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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Thursday, February 02, 2012 5:03 PM
 Facials: which one to choose?
Something that I have been asked about recently is what is
the difference between all the facials on a skincare menu and how would you
know which one to choose? The simple answer to this really is don’t bother
burdening your brain with the details, just ask your skincare professional to
recommend the treatment that is correct for your needs. If you are worried
about price just state your budget and ask what can be done under that amount. Often you will be asked if you want a pampering or a
results-driven facial. The differences between the two are:
A pampering facial
is one that is mainly performed with relaxation in mind. It will involve a lot
of massage, often essential oils, (shudder) and masks. It will not include any
modules to correct skin function at a cellular level. Your skin will look and
feel better for a day or two afterwards (as a result of the massage draining
tissues) but will not have any lasting effects. This is the type of facial to
have if you are on a relaxing spa day and want to unwind. Personally if I want relaxation I will have a massage.
 A results-driven
facial is one that is performed with long term skin changes and benefits in
mind. It is done as part of a professional skincare programme which includes
skin analysis, corrective homecare and prescriptive treatments. It may include one
or a combination of the following: acid peels, enzyme peels, microdermabrasion,
microcurrent, phototherapy. They are not usually taken as a one-off as they are
part of an overall programme. You can expect this type of facial to be more expensive.
The results will last for a few weeks as long as you use the correct homecare
products. (Most people on a Skin Essentials programme will have a salon treatment
3-4 times a year).Although designed to be results-driven, these types of facials
are also enjoyable to have. The Skin Essentials by Mariga prescriptive facial
includes a deep facial massage as I believe that massage has great beneficial
effects on the skin, and is usually everyone’s favourite part of their
treatment.
Do you like your facials to be relaxing or results driven?
Leave a comment and let me know. |
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on Thursday, December 01, 2011 4:45 PM
 Bad acne? Good news!
Acne comes in many forms and while you may feel hard done by
if your particular type is red, inflamed and angry while your friend has a few
blackheads and occasional spots, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. You will be pleased to know that the worst
acne is actually the easiest to treat and control! This is because these types
of acne eruptions are closer to the surface and so respond much better to
treatment. Of course, you must be on the correct treatment to begin with. Most acne cases will fall into one of the four grades below:
Grade I: Blackheads
Grade II: Blackheads and whiteheads
Grade III: Above plus papules (red, raised spots) and
pustules (infected spots)
Grade IV: Above plus deep, hard nodules. This is known as
cystic acne.
Grades III and IV are actually the easiest to bring under
control but also the most likely to scar so it is important that you take advice
from a skincare professional as soon as possible to reduce the instance of
post-acne scarring and other marking. With your personalised Skin Essentials by Mariga acne treatment
programme you can expect to see major improvement within 3 months with
compliance. Book your assessment now on 053 9145981 and take back control of
your skin.
Photos:
A.D.A.M. acne.about.com |
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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 Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:54 AM
 Anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing are confusingly similar terms that you will see used in the skincare industry. Effectively they mean the same thing: prevention of the signs of ageing. Anti-ageing is the more commonly used term these days as it's seen to be less 'offensive'. What neither of them mean is wrinkle removal. This common misunderstanding on the part of the consumer (fostered by marketing companies) adds up to a huge amount of wasted money for the person trying to turn back the clock.So, can you really reduce wrinkles or is it too late when they've already made an appearance? Well, while prevention will always be better than cure there are some products and treatments that can reduce the depth of existing wrinkles.
At home: Look for products that contain:
Vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters). Vitamin A is scientifically proven to reduce the depth of wrinkles.
Anti-oxidants. A variety of anti-oxidants both in your diet and in your skincare helps your skin fight against free-radicals that contribute to accelerated skin ageing.
Peptides. these will increase elasticity and firmness of the skin.
AHA or enzyme exfoliators. Reduce the depth of lines by smoothing the skin's surface.
Also look for : niacinamide, carnosine, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine and epidermal growth factor.
From your skincare professional:
AHA, BHA and enzyme peels will reduce wrinkle depth.
Microdermabrasion gives great instant results, for lasting difference take a course.
LED phototherapy used in conjunction with the above boosts collagen production - the holy grail of anti-ageing.
All clinical treatments will achieve and maintain the best results when combined with the correct homecare. After all you wouldn't go to the dentist twice a year for a teeth cleaning then not brush them at home would you??
From Skin Essentials by Mariga: In the morning use Collagen Support Serum to give your skin all the building blocks it needs to make collagen. Follow with SPF30 every day.
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Mariga: Posted on Friday, August 12, 2011 9:42 AM
 Do you need a facial? What kind and how often? This is a subject that causes a lot of confusion and you will hear a lot of different opinions and reasoning. Here is mine, I hope it clarifies the issue.
Firstly, what is a facial and why would you need one? A facial is any treatment performed by a skincare professional to treat issues with the skin of the face. I include microdermabrasion and gentle acid or enzyme peels in this category. There is a general misconception that a facial is just a relaxing hour of having nice creams rubbed into your face, and indeed these type of facials do exist, but they are in the minority and maybe are a nice addition to a spa day but this is not what you should expect from your skin therapist.While I always endeavor to make every treatment a relaxing experience, the emphasis is on results.
Every four weeks? This is usually what you will hear, that the skin renews itself approximately every 28 days and so this is the time to have your facial. While there is some merit to this, it is not necessarily the same for every person. It depends on many factors, the most important being your homecare.
If you are using the correct products for your skin and keep a healthy lifestyle then you are doing all the basics of skincare yourself every day. In this instance it is only necessary to have a facial every 2-3 months to boost the efficacy of your homecare and to do the few thing you can't do at home. These are acid peels or microdermabrasion to smooth and deep clean skin, massage to boost the skins systems and anti-ageing boosters such as LED or microcurrent. If however your homecare isn't right for you, you could have a facial every month and still not get your skin on track. On the other hand if you have the time and the budget and you enjoy it then by all means include a monthly facial as part of your regular skincare routine, it will keep everything in top working order.
Sometimes when you begin a new skincare programme and if you have a problem such as a lot of congestion in the skin, scarring or if you want to start an intensive anti-wrinkle programme then you will need to have a course of treatment possibly as often as once a week to get your skin on the right track. The frequency will then be gradually reduced until we find a maintenance routine that is right for you.
Mature skin and smokers may need more frequent facials to keep a radiant glow as this is generally provided by the massage and microdermabrasion elements of a treatment.
The timing of your facial treatment really doesn't matter so most people opt to have it before a big event so that they can take advantage of the 'wide awake' look that a facial offers.
Lastly, I am still asked a lot whether the skin will break out after a facial. I am glad to put that myth to rest, the answer is a definite no!
Do you have facials? Are you an every-four-weeks or a just-before-my-wedding type? Tell in a comment!
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