Think Beyond Skin Care Products

We forget that our skin is the largest organ in our body. We might also forget that everything we do (or don't do!) and everything we eat has a profound effect on aging and on our skin.

Diet (sugar, dairy, wheat), exercise, sleep, hydration, sunblock, genetics...it all plays a part. Develop good "life" habits and you will see the results in the mirror.

Start slow with small steps. For instance, make a point to drink one more glass of water daily. Sleep one half-hour longer. Drink three less coffees a week. Eat dessert only on weekends.

And last but not least...smile. On the Souli Skinspa Facebook page, a lot of folks were commenting on how beautiful a client of mine looked. Her response? "It was the SMILE that made the difference." Such a great reminder!

"The benefits of these types of small changes can have a ripple effect, like throwing a pebble in the pond."  Source: Jan/Feb 2014, Shape

Souli Holiday Open House a Delightful Success

Thank you to all who visited Souli Skinspa at the December Open House. What a wonderful turnout!

A special thank you to Dianne Maroney author of “The Imagine Project” and Lorraine May from The Misha May Foundation Dog Training and Rescue (both pictured above) for displaying items at the event.

Here's to a blissful 2014!

Two Tips to Moisturize and Smooth Dry Lips

Our lips get chapped for a number of reasons: dry cold winter weather, a troubled stomach from excessive eating and drinking, a Vitamin E deficiency, too much spicy food or being in the sun too long. When our lips peel, even lipstick and gloss can’t make them look better and we are continually having to reapply lip balm.

Help can be as simple as reaching for a jar of honey and make a honey pack. This is an age-old remedy and is a natural moisturizer. Put a generous amount of honey on your lips and cover them with a piece of plastic wrap cut to size. Your lips will become moist in a matter of minutes.

Along with the honey pack, you can also do a simple lymphatic massage. Do this massage every morning before putting on your lip color. It will give your lips a rosy and natural glow. Here are the steps:

(1) With the balls of your thumbs, press the lymph nodes that run from underneath your chin toward your ears.
(2) Drain out waste matter by pressing on the lymph nodes behind the ears.

Source: “The Japanese Skincare Revolution” by Chizu Saeki

Dermapen Microneedling 101

Microneedling's earliest concept actually goes back to China and then on to France, where they used the needles for acupuncture and the meridians of the body to enhance the overall general health of the patient. From there the concept of trying to get through the skin evolved in the early 1900's in Germany where practitioners used a rotating wheel to resurface the skin. The concept of using a needle in the US began about 1995 by two brothers, two dermatologists, in Philly. They were using a bevel needle to release scars and wrinkles.

Which brings us to the modern era in needling....the ability to technologically make needles go through the epidermis and prompt the skin's ability to respond with the whole cascade of wound healing, all phases of normal healing and therefore, making the skin better. In about 2000, a German named Hors Libel trademarked what is now referred to as the "dermaroller", where a wheel barrel roller of needles is rolled over the skin. In 2004 it was shown that this technique made the epidermis and dermis thicker and, thus, there was rejuvenation. This rolling technique has been the method used since that time.

In October, 2011, a company in Australia brought to the US distribution rights to the Dermapen, which is not the older technique of the roller but rather a pen device that has an up and down or stamping method, or vertical intrusion into the skin (as opposed to rolling over the skin) which causes less trauma. You can vary the depth of the needle and you have disposable needles, which eliminates danger of contamination. Because we are then making micro openings in the skin, we also get a trans-dermal delivery system to help with the delivery of products into the skin.

I am very excited to now offer the Dermapen technique to my clients. With the pen, I can stamp the skin with tiny microneedles that, in turn, trigger the body to naturally stimulate collagen and elastin. There is little or no downtime and dramatic changes can be seen over a few months' time.  We can get fabulous results with acne scarring, keloids, stretch marks, lip lines and just overall firming and toning. An added benefit, since there is no heat with the Dermapen, you don't run the risk of hyperpigmentation, which can result from many lasers. (Source: “Microneedling Review" by Dr. Gordon Sasaki)

Call Souli today for a consult toward  "new you" in the new year!