Troubleshooting Acne

These days it seems like everyone is fighting acne to one degree or another. Perhaps it's stress or our fast-food, modern lifestyles, but so many of my clients (more than ever) are feeling the anxiety of dealing with adult acne. Fine lines and pimples?! It's just not fair!

Unfortunately, there is no one-stop easy cure for acne. But there are several great, natural products out there that will improve the condition greatly. Here are some pointers for those suffering with adult acne. Remember, everyone is different, so it may take some trial and error to find a regimen that works for you.

Cleanse - This one seems obvious, but so many of us are guilty of going to bed before cleansing. Especially at night, acne-prone skin needs a good thorough cleanse--two to three minutes (not 30 seconds!) of gentle massaging.

Exfoliate - When dead skin cells trap dirt, oil, and debris, acne bacteria forms and--voila!--a pimple arrives. Regular, gentle exfoliation is a MUST for acne prone skin. If you have more than 2 or 3 whiteheads at one time, skip manual exfoliants (those are exfoliants with granules or beads) and opt for a gentle, weekly peel instead. For those who can handle it, a nightly cream with retinol can also do the job.

Kill Acne Bacteria - Oxygen kills acne bacteria. That's why benzoyl peroxide has dominated the anti-acne skincare market for so long. Benzoyl peroxide transports oxygen into the deep recesses of the follicle where bacteria thrives. Today, however, we understand that there are some negative side-effects to benzoyl peroxide. Luckily, there are organic alternatives, like tea tree oil, that can kill acne bacteria just as well. Look for spot treatments, masks, cleansers, or toners with this natural, acne-fighting ingredient.

Treat Inflammation - Acne is an inflammatory skin disorder (think about how red and inflamed a pimple can be.) Soothing and calming ingredients like aloe or willow bark extract take down redness and inflammation naturally.

Relax - Stress is a BIG acne trigger. When we are stressed, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode and the adrenal glands start pumping. This can lead to overall oiliness, acne, and other skin disorders.

Stop Picking! - I know it's hard to keep your hands away, but picking will only make it worse. I tell my clients to follow the "two-nudge" rule: Wrap your fingers in tissue and give the blemish two firm squeezes. If it doesn't come out, leave it. Pushing harder and harder may damage or infect nearby follicles, only making things worse. Remember to treat the area with a spot treatment or toner after your nudges. (Oh, and get rid of the magnifying mirrors. No one ever looks that close!)

Here's one great example of a skincare routine for an adult with normal to oily skin suffering from acne using the pointers above:

Morning:

Cleanse - Cleanse once with Naturopathica's Aloe Cleansing Gel (deeply cleanses and aloe calms inflamed skin)

Tone - Use Suki's Balancing Toner (its willow bark extract calms skin and fights acne)

Moisturize - Apply Eminence's Rosehip Whip Moisturizer while skin is damp to seal in moisture

Protect - Brush Eminence's SunDefense Minerals on skin for SPF 30 protection

Evening:

Cleanse - Cleanse twice with Naturopathica's Aloe Cleansing Gel to ensure a deep cleanse before bed

Tone - Use Suki's Balancing Toner again for its anti-inflammatory ingredients

Treat - Instead of moisturizer, use Image's Total Retinol-A Creme. Retinol exfoliates and renews skin, fighting both acne and the signs of aging.

Weekly:

Treat - Twice a week apply a tea tree oil mask to kill acne bacteria.

The HOTTEST Treatments!

A couple of months ago, I was watching an episode of Oprah about the beauty practices of women all over the world. It featured a segment on the Indian practice of incorporating fruit, herbs, and spices into facials. A few of my loyal, Indian clients have told me about these amazing food-based treatments offered in India and I find it totally inspiring.

At Studio Organics we've been using spices, particularly paprika, to bring a glow to the skin for years. One of my favorite facial treatments is our AHA/Paprika facial, which is a two-layer peel that exfoliates the skin with natural alpha-hydroxy fruit acid and stimulates the skin with an herbal mixture of paprika, rosemary, sage, and thyme. This treatment produces the most beautiful, rosy look to the complexion. And the gorgeous effects last for days.

My hottest new obsession is Eminence's Almond and Mineral Treatment, a weekly, at-home treatment for all skin types. The crushed almonds in this product revitalize the skin while the minerals nourish, enrich, and heal. But my favorite ingredient, of course, is the paprika. In just a few minutes, the heat from the spice brings a flushed look to the skin. Once removed, the skin calms and only a beautiful, healthy glow remains.

It seems like our obsession here in America is to peel, peel, peel away the layers of skin until we achieve a youthful glow. But all of that exfoliation can take its toll. Hot spices like paprika are a safer and quicker way to get a pretty complexion. Just take it easy at first. Your first experience with spice can be a shocking one. Be prepared for a bit of discomfort (you can even dilute your paprika treatments with water, toner, or tea to make it easier) but the beautiful results are totally worth it!

Organic and Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

As we all know, stress is bad for our skin and, of course, our overall health. So this holiday season we at Studio Organics are taking the stress out of gift-giving. Here's our top 10 list for the healthiest, greenest, most chic beauty gifts of 2008:

10) Erbaviva's Travel Set for Mommy and Travel Set for Baby
Each travel set includes four products from this totally organic, Earth-friendly line. My absolute favorite product called "Quease-Ease" (how clever!) is included in the Mommy Set.

9) Pure Inventions Antioxidant Fruit and Tea Extracts
Just a couple drops of this potent extract in your morning water or tea boosts your antioxidant intake by magnitudes.

8) Naturopathica's Aqua Latte and Creme de la Creme
Okay, I snuck in two here, but they are perfect together. Aqua Latte is an all-natural foaming bath with a natural and subtle (not artificial and overpowering) scent. Creme de la Creme is the perfect body lotion for dry, winter skin.

7) Whish Body Product Gift Trio
Whish body products are perfect for the girly-girls on your list. Adorable, pink packaging. Amazing scents. And, of course, totally natural. This trio comes with a body scrub, body wash, and body butter.

6) Combat Ready Balm, Lip Balm, and Bar
Great gifts for anyone, but I especially love these three for men. With rugged packaging and an amazing, heartwarming back-story (the creator and owner of this company donated her products to soldiers in Iraq), these three natural products are a great way to get the men on your list introduced to green products.

5) Yosh Perfume Sampler Set
I can't say enough about these all-natural perfumes. They are healthy, subtle, beautiful, and complex. They are seriously the ultimate luxury in fragrance. This sampler set includes five scents at an incredibly affordable price.

4) Yosh Perfume
This is my pick for the luxury gift of the season (ahem... note to my friends and family: I'm in love with Ginger Ciao.) Not only are the perfumes a work of art in themselves, but each one comes in the loveliest glass bottle.

3) Clarisonic Skin Brush
I know, I know. This is such a practical gift. But I'm including it on this list because almost all of my clients have said, "I'm asking for this for Christmas," after trying it. Trust me.

2) SukiColor
The BEST holiday gift I ever got was from my mother when I was 14. We didn't have a lot of money that year, so she got creative and put together a box of makeup products for beginners. I was thrilled! I felt so grown up! SukiColor is so natural and so subtle. Plus, it's basically foolproof--the perfect gift for a teen experimenting with makeup or for the young girl inside all of us.

1) Eco-Friendly Gift Baskets
This season at Studio Organics, we're offering eco-friendly gift baskets at a discount. Pick three products for our basic basket or five products for our deluxe. We'll help you create that perfect, personalized gift.