Skin Essentials by Mariga Blog

Skincare during pregnancy.

04/09/2013 14:48:00

Skincare during pregnancy.

Depending on the skincare routine you are on before becoming pregnant, it may be necessary for you to change some of your products.

Skincare containing vitamin A, retinol and salicylic acid are not recommended for use during pregnancy. These ingredients are most often found in products aimed at acne control and anti-ageing. In the Skin Essentials by Mariga range the products containing these ingredients are Overnight Repair Cream, Blemish Control Cream and Salicylic Cleanser. If you are not sure whether your creams have these ingredients please ask your skincare professional for advice.

Some professional treatments, particularly peels, will contain various acids so you should let your therapist know before treatment if you are pregnant so that she can tailor your treatment accordingly. Some electrical treatments are also contraindicated but you can still have a lovely, relaxing treatment to help keep your skin nourished and hydrated.

During this time, much of the nourishment that your body receives from your diet can go to your baby so the skin can suffer from lack of nutrients. You can counter this by using products rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. I particularly recommend my Nourishing Oil or Rosehip Seed Oil for this. (You can use these on your tummy too).

Some women will experience pigment changes in the skin during pregnancy. These show up as brown patches on the face often referred to as 'mask of pregnancy'. This is very much down to individual make up and can’t be prevented but using a good SPF30 daily will prevent the marks from becoming permanent through UV exposure.

Some women will find that their skin becomes radiant, especially after the first trimester, giving that pregnancy ‘glow’. For others, unfortunately, the opposite can occur and many women experience a recurrence of long-forgotten acne. As the actives to control breakouts are not suitable for use while pregnant the best that you can do is to keep your skin strong to help reduce the occurrence of spots. Drink plenty of water and use skincare with nourishing oils as above and add a hyaluronic-acid based moisturiser such as my Hydrating Cream to help prevent water loss which can lead to sensitivities and spots. Getting plenty of sleep helps too (while you still can!).

If you are expecting and have any questions about your skin or products please give me a call on 053 9145981 or email marigasheedy@yahoo.com, I’m happy to advise you on the best course of action.

Buy Skin Essentials by Mariga products online here:

Pillow Talk

02/20/2013 12:50:00

Next to your skincare products, the most contact your face has with any item is your pillowcase. If you are lucky you have your face pressed into your pillow for up to eight hours a night. That's one third of your life. Have you ever given any thought to the effect on your skin your pillow choices have? Probably not.

I have read a lot of articles and adverts over the last couple of years touting the supposed anti-wrinkle effect of sleeping on a silk pillowcase as opposed to cotton or polyester. I have never been able to find any research supporting these claims, quite the opposite, but I can tell you that treating yourself to a silk pillowcase or two is something I heartily recommend. While it doesn't appear to have any actual benefits, it does feel lovely on your skin. I even bring one on holidays with me.

Whatever type of pillowcase you choose, it is very important to change it often, even daily if possible, particularly if you suffer from acne or - cardinal sin- don't cleanse your face before bed. Bacteria and debris can build up very quickly from hair products, perspiration, dust (and whatever your children/pets track in!). Really, do you want to put your lovely, clean, moisturised face on last night's hairspray, sweat and shed skin cells? Didn't think so.

Finally, I don't recommend using fabric conditioner on your pillowcases. The fragrance can be irritant to skin but also it leaves a film on fabric which transfers to your skin, clogging it up and contributing to congestion in the pores.

Now, you're off to change your pillow case, aren't you? :)

Premature aging: why it happens and how to avoid it.

02/09/2013 12:31:00

Prematurely aged skin: are you over-processing?

Nine times out of ten when I am consulting with a new client the first thing I have to help them address is over-processed skin. It seems that regardless of skin type everyone is overwhelming their skin with too much deep cleansing, exfoliation and stimulating or irritating skincare products.

I addressed over-exfoliation in a previous post but I see so much over-processing that I think it is worth looking at in more detail.

There seems to be a culture of more is more prevailing when it comes to your skincare regime but this is hurting, not helping. Constant stripping of the skin’s natural defence layer (the acid mantle) will weaken the health of the skin over time, resulting in premature aging.

What does this look like on the skin?

-Fine lines, particularly around the eyes and top of cheeks.

-Uneven colour.

-Microcongestion in the pores, a bumpy feeling under the skin, particularly on the nose and chin.

-Flaky patches that come back soon after exfoliation.

-Blemish marks that take a long time to fade.

-‘Shine’ to the skin even though it can feel tight and dry.

You will hear a lot about increasing the rate of turnover of the skin cells as a method of anti-aging. While it is true that younger skins turn over cells more rapidly, it does not follow that reproducing this in older skin will reverse time! The reason younger skin reproduces quickly is because the skin’s natural capability to regenerate itself slows down as we get older. The answer lies in boosting cell nutrition to make sure that the skin cells have the fuel they need to carry out the natural processes as efficiently as possible. We know that skin needs many elements to function correctly including peptides, anti-oxidants, lipids, hyaluronic acid and epidermal growth factors so replacing these in your skincare is the answer to slowing down the aging process. Constant scrubbing, harsh cleansing and over exfoliation just weakens the skin and causes it to divert it’s resources to healing damage and away from keeping itself healthy, leaving you worse off than when you started.

So, what should you do at home?

-Avoid anything with a ‘scrub’ factor.

-Use only fragrance-free, sulphate-free cleansers and other skincare products.

-Exfoliate sparingly and with gentle enzymes only.

-Use skincare products that contain skin-identical ingredients to replace what slows down over time. Skin Essentials Collagen Support Serum and Overnight Repair Cream are an unbeatable combo when it comes to anti-aging.

-Support skin from the inside too. Drink plenty of water and include omega 3,6,9 in your diet where possible.

-The best anti-aging is prevention. Use SPF30 daily.

Of course other lifestyle and medical factors can compound skin aging, to have your skin professionally analysed and to receive your personalised correction programme, call Skin Essentials on 053 9145981. It’s never too soon to tackle aging!

New Product Alert! Skin recovery cream.

11/27/2012 14:39:00

Just arrived in stock is a brand new limited edition product for winter.

'Rich Moisturising Cream Mask' is a multi-purpose product aimed at repairing the effects of winter weather on your skin.

We all experience the dryness, flaking and redness associated with colder weather and central heating to some degree and now there is a product that you can adapt to suit your level of need.

Use Rich Moisturising Cream-Mask in any of the following ways to help prevent and heal winter ravaged skin:

-Apply a thick layer alone or over a facial oil at night as a mask once or twice per week. Leave on overnight.

-Use under your SPF in a thin layer as a barrier cream if you will be outdoors for a prolonged period of time or when the temperatures are sub-zero. (Not suitable under foundation, this cream is very thick).

-Use daily as a neck and chest cream to plump and moisturise these delicate areas.

-Use on dry lips, cuticles and elbows to moisturise and repair.

Remember this is a Limited Edition and when it's gone, it's gone. Head over to the webshop now to secure yours. 60ml €30

http://www.skinessentialsbymariga.com/buy-skincare.html

New! Pro Peel Plus

09/06/2012 16:41:00

Pro Peel Plus:

I’m really excited by the latest addition to the Skin Essentials by Mariga professional treatments. Pro Peel Plus is a high-strength, multi-acid peel that you can have in your lunch break.

Formulated to target deep, stubborn congestion and accelerate healing of old red and brown blemish marks, this peel is for anyone concerned with texture issues, bumpiness or flakiness.

I am also using this peel on non-congested skin and it gives fantastic radiance and silky smoothness.

Even better, this peel takes only twenty minutes!

What can you expect from your Pro Peel Plus treatment?

Your face will be cleansed with a special pre-peel cleanser to prepare for the next step. The peeling solution is then applied in one or two layers depending on your skin’s requirements. This bit stings a little but only lasts a couple of minutes.

After 3-5 minutes the peeling solution is removed and a deep-acting after peel solution is used according to each individual’s needs.

Extractions are performed if necessary.

Finally SPF30 is applied to protect your new, smooth skin.

*SPF30 must be used daily for a week after a peeling treatment, but you know I recommend using it every day of the year anyway.

After effects:

All clients will see an immediate clarifying and brightening effect. Skin is smoother, radiant, plumped and glowing. You may experience some redness which will subside after an hour or two. Depending on your skin condition before the peel, some people will experience a slight superficial flaking a couple of days after the treatment, this is perfectly normal and will last only a couple of days.

For badly congested skin or those with hyperpigmentation marks a course of peels may be needed.

Cost €65

Cleansing Cloths - which is best?

07/27/2012 11:34:00

Cleansing cloths, which to choose?

Who would have thought that there were so many options for removing your cleanser? Some like to use cotton wool, some like tissues. Me, I’m a warm cloth fan all the way.

There are several types of cloth that you will find on sale for removing cleanser, I will have a look at the pros and cons of each here to help you choose the one for you.

1.Good old-fashioned facecloth. This will do a good job of removing a light to medium makeup and can be used with any cleanser type. Make sure that the cloths you use are soft, a centuries-old hard as nails cloth will be too harsh on your skin. Buy cheap cloths and replace them often.

2.Muslin cloths. These are beloved of the beauty world but for the life of me I don’t know why. I find them too scratchy on my skin and as they are so thin and lose heat very quickly. I have to rinse and repeat several times to remove makeup, adding to the scratchiness. Best used with thick balm-type cleansers.

3.Microfiber facecloths. These are my favourite as they give a deep cleanse and polish without abrasion and one swipe is enough to take off the heaviest makeup. They also stay soft through a lot of wash cycles. I have heard people say that they find that these cloths make their skin feel tight or dry but that is not my experience and I have a dry skin type. Use with any cleanser.

4.Baby facecloths. These are a gentle version of the facecloth and are usually thinner and softer than regular facecloths. A good option if you don’t like the feel of microfiber on your skin. Again, can be used with any cleanser type.

There is no right or wrong as to which type of cleansing cloth you use, do what feels right on your skin but here are some general guidelines whichever you choose:

-Use a clean cloth every day (microfiber are good for 2-3 days as long as they dry completely between uses).

-Use warm water, never hot, never cold.

-Don’t use fabric conditioner on your cleansing cloth, it will irritate your skin.

-You can use a cloth with any cleanser, it doesn’t have to be a special one.

What do you use to clean your face?

The power of water

06/15/2012 10:09:00

One of the most basic requirements for skin health and youthfulness is water. All the cells and systems of the skin are dependent on the presence of water to function. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is the first step towards having the smooth, radiant skin we all desire.

Many people tell me that they forget or they don't like water or even that they are afraid of having to be near a bathroom all day if they drank the required amount (don't worry, this isn't the case), but there is no other way around it. Skin needs water and the only way to obtain it is by drinking it. Without your commitment to this step the effectiveness of your skincare regime will be reduced.

It is perfectly fine to put a few drops of lemon or lime juice in to flavour it if you find that more palatable, it doesn't have to be plain water. Also, any other 'good' fluids that you drink during the day will count towards your total so include juices, soup, soft fruits and some herbal teas* in your diet. The 'bad' fluids are those containing caffeine or alcohol as these are diuretics and will reduce the total amount of available fluid to your body systems.

It is best to sip constantly throughout the day to maintain hydration levels. Remember if you feel thirsty this is your body's way of telling you that you are already becoming dehydrated.

Drink up and enjoy the benefits to your skin.

*some herbal teas are diuretic, ask in your local health food shop for advice.

How to use your Skin Essentials by Mariga Cleansers

05/28/2012 09:19:00

How to use your Skin Essentials by Mariga Cleansers:

1. Skin Comfort Cleanser - for all skin types and makeup removal.

Use one pump of Skin Comfort Cleanser on dry skin to cleanse and remove makeup. Pump into the palm of your hand (it is about 4 drops in total). Take your ring finger of the other hand and apply a drop to each eye area and massage in, this will dissolve even stubborn mascara on contact. Wet and wring out a microfiber cloth or facecloth with warm -never hot- water and remove the now very messy eye make up. (A muslin cloth will work too but I prefer them on clean skin. The facecloth is better to remove makeup).

Next (or first if you don’t wear much/any eye make up), take the remaining cleanser on dry hands, massage into dry skin for a few seconds, wet hands, massage again for a few seconds then remove with a cloth as above.

This will leave your skin feeling fresh and clean but not tight.

2. Salicylic Cleanser - for congested or acne prone skin or for men prone to ingrown hairs.

Use a small amount of the cleanser on dry skin (5-6 drops). Massage in and leave for 2 minutes to penetrate the pores. Rinse with a warm facecloth. Not suitable for makeup removal or for use around the eyes.

A little video on how to use your Skin Essentials by Mariga products

05/04/2012 17:11:00

All Skin Essentials by Mariga products are concentrated so a little goes a long way. This video will help you to determine exactly how much you should use. (Please excuse the bad lighting, I will work on that for the next one).

Play Video

Think you have oily skin?

03/22/2012 11:59:00

Oily skin is seems to be having a bit of a 'moment' right now. I've recently been sent a few questions about dealing with it and there are lots of blog posts on other Irish beauty blogs in the last few weeks dealing with the same issue. I have to say that I'm surprised by this because, while oily skin is a valid skin type, it is relatively rare in Irish/Northern European skins. In my salon I would not see a true oily skin type even once a week. This got me to thinking; are we suffering a sudden hostile takeover by this minority skin type? Maybe those few that have true oily skin are uniting as one voice to be heard? Or, just possibly, are lots of people mis-diagnosing their skin type or causing an oiliness rebound by using inappropriate products?

Personally I favor the last theory because this is something I see frequently. Clients often present for their first appointment complaining of oily skin, mid-day shine or make-up that won't stay on and nine times out of ten they do not have an oily skin type. (I'll deal with the one in ten that do below).

What they do have is the mistaken idea that their skin is oily because they self-diagnose incorrectly or because they have past or present acne and assume this means their skin is oily.

Very often the "oily shine" they complain of is in fact water evaporating off the skin too rapidly due to a LACK of oil on the skin's surface. Yep, lack. In this instance a facial oil is prescribed to remedy the water loss and stimulate natural oil production. This is why sometimes you can drink gallons of water but still have dehydrated skin. With shine.

Some peoples skin is producing plenty of oil (as your skin should) but it is stagnating in the pores causing blemishes, flakiness and all sorts of havoc because many people use cleansing and exfoliation products that are too harsh or contain pore-irritating ingredients. This causes the pore to hold on to the produced oil in case you just come at it with paint stripper again to wipe it away! Your skin needs the oil and it knows that so it tries to protect it.

All these harsh 'oil control' products do is dry out water from the epidermis and create a layer of dead cells that will keep oil stuck in the pores gathering bacteria and not doing it's job of protecting your skin. These people usually think that they have skin that is 'oily with dry patches'. Popularly known as combination skin. No such thing, trust me. It's a marketing term, not a skincare one.

Do you think you have oily skin but sometimes have dry or flaky patches too? This would never happen in a true oily skin type.

Acne skin is just as likely to be dehydrated for the same reasons so treating it with oil control products will just cause flakiness and have no effect whatsoever on the acne.

For those with a true oily skin the problems are usually enlarged pores, shine and make-up sliding off. Pores will rarely become blocked. Using appropriate products makes a huge difference in this case. You need vitamin C and salicylic acid to keep pores refined, all the necessary nutrients for skin health but without an emollient base, anti-ageing ingredients after a certain age that are not suspended in a greasy, silicone-based cream, and to help control the oil output you need....oil! My Lipid Repair Concentrate is designed to regulate sebum production and can be a lifesaver for oily skins.

The moral of my story, as it so often is, is to get a professional skin analysis done to determine exactly what you are dealing with. Then you can treat it appropriately and watch your problems disappear. Well, your skin problems anyway :)

Note: If your therapist does not examine your skin under some kind of UV scanning device such as a woods lamp or skin scanner then it is impossible to determine the level of oil in the skin. This is the one thing that no level of experience or expertise can tell without a diagnostic tool.