsp of Psyllium Husk powder in juice or water before bed to help with bowel movements and natural detoxification. I'm excited to add this in, as I never feel I get enough fiber (though lately I'm going salad crazy!!)

Also, I've been drinking 16oz of Kombucha Daily, as well. Kombucha is a fermented Tea that is loaded in digestive enzymes, probiotics, anti-oxidants and detoxifiers, plus it tastes AMAZING! I am totally obsessed with it, and it's super good for you. However, EXTREMELY expensive. I stocked up while Whole Foods was having a sale, but even still it cost me about $27 for a case of 12 bottles. I'm totally going to brew my own in the future, however for now the Synergy brand tastes great (Strawberry Serenity is my favorite!) and you can learn more about it here: http://www.synergydrinks.com/

Hope you enjoyed all the pills I pop for great skin, leave me a comment and let me know what you think, or maybe what you'd like the next post to be!

Wishing you all great skin,
Danny Vanity

The Bragg Healthy Lifestyle

So, A few weeks ago I was in NYC with my boyfriend Jim who was doing make-up for New York Fashion Week Spring 2010. Below you can see 302 making its way backstage! Models get there faces painted and washed so many times in a day Calming Mist and Lip Balm are great for the kit. I use Calming Mist sometimes to buff creamy or thicker foundations into sheerer more natural blends.



Anyway, that wasn't the point. The point was I had some time to kill while he was in shows and I went shopping. I checked out the big Sephoras and things like that and than I went to my favorite place, The Barnes & Nobles on 5th ave. Well, it's not my favorite place, but I really like it their. (Saks 5th Ave is my favorite, but that's a different story) Anyway, at the Barnes & Noble I discover this book about Super Power Breathing by Patricia & Paul Bragg.


Basically, it talks about how most people don't fill their lungs with enough oxygen, therefore many organs and especially the skin doesn't get enough of the precious health-source oxygen. Apparently the last place your inhaled oxygen goes is the skin, so if you don't fill your lungs deeply enough their won't be enough for all of your body! The book advocates daily deep breathing, frequent exercise, posture exercises and above all NO SMOKING. It was my biggest inspiriation and motivation while I was in the initial process of quitting smoking. It really makes sense and has a lot of great facts about how important deep breathing is, and how it can affect your entire life. The way I look at it, Deeper breathing means more oxygen in your blood, which means more oxygen in your skin, and Oxygen is the food of all cells, like skin cells. Good posture maximizes body circulation, which just ties in with the fact that blood nourishes our skin. It has some great exercises to increase lung capacity and "oxygen fuel" that are similar to Yoga poses. I would recommend it to anyone, but especially anyone who is struggling with Quitting smoking.


I just finished reading another one of their Books, the Bragg Healthy Lifestyle. It's a really great book that covers the "optimum" and organic way of doing just about everything. This book talks about diet (speficially raw or lightly cooked organic veggies and fruits), excercise, supplements, deep breathing, posture, fasting, and living a more organic spiritual life. I'm plenty spiritual, and I'm no christian, but it is presented in the best intentions and can definitely be appreciated by people of all religions. Patricia Bragg shows an example of how to truly nourish and take care of your body so you live at maximum health. She talks constantly on her lifestyle making you Ageless! There's alot of research to it, though. It follows (or can be made to follow when applicable) the Low Glycemic concepts of Dr. Perricone (Perricones claims that eating below the GI of 50 prevents spikes in blood sugar that lead to inflammation and then premature aging), but not his theory on protein. The Bragg Lifestyle is pro-vegetarian. I'll never pesonally give up meat, but I definitely will take in more Raw foods and salads! They talk about how the raw enzymes of raw foods are essential to good health, digestion, elimination, assimilation, and ofcourse, good skin. It's like a Health Boot Camp Book, but I LOVED it. Its so inspiring and motivating to keep your body like a temple..

The Braggs make some AMAZING organic healthy condiments. They make this healthy soy sauce, that's made with amino acids called "Liquid Aminos" thats to die for, I've thrown out every type of Soy sauce in the house.

It has like no calories, or carbs, and 1/5 the salt of soy sauce but about 3 times the flavor! And Amino Acids are great for your skin! They also have non-salt shakers and a Great organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. They advertise their miracle health tonic, which is:


1-2 Tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw & Organic, the Bragg ACV is the best one, I checked)
8oz of water
Optional: 1-2 Tsp of RAW honey or 100% Organic Maple Syrup, or my personal Favorite Stevia (which has no Glycemic Index, so it keeps Dr. Perricone happy)
**It's recommended this tonic be taken at rising, before breakfast, and before lunch. I'll post more about ACV and how it effects the skin after I read their book all about Apple Cider Vinegar.

You can see their books and products at www.bragg.com! I HIGHLY recommend this one book above all (Bragg Healthy Lifestyle), and I will be re-reading it so I can ensure I absorb all it's lessons.It's like a strict bible to toxicless and ageless living. I kow I can't follow it perfectly, but I'm making small changes to incorporate this agelessness and toxicless diet into my life!


I already bought "Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System", "The Miracle of Fasting" (can't wait to read that one!) and "Vegetarian Health Recipes"" which has some recipes that are AMAZING for your skin. I'll post my thoughts when I have them! I also have some "Good for your Skin" food recipes I can't wait to share!

Anyway, that baby wrinkle I have on my forehead is acting up (had a market tour/corporate visit to my MAC Store this week, and I've had just one big headache!) I'm going to go zap it with the micro-massage/current on my HS-3003!

Wishing you all great skin,
Danny Vanity

Ultrasound Facial

Alright everyone. I'm going to share with you my favorite Skincare machine in my spa room. My Ultrasound machine. Especially because I use 302 Skincare, I'm really big on using the Ultrasound machine to exfoliate and help deep clean my pores, and to really push the product really deep into my skin. It's pretty incredible.


For this Facial I am using the following products pictured below: 302 Oily/Combo Cleanser (my favorite Product to use with Ultrasonic cleansing), 302 Calming Mist, 302 Exfoliator (non-acid, enzyme based) and Exfoliator Plus (30% Salicylic), 302 C-Boost (8% THDCA, an alkaline form of vitamin C) and 302 Ointment for Aftercare.


This is my baby, the HS-3003. This machine really changed my approach on skincare. It's very gentle, but works very deep in the tissues of the skin using sound waves. It has 3 functions; Exfoliation (deep cleansing mode), Permeation (product penetration) and Micromassage (Micro-current), and each of those functions has a Low, Med, and High.This model is geared towards professionals, but their are less expensive handheld models ideal for home use. (www.skin-spatula.com) I prefer it by far over LED or other skincare gadgets.

So Before I get started Let's see the before. This is My skin at about 11am after an Hour of Yoga.

You can tell I'm not a mornig person (and yes, I consider 11am to still be morning. Sleep is your friend)

So the first thing I do is wash my face with some Face & Body Bar. My favorite cleanser, mostly because it's ultra quick and it foams gently, and really makes your skin feel clean. Then I press my face with a soft white face cloth. I apply the 302 Oily/Combo Cleanser all over my face to use to keep the Ultrasound blade gliding smooth on the face. It's much better to use a water soluble cleanser than Ultrasound Gel, as it may cause breakouts or irritate your skin. Also, when using the Ultrasound blade to Clean and Exfoliate, the cleanser will be pushed deep into the pore to thoroughly cleanse the skin and remove debris. I used to do the cleansing step with water or green tea, but using this Cleanser is the BEST. During the Exfoliation step I keep my machine on Medium with the Micromassage setting on. I don't like to push my skin too much, it's mostly about consistenty care versus infrequent extreme solutions (checmical peels, lasers, etc).



Basically once the machine is on, you angle the blade against the skin and gently move the blade down the face (going downwards on the forehead, outward from the nose to the ears, and downward again on the chin & jaw) while consistently rinsing the blade, as it removes the cleanser and a whole gamut of debris that are wiggled out of the skin. I go over the entire face about three times. I also clean my eyebrows and sideburns with it, and it really gets alot of gunk out of my eyebrows. I'm sure a lot of it is MAC Brow Gel. Gotta comb those bad boys. You have to keep the skin moist, which is wear the Calming Mist comes in. I use the Calming Mist to keep the skin wet so the blade glides smoothly. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the gunk on the blade, but the flash ruined all the pictures (the blade reflected white and blurred everything).

This is me after the exfoliation. It's a realy gentle but thorough process, so the skin always looks calmer and smooth afterwards. Ultrasound helps stimulate the skins lymphatic system which unlike the circulatory system doesnt have the heart to pump it around. Stymulation the lymphatic system is essential to healthy skin and detoxification.



Now I apply the Salicylic Peel. I've had very few breakouts lately, but I only use the Salicylic exfoliator a few times a year, usually in the Spring or the Fall. It's a bad idea to do deeper peels or treatments in the summer (increased sun risk) and the winter (bad weather) as it may end up damaging the skin. It's diluted by mixing 1 pump 30% Sal Acid with 4 Pumps Enzyme Exfoliator. Believe me, it still burns a little, but it's mild enough that I can keep it on for 8 minutes no problem. The Exfoliator Plus (Sal Acid 30%) is back bar only, but the Enzyme Exfoliator is now available for home use. (Feel free to email me about that or any other 302 Products as I do retail them) Either way so right after I get the Peel on I jump in the shower, because you need steam to keep it wet. In the spa room on clients I use a steamer. 8 Minutes later I rinse it off very gently, as my skin is a little red from the peel.

Now I spray a bunch of calming mist, and get ready for some C-Boost. I love the way C-Boost smells! Anyway, I apply half a pump on damp skin in massaging upward strokes. I then take another half pump and massage that all over. Normally one 1/2 pump is enough, but a little extra helps with the Permeation process. Well rinse off the extra afterwards. I flip the Ultrasound blade over, and Put it on low Permeation with Micro Massage. Normally I would do medium, but the Salicylic Peel has me a bit red, and I don't want to push it)This is going to help push the Vitamin C deep into my skin, helping with tone and general skin health. Since Vitamin C is Dermally active (like the 302 Drops!) its ideal to use for Ultrasound treatments. I ususally start at the chin and make small circles very slowly. I repeat over the entire face about 3 times. I always go back to the area I have scars and pay a little extra attention there) You can see in the picture below I'm slightly pinker than before from the peel.



After usually 10 minutes of Permeating the Vitamin C, I splash my face repeatedly with luke warm water to remove the excess product and then I pat it dry with a face cloth. I apply 302 Ointment to any areas of redness, or the areas where I have scars. One of the nice things about Ultrasound Treatments is you actually look better after the treatment than you did before. Don't you hate getting a facial and then looking worse afterwards because of extractions or a peel?


The finished skin. Looks clearer and brighter, and feels smoother. Success! And yes, That is a Sailor Moon towel on my shoulders. Don't hate.

Wishing you great skin,
Danny Vanity