Clarisonic | Beauty and Fashion Tech

Apr 26, 2013

Spa Sonic Skin Care Review

April 26, 2013 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

The Spa Sonic Skin Care System is an affordable rival to more expensive systems such as the Clarisonic. The system includes multiple attachments and operates on battery power. It is fairly compact and easy to use. I was sent one to test.

Among the brushes included are:
• Facial Brush Head (2)
• Body Brush
• Pumice Stone Attachment
• Microdermabrasion Sponge Attachment

The unit worked well for me. I especially like using the pumice stone on my runner’s feet, which need some serious help. The large brush is effective for body use, and the facial brush cleansed well, although the Spa Sonic it does not have separate rotating internal bristles like the Clarisonic does. Of course you also save quite a bit of money with this system over the Clarisonic.

Side view.

Here is a view of the smaller brush. This provides good cleansing and also some gentle exfoliation. If you have acne, this is a particularly good type of cleansing system and brush to use.

The pumice head is a nice bonus. It is small, which I prefer for getting into the contours of the feet.

The exfoliating facial pad is another nice bonus. I used to have a cleanser meant for these way back and really liked it. Pair this up with a light exfoliating cream and you can get some excellent exfoliation from it.

There is a Target daily deal going on with this through April 30, 2013 if you are interested in saving a bit on it.

Buy it at Target

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Filed Under: Bath and Body, Skin Care Tagged With: Clarisonic, Skin Care, Spa Sonic

May 5, 2012

Smoothing it Out: Exfoliate Your Skin

May 5, 2012 By Carleenp 1 Comment

30 Days of Beauty, Day 4: Smooth Your Skin and Prep it for Makeup and Products With The Right Exfoliation

Skin exfoliation is a fancy term for scrubbing dead skin cells from the body. The very top layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is composed of dead skin cells that help protect the skin from sun damage as well as toxins and pollutants. It also helps to lock moisture in the skin. But too may dead cells on the layer of the skin can cause the skin to look ashy or dull. Removing the dead skin cells also gets rid of the dirt and oils that have accumulated on the top of the skin and preps the skin for treatment ingredients or for a smooth makeup application.

Easy Exfoliation With Scrubs

The simplest way to exfoliate is to scrub the face gently with a scrub and then rinse with cool water. Even a rough washcloth rubbed with some pressure will provide light exfoliation. Facial scrubs come in many forms, but it is bet to look for something fairly gentle. Look for terms such as “light scrub,” “buffing beads,” or “sensitive skin” to avoid an irritating product. For those who are scrubbing fanatics and like a heavy scrub, ingredients such as sugar or apricot hull often provide a heavier exfoliation. Or look for terms such as “microdermabrasion” on the cream’s label

Need a simple and easy gentle scrub? Try this DIY tip from Elvira at The Pink Sith Blog:

“ A beautiful face starts with a great foundation. If your skin is looking dull and tired and your foundation just isn't applying the way you like, try a quick baking soda scrub.

Take about a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with your regular cleanser (foaming or cream, it works with both) Add a little water to the Baking Soda/Cleanser mixture to make it foam a bit. Gently massage the Cleanser/Baking Soda on your face making sure to avoid the delicate eye and lip area.

When rinsing off, move your fingertips in a circular motion all over your face. Dry your face as usual and follow with your regular skin care. (Avoid AHA/BHAs if you have sensitive skin and if this is the first time using the baking soda scrub.) Your skin will be so smooth and perfect for applying foundation.

This is a great exfoliator for even sensitive skin, the amount of pressure you apply will determine how much scrubbing your skin gets. But remember when it comes to your face and exfoliation, less is more!”

Also don’t forget to exfoliate your lips! Toni at ToniizBeauty provides this tip: “To exfoliate your lips, wet your toothbrush and gently rub on your lips. The apply your favorite lip balm for soft lips! This will also help your lipstick application to go on more smoothly.”

Chemical Exfoliation

Other exfoliation methods involve using toners, serums, or creams that contain chemical exfoliating ingredients.

Retinoids are derived from Vitamin A and can be found in creams. Dermatologists also use them to prevent acne, treat wrinkles and perform chemical peels on patients. They were first used to treat acne, then people noticed that they seemed to rejuvenate skin. What they do is increase the turnover rate of the skin cells on the surface of the skin, which causes new cells to grow and take their place. They also support the growth of the layer of collagen beneath the skin. Collagen keeps skin elastic.

Other substances that help to exfoliate the skin are fruit acids or alpha hydroxy acids, which are not all necessarily from fruit. One of these substances is obtained from sugar cane and another is lactic acid, from sour milk. They are often used in chemical peels, which also cause dead cells to slough away from the surface of the skin.

Fruit acids are rather mild exfoliates and like retinoids they have substances that loosen or destroy the protein bonds that keep dead skin cells attached to the layer of the skin. They also prompt the body to make more collagen. Very strong applications of these exfoliants might irritate the skin and cause redness, stinging and dryness. A person who’s being treated with alpha hydroxyl acids or with retinol should also use a sunscreen when they go out into the sun, as the dead skin cells that form a layer of protection have been removed.

Beta hydroxy acids are stronger than alpha hydroxy acids and can remove the dead skin cells more effectively. One beta hydroxy acid is salicylic acid, which is related to aspirin. Trichloroacetic peels not only exfoliate, but can repair blemishes, fine wrinkles and discolorations. They are sometimes used with retinoids or fruit acids.

Microdermabrasion

For even deeper exfoliation, some people turn to microdermabrasion. This is a gentler form of dermabrasion. Both procedures remove the skin’s outer layer and do much more than remove dead skin cells. Microdermabrasion is an outpatient operation that’s done in the dermatologist’s office. In one type, miniscule crystals of aluminum oxide or another substance sand off the top layer of the skin. At the same time a vacuum tool sucks up the excess exfoliant and the dead skin cells. In another type of microdermabrasion, the dermatologist removes the upper layer of dead skin cells with a wand tipped with an industrial diamond. Home Microdermabrasion has also now become popular, with a number of great home products on the market.

What do bloggers prefer?

Beauty bloggers in general love exfoliation, whether it be by scrub, cream, serum, microdermabrasion or peels.

In regard to brands, Emma J. the model and blogger behind The Journey of an NY Actress says “I am a huge fan of Burts Bees citrus facial scrub, it keeps my skin from looking dull. It is gentle enough to use daily. Living in a city we have pollution coming from every direction so our skin really has a lot to deal with on a daily basis.” Emma also swears by monthly Microdermabrasion.

Here at Beauty and Fashion Tech, we love the Personal Microderm and the Skinsonic or Clarisonic for home use. Read more about them in our Home Microdermabrasion Buyer’s Guide.

For scrubs and serums, we are fans of DermaDoctor Poetry in Lotion, a retinoid lotion. You an read our previous review here: Poetry in Lotion Review. We also love Bioelements Pumic Peel, a fine grain scrub that can give light exfoliation with light pressure and heavy exfoliation with heavy pressure. Here is our Pumice Peel Review.

Finally for at home peels, the Brazilian Peel is a great at home Glycolic peel that is on the gentle side, yet packs a powerful punch.

Filed Under: 30 Days of Beauty, Bath and Body, Beauty Tech, Skin Care Tagged With: Bioelements, Burt's Bees, Clarisonic, Derma Doctor, DIY, Exfoliators, Home Microdermabrasion, Skin Care, Skinsonic

Nov 28, 2011

The Evolution of Beauty Products

November 28, 2011 By Carleenp 1 Comment

Beauty products have come a long way through the ages. Back in the times of ancient Egypt, women in power used milk to treat their skin and pigments to stain their nails, while today women perform home glycolic peels and sport chip proof shellac. Products such as these continue to improve and evolve. The future may see truly chip proof nail polish that is also healthy for the nails and promotes growth, while a non-invasive fat freezing machine is likely to be one of the next big things in beauty.

Below are 6 common beauty products and procedures that have come a long way through the ages and will continue to evolve well into the future. In many cases, such as in the case of increasingly natural and gentle hair color, the evolution is of benefit to beauty lovers. But in some cases, such as in the formulation of hair spray, evolution of the product may result in something less desirable for the consumer, but will be more beneficial for the environment.

Nail Polish

Nail polish dates back to ancient Egypt where women of rank colored their nails with dark red pigments. Women of lower rank were limited to use of pale shades. The Chinese developed a colored lacquer that was left on the nails for several hours and then removed, leaving a stain behind. Nail color later evolved into easier to use tints and stains, and women took to buffing tinted nails to also make them shiny. But it was the advent of the automobile and the technology of the paint for it that led to the nail polishes that we see today.

In recent years, nail polish technology has grown immensely. Now standard polish is seen in holographic, glitter, and matte shades. Magnetic polish that is applied and then altered with a magnet in the cap is also available for an interesting look. But the largest evolution is in gel polish and shellacs which, as Linda Massey of Rick and Company Salon and Spa in Sioux City, IA, notes, can last for two weeks without chipping. However, they are a bit hard on the nails and are not the easiest of products to remove. With shellac being in its early stages, one can expect the technology to continue to evolve to the point where chip proof polish that is also healthy and easy to change will become the norm.

Exfoliation and Peels

The use of substances to keep skin soft and blemish free also dates back to ancient Egypt, when women of power discovered the power of lactic acid in milk for skin care. Over the years, women have used all sorts of substances to exfoliate the skin, many being rather abrasive. But the past 20 years have seen an increase in the ability to exfoliate gently, yet effectively. Devices such as the Clarisonic, now use sonic technology to clean and exfoliate skin, while more gentle glycolic peels, such as the Brazillian Peel, can now be performed at home. Microdermabrasion is no longer limited to the dermatologist’s office, with devices no available for microdermabrasion at home. In the future, expect to see less and less invasive ways to obtain clear skin through the use of light therapy, sonic therapy, and increasingly gentle, yet powerful chemical peels.

Shaving and Hair Removal

Women began shaving around 1915, when an ad campaign targeting underarm hair as unsightly appeared in Harper’s Bazaar and was coupled with the rise in popularity of sleeveless dresses. Over time, women also moved to shaving their legs and various other forms of hair removal, such as through the use of depilatories. In the 1980’s the painful epilady was introduced and waxing started to come into fashion. Since then, epilation and waxing, while still uncomfortable, have been improved, but the biggest development has been laser hair removal.

Laser hair removal is effective for those with lighter skin and preferably darker hair. People with dark skin cannot use it, as the laser targets pigment and is not safe for use on darker skin. The past 5 years have seen a rise in popularity of effective home laser hair removal devices, such as the Tria Laser, with many reporting permanent hair removal after six to nine months of regular use. In the future, watch for developments in permanent hair removal for people of color, either through new developments in laser technology or through improvements to alternate devices, such as the Verseo eGlide, which purports to permanently remove hair through the use of a galvanic current, making it safe for people with darker skin.

Fat Loss

One of the most interesting advancements that may be just around the corner is in the area of fat reduction. Over the years, numerous weight loss methods targeting fat have been developed and, with the exception of normal dieting and liposuction, have generally failed. It is generally understood that fat cannot be vibrated or rolled away, despite the popularity of machines in the 60s,70s, and 80 that promised to do so. Liposuction, which became popular in the past 25 years, does work to remove fat, but it is painful and invasive. However, a new evolution may be just around the corner.

According to Debra Jaliman, a New York Board Certified Dermatologist and author of the upcoming book, Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From a Top New York Dermatologist, Coolsculpting by Zeltiq is a non-invasive way of freezing fat in order to slim and contour the belly, love handles, and back. Patients spend one to four hours with a cooling device on the area of fat that they want to eliminate and the fat disappears two to four months later. The product is expected to be available in a hand piece soon to treat the arms and thighs. Kathleen Stegman, Founder of Midwest Medical Aesthetics, predicts that similar home machines will be developed and become popular, given that obesity is a growing issue.

Hair Color

Synthetic hair color came about in 1907 from the French chemist Eugene Schueller. His commercial hair dye went on to become the well known name of L’Oreal. Hair color evolved from there to dyes that penetrated the hair shaft for longer lasting results, leading to the formation of the Clairol company. But early hair color products often appeared false and were harsh on the hair.

Over time, hair color has evolved into products that are more gentle and less damaging to the hair and skin, while also providing more realistic color. Organic products, and even gluten free products, have become available for those who desire them. According to Mark Kuzma, owner and educator of Laboratory Hair Studio in Morristown, NJ, we can expect to see further developments in the area of gentle, yet long lasting and vibrant hair color.

Hair Spray

Developed in the 1940s, hair spray used to be anything by soft and manageable. Originally called resin, it consisted of a substance similar to shellac, which created a sticky film when dry. “Helmet head” was the norm with older styles of spray.

In the 1970s, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) aerosols were phased out to protect the ozone layer, and Alberto VO5 went on to become the first brand to provide a CFC free aerosol. During recent years, hair spray has become softer and more manageable, with many products focusing on light hold so that the hair retains a natural look and movement.

Very recent developments, however, don’t bode as well for the favorite sprays of some stylists. Hairspray normally contains alcohol and sometimes other ingredients that are known as Volatile Organic Carbons (VOCs), which are implicated in the formation of ozone and affect global warming. As a result, restrictions on the use of VOCs have increased over the years. As Kuzma explains, new VOC limits effective in January 2012 will require hairspray manufacturers to change their formulas to increase the amount of water in the formula, leading to a wetter spray. He states that “some of us will be losing our favorite sprays because that will not work in some cases.” So in this case, evolution of the product is beneficial for the environment, but perhaps not so beneficial for consumers who use the products.

Interested in learning more about beauty technology? See Our related articles:

Home LED Light Therapy

Laser Tattoo Removal

Light Therapy For Rosacea

Home Laser Hair Removal Guide

Home Microdermabrasion Guide

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