Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

If you have read very many of my posts, you know I’m a big fan of the mineral makeup.  I have personally used it for over 5 years.  There are numerous benefits to mineral makeup.  Here are a few.  It gives your skin a great look and feel, stays on all day, is good for sensitive skin and it’s anti-inflammatory with out harmful ingredients.

Like most cosmetic products, mineral makeup has its fans and its critics.  Those of us who love it say that it’s very light, natural and long lasting.  There are some however, who say that it makes the skin dry, irritating and accelerates wrinkles adding years to one’s look.    That said, most consumers are initially drawn to try mineral makeup because of skin health claims.  Specifically that its pure formulations are safer and better for sensitive, even acne or rosacea-prone skin.

The great thing about mineral makeup is that it’s devoid of harsh chemicals and preservatives that stress the skin, clog pores and aggravate acne or skin conditions.  Personally, I moisturize, then wait about 10 minutes before applying the makeup.  I have not had an issue with dry, irritated skin or an acceleration of wrinkles.

The base for mineral makeup, titanium and zinc oxide, are both naturally occurring. There are no dubious ingredients that are typically found in most makeup.  These oxides provide a natural sun protection of SPF 15 and , because zinc has anti-inflammatory properties, it is great for conditions such as acne.  Another redeeming quality, mineral makeup is healing to skin if worn after cosmetic surgery or abrasive facial treatments such as microdermabrasion.

Although mineral makeup was discovered 30 years ago, it’s influence is still changing the cosmetics, fashion and film worlds.  Fantasia sells Jane Iredale Skin Care Mineral Makeup.  Jane Iredale was a film makeup artist and observed what traditional makeup did to the skin.  This is what drove her to come up with something different which would cover but not be harmful and harsh to the skin but yet give a flawless look and a natural long lasting finish.

Mineral makeup contains ultramarine pigments, mica, titanium dioxide, zinc and iron oxides.  Several mixtures of these dyed stones can be formed into eye shadow or even body powders. As we’ve discussed, mineral makeup provides many kinds of benefits.  A very serious benefit is its all day coverage, you can relax knowing you always look your best.

The ingredients in mineral makeup are pure and healthy and it feels wonderful while helping you look naturally beautiful.  Now that you know all of this, what are you waiting for?  Come into Fantasia and have a make over with Jane Iredale Skin Care Mineral Makeup.  I think you will be glad you did.

Wrinkles. How do they happen? They are commonly associated with aging. However, when proper skin care is neglected, wrinkles can appear sooner than they should.

There are products and treatments available which promise to reduce and even eliminate wrinkles. Unfortunately, some promise more than they can actually deliver. Let’s talk about common causes of wrinkles and a few treatments and steps you can take to prevent them.

Wrinkles are caused by the breakdown of collagen fibers and the thinning of the skin. As the skin becomes thinner, it’s less capable of retaining moisture. When the moisture is released, the skin becomes dry. The collagen fibers begin to deteriorate which causes the skin to lose its former elasticity. Meanwhile, the subcutaneous layer (beneath the dermis) begins to lose its ability to support the dermis and epidermis. As these events converge, the skin experience increased sagging and wrinkling.

Excessive exposure to direct sunlight can result in premature wrinkling. This happens as a result of the sun’s UV rays penetrating the epidermis and dermis. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation leads to accelerated collagen deterioration, thinning of the epidermis and the stimulation of free radicals.

At Fantasia, we carry the SkinCeuticals Skin Care line. SkinCeuticals uses alpha-hydroxy acids and various antioxidants in addition to vitamins to assist in minimizing the appearance of mild wrinkles and fine lines. There are lots of wrinkle cremes on the market which, in truth, have varying levels of efficacy. Whether or not they work is largely dependent upon the active ingredients used, the concentrations of those ingredients and how consistently the creams are applied. Most wrinkle creams have not undergone rigorous clinical testing.

There are positive steps you can take which are proven effective for slowing the development of wrinkles.

• Use a sunscreen that offers protection from UVA and UVB rays.
• Stop smoking. You may not see the effects immediately but cigarette smoke will accelerate your skins aging process. If you won’t stop for your health’s sake, stop for vanities sake!
• Moisturize your skin. How many times have you heard this? Help your skin retain water and moisture by using a moisturizer that is rich with antioxidants. This can further prevent skin damage while encouraging the production of collagen fibers. As mentioned previously, SkinCeuticals is a wonderful product line. One of the skin care professionals at Fantasia would be happy to give you some samples if you would like to try before you buy.

Other solutions include peels, microdermabrasion and facial sculpting. These treatments, when done in a series, offer visible results. These treatments are non-invasive. Of course there are invasive procedures available such as injections, laser resurfacing and surgery.

The basics of skin care are built upon a foundation of preventative measures. These measures prolong the youthful appearance of your skin while sustaining its health. Some simple basic steps can help prevent the deterioration of collagen fibers and loss of elasticity, thereby avoiding the onset of wrinkles. We may be getting older but we don’t have to look it.

You may not be aware that we do Microdermabrasion at Fantasia. In fact, we have been doing it for several years, almost since the technology was first introduced. If you are looking old and tired, you may be thrilled with microdermabrasion. What we do here in the salon is much more sophisticated than the exfoliating which you can do in the privacy of your own home. Yes, you can improve your skin somewhat from the in-home treatments. But, with microdermabrasion, you can actually “turn back the clock” where your face is concerned!

The way microdermabrasion works is like “sandblasting” the face. Obviously it’s not that harsh but that’s the concept. A fine mist of microscopic crystals applied with a small vacuum massage gently removes the outer layer of skin on the face. As a result, new elastin and collagen formation is encouraged. The younger, softer skin moves to the surface effecting significant textural and color changes. You will notice an immediate improvement in your skin and the effects increase over the course of treatments. You will actually get more predicable results with microdermabrasion than you will with chemical peels.

Why would you want to do microdermabrasion? If you have wrinkles, sun damaged and aging skin, enlarged pores, acne prone skin, acne scars, blackheads, or whiteheads. If you feel you are looking older and more tired than you should for your age, this could be the answer.

Is microdermabrasion a one-time thing? No, for optimum results, we recommend at least six treatments. Periodic maintenance such as one treatment per month plus a good skin care product regimen is recommended for best results.

With microdermabrasion there is typically no downtime. The expected result is smoothing of your skin, general overall improvement and wonderful feeling skin. One word of caution, stay out of the sun for a couple of days after you have had a treatment. A couple of years ago, I was going through my series of treatments, one which was on a Friday in July. I knew I had an outdoor wedding the next day but didn’t think to much about it. When I got to the wedding at 2:00 in the the afternoon in July, outside, I found that there was no way for me to get out of the sun and my face felt like it was on fire! Had I have known I’d be sitting in the sun I would have brought a wide brimmed hat or something. I will never forget that wedding because of how miserable I was!

I was with a gathering of ladies last weekend and the topic of microdermabrasion came up. One of the gals mentioned she had a friend she had not seen in over a year and when they got together, she was astonished at how wonderful and young her friend looked. Turns out she had been having microdermabrasion treatments.

Are there side effects? Very rarely swelling and or blistering can occur. Or perhaps the skin will be pink, flaky but usually any of these issues are resolved within a week. Microdermabrasion is a great non-surgical, affordable solution younger looking skin.

Call Fantasia and talk to our Esthetician. She will discuss different packages and prices with you. If you are looking to recapture some of your youth before a special upcoming event, this could be just the ticket for you!