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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 10:17 AM
 This post was inspired by Sarah from Viva Adonis who kindly gave me a great review on her fab beauty blog.
In it she talks about facial oils in general and my Nourishing Oil in particular and how she subconsciously classifies them as ‘winter skincare’. I’m a huge fan of oils and use them daily for cleansing and all sorts of other purposes. This led me to thinking about how most people use facial oils and I thought I would set out the differences between the oils available in my Skin Essentials by Mariga range and how and when they should be used.
In a previous post here, I wrote about the difference between active and inactive ingredients and how active ones can change cell behaviour and inactive ones can just temporarily smooth or plump the surface of your skin. The same applies to different oils and combinations of oils. Generally (but not always) used for dryness of some kind, there are different types for different levels of dryness.
Nourishing Oil: This is one to use if you have occasional dryness and/or flaky patches but don’t suffer with dry skin year round. If your skin is temporarily dry, itchy, flaky or tight due to cold weather, reaction to a product or a late night with one too many drinks then this is the one for you. Use daily until the problem is gone and put it away again until the next time you need it. It can also be used as a weekly mask for prevention.
This is the one that Sarah talks about in her post and the way she used it was perfect. 15ml €15
Lipid Repair Concentrate: This is the one for people who have dry skin all the time. It works in two ways, first by mimicking the natural oils on the surface of the skin to give immediate comfort and protection, and over time it will stimulate your own oil production to normal levels. Used once a day under your day or night cream, this may be reduced over time as your skin’s natural systems become stronger. 30ml €55
Rosehip Seed Oil: This oil provides essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants to the skin. If your skin is not usually dry but suffers a little bit in the winter then this is the best oil to choose. Mixing a couple of drops a day with your regular cream or under your SPF will enhance it’s moisturising abilities without giving you a greasy feel or sitting on your skin. Use in cold weather or for outdoor exposure as necessary. 30ml €20
Note: Acne skin may also benefit from correct use of Lipid Repair Concentrate as it regulates the oil production to normal levels.
I hope this helps, remember a facial oil is for life not just for winter!
Have you tried facial oils yet?
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Friday, February 17, 2012 4:14 PM
 Skin Essentials by Mariga FAQ’s
1.
Are Skin Essentials products suitable for
sensitive skin? Yes, the whole ethos behind the product
range is to create a line of products which are free from all known irritants.
All Skin Essentials by Mariga products are free from fragrance, sulphates and
colourants.
2. How do I know which products are right for me? I love to see as many people as I can personally
to analyse their skins needs and prescribe a tailored programme. My advanced
skin analysis service has been specially developed to comprehensively assess
your unique skin problems and solutions. Read about it here. For geographical or other reasons it is not
always possible to visit the salon so you will find a distance analysis form on
my website for those who can’t. Just fill it out and I will take it from there.
Prefer to talk to someone? You can always just give me a call to discuss you
skin concerns on 053 9145981.
3.When is the best time to apply my products? Any time! The important thing is to use them;
they won’t work in the bottle. I can make out a suggested homecare routine
taking into account your available time, lifestyle and commitment level. It doesn’t
matter whether you apply the products day or night except for SPF which must of
course be used during the day and Overnight Repair Cream which must only be
used at night.
4.In what order do I use them? Serums, if used, are always applied to a
freshly cleansed skin followed during the day by your SPF or at night by your
treatment cream. If using both water and oil based products, the water based
one must be used first with any oily or creamy product layered on top. It is
not necessary to wait between layers, Skin Essentials by Mariga products absorb
and get to work very quickly.
5.When can I expect to see changes in my skin? This varies between individuals and you
will be given guidelines at your assessment, but generally speaking surface
issues will be resolved within a couple of weeks, deeper changes such as
stimulating sluggish oil flow or boosting collagen production take up to 3
months and acne and rosacea take at least three months to correct. It is
necessary to be patient, a lifetime of incorrect treatment takes time to
correct but with compliance you will reap the benefits far into the future.
6.My skin feels dry, is this normal? In the first few weeks of your new regime
it is possible that your skin will go through a period of feeling dry or tight.
This is usually due to the fact that most mass market skincare is full of
surface conditioners such as silicones or mineral oil which sit on the surface
of the skin and while they feel nice, they can’t change any cellular dysfunction.
Skin Essentials by Mariga products are designed to absorb fully, penetrating
deeply into the epidermis where they can correct cellular function. Your skin
will miss the ‘greasy’ layer it is used to at first but as your skin becomes
hydrated from within, this feeling will go. To make your skin feel more comfortable
during this ‘withdrawal’ period I recommend layering your products onto a
still-damp face after cleansing as this will lock in water. For those with very
dry skin to start with I recommend using two drops of Nourishing Oil under
moisturiser until your skin is producing more oil by itself. Also, this can be
a sign that you are not drinking enough water so make sure you are getting your
eight glasses a day. |
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2011 12:06 PM
 Good-better-best: a budget-conscious approach to buying your
home skin care.
In skincare, as in so many other areas of life, it is true
that nothing is better than the wrong thing. Bearing that in mind, let’s look
at best skincare practice on a budget. At the moment, most of us have to cut back in many areas of
our spending. How do you approach reducing your skincare spend if the budget
just isn’t there any longer? If you are using six different skincare products
in your routine do you buy six cheaper versions or cut out a few from your
routine? The answer: it’s better to use nothing than the wrong thing!
So in this instance you are far better off dropping some items than replacing
them with cheaper, possibly skin-damaging options. Below I have outlined a three tiered option for every budget. Simply make sure that you have the correct products for your skin from option one, then add the others if and when budget allows. (Or drop hints to your nearest and dearest for Christmas)!
Here are the basics of a good budget routine for skin protection: Gentle, fragrance free cleanser and make up remover in one. Daytime moisturiser containing SPF, skin-conditioning
ingredients, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Night time facial oil such as rosehip seed oil to condition and
add essentials fatty acids and anti-oxidants to the skin.
To make this routine even better add: A treatment serum to address and correct any current problems
with your skin.
If budget allows, you can make this routine the best possible by adding: A high-performance all in one product to repair daily damage
and future-proof your skin such as my Overnight Repair Cream.
Find the best products to build your homecare routine
whatever your budget in my web shop here: Remember, all Skin Essentials by Mariga products are highly
concentrated and high-performance, assuring you of great value for money
whatever your budget. If you would like me to recommend a personalised routine
for you just email me at info@skinessentialsbymariga.com
and we can work together to get you the best possible solutions in your budget.
Has your skin had to tighten its belt? What adjustments have
you made in your skincare routine?
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Friday, October 21, 2011 1:20 PM
 Exfoliation:
This is a topic that causes confusion all the time and you
will read conflicting advice in every magazine article you pick up so today I
want to simplify the subject of exfoliation: what is it, do you need to do it
and what should you use?
Exfoliation is the shedding or peeling of dead skin cells
from the upper layer of your skin. It occurs naturally in healthy skin but like
all body processes it slows down as we age and if our skin cells aren’t getting
enough of the proper nutrition to function well. So, as we age it becomes
necessary to help the process along with skincare products. The idea is to
gently encourage the natural shedding process in order that the skin surface
appears as smooth as possible. This new, smoother surface reflects light better
than dry, dying skin cells so you see an immediate radiant effect. This can be
quite addictive and I think may be the reason for what I see as a national
obsession: over-exfoliation!
It is not unusual for someone to tell me that they exfoliate
twice weekly or even (horror of horrors) daily when they first come for a
consultation. There are even products, and lots of them, available to buy for ‘daily
exfoliation’. Let’s look at this scientifically for a moment; cell turnover in
a healthy skin occurs on average as follows:
Age: 20’s 14-25 days Age: 30’s 30 days Age: 40’s 40 days And so on, slowing down by a few days for every decade.
So, assuming that you exfoliate on the first day of the
month and you are in your 30’s, then there is a fresh layer of skin on the
surface that won’t turn over completely for around 30 days. What possible
benefit can there be in exfoliating again the next day or even the next week?
None at all, you are just hurting that fresh skin which will in all likelihood
shorten its lifespan and therefore the length of time it reflects light well. It is plenty to exfoliate healthy skin once per month, more
often of you are in the early stages of correcting a skin condition.
What should you use? In my opinion the
only safe home exfoliator is an enzyme based product. This is because they work
by triggering the cells own process of breaking down in the right conditions
and therefore won’t break down the ‘cement’ between cells that are still
healthy, in the indiscriminate way that a glycolic acid or similar will. Never use grainy scrubs, they will scratch the skin. For
acid peels, microdermabrasion or other peels I would recommend only ever having
them performed by a skincare professional who is trained in the procedure. In
any case, over the counter versions of these peels are never comparable to what
is available in a salon, if they were we would be seeing far more disasters all
the time!
If you attend a good facialist she will perform any
necessary exfoliation whether you need a superficial or deep treatment during
your salon visits and provide the relevant homecare to keep your skin in top
condition until your next visit. Microdermabrasion is a very popular form of deep exfoliation
that is available from most salons. I would caution on the overuse of these machines.
While they are great if used correctly, unless you are dealing with a
particular issue such as scarring or otherwise damaged skin then two or three
times a year is enough to boost your homecare regime.
Finally, (sorry this became a very long post), a quick word
on Vitamin A, also known as retinol. Any product containing any derivative of
Vit A or retinol will already be progressively and slowly exfoliating your skin
so it won’t be necessary to use another exfoliator at home. Also, discontinue
use of any of these products for 3 days before and after any waxing of the area
and before any salon facial treatment.
Are you an exfoliaddict? Share your shame in a comment.
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Friday, October 14, 2011 9:02 AM
 Anti-ageing is a huge issue for countless men and women in our society. As our culture becomes increasingly obsessed with youth, so we have become increasingly obsessed with finding the one product or ingredient which will slow down the ageing process in our skin. The search is on for the 'miracle in a bottle'.Well, I have great news for you. The miracle already exists and you have access to it. Instead of looking for the miracle cure from without, we should begin to appreciate and utilise the miracle within. The miracle really is the skin itself. It carries out countless complex functions every day to keep itself functioning at its best. Look at a child's skin - no magic potion needed there, their skin is functioning as it was designed to. Now, of course all the body's processes slow down as we age and after puberty when the sebaceous glands mature we can no longer aspire to the 'poreless' skin a child has but we can access the miracle of nature by feeding the skin what it needs to carry out all those amazing pre-programmed functions. It already has the capacity to strengthen and renew collagen, protect itself from irritation and inflammation and regulate oil and water flow. Unfortunately, this miracle work is interrupted by bad lifestyle choices. Skincare laden with fragrance and other irritating ingredients shorten the life span of each skin cell. It is known that we have a finite number of these in our lifetime, so the aim should be to keep each one going as long as possible. Smoking, sun exposure and processed foods also have a negative impact on the skin. None of this is news, I know it's just easier to hope for the miracle in a bottle but it just doesn't, and won't, exist. Keep a healthy diet as far as possible, don't smoke, protect yourself in the sun and use sensible skincare designed to give your skin what it needs to carry out it's miraculous functions. That's the secret.
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