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3 Essential Skin Care Products for Summer
3 essential skin care products, found in our Anti-Aging Set, are important to protect and perfect skin this summer and year-round. (*Shade SPF 30 and our Anti-Aging Set have been discontinued. Our Radiant Skin Set includes the same 2 serums that were included in our Anti-Aging Set.) SHOP RADIANT SKIN SET Protect Skin & Prevent Damage Hands up if you love the sun! Sunshine and the sun’s heat make us feel good. The sun’s rays may be great for our mental health, but they’re not so kind to our skin. In fact, it’s estimated that unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays are responsible for more than 80% of skin damage. Regular sunscreen use along with topical antioxidants help to protect skin and prevent damage caused by the sun and our environment. Sunscreens, like Shade SPF 30 help to block the UVA and UVB rays that are responsible for sunburn and skin aging. Shade SPF 30 is a naturally safe, mineral-based zinc oxide sunscreen that offers broad spectrum, non-whitening sun protection and should be used every day, year round. Antioxidants work to protect skin from the free radicals that are generated by exposure to UV rays, pollution, smoke and other environmental factors. Free radicals are unstable molecules which harm skin and accelerate aging by destroying substances including collagen and elastin, proteins which are important to maintain youthful looking skin. Our Bespoke Vitamin C Serum is made to order and contains L-ascorbic acid plus additional antioxidants to not only protect skin, but also boost collagen production, brighten skin and moisturize. Essential Skin Care Products To Perfect Skin While preventing skin damage is the first step in keeping skin healthy, it’s also important to support skin with treatments that help to repair and perfect it. This is where retinoids come in. Retinoids, like retinaldehyde, found in our A is for Anti-Aging Serum, work by ‘turning on’ genes and cells that are involved in collagen production. Used regularly, this essential skin care product can help to reverse sun damage and promote healthier skin including: Reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines Brighten skin Increase skin moisture content and soothe skin irritation Assist in management of acne and blemishes (retinaldehyde has antibacterial activity) A bonus of A is for Anti-Aging is that retinaldehyde is an effective and gentle retinoid, making it suitable for most skin types. 3 Essential Skin Care Products in One Set Because these 3 products – a sunscreen, an antioxidant treatment and a retinoid – are fundamental to great skin, we’ve combined them into our Anti-Aging Set, which currently features a $40 gift certificate. Summertime Skin Care is Year Round Skin Care While we tend to focus on sun protection in the summer, it’s important all year. The sun emits more UVB rays during the summer (UVB rays are responsible for burning) but emits the same amount of UVA rays regardless of season. UVA rays penetrate deeper than UVB rays and are the ones responsible for skin aging including the risk of developing some types of skin cancer. Consider sunscreen the number one essential skin care product and use it every single day!
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A Light Face Moisturizer for Warmer Weather
If you’re looking for a face moisturizer for warmer weather, Apothekari Daily Infusion Moisturizer may be just what you’re looking for. In this post we’re discussing tips to help you find one that’s just right for your skin. Want information about moisturizers in general? Check out this post we wrote earlier. Shop Daily Infusion Moisturizer A face moisturizer is a product that we apply to skin to relieve dryness and make it feel more comfortable. They can range from lighter serums and lotions to heavier and thicker treatments such as petroleum jelly (although this isn’t something we’d recommend!). Water qualifies as a moisturizer, but because it evaporates quite quickly, it’s not very effective on its own. The ideal face moisturizer falls somewhere in between water and petroleum jelly and many customers find that a product like Apothekari Daily Infusion Moisturizer works perfectly for them all year round because it moisturizes without leaving skin feeling greasy. It’s also suitable for all skin types. Moisturizer Ingredients Moisturizers are made up of three main types of ingredients: Humectants. Deliver moisture to skin by either grabbing it from the environment or pulling it from the skin’s deeper layers (dermis) to its surface layers (epidermis). Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), glycerin, propanediol, honey and propylene glycol are all examples. Emollients. Soften and smooth skin by filling in the gaps. May also lock in moisture. Fats and oils like vitamin E, cholesterol, jojoba oil and some silicones are emollients. Emollients may also have occlusive action. Occlusives. Work by forming a thin, oily layer over skin, helping to lock in moisture. They should be applied over damp skin, ideally. Lanolin, beeswax, petroleum jelly and fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are occlusive. Some occlusives may also have emollient activity. The combination and amounts of each ingredient influence how light or heavy a moisturizer feels. A Face Moisturizer for Warmer Weather Humidity (the amount of moisture in the air) changes depending on where you live or the season. Tropical locations and summer often bring higher humidity while winter and desert or cooler climates tend to be drier. A heavy moisturizer (one with more emollient and occlusive ingredients) that was perfect for cooler winter temperatures may feel too heavy now. If you find that your skin is left feeling greasy or oily now that it’s warmer outside, it may be time to revisit the moisturizer you’re using. Opt for one that contains fewer occlusive ingredients and that contains more humectant ingredients. Our Daily Infusion Moisturizer has a good balance of humectants (glycerin), light emollients (caprylic/capric triglyceride, coco-caprylate/caprate, squalane) and occlusives (cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, glyceryl stearate) to deliver light moisture that all skin loves. We refer to it as the ‘Goldilocks of Moisturizers’ because most of our customers feel it’s just right! Tips: In order to maximize the effectiveness of your moisturizer, keep the following in mind: Apply over damp skin to lock in moisture. Moisturize as often as you need to. Don’t forget sunscreen to help protect skin against damage from UV rays. Now you and your face are ready for summer!
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3 Holy Grail Skin Care Products
In this blog post, I’m going to share with you the most important products in my skin care routine, or what I like to refer to as my Holy Grail Skin Care products. Like you, I’m a pretty busy kind of woman so when it comes to managing my life, I’m always on the lookout for ways to simplify things. If there’s a faster, easier or better way to do something, I want to know about it. Radiant Skin Set SHOP RADIANT SKIN SET These Are the 3 Holy Grail Skin Care Products There are lots of good skincare products to choose from, but 3 make the biggest impact on your skin. My hope in sharing these 3 products is that it will help you to prioritize the items in your skin care regimen. If you are inspired to purchase and use fewer products, you’ll benefit from saving time both morning and at night, dealing with less clutter and making a smaller dent in your wallet. You don’t need dozens of skin care products; you just need a few of the right ones. The ones I discuss below are the ones that I consider as my holy grail skin care products. These are products that contain ingredients, which are backed by science to deliver results. The best part is that in my case, there are only 3! Let’s get to it then, shall we? Holy Grail Skin Care #1 Sunscreen You may be sick of hearing me stress the importance of daily sunscreen use. However, protecting your skin from sun exposure is hands down, the MOST important thing you can do to help keep your skin looking young and healthy. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is contributes to more than 80% of skin aging. If I say it all the time, it’s because it really is that important! While most of us are quite familiar with the effects of UVB rays – sunburn, anyone – we appreciate the importance of wearing sunscreen during the warmer, summer months or while visiting faraway tropical locations. UVA rays however, the ones that penetrate deep into the dermis, may not seem to carry as many negative effects but they are responsible for premature skin aging, contributing to both wrinkles and skin aging. They are prevalent year round and can pass through glass, clouds and windows. Both types of rays contribute to skin cancers so it’s not just our vanity at stake here, we’re also talking about our health. Whether you opt for a chemical or physical blocking sunscreen, ensure that it: Protects against both UVA and UVB rays Is photostable (won’t degrade upon exposure to sunlight) and Is a formulation that you enjoy using it. I’m partial to Shade SPF 30, our new mineral based zinc oxide sunscreen, which provides broad spectrum UV protection in a non-whitening base. It’s one of my go-tos every morning. Holy Grail Skin Care #2 A Retinoid It’s not just me, but ask any skin care professional about the importance of retinoids and you will get resounding agreement. Retinoids are absolutely essential to anyone serious about their skin. Derived from vitamin A, retinoids are a class of ingredients that deliver multiple skin benefits – unclogging pores, boosting collagen production to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, speeding up skin cell turnover to even out skin tone & discolouration and smoothing skin as well. Many individuals will start to notice a difference in as little as 4 to 6 weeks. Retinoids have been around since the 1970s when prescription only retinoic acid was approved for the treatment of acne. Soon after, dermatologists and patients began to notice that not only breakouts were diminishing, but that many users experienced a reduction in fine lines and hyperpigmentation as well. Whether you opt for over-the-counter retinol, retinaldehyde or retinyl palmitate or gravitate towards prescription options including retinoic acid or tazarotene, retinoids should be included in your skin care arsenal. Have you tried our A is for Anti-Aging Serum? Formulated with gentle retinaldehyde plus a combination of additional skin actives, it helps to protect against photo-aging, exfoliates, delivers anti-inflammatory/anti-irritant properties and brightens skin as well. Retinaldehyde also demonstrates anti-bacterial properties making it a useful addition in the management of acne as well. Keep the following in mind when using a retinoid: Retinoids are light sensitive so they are best applied at night Retinoids may make your skin worse before it gets better as their use is associated with dryness, redness and flaking. Minimize these side effects by starting slowly, applying one to two nights a week and gradually building up to daily use. If introduced in this way, most individuals can tolerate them well. Don’t use a retinoid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Holy Grail Skin Care #3 An Antioxidant Formulation. Which Vitamin C Serum is Best? We’ve written about the importance of using antioxidants previously. Antioxidants are ingredients that help to protect skin from damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that cause havoc in the skin, setting off a cascade of skin damage. Free radicals may be generated by pollution, ultraviolet radiation and smoke and we are exposed to them daily. Skin benefits from a mix of antioxidants including Vitamin C (especially L-ascorbic acid, which is backed by the most research), Vitamin E, green tea, ferulic acid, alpha lipoic acid, reservatrol, coenzyme q10, etc. Apply antioxidants in the morning prior to UV exposure in conjunction with your sunscreen to help minimize the impact of free radical damage caused by UV rays. Sunscreens and antioxidants play very well together. Antioxidants may be applied at night as well. While they fight free radicals during the day, at night, they play more of a reparative and rejuvenating role, also helping to replenish the concentration of antioxidants in the skin. Our Bespoke Vitamin C Serum is formulated with L-ascorbic acid plus a range of additional antioxidants including ferulic acid, Vitamin E, green tea extract along with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to help protect, repair and moisturize skin. Shop Bespoke Vitamin C 15% Let’s hear it for skin care products that really make a difference to skin. What are your holy grail skin care products?
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Travel Toiletry Bag: Santa Fe
Tomorrow I’m heading off on a short break to Santa Fe, New Mexico with my husband, Graham! And while I’m still mulling over which restaurants to eat at (priority and Santa Fe is foodie heaven) and sights to see – definitely Tent Rocks – I’m also planning my packing list. Short trips – in fact, most trips for me these days – involve carry-on luggage. Less costly yes, it’s also more convenient (no lost luggage or waiting at the baggage carousel for pick up) and lighter too. Opting for carry-on means seriously culling the suitcase. No matter how long the trip or the destination, I find that I have a habit of over packing. Carry-on makes me think hard about what I will really need while I’m away. Shop All Apothekari Tent Rocks The weather forecast during our stay in Santa Fe is for mainly warm, sunny days with cooler evenings. For our plane trip both ways, I’ll pile on the layers since I’m always freezing when I travel by air. I run really cold so I’m going to wear my winter coat with a scarf, a sweater, dark denims plus my sneakers. Into my suitcase, I’ll pack clothes I can layer including items to dress things up at night. A casual pair of sandals for daytime plus comfortable booties and warm socks for night. Mixing and matching will be the name of the game! My travel toiletry bag will include the following essentials: Toothbrush Dental floss Travel sizes of the following: Toothpaste Deodorant Shampoo & Conditioner (even though most places stock, some of it is nasty!) Apothekari Shea Body Butter – if I’m traveling somewhere low humidity like New Mexico, my skin will need it. Sunscreen Facial potions – I put these into little sample jars or vials: Apothekari Bespoke Vitamin C Serum Apothekari Daily Infusion Moisturizer Apothekari A is for Anti-Aging Apothekari Firming Eye Gel (small bottle so I take the full size) Sewing kit Tweezers Nail clippers Q-tips Bobby pins & hair elastics Make-up bag. I don’t wear a lot of make-up but this is what goes in it: Foundation (small sample jar) Blush and brush Eyeliner Mascara Lip pencil Lipstick Lip balm – I have a feeling I’ll need some in Santa Fe! With this list, packing won’t take long and there will be plenty of room to bring back a few souvenirs. I hear that Santa Fe is a shopper’s paradise! What does your travel toiletry bag and vacation suitcase look like? Follow along on Instagram or Facebook (links at the bottom of our site) where I’ll be posting shots of my trip (and probably NOT of my travel toiletry bag) while I’m away!
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What Makes You Buy Skin Care Products?
As someone who runs a skin care brand, I’m always curious to know what makes customers buy skin care products. There’s no shortage of choice and many outlets – drugstores, department stores, independent boutiques and the internet – to fulfill every possible need. One could peruse for hours, days, weeks, months. Certainly there must be a lot of confusion. What makes one go from looking to committing and finally to pulling the plug to buy skin care products? Shop All Apothekari In a previous post, I wrote about the 4 Steps to Great Skin and I think that most skin care experts would agree to this, with some minor differences. Several skin care products are considered as essential – a good sunscreen and an effective cleanser, for example. And, if you are after skin that looks and feels youthful and that radiates wellness, it’s wise to add in a retinoid and some antioxidants too. Then it’s time to deal with the specifics. If your skin is dry, you’ll need to hydrate with a good moisturizer. Acne? Treat that. Same with hyperpigmentation, skin sensitivity, eye concerns and aging or sun-damaged skin. Once you know what kinds of products you need – a moisturizer, a sunscreen, an eye cream – how do you decide how and where to buy skin care products? Which ones specifically? Which brands? Formulated with which ingredients? What gives you the confidence to try a new skin care product especially if you are mostly happy with your current skin care routine? Who do you trust? These are some of the things that customers have mentioned to me: My dermatologist/esthetician/doctor recommends it. My friends love it and suggested I try it. I’ve heard about it on social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. I like to try before I buy so samples will help to seal the deal I’ve seen an advertisement online, in a magazine, etc. Testimonials. One of the things that helps us find new customers and keeps regular ones coming back are through word of mouth or from the results they’ve had from using Apothekari. From helping to manage acne breakouts to delivering glowing skin, many individuals report receiving compliments on their skin, which they’ve never received before. I LOVE these products. My skin glows. ~India, Vancouver, BC My breakouts have disappeared… ~Sara, Vancouver Thank you for treating my skin so well, Apothekari! ~Karen, Vancouver, BC Happy customers make us happy too! Do testimonials help you to buy skin care products? Read more testimonials here. If you’re curious about Apothekari Skincare and have questions, don’t hesitate to call us – 1.866.876.3649 or email us info@apothekari.com. We love to talk skin care and would be happy to discuss your needs!
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