Sunscreen: Protect Your Skin from the Sun–and Clogs

Reapplying sunscreen can be annoying. It’s laborious, can mess with your makeup, and  it’s hard not to convince yourself it’s doing more damage than good–clogging pores when it should be protecting your skin from irritation. There are many good alternatives to slathering on thick, oily sunscreen.

Cream for your Face, Cream for your Body

With a day sunscreen, or night cream, you should always use a separate cream for your body and your more sensitive skin: face, neck, and chest. Hopefully this separation is already a part of your skin care routine, but this is especially important to stick to with regards to sunscreen. Sunscreens work hard to protect you from damaging UVA and UVB rays, and a high-quality sunscreen is both protective and easy on your sensitive, beautiful skin. Medical grade makeup offered by Britannia Dermedics balances protection from the sun and maintenance of hydrated, clean skin.

Mineral Makeup – with SPF

Mineral sunscreen–such as Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush– provides an alternative to the daily slather-on. What’s more is that this type of sunscreen encourages sun protection by being easier to reapply and compact enough to keep in your bag or on your person.

Reapply

A good sunscreen goes a long way to fight the signs of aging and reduce irritation. However, reapplication is essential to effective sunscreen use. Applying a light sunscreen in the morning will only protect your skin for a few hours. Reapplication is easier with a mineral sunscreen, and getting in the habit may be easier to deal with when a light powder is required instead of a cream. The mineral powder is sheer and available in matte or shimmering finishes–enhancing your healthy glow in whatever way you prefer. The powder is also available in a few SPF strengths to accommodate different skin sensitivitiess. Sunscreen should be used day in and day out.

Creams

Other sunscreen options are light, non-oily creams that are available through all medical-grade lines endorsed and provided by Britannia Dermedics.

Acne–Unfortunately Not Limited to the Face

Ah, yes. “Backne.” An unfortunate but catchy word for a skin problem that is–thank heavens–quite easy to deal with!

Get Rid of Dead Skin

In the shower, give your skin a fresh breath by cleansing with a non-irritating body wash or soap. Scrubbing your back gently with a clean loofa or sponge will help exfoliate away bad, dirty, and dead skin cells and allow for fresh ones to come through. Keeping your skin fresh and clean is going to help rebalance your oils and get dirt out of those pores.

Laundry Soap

For better skin, consider using a hypoallergenic or sensitive skin laundry detergent instead of the usual lavender-puppy-meadow scent that is tempting to pick up off the shelf. An unscented laundry detergent will clean your clothes without adding irritants to them. Our back is almost or completely exposed to our shirts and a heavily scented shirt will rub and irritate your clean and sensitive skin cells. This is something that will extend outwards in your awareness once you start washing your bed sheets in sensitive skin detergent as well–just think about how much time we spend in bed. Remember: this applies to dryer sheets too!

Exercise

Always, always, always shower after going to the gym or experiencing any remotely significant sweating. Sweat dries into salt that will dry out and clog your beautiful skin. Tight clothing such as workout clothes trap sweat to the body. Enjoy your workout and then wash off to keep your skin clean, and remember: wear clean workout gear to be less of an irritant for your back (as well as your chest).

Skin Care and Great Hair

Summer. It’s coming. Not unlike our faces, our hair can find itself very dry or very oily in the summer–polar opposites that are hard to balance. However, aiming to return moisture to your hair and scalp is not as hard as it sounds. Don’t fear the frizz this summer; simple tips are here to help.

Less is More

A rule of thumb for keeping your hair in line is surprising: less is more. Avoid combing when unnecessary, which will pull at and damage hair. Also avoid washing your hair if you really don’t need it. Washing your hair too much dries your hair out by stripping its natural oils, and will turn a summer shine down to a dull and dry state.

Go Sulphate-Free

Sulphate-free is the way to go for both shampoo and conditioner. Sulphates pull all the dirt and excess oil out of your hair to clean it, but go several steps too far and pull out natural oils that keep your scalp healthy and itch-free. Any oils that give your hair a dynamic look and feel are gone down the drain. A high-quality salon-grade shampoo and conditioner is strongly recommended, but mid-level brands also make sulphate-free options.

Help your Scalp

Washing, heat, cold, brushing–these things all take a toll on your scalp’s health. Avoid dandruff and feel comfortable and beautiful by giving your scalp some TLC. A common cure for an itchy or dry scalp is to massage a few teaspoons of coconut oil into it. It’s best to do this at night, as the coconut oil can be very apparent when first applied. Natural coconut oil is chemical-free and contains nothing that will strip moisture.

Sunscreen

Rub a little sunscreen in your part before you spend time the sun. Though you can’t see any damage occurring, a sunburnt or tanned scalp will produce less healthy hair and cause the appearance of dandruff. Take care and enjoy a summer of luscious hair.

Get a Better Sleep: Tips for Effective Beauty Sleep

Beauty sleep is the real deal; take advantage of it! Your body needs time to rest, and that includes your skin. Skin needs the time you are asleep to work on new skin cells, and bring nutrients to the top to keep you looking healthy and youthful as possible.

Calm your Skin

Be gentle with your skin as you get ready for bed–you are preparing it for hours to luxuriate and regenerate and should take as much advantage of this as possible. Gently cleanse your skin and lightly apply a night cream that will rehydrate you after a long day. Collagen in the skin regenerates at night and being gentle with your skin is important to support this process.

Give Your Screens a Curfew

To cut down on your stimulation before bed, give yourself a curfew for TV and computer use. This will this improve your ability to sleep in two important ways. Firstly, removing artificial light reduces the stimulus provided to the brain that keeps you alert. Secondly, cutting out the outside world at an appropriate time reduces stress and keeps you “mindful”–you can pay attention to your immediate surroundings and your mind becomes calm, making it easier to sleep. This is a form of meditation and is highly effective in improving one’s ability to sleep.

Be Comfortable

Being comfortable when you are preparing sleep is done a few ways: all these tips affect your skin!

1. Temperature

Firstly, make sure your room is the right temperature for a restful sleep. Sixteen to 20 degrees Celsius is recommended, but a good rule of thumb is knowing that you are not too hot. You shouldn’t be shivering in bed, but being too hot will dehydrate you. Adjust the temperature using blankets. The right sleeping temperature will ensure restful sleep while allowing your body to stay as hydrated as possible throughout the night–very important for good skincare.

2. Wear the Right Clothes

Wearing the right clothes will allow you to be comfortable while you sleep, but will also give your skin a break throughout the night. Wear pyjamas that are loose–tight clothing irritates your skin by trapping sweat and rubbing material against you.

Spring Allergies and Skin Care

There’s nothing to like about Spring allergies except that they signal the change of the seasons. It can be a very frustrating relationship between your skin care routine and the itching and rubbing that allergies bring to our faces. Here are some makeup and skincare routine tips to lessen the impact of allergies: keep your makeup the way you want it, and help keep irritation at bay.

Use Clean Make-up Tools

Whether it is a makeup brush or eyelash curler, tools get dirty. For the sake of both your allergies and your skin cleanliness, make sure to keep everything you use–especially what you use regularly–very clean. Itchy eyes are the main sign of Spring allergies, and using a clean eyelash curler will reduce irritation. Wipe your curler with alcohol pads to keep it clean, and wash your brushes with a brush cleanser or water. The added benefit is that your tools will last much longer than if they are left alone to build-up makeup and, in the case of brushes, clump together. Your tools will be at their best to help you with your sensitive skin; your clean complexion and bright, non-itchy eyes will thank you.

Reduce Puffiness

Puffiness is frustrating: it makes you look older than you are, and usually stems from rubbing your skin, intake of salt, dehydration, or all of the the above. Reduce puffiness in Spring by taking allergy medicine, keeping hydrated, and keeping rubbing your face at a minimum. Avoiding rubbing is important as it irritates your skin, and pulls at your delicate skin cells that are trying to produce more collagen to keep you looking as healthy and glowing as possible. Sensitive, medical grade skin products are designed to keeping unnecessary itchiness at a minimum by taking good care of your already allergy-irritant prone skin.

Conceal Puffiness and Redness

Don’t let your allergies get in the way of looking as beautiful, happy, and healthy as you are. Your skin is beautiful, so forget about letting a red nose and puffy eyes get you down. Conceal puffiness below the eyes by swiping a non-irritating bronzer below the eyes, making your eyes appear brighter. A little colour theory goes a long way: green-tinted concealers cancel out redness around the nose and eyes.

Get out there, armed and ready for Springtime.

Care for your Curly Hair

Curly hair has volume and dimension that naturally straight hair just can’t get. It is always going to be frustrating to care for curly hair, but following a few tips will keep your hair smooth, clean, and stunning year round.

Go Sulfate Free

This is a recommendation for all hair, but especially important for curly hair. Sulfates over-cleanse hair and strip you of important natural oils that give our hair bounce and shine. Look for professional grade shampoos that are sulfate-free, which can be found both in the salon and in stores.

Cut Down on Shampoo

Sulfate-free shampooing is a great step, but the less you shampoo the better. The idea is to irritate follicles less and curly hair is especially prone to “frizz” that comes from a lack of oils being able to reach the ends of your hair, which shampoo impedes.

Condition!

It is harder for natural oils to reach the ends of your hair from your scalp if you have bouncy, curly hair. Conditioning helps out those oils that are working hard to reach the ends. A good conditioner locks in moisture but is not so heavy that hair is being pulled down.

It’s All About the Technique

True for all hair, different ways of drying have a big effect on the quality of hair you can have. Dry delicately–not too different than when you lightly dry your face after your nightly cleansing. Go for a pat-down instead of vigorously drying your hair back-and-forth. Drying your hair too intensely will split ends and pull at your hair cuticles. Look for the right towel too–a finer knit than terrycloth actually makes an incredible difference in reducing frizz, as it creates less drag between hairs.

Chlorine vs Your Skin

Good weather is coming quickly, and soon we’ll be dying for pools to open for a bit of relaxation and relief. It is most likely that the pools you’ll be encountering this summer are chlorinated, and it is important to think about how this chemical affects our skin and hair. Know what chlorine does and how to treat yourself before and after a dip for a summer of cool relief, and great, glamorous beauty.

Chlorine

Being in a chlorinated pool isn’t a bad thing, and on a hot summer day it’s hard to remember to care for your skin and hair while your running for relief from the sun. Chlorine is a chemical that kills bacteria in pools, and thank the high heavens for it. But don’t let a clean pool undermine your beauty routine.

Protect Your Hair Before You Jump In

If you are comfortable this way and want to, wearing a bathing cap is the best way to protect your hair from chlorine apart from keeping your head above water. If the glamorous alien look isn’t for you, giving your hair a light treatment of coconut oil will help provide your hair with moisture while repelling chlorinated water from soaking into your locks. It’s counterproductive to go sulfate-free with your hair and then soak it in harsh chemicals, so keep your head above water or protect those locks before you dive in!

Hit the Showers

After your day at the pool, chlorine has bonded with your skin and hair and needs a good wash to get it out. Look for a specialty cleanser that targets harsh chemicals but doesn’t strip your skin of all moisture.

Moderation

Ultimately, chlorine will be harmful to your skin because it aims to kill dirt and disinfect everything it comes in contact with. Be moderate with the frequency and amount of time you spend in a chlorinated pool. The chemical is desperate to take away your bad oils as well as your good oils–and you want to keep those. Protect yourself and jump on in!

Heatproof Makeup for Summer

 

As summer rolls around, looking fresh and put-together can be difficult in the bright sun and harsh heat. Humidity and high temperatures naturally cause perspiration, and makeup melting down your face can create dirt and oil buildup under your skin. Taking the right steps is essential to keeping your skin clear and your makeup in place all day. With the right products and correct application, you’ll be combatting cake face and raccoon eyes with relative ease.

Tips for an all-day fresh face

• Use an oil-free facial sunscreen.

A good quality, reliable sunscreen is must-have if you’re going to be exposing your skin to the sun’s harsh rays. Sunscreen specifically designed for the face is recommended because a non-greasy formula will help prevent looking shiny and oily throughout the day while still providing plenty of protection.

• Avoid heavy moisturizer and foundation.

Using foundations and moisturizers with overly thick consistencies can cause your makeup to slide right off your face as soon as the heat hits. Go for a light, mattifying moisturizer and let it soak into your skin for about ten minutes before applying anything else. If you just need a bit of light coverage, opt for a B.B. cream or a tinted moisturizer instead of your normal foundation. If you’re prone to acne, use a long-lasting concealer only where needed, like on breakouts or red areas, and keep the rest of your face as light as possible with a long-lasting, non-comedogenic foundation.

• Try a primer.

If you’re not familiar with primers, they are made to help your makeup stay put longer - almost as if it’s adhering to your face. This is especially helpful in the summer months. Make sure to apply it after your moisturizer, but before your foundation. A good eye primer is very helpful as well if you’re going to be wearing eye shadow or liner, as it prevents creasing and running in any weather.

• Keep it in thin layers.

As soon as you start applying too much product, your face is going to begin looking cakey. Be sure to blend each layer of product very well into your skin before applying the next, and keep the layers thin and uniform. You want the makeup to look like your real skin, so making sure that each product is evenly and thinly applied is the key to long lasting results. Less is more!

• Go waterproof.

Runny mascara can be detrimental to an otherwise polished look. Using a waterproof or water-resistant mascara is absolutely necessary in a hot and humid climate to keep your eyes smudge-free.

• Carry blotting paper in your purse.

Bringing along a few sheets of blotting paper is a wonderful remedy for oily skin; they absorb excess oil without removing your makeup along with them. Adding layers upon layers of powder throughout the day will undoubtedly cause you to look unnatural, so skip the powder re-application and try blotting instead.

• Stay hydrated!

Drinking plenty of water is extremely important all year round, but the risk of heat stroke and dehydration is why you should always bring a water bottle everywhere you go in the warmer months. Keeping your body cool from the inside out can be especially helpful in preventing excess perspiration, so sweating off your makeup will be the least of your worries.

Curb Menopause–Before it Curbs You

The return of acne, weight fluctuation, hot flashes that leave your skin flushed and you feeling like you have a fever–these are just a few of the ways menopause can make your life uncomfortable, and leave you frustrated. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of menopause now, or it’s years down the line, there are a variety of proactive things you can do make sure changes in your skin tone, body temperature, hair, and nails, don’t get in the way of you feeling comfortable and happy in your own skin.

Most Important: Prioritize Sleep

Your sleeping habits affect your hormones. Sounds complicated, but all it takes is regular and good habits to get you into a restorative, balanced sleep that will undermine menopause’s often insomnia-inducing symptoms. A regular sleep now will help teach your body to fall asleep when you want it to, not when your menopause decides you can go to sleep.

Feel Stronger

Hormone levels drop during menopause, bringing on a higher risk of osteoporosis. Focus on calcium rich foods for strong bones. Strength will also make it easier to feel well rested after sleep, as the body has the nutrients it needs to do productive work during your sleep. Calcium rich foods include:

• Kale and Spinach
• Parmesan and Swiss Cheese (these contain the lowest levels of lactose in a cheese while still being very high in calcium)
• Greek Yogurt

Control Temperature

Sweating is a common and incredibly annoying symptom of menopause. Research shows that ingesting Omega 3 Fatty Acids can reduce these “night sweats” by helping to control temperature. Enjoy these tasty treats that will give you energy throughout the day and reduce sweating:

• Walnuts
• Avocados
• Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel (fatty fish)

Relax

As hormone levels swing, some women feel depressed during menopause. A good night’s sleep will help taper these down feelings, as will intake of blood sugar-leveling vitamins, especially Vitamin B. Look for:

• Broccoli
• Spinach (also high in iron and calcium)
• Lean meat and poultry

Perhaps most important is predictability: your body is going through fluxes, and you can do your part to be as predictable as possible by eating well and sleeping right to taper exhaustion, mood swings, and skin flare ups.

Summer Skin Care for Men

Skin concerns in the summer months aren’t just for women. You’re out on the golf course, riding around in the boat, kayaking, running and so on. The sun is beating down, you’re sweating and dirt and oil are building up, not to mention sun damage.

Men’s Skin Care Tips

We all know sun protection is essential (at least we hope you are using it regularly), but cleansing is crucial for your skin. It’s easy to become complacent and to not worry about it. But the dirt will build up and cause blocked pores, blackheads and an unhealthy looking complexion.

Here are some suggestions:

Oily Skin:

Over-washing your face can strip those important oils and irritate your skin, causing more oil to be produced as a reaction. Use a clean towel to pat your face if you’re sweating from exercise or the sun beating down on a hot day. Don’t use the same towel later, as it’s going to be filled with bacteria and dirt, irritating your skin further. Wash regularly–twice a day, and seal in moisture with a light moisturizer. Dealing with oily skin is not about stripping away all the oils, but maintaining a balance of hydration and cleanliness.

Dry Skin:

Prone to dry skin? It can be a result of genetics, sun exposure, over-cleansing, and under-moisturizing. Consider a moisturizer that is non-oily (it will clog your pores), which will help your skin to retain its natural moisture by providing your face with a protective shield. This will also help combat ingrown hairs or irritation from shaving by maintaining a healthy relationship between your skin, hair follicles and pores.

Rough Skin:

Men frequently find rough skin on different parts of their bodies than just the face–midsection, arms, and chest. While these rough patches may be caused by eczema or psoriasis, there are many ways to improve the quality, and most importantly, the comfort of your skin.

Try applying a sensitive-skin moisturizer (no scents or alcohols) after washing your face or after showering—this is the best way to lock in moisture. Water on the face is locked in, and moisturizers wick away unnecessary water after that. Then, leave it alone. If rough skin persists, consult your dermatologist or Britannia Dermedics about a regime or treatment that will improve your skin quality.

Treatments

To improve your skin, try non-surgical and non-invasive treatments such as laser, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels to develop healthier, younger, and more evenly-toned skin in a few treatments.

Winter Skin Care

In the shower:

If the mirror is steamed up when you step out of the shower, you may be drying out your skin. Turn down the heat a bit so you don’t strip the oil from your face and body, leaving you with dry, flaking skin.

Pat dry:

Pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing. This is doubly important for sensitive facial skin, but also for the rest of your body.

H2O

Drinking water is good for entire body. It will aid in keeping your skin hydrated, and can help to clear up acne.

Moisturize

Lock in moisture after showering or bath.

Wrap up

During winter’s harsh and drying conditions, keep yourself as wrapped up as possible.

Shaving

Shaving in the same direction your hair grows is the least irritating method. Always use a moisturizing shaving cream.

Arms

Repay your elbows for all the work they do for you by keeping them moisturized, as the constant use and movement as they bend back and forth dries them out, leaving them looking grey, ashy and irritated.

Chest 

Think of the skin care routine for your chest as being similar to the care you give to your face. The skin on your chest does not have very much fat under it and so, is very delicate. You should get into the habit of patting dry every part of your body (remove rubbing from the picture, permanently). Like your hands, face, and neck, your chest is prone to signs of aging. Use your SPF facial moisturizer every day from your forehead down to the top of your breasts to defend yourself against the sun’s aging effects.

Winter Is The Ideal time

Remember summer? Yes, that short season that comes and goes rapidly?

 

Although summer seems so brief, it certainly can leave a lasting impression. Sun damage accumulates over the warmer months, and after spending time outdoors, you are left with the results – hyperpigmentation, brown spots, increased wrinkling and  tired-looking skin.

As we age, our skin doesn’t bounce back from over-exposure to the sun in the summer as quickly as it did in our youth. The result? Age spots (which are really sun damage), spider veins and sagging skin.

Some good news about winter

It’s the best time of year to have certain skin care treatments performed. Laser treatments can leave your skin sensitive to the sun, so the ideal time to undergo a treatment such as IPL Photo Rejuvenation or skin resurfacing is winter, when you spend more time indoors.

With more intense laser resurfacing, sun exposure is a complete no-go, as your skin is extremely vulnerable to damage. Exposure to any sun prior to and after an IPL Photo Rejuvenation treatment is also discouraged. If you have a tan, even a slight one before a procedure, the laser treatment can burn your skin, and it is mandatory to avoid the sun afterwards.

IPL Photo Rejuvenation is effective for treating:

• Face
• Chest
• Shoulders
• Arm
• Hands
• Freckles
• Photo damage
• Diffuse redness
• Tiny veins
• Hyperpigmentation and brown spots
• Appearance of rosacea (but will not remove it entirely)

It’s also best to have other laser treatments performed during the colder season for the same reason – sun sensitivity afterwards. If you’re considering laser hair removal or tattoo removal, now is the best time.

Post Christmas Skincare Rescue

Christmas is over, but the wear and tear on your skin from several weeks of overindulgence is still here. Puffy eyes, dryness, bloating, spots and extra wrinkles stare back at you from the mirror. Alcohol, rich food and less sleep have left their mark.

1.  Get back to basics

Get back to eating a good diet of lots of vegetables and fruit, along with plenty of water.

Daily good skincare needs to be on your list. Ensure your skin is cleansed, toned and moisturized twice daily. And don’t forget to exfoliate twice a week. It’s easy to slip into bad habits, or forget your good ones over the festive period, but it’s time to get back to your old routine.

2. Puffy eyes?

All that sodium and dairy over the holidays can leave your eyes looking tired and baggy, even if you well rested. Try this – keep your eye makeup remover in the fridge. It’s cooler temperature will turn into an excellent compress when used with cotton pads. You can also try lying down with chilled used teabags over your eyes.

3. Need a little extra TLC?

Go for a microdermabrasion or chemical peel to get a thorough removal of dead skin cells and rejuvenate your complexion.

if you follow these steps, your skin should be looking gorgeous again soon. And good skincare, we have to say, is done daily!

4.  Want to make a big difference?

Try our Venus Legacy contouring treatments for the entire face and body. It’s a safe and affordable non-surgical way to treat loose skin, cellulite, fat deposits and wrinkles.

Winter Skin Care for Rosacea Sufferers

Dry skin, the result of Calgary’s cold weather during the winter months, can be a problem for rosacea sufferers. Indoor forced air heating and the drying effect of low temperatures and cold winds outdoors can be the culprits behind a flare-up. Studies also indicate aging is a factor in outbreaks of this skin condition.

 How can I prevent rosacea flare-ups?

Attention to skin care can help control and management of this skin condition. Gentle twice-daily cleansing is crucial to remove bacterial build-up, cosmetics and excess oil. If skin is extremely dry, use a creamy, low-foaming non-soap, fragrance-free cleanser

After allowing skin to air dry, follow up with a topic medication, and allow it to dry before applying moisturizer or cosmetics to allow the medication to work.

When venturing outdoors, use a scarf to protect the face from the drying impact of wind and cold temperatures, but avoid wool as it can irritate skin and exacerbate the condition.

To minimize the effects of indoor temperatures, especially forced air heating, try to keep the thermostat as low as possible and use a humidifier often.

 What is rosacea?

It’s a chronic, inflammatory skin condition mostly seen on the face. It causes facial redness and small red pus-filled pustules or bumps. It’s often mistaken for acne or eczema. If left untreated, it will worsen with time.

Beauty sleep – your skin needs it

You’ve likely noticed when you skimp on sleep, the results show up in your face. Dilated blood vessels from lack of sleep show up on your face in the form of tired skin which sags and bags, giving you a less than ideal complexion.

The bad news

 When you’re exhausted, you’re also more likely to be stressed and that’s going to show up on your face. If you’ve been up to the wee hours smoking and imbibing, well, it’s bad news for your skin.  Alcohol can affect the quality of your time in bed when you should be getting a deep restful sleep. Smoking – well, it’s not news to anyone that it causes wrinkles.

 Your entire body, including your skin, switches into repair mode while you’re sleeping. Your skin takes this time to renew itself by replacing older skin cells with new ones. Hormonal and metabolic changes take place while you’re at rest. Losing sleep can disrupt these changes.

 It’s not only your skin that suffers. Chronic lack of sleep is linked to many serious health issues—high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and depression.

 The good news

Skin recovers quickly. If you get a good night’s sleep, the changes are rapidly apparent. How much is enough? The experts say seven to nine hours is right, any more than that is too much.

 Don’t be tempted to short-change yourself on pillow time. Your skin will thank you.

The Skinny on ‘Middle-Aged Spread’

Life isn’t always fair and the battle against the bulge is often a greater concern for women than men. As women enter their middle year, ‘middle-aged spread’ becomes a concern; the proportion of fat to body weight for women tends to increaser more than it does for me. During the menopausal years, those stubborn pockets of fat park themselves around the midsection.

 Preventing the inevitable

Women used to accept these changes as a fact of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way and for health reasons, they shouldn’t be. Abdominal or visceral fat is a key concern because of the associated health risks. Visceral fat lies deep within the abdominal cavity, padding the spaces between abdominal organs and has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer.

 Location

When fat accumulates in the lower body, this is referred to as having a pear shape. When it is located in the abdominal area, it’s referred to as an apple shape. Where it ends up is determined by several factors including heredity. Estrogen production decreases after menopause are also linked to an increase in abdominal fat.

Studies also indicate waist circumference may be a better predictor of health issues than measuring body mass index (BMI), which only provides overall body fat.

 Eliminating abdominal fat

Exercising and diet may not eliminate visceral fat. Why? Hormones heavily influence abdominal fat, especially the hormone cortisol. Even though you may be hitting the gym regularly and eating all the right foods, you may experience difficulty getting rid of stomach fat with traditional methods, especially as you age.

The losing battle against Fat, Cellulite and Loose Skin

It’s frustrating—you stick to a healthy diet, hit the gym regularly, but your body refuses to co-operate. After depriving yourself of tasty, but calorie-laden food and becoming a gym rat, you still don’t see results. Or you’ve seen some, but you’ve arrived at a plateau. There’s still a thick layer of fat around your middle or love handles on either side, your thighs jiggle and cellulite has taken up residence on the backs of your leg and your derriere.

Perhaps you’re one of the luckier ones and you have lost weight, but now you’re dealing with loose skin on your face and body?

Don’t wave the white flag just yet

There is a safe and long-term solution to your woes. Venus Legacy offers a pain free solution for non-surgical body contouring and skin tightening for the face, neck and body by combining proven Multi-polar and Magnetic pulse (MP) technology. The Venus Legacy achieves deep energy penetration and lymphatic drainage, as well as stimulating circulation.

What kind of results can be expected?

Treatment can be done in hard to reach areas, such as around the eyes and along the jowls, smoothing wrinkles and fine lines. Body contouring, temporary cellulite reduction and skin tightening, circumferential reduction and stretch mark reduction can also be achieved with the Venus Legacy.

Although a proper diet and healthy exercise have a multitude of benefits, if you’re not achieving the more visible results you want to see on your face and body, consider adding the Venus Legacy to your arsenal.

What Causes Cellulite?

There are some that claim toxins cause cellulite and that it can be reduced or eliminated by removing toxins, but this is a myth.

One of the culprits behind cellulite can be your genes. If your mother and grandmother had it, you may be prone to developing this skin condition.

What is Cellulite?

It’s not a medical problem. It’s simply fat that has accumulated below the skin. When the fat pushes against connective tissue, it appears bumpy and causes the skin to pucker.

What causes it?

Thin people can have cellulite. Just because you have it, doesn’t mean you are overweight, but if you are, losing that extra weight may help to reduce the appearance of cellulite. It’s more common among women that men.

Other factors that cause cellulite:

·      Poor diet and fat dieting

·      Slow metabolism

·      Lack of exercise

·      Hormonal changes

·      Dehydration

·      Total body fat

·      Thickness and color of your skin

Cellulite is less noticeable on darker skin. If you have fair skin, apply a self-tanner before heading out in a bathing suit or shorts to minimize the appearance of cellulite.

Are Your Lips Kissable?

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. One of the areas of the skin that is often neglected is our lips. Are yours ready for their close-up?

 Winter and your lips

Age, dehydration, forced air heating, harsh winds and cold temperatures take a toll on your lips, making them, well, less kissable. The skin on the lips is different than skin on the rest of your body; it’s thinner and has no oil glands.

Because of this, your lips are less protected than other parts of the body. They are also exposed to the elements all the time. No wonder they become rough and chapped, don’t hold lipstick colour and may become painfully dry. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, spending time on the ski hills, cross country trails and the skating rink, your lips may also become sunburned, even in the winter.

 Lip Tips

Love your lips and they will respond quickly by following these steps:

1.    Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – at least eight cups a day. Your lips and the rest of your body depend on H2O to stay healthy.

2.    Don’t lick your lips. This habit damages the protective barrier and will dry out your lips.

3.    Always use a hydrating balm containing shea butter, vitamin E, coconut or almond oil.

4.    Humidify – especially in Calgary’s cold winters.

5.    Exfoliate when required. There are special lip exfoliators on the market to slough off dead skin.

 Plump up

To really make your lips look outstanding, consider a derma filler to pump up the pout factor. Sometimes Mother Nature needs a little help.

 And then, pucker up!

Winter is the Perfect Time to Rejuvenate your Skin

The best time to under go Skin rejuvenation procedures is during the winter. With someprocedures, avoiding the sun is crucial immediately after the treatment. Minimizing sun exposure is essential at any time of the year. Undergoing the process during the colder months makes it easier to avoid damaging sensitive, recently treated skin.

What results can I expect with skin rejuvenation?

Depending on the treatment and the condition of your skin, treatments are effective for:

·      Acne & acne scarring

·      Sun damage

·      Wrinkles & fine lines

·      Uneven skin texture

·      Age spots

·      Hyperpigmentation

·      Loose skin

Again, depending on the skin rejuvenation procedure, there is typically little downtime and results are often within a few days. Some treatments provide results more slowly, as collagen rebuilds over a six-month period.

 Restore your natural glow

The colder months, which are often accompanied by harsh winds and extremes in temperature as we go from forced air heating in our homes to the outdoor elements, can mean your skin becomes dry and pale or gray looking. Get your glow back on by taking advantage of the weather to rejuvenate your skin.

Chemical peels and microdermabrasion are also fabulous ways to provide a temporary fix to winter skin blahs. They are quick and easy, and there’s no downtime, and you leave with a refreshed complexion.