Glyco-A Gel and Crystal C Serum – January Product Features 2011

Is your skin feeling tired, dull, and out of balance? Winter is the best time of year to work on your complexion: UV rays are low, you’re outside less, and if you’re like me – because of the long nights – you are resting more.

I’ve chosen two exfoliating products by Tu’el for the January Product Feature. They both contain Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and provide amazing results when used together:

Glyco-A Gel is a 10% Glycolic Acid solution which improves the skin’s appearance and texture. It helps reduce wrinkles, acne scarring, and hyper-pigmentation and improves many other skin conditions.  AHAs weaken the binding properties of the lipids that hold the dead skin cells together, allowing the skin to be exfoliated, exposing live skin cells, and stimulating new cell growth.

Crystal C Serum is a healthy-aging and antioxidant Vitamin C serum that acts as a free radical scavenger, helps reverse and prevent sun damage, and improves skin firmness.

Made with the only stable form of Vitamin C, along with Lactic and Malic Acids, this fabulous serum will change your skin! Vitamin C  is great to use under your sun block for natural extra protection as well.

What’s in Crystal C Serum?

Purified Water, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxyethylcellose, Propylene Glycol, Superoxide Dismutase, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, L-Tyrosine, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate. 1 oz.

If you’re new to Star Brows, you may not know about The Product Feature or Rewards yet. To put it simply, 10% of all your product purchases all the time, go toward free Service Enhancements , like Raindrop Therapy, Lash Tint, Chemical Peels, or Star Massage.

When a product is the Monthly Feature however, you’ll get 20% back in Rewards! This month’s feature, Crystal C Serum, is $57 – that means $11 toward a service Enhancement – and Glyco-A Gel, which is $31, gives you $6 in Rewards.

See you at the spa!

Photo: Vintage Vogue

What is Chemical Peel?

Aestheticians sometimes call their use of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) when doing facials – chemical peels; but they are not peeling the skin, they are resurfacing. Whats the difference? There are 3 levels or strengths of AHAs available:

1. Cosmetic-you can get these at the drug or department store – see The Isles of Beauty

2. Cosmeceuticals-available to licensed skincare specialists.

3. Pharmaceuticals-doctors use these or write a prescription for them.

AHA’s work mainly as  exfoliants. They cause the cells of the skin in the upper layers to become “unglued,” allowing the dead skin cells to slough off and making room for regrowth of new skin deeper down.

AHA’s also stimulate the production of collagen and elastin and improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation or sun damaged skin.

Some examples of AHA’s are: Glycolic – sugarcane, Lactic – sour milk products, Citric – citrus fruits, Malic – apples and pears, Tartaric – grapes.

For home use, I love: Glyco-A Gel by Tu’el

There is also a BHA (beta hydroxy acid) called salicylic. All  the acids have different strengths and purposes. So, what’s the difference between the BHA & AHA’s? Two words: lipid solubility, aka a substance’s ability to dissolve in oil. AHA’s are water soluble, and BHA dissolves in oil. So…oily skin likes BHA and normal to dry skin like AHA’s.

Try: 5% Salicylic Acid Clarifying Pads by DermaQuest Skin Therapy.

Side Effects of these acids include; irritation, sun sensitivity, redness, and itching.

Rosacea is a skin disease that responds favorably to some forms of resurfacing, but because this condition is often red, irritable and swollen,a patch test on the inside of the arm to check for allergic response or sensitivity is recommended. The capillary walls are near the surface of the skin in this condition (hence the redness and veiny appearance) so the skin needs extra protection. The skin is also thin, so toughening it up and thickening it with AHAs can be helpful.

AHA & BHA products may reverse some of the damage caused by the sun, but at the same time they make the skin more susceptible to sun damage. When using resurfacers use a good sunscreen – see Sunscreen 101 , that contains UVA and UVB protection.

My favorite: Oil Free Essential Protection SPF 30 by Tu’el

See you at the spa!