Reality Versus The Altered State
It’s everywhere these days, photos of flawless women, men, & children. The perfect face, nose, body & coiffed hair. How can an average person like myself ever live up to these standards? (For this particular piece we are going to focus on women).The answer is “I can’t”. In fact, nobody can. As a child, my parents always told me, “Jennifer there is always going to be someone prettier, smarter, more athletic, etc… don’t focus on that, focus on being the best YOU can be.” Now 30 + years later I incorporate this same advice into my practice. Day after day, I have a client or two that will come into our office, sit in my modern white chair, and hand me a photo of an Instagram celeb and proceed to ask me if I can give her those lips or those eyes, or those cheeks. My answer, “I’ll tell you what I think will look amazing, and that’s enhancing your natural features to look like the best version of YOU.” You see, each human face has a very specific symmetry. No two faces are exactly alike, and no two faces have the same measurements. We were made to look different from one another, and in my humble opinion, that is a good thing. Our differences give us character, set us apart, and help shape our identity. I love all things beauty, always have since I was a little girl, but guess what? Beauty is not a one size fits all category. In a culture that worships celebrities and their appearances, our females (and males) are struggling with self image. Our culture is telling us that this ONE person is the epitome of beauty, and if we want to be beautiful, we must strive to look like her. Not True. As a medical aesthetic professional, I feel compelled to point out the beauty in each individual that sits in my office. It is not my job to change appearances, but to enhance appearances for the world to take notice of the beauty that is available for the eyes to see. Lastly, and in my opinion, most importantly is that often times when a person feels beautiful on the outside it allows their inner beauty to flow out of them more effortlessly, and this is the true magic. Tapping into our inner queen and letting the world see our beauty may be just what the world need right now. Click To Book Your Consultation
My Ride Or Die/Holy Grail Skin Care Products!
I will make this simple and easy to not overwhelm you with the 100 products I have in my bathroom at the moment (I wish I was kidding). #1 Cannot live without my Intraceuticals 3-Step Rejuvenate. Daily Serum, Hydration Gel, Moisture Binding Cream. 1,2,3, and boom I am glowing and basically just gave myself a facial. Insaneeeeely hydrating! It is the serums from our oxygen facial machine….why wouldn’t that be my favorite?! #2 Liquid gold to anti aging in a bottle Alpharhet Overnight Cream by SkinBetter. Combines two gold standard skin rejuvenation ingredients – a retinoid and an AHA (lactic acid) – joined together to create the revolutionary AlphaRet technology that minimizes irritation, enhancing satisfaction and experience. #3 Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser the tingle makes me think my face is getting tighter lol #4 Alpharhet EyeMax delicate retinoid for my eye bags?! YES PLEASE #5 Epionce Tinted SPF FOREVER *Also, this is your sign to throw away your drugstore and Sephora products some influencer told you to get! – Lesley Patterson Click To Book Your Consultation
Lets Talk About… Drugstore Skin Care Products vs. Medical Grade Skin Care
Lets Talk About Drugstore Skin Care vs. Medical Grade Skin Care “I’m going to it to you shoot straight because I want what’s best for you and because I have also always struggled with my own skin.” Medical Skin Care Products Take It To The Next Level of Benefits When It Comes To Skincare With Thorough Scientific Research I have tried and used everything, every product, going to dermatologists, etc… I’ve done research, I’ve watched seminars, and read books. So I feel like I have a good grasp on skin and on products. Im telling you Drug Store products SUCK. They just do. They don’t work and they’re terrible. What do we want our skin care products to do for us? – We Want Less/No Acne– We Want Fewer/Less/No Wrinkles– We Want Tighter Pores– We Want Less/No Redness Why can’t drugstore products help you and Why they could even be harmful? #1 In order to have healthy skin, you have to be treating it at a cellular level. Cellular stimulation can only occur with certain ingredients that are formulated a certain way. Drug store skin care products do not have the right molecular size to be reaching down to a cellular level. Medical grade skin care has been created after thorough research and science to allow their products to cause cellular stimulation. #2 There has to be a certain percentage of the ingredient being used. Drugstore products are extremely watered down. A very small amount of the “good” ingredients are added on the list so they can say that they’re in there. Medical grade skin care lines often use the same ingredients pharmaceutical ones you can only obtain with a prescription but in lesser amounts. The percentage of the ingredients used in medical grade can actually affect structural change to the skin. They have been developed to a higher standard with quality ingredients to give effective results. #3 They are filled with low quality ingredients, harmful chemicals, irritants, comedogenic (pore clogging) ingredients, fillers, thickeners, and parabens (commonly used to prevent bacteria/mold) which causes hormonal imbalance among many other health issues. Medical grade lines use healthy, active ingredients and they don’t add additives that affect your health negatively. Many are filled with harmful chemicals. Such as: Benzophenone – It is found in many sunscreens. Its job is to absorb ultraviolet light before it can burn your skin. It has big ties to cellular damage and cancer. Propylene Glycol & Butylene Glycol – These can put you at risk for allergic reaction & skin irritation. PEGs (Polyethylene Glycols) – This can lead to contamination by 4-dioxane, or Ethylene which are carcinogenic (cancerous) compounds. Ethylene has been linked to causing harm on the nervous system. This is usually found in cream based products. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate – This ingredient is used many ways. This is the chemical that creates the lather in products (make bubbles). It is actually one of the most sensitizing ingredients used. It is an incredibly harsh detergent that strips your skins natural oils. It can cause dryness, flaking, allergies, and redness. Continuous use can cause dermatitis and other skin issues. There is the argument that drugstore is more affordable than medical grade. It’s really not that much more expensive. You save, budget, for something that is important to you. Yes, you can go get a taco from Taco bell for $1. You can also go to the grocery store and get something for $2 that will be actually beneficial to your body. Be strategic on what your spending money on and invest in good skin care. Your Esthetician will and should help you to work around your budget. Make An Appointment
