How To Get Rid Of Jowls

Jowls is an area that I am commonly questioned on ... how to get rid of jowls?! "How do I stop my face sagging?"
As we age we find that our cheeks start heading south thus causing the dreaded jowl. There are really 2 options to consider in the treatment of jowls and how to stop the face sagging.

1. Cosmetic - dermal filler to create volume in the cheek/cosmetic surgery of different kinds
2. Work out your facial muscles so they are tighter and more toned, thus tightening and lifting the skin

I go with option 2 at my clinic, Skin Matrix, as this is a natural and non invasive method to achieving a toned and taught skin and lifted cheek area. It is the perfect solution to tightening skin.
I use the CACI non surgical facelift machine in my clinic with fantastic results. You will see a difference after your first session, but after a recommended course of 12 treatments either 1-2 a week you will see vast improvements. Once you have completed a course, you will not need to undertake a course again. You will simply need to maintain the results you have achieved by seeing your CACI trained Aesthetician once a month.

Liken it to taking your face to the gym. The more you exercise the better the results. Commonly the facial muscles originate on the bone and insert on the skin of the face. Unfortunately our facial expressions do not exercise our muscles, they need to "be exercised", this can be achieved through a CACI non surgical facelift or by doing facial exercises at home.

The CACI will prevent your face from sagging and is the best way to get rid of jowls. 

Read more on the CACI Non Surgical Facelift here
 
Email me here to ask me any questions you like about CACI

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au

5 Tips How to Get Hydrated Skin

Autumn is upon us and so to is the dry skin that accompanies these cooler months. As soon as Autumn kicks in I encourage all my clients to follow these 5 steps to achieve a hydrated skin. I am already on the bandwagon as of the first day of Autumn and I sort of wish I had of started sooner.
Since starting my skin feels a lot softer, it has a more dewy healthy glow to it. It feels more plump and my Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup sits 100% better. I will reassess come Summer, as I may suggest my clients and myself continue these 5 steps all year round.

Follow these 5 steps for a luminous, healthy, hydrated skin.

1. Use Immerse Serum morning and night. This is a fabulous omega 3 serum that you either use on its own or with another serum/cream. Magic in a pump! Instantly the following day my skin felt smoother, more hydrated and firm. Read more and purchase Osmosis here http://www.skinmatrix.com.au/Product/Immerse.html
2. Book in for a CACI Hydratone Mask. This is a hyalauronic mask with soothing properties that is penetrated deep into the dermis of the skin with the CACI microcurrent rollers. Takes around 15 minutes and is soooo relaxing, you probably will fall asleep. I suggest you do this in combination with step 3 if you want a more effective result. More on CACI hydratone here
3. Either book yourself in for a microdermabrasion with your favourite aesthetician or exfoliate at home. This will remove dead skin cells allowing hydrating masks and hydrating serums like the immerse to penetrate deep within the skin. It also gives the skin a pick me up as flattened, old cells are removed to reveal a fresher and more youthful appearance. Exfoliate with my popular scrub or use a enzyme firming mask like the Osmosis Polish. 
4. Take fish oil/omega 3 capsules. This is the most effective way to hydrate the body from the inside out. It also has so many other benefits to our body in prevention of many degenerative diseases you can't go wrong in adding this to your permanent daily supplement intake.
5. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. More if you drink caffeinated drinks and/or alcohol. Your fish oil is the most powerful hydrator. Followed by water. Water will also help to flush toxins from the body which is essential for a glowing skin.

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au

Did you know Talc is toxic?

Talc is the most common ingredient used in NON-mineral makeup and is usually found right at the very beginning of the ingredient list on your make up. Which means ........ out of all the ingredients in your pot of make up, talc is present in the highest quantity. 

I have been advising my clients to switch to a 100% mineral makeup since I first discovered the amazing benefits and natural look of Minerals 10 years ago. I will not go in to all the benefits of Mineral Makeup today, as I want to pass on this very important information that you can find on the website: 

Prevent Cancer.Com - www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/talc 

Please also be aware that currently here in Australia, there are no regulations for cosmetic companies in labelling of mineral makeup. Your mineral make up may contain only 1% minerals, yet be labelled as a Mineral Makeup. Ask your brand, if they are 100% minerals.

TALC - The Toxic Mineral!

Q. What is talc?

A. Talc is a mineral, produced by the mining of talc rocks and then processed by crushing, drying and milling. Processing eliminates a number of trace minerals from the talc, but does not separate minute fibers which are very similar to asbestos.

Q. What kinds of consumer products contain talc?

A. Talc is found in a wide variety of consumer products ranging from home and garden pesticides to antacids. However, the products most widely used and that pose the most serious health risks are body powders Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powders, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powders. Because talc is resistant to moisture, it is also used by the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture medications and is a listed ingredient of some antacids. Talc is the principal ingredient home and garden pesticides and flea and tick powders. Talc is used in smaller quantities in deodorants, chalk, crayons, textiles, soap, insulating materials, paints, asphalt filler, paper, and in food processing.

Q. Why is talc harmful?

A. Talc is closely related to the potent carcinogen asbestos. Talc particles have been shown to cause tumors in the ovaries and lungs of cancer victims. For the last 30 years, scientists have closely scrutinized talc particles and found dangerous similarities to asbestos. Responding to this evidence in 1973, the FDA drafted a resolution that would limit the amount of asbestos-like fibers in cosmetic grade talc. However, no ruling has ever been made and today, cosmetic grade talc remains non-regulated by the federal government. This inaction ignores a 1993 National Toxicology Program report which found that cosmetic grade talc, without any asbestos-like fibers, caused tumors in animal subjects.1 Clearly with or without asbestos-like fibers, cosmetic grade talcum powder is a carcinogen.

Q. What kind of exposure is dangerous?

A. Talc is toxic. Talc particles cause tumors in human ovaries and lungs. Numerous studies have shown a strong link between frequent use of talc in the female genital area and ovarian cancer. Talc particles are able to move through the reproductive system and become imbedded in the lining of the ovary. Researchers have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and have found that women with ovarian cancer have used talcum powder in their genital area more frequently than healthy women.2

Talc poses a health risk when exposed to the lungs. Talc miners have shown higher rates of lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses from exposure to industrial grade talc, which contains dangerous silica and asbestos. The common household hazard posed by talc is inhalation of baby powder by infants. Since the early 1980s, records show that several thousand infants each year have died or become seriously ill following accidental inhalation of baby powder.3

Q. What about infants?

A. Talc is used on babies because it absorbs unpleasant moisture. Clearly, dusting with talcum powder endangers an infant's lungs at the prospect of inhalation. Exposing children to this carcinogen is unnecessary and dangerous.

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:

1. Do not buy or use products containing talc. It is especially important that women not apply talc to underwear or sanitary pads.

2. Contact your pediatrician and/or local hospital and find out if they have a policy regarding talc use and infants.

3. Write to the FDA and express your concern that a proven carcinogen has remained unregulated while millions of people are unknowingly exposed.

References:

1.National Toxicology Program. "Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of talc (GAS No 14807-96-6) in F344/N rats and B6C3F, mice (Inhalation studies)." Technical Report Series No. 421. September 1993.

2. Harlow BL, Cramer DW, Bell DA, Welch WR. "Perineal exposure to talc and ovarian cancer risk." Obstetrics & Gynecology, 80: 19-26, 1992.

3. Hollinger MA. "Pulmonary toxicity of inhaled and intravenous talc." Toxicology Letters, 52:121-127, 1990.

I hope you have found this information and the website PreventCancer.Com an invaluable tool. 

Sarah Wilkinson

Skin Matrix

sarah@skinmatrix.com.au

www.skinmatrix.com.au

How to get rid of Blackheads

The question I would get asked by my clients both online and in my clinic MANY times a week is:

How do I get rid of blackheads??

I want to break this down into 2 categories to explain this best:
1) blackheads on the nose
2) blackheads on other facial areas

But first, let me tell you in very simple terms what the common blackhead is. 

• Our pores contain a few things: oil (sebum) , hair follicle, dead skin cells
• makeup and dirt also find there way into our pores
• see the sebaceous gland in the picture, well that is what produces the oil that nourishes and protects our skin
• when the oil comes into contact with oxygen, it oxidizes it - giving it a black appearance. 
• you will notice this oxidation wherever your pores are larger - typically the nose/chin area
• when we exfolliate our skin, we are removing dead skin cells and part of that oxidized cap which makes our skin look brighter and fresher. 
• removing the oil plug or black cap with pores strips is a temporary solution, it simply removes the oil cap taking away that oxidized black cap

Blackheads on the Nose:
Unfortunately we can never get rid of blackheads completely. Due to our pores typically being larger on the nose and sometimes chin area, it is only natural that oxidized oil will be seen as "blackheads". We can however minimize them. This is how:

BUY ONLINE

• First we must clean out the oil, dead skin, dirt, makeup residue BEFORE we can minimize. 
• First things first. Change to a mineral makeup such as Jane Iredale Mineral Make up which is designed to sit on the surface of the skin. Also if you suffer breakouts .... this is a must. Breakouts find it hard to stop when your pore keeps getting filled with unwanted gunk!
• To assist in cleaning out your pores, use a product such as Defy from Cosmedix - a fruit acid cream to be used of a night will help break down hardened oil, makeup and dirt built up over the years. 
• Now that we are on the right path to cleaning out our pores, we now need to minimize them. 
• Use a vitamin A product that contains either Retinol or Retinaldehyde. For minimizing pores, anything except the above stated forms of Vitamin A will not minimize pores, they will give the skin an antioxidant benefit only. Retin A which is the strongest form of Vitamin A, I am not a big fan of. It is very irritating, causing flaking, dryness and the skin burns very quickly in the sun which can lead to pigmentation problems down the track. Typically you can only use Retin A for a period of 3 months, before you need to give the skin a break. Products that you should be looking for are: Renew from Osmosis or Refine or Define from Cosmedix.
• Treatments that will assist are: microdermabrasion, Vitamin A infusions or peels such as the Osmosis Peel or the Cosmedix Benefit or Timeless Peel. Read more on these peels here.
• Microdermabrasion gives you quick satisfaction as the oxidized caps are removed. For long term satisfaction, the peels and infusions will help to restructure your pores and refine them. 

Blackheads on the Rest of the Face:

Blackhead on the other parts of the face are not as common as on the nose. Everyone has blackheads to some degree on their nose, but not everyone has them on the cheeks for example.
Unless my client has a acne and/or problematic skin where the pores are enlarged and their natural oil flow is very high, blackheads on the rest of the face is commonly a topical problem.
Usually a skin product is smothering their pores and not allowing their natural oil to flow naturally on the skin. Products that contain Parrafin or liquid parrafin, mineral oil and lanolin and there are many others can, on some skins, cause blackheads. We need to allow the skin to breathe to function as it was designed to. Smothering it with barrier creams will only benefit very sensitive skins, people who suffer from eczema and dermatitis. Once I find the culprit that is responsible for the blackheads and remove it from the skin routine. I will then need to put them on some sort of fruit acid cream light Defy from Cosmedix and manually extract the blackheads.
If however the pore has been stretched over a period of years, it makes minimizing a little more time consuming as there is a lot more to minimize than the standard enlarged pore. It would be nice if our pores snapped back into position once all the debris was removed from the pore, but no such luck.
I have found that the Dermaroller Treatment, Skin Needling is FANTASTIC for minimizing pores.

I would highly recommend Skin Needling to anyone that was concerned with enlarged pores, blackheads etc. Make sure you go to a clinic that uses a Skin Needling device that is approved by the TGA (therapeutic goods administration) of Australia. These devices are designed to penetrate to your Dermis (second layer) of the skin, so you want to insist the procedure is sterilized and the technician is highly trained in skin needling.

Also as a tip, I highly advise you ask your technician is they reuse their rollers. Some clinics do, and some don't. You are paying decent money for this treatment, so you want sharp, new needles every time, a new roller that has been taken out of a sterilized packet every time.
Read more on Skin Needling with the original Dermaroller here

Some other helpful tips for a clean pored complexion:

1. cleanse with a cleanser morning and night
2. double cleanse or use clear on a cotton round to remove any excess make up
3. use a moisturiser that sinks in deeply and nourishes the skin. Unless you have dermatitis, eczema, super sensitive skin,  or a thin skin you do not need products with heavy waxes, oils and paraffin that only sit on the surface of your skin and clog up your pores. Use a moisturiser like Quench that deeply hydrates and sinks in super quick.
4. Thoroughly cleanse your skin after using chemical sunscreens, they are notorious for hanging out in your pores long after your lovely day at the beach!
5. Exfoliate with my facial scrub at least once a week
6. Do not squeeze blackheads, over time you develop scar tissue around the pore - even harder to minimize!
7. Visit your Aesthetician for a deep cleansing facial/peel/infusion or microdermabrasion at least once a month. You WILL see a difference. 
8. Change to a 100% mineral makeup like Jane Iredale
9. Throw away that mirror in your bathroom that magnifies your face 1000 times! No one is going to look that close, it is impossible to have magnified vision.
10. Be loving and kind to your skin

Hope this helps answers many of your questions!

Happy Skin Days,


Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
0417 404 700
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au

Cosmedix Medical Skin Range NEW LOWER PRICES!!

 
   
 ON COSMEDIX SKINCARE





To all the Cosmedix lovers out there! 
You will be jumping up and down for joy with the news that Cosmedix have drastically reduced their RRP on their medical skin care range here in Australia.
Over the past few years, I have to admit the prices of the Cosmedix products have been steadily increasing whilst my clients were steadily decreasing purchasing the Cosmedix Range.

Cosmedix was one of the very first premier Medical Skin Care Ranges that hit Australia and it did so like a tsunami! The percentage of active ingredients where something we had not come across before and WOW what an effect they had on the skin!

10 years ago I think was around the time I was introduced to Cosmedix, and I remember it being the FIRST skin care range out of all my experience that I could actually see a change in the skin within a short period of time.

The basis of Vitamin A and the delivery system was next to none and my clients were addicted along with myself. A few years later there have been other Medical Skin Care Ranges that have hit the market and cosmetic and plastic surgery clinics alike.

Now, Cosmedix are back and in a MAJOR way. You won't be able to find a better price than here for your Cosmedix purchases. In some cases you are looking at around 50% off!!

Unfortunately I am restricted to publishing the new prices on the net and cannot sell online as per instructed by the Australian Distrubutors. BUT if you email me here what you are interested in at sarah@skinmatrix.com.au, I will gladly respond with the prices and you can purchase over the phone with free postage over $90.

Don't spend more than you need to!

Email or call me on 0417 404 700 to order your Cosmedix Products today.

If you are new to the range, email me and I can advise you through discussions the best products for you.

Happy Skin Days,


Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
0417 404 700
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au

What is Mineral Make Up

Time to shed some light on Mineral Make Up and what they are all about!

The BIGGEST benefit of a 100% Mineral Make Up is that it is designed to sit on the surface of the skin. It will not penetrate into the pores like a chemical make up will. Time and time again, chemical make up is the culprit for my clients breakouts, bumps under the skin and skin irritations.
Clients that go on to a 100% Mineral Make Up like the Jane Iredale that I use, will never go back to a chemical make up again.

• It feels better (more natural on the skin)
• It has a flawless finish
• It will assist in calming a sensitive/rosacea skin
• It is healthy for the skin
• Fantastic coverage
• Some contain natural sunscreens, giving an anti-ageing benefit as well

Here are the characteristics of the Jane Iredale Mineral Make Up:

• Non-comedogenic, will not block pores.
• Virtually no allergy risk.
• All products have been sensitivity tested.
• Broad-spectrum UVB and UVA protection - up to SPF 30.  UVA tested at High.
• Anti-inflammatory, helps to calm and soothe irritated skin.
• Very water resistant rating by an FDA-approved lab.
• Complete coverage for skin conditions like acne, rosacea and redness following treatments like chemical peels and laser resurfacing.
• Contains no talc or parabens.
• Composed of inert minerals that cannot support bacteria. 

Some examples of typical mineral make up ingredients to look out for are:

• Mica, Boron Nitride, Plankton extract, Iron Oxides, Dimethicone and Ultramarines ... for more, click on individual products to view their ingredients

I have clients come in to see me who are using a Mineral Make Up which is wonderful news, but unfortunately some of the time it is a mix of both chemicals and Minerals. Which is only a problem when it is the chemicals that are aggravating the skin and the reason I am seeing them.
The Make Up will be called Mineral Make Up, but only part of the make up is minerals. The rest I am afraid ... is chemicals.

So how do we know if our Mineral Make Up is 100% Minerals???

According to the ACCC, after discussions with them, there is no law stating that to be labelled as a Mineral Make Up you need to have XWY % of Minerals in the product.
It could contain 1% minerals and be called a Mineral Make Up.

So, hence my blog. As a skin care professional and skin advisor, I wish to pass this information on to you, so you are empowered when you purchase products. Lets face it, it is a MINEFIELD out there.
What is the best product for me? Will I react? Is this 100% minerals? What chemicals are in here? Are chemicals bad for me? All of these questions needs answers for you to be able to make informed decisions on what you purchase, to minimize buying products that aren't suited to you.

When purchasing YOUR Mineral Make Up, ask your skin care professional, "is this a 100% mineral make up?"

If you want to be an investigator yourself ...

• check out the ingredients on the label - google them, do they sound weird, hard to pronounce?
• does it contain talc?? Usually one of the first ingredients on the product label ... not a mineral!
• visit your Mineral Make Up Brands website ... what information do they have there? What testing have they done? Do they state they are 100% minerals?

I stock the Jane Iredale Mineral Make Up which I have been using professionally and personally for over 10 years. Other 100% Mineral Make Up brands that I am aware of are: Young Blood and ID Bare Minerals. 

I hope I have helped shed some light on Mineral Make Up for you. If you are experiencing break outs, redness/flaking skin, pustules etc, give a 100% Mineral Make Up a go. If the make up is the culprit, my clients will start to see an improvement in their skin within 7 days! Yes, that quick. When you take away what is irritating the skin, you see vast improvements.

I am available for email consultations, skype consults, phone chats, and in my clinic in Sydney on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Happy to extend my knowledge and help you achieve the skin you want .... today!

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
www.skinmatrix.com.au
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au

Osmosis Quench VOTED Best Moisturiser for 2012!

        BUY NOW

Quench is the ever so popular moisturiser from the Ben Johnson Range Osmosis.
My clients (myself included) LOVE this product. Here are some great facts about this award winning moisturier for 2012:

• designed to protect, restore and hydrate the skin
• protects the epidermal barrier (the upper most layer of the skin) from external environment
• contains loads of hyalauronic acid, a natural yet powerful hydrating and plumping ingredient
• is light weight, absorbs quickly into the skin
• does not leave a greasy film on the skin
• suited for all skin types
• for super dry skins - mix 1 pump quench with 1 pump of immerse

 HOT TIP:

• Mix 1 pump Quench and 1 pump of Shelter 29+ together in the morning for the best day combo! 

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
www.skinmatrix.com.au