Ranging in size from small red dots, to large, deep pock-marks, acne scars are a very real skin trauma for many acne sufferers. Today, several advanced treatment options are available which can improve the appearance of these scars dramatically.

Acne can cause a host of changes in the skin and, leave behind a few parting gifts: scars or hyper-pigmentation. But can these marks ever be vanquished? Yes! With smart skincare and a few simple treatments, acne scars can be reduced and the skin left with a smoother, more glowing appearance. Today, there are many techniques to help reduce the appearance of acne scars that actually work and, many are just a click away at your favorite beauty retailer.

What are acne scars? According to Skin Care: Beyond the Basics, (acne) scars form when “the skin, in a desperate attempt to heal itself, produces lots of collagen to try to compensate for the lack of normal skin functioning.” The result can be anything from a red spot or macule, to a raised scar to the typical ‘pit’ scarring commonly seen with more aggressive forms of acne. And, certain factors can affect how acne scars will fade: age of the scar, depth, intensity and to a certain extent-pigmentation of the skin. Some darker skin tones may find it harder to fade away acne scars as the very techniques or products used to fade the scar, if used improperly, may also fade normal skin tone.

One of the most commonly used, over-the-counter products to fade scars is
hydroquinone. Sold at a 2% solution, hydroquinone is a chemical that suppresses melanin production in the skin, allowing the scar or hyperpigmentation left behind to fade back to a normal skin tone. However, hydroquinone is not for everyone. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, or anyone who has liver problems or concerns should avoid this product as it may cause complications. Also, unprotected sun exposure will aggravate acne scars; sun exposure should be reduced while actively trying to fade acne scars. An effective formulation is Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel, which combines hydroquinone with herbal ingredients for maximum scar fading.

For a non-chemical alternative, try using an herbal based skin lightener, such as:

SkinCeuticals. Phyto Corrective Gel. These types of pigmentation products use herbal extracts to suppress melanin production, such as: liquorice, urva ursi or bearberry extract, kojic acid, azelaic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and are perfect for those individuals who want to address hyperpigmentation, yet can’t use hydroquinone. Sun screen and sun protection must also be used in conjunction with herbal lighteners, as well, such as:  SkinCeuticals. Ultimate UV Defense SPF 30

In-patient, doctor-administered treatments for reducing acne scars are another option. Because they are less invasive yet offer visible results, two popular methods are dermabrasion and non-ablative laser resurfacing, although there are other techniques which may also improve the appearance of scars.

According to Dr. James Fulton, dermabrasion, “plane(s) the skin down to a level below the scar tissue, and allow (s) the skin to grow back minus the scarring.” making it ideal for treating acne scars. Performed under sedation in a doctor’s office, dermabrasion uses a machine with a rotating diamond or steel-edged wheel to ‘sand’ away the damaged skin, smoothing out imperfections. The procedure shows most promising results on skin that is not prone to hyper-pigmentation, or very fair-skin tones and must not be performed on skin that is actively breaking-out or cystic. After treatment, the skin may scab or feel very dry. These lesions will heal relatively quickly, but redness and swelling may persist for several weeks. Dermabrasion is best for minor imperfections and shallow pitting rather than deep scarring and multiple treatments may be required to obtain the best results.
Non-ablative laser resurfacing uses a laser to smooth damaged skin. However, unlike an ablative laser, which removes the top layer of skin, non-ablative lasers are not destructive and do not remove any skin, improving recovery time and minimizing side-effects. The procedure may take more than an hour for widespread scarring and treatment is often administered in phases over a set period of time. As with dermabrasion, the skin must be free of active acne lesions or outbreaks before any laser treatment is started, and extreme care should be taken when in the sun. After the initial swelling has calmed, redness from the laser procedure may last for several weeks to a few months, depending upon the skin.

Treating acne scars has come a long way in the past 30 years, with many treatments improving the appearance of these scars by up to 50%. Explore all options and discuss your acne history, as well as your expectations, carefully with your doctor before starting any treatment. Most importantly-don’t cut any corners during recovery: wear sunscreen, follow at-home care and be rewarded with clearer, smoother skin.

Undereye circles

To cover up undereye circles, select a
Secret Camouflage
that is a shade lighter than your foundation. Concealer tends to enhance wrinkles around the eyes. Therefore, if you have fine lines or wrinkles, apply a primer first to fill in the wrinkles before applying concealer.

Use 
Laura Mercier Camouflage Powder Brush
to apply to concealer to the dark areas. Do not use too much and make sure to blend well. Add a light dusting of
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
before applying your normal foundation. You may also consider buying a
Benefit Cosmetics Lemon-Aid
or
Colorescience Corrector SPF 20 – Yellow Rose Of Texas .21 oz
which will help correct the blue color of undereye circles.

Dustin Hoffman’s wife has skincare in the bag — literally
Lately all we seem to hear about is celeb couples going for the jugular. So you’ll be happy to learn that Dustin Hoffman, 70, and wife, Lisa, are still going strong after 28 years.

It could be that the former attorney has got her own thing going on: a portable beauty line called Lisa Hoffman Night & Day 24 Hour Skincare. Accompanying Dustin on all his exotic shoots (eek — Ishtar?!) inspired Lisa to create these travel-sized packets of creams and other gook.

To her credit, she doesn’t drop the Rain Man’s name when promoting the stuff, which, incidentally, is getting so well known, he may have to drop hers.

Allowing hair to dry naturally protects it from heat damage, but blow-drying on occasion can aid in straightening efforts and controllability. Special shampoos and hair care products provide relief for intense exposure to the sun and chlorinated water. Sometimes summer days and humid nights cause bad hair days despite your efforts, so keeping a hat or visor on hand may be a great solution. No matter where you go, keep a ponytail holder handy in case you need to put your hair up.

To defeat the frizzies, here are some tips:
• Get your hair cut regularly. Split ends make your hair look even more frizzy.
• After you shampoo, rinse with cold water — as cold as you can stand it — to help the cuticle layers of your hair lay flat.
• Apply an ice cube to your tresses to tame frizzy hair.
• Rinse your hair immediately after returning from the pool or beach. Chlorine and salt water can add to dryness and frizzies.
• For a new look, braid your hair while it is still wet for a sleek, bold look. Add a little pomade to keep it in place.
• If you want to wear your hair straight, consider applying some spray gel or anti-frizz gel.

When all else fails, tie your hair up in a trusty ponytail or add a cute hat.

Bonita Botanicals Introduces New Exclusive Products to Defy Aging

Bonita Botanicalss, a natural skincare line that offers a natural solution to your anti-aging and basic skincare regimen, has added new age defying nutrient rich facial products to her line. Bonita Botanicals also offers body and hair products. All Bonita Botanicals products are made from natural and wild crafted organic ingredients.

They tell us that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and wouldn’t it be great to slow our clock, defy age and remain beautiful with little effort and all within your budget? With Bonita Botanicals new beauty parade, this fantasy is now a reality.

The impresario of natural anti-aging skin products introduces more age-defying, nutrient rich goodness to her skin care line. Bonita Boutin has hugely contributed to a more affordable timeless beauty with effective results without a surgeon’s scalpel.

Introducing an all-inclusive beauty line for hair and skin allows users to easily purchase natural skin care products without wasting their valuable time surfing the web for the appropriate item at an affordable price and also gives customers the ability to get up-to-date tips on beauty and healthy living. Everything you need is available in one place.

Bonita Botanicals has developed a full range of new products that feed your skin and utilize the power of antioxidants and natural properties that protect, heal and prevent premature aging. And beyond the antioxidants, super foods like Hemp Oil and Omega 3 found in her natural products for hair provide significant relief as an anti-inflammatory and super moisturizer – and an excellent choice to combat skin irritations like eczema and psoriasis.

And speaking of moisturizers, Tamarind Seed found in Bonita’s Chamomile Balancing After Wash has water retaining properties and when applied to skin, smoothes the surface combined with Chamomile to balance the ph and normalize skin.

“I seek out those beauty products that will keep our skin looking and feeling great no matter what age we are,” said Bonita. “Introducing an all-inclusive beauty line for hair and skin allows users to easily purchase natural skin care products without wasting their valuable time surfing the web for the appropriate item at an affordable price and also gives customers the ability to get up-to-date tips on beauty and healthy living. Everything you need is available in one place.”

And if you’re looking for a pamperfest indulge in the new “can’t live without” skin care products for 2009, Blueberry Breakthrough Mask, Eventone Blending Moisturizer, and Green Tea Exfoliant. This is your cosmetic answer in a bottle; these products will help battle age spots, exfoliate dry skin leaving a smoother even skin tone and uncover a youthful healthy glow you thought was gone. Bonita Botanicals skin care products delivers amazing long lasting results that are downright sinful!

For those new to Bonita’s skin care line her slogan speaks volumes of what to expect after continuous use of her natural skin products – “Be Beautiful Be Bonita”.

To celebrate the inclusion of these new online beauty products Bonita Botanicals is in search for her new “Face of Bonita”. An on-going contest to locate the face that will represent the Bonita Botanical treasures. 

About:

Bonita Botanicals natural skin care line provides an interface between everyday skin care products and specific skin care treatments targeted to improve the look of your skin including combating dry skin, skin irritations, premature aging and nourishing the body from the inside out.

Bonita Boutin is particularly dedicated to helping promote timeless beauty and celebrating the aging process gracefully. With 20 years of health care and fitness experience, Bonita is dedicated to providing health support and awareness to women throughout the world.

Skincare Tips and Beauty Advice

We as women, spend a lot of our time putting on makeup, polishing our nails, doing our hair, whatever we can do to help enhance our natural beauty. When it comes to our faces, there are few things more important to take care of than our skin. When the skin on our faces is healthy, there is a beautiful glow that will add to anybodys beauty.

All too many of the available treatments out there come paired with an outrageous price tag. In addition to being pretty expensive, it can be very difficult to tell if the product is all it cracks up to be. Who wants to purchase a pricey product just to find out it doesn’t deliver? Here are a few excellent home skincare remedies you will want to try. They’re inexpensive and easy to create – you probably have the ingredients already in your kitchen! These skincare beauty tips will help you maintain healthy younger-looking skin without spending a fortune.

One thing that is critical for your skins health is to exfoliate your face on a regular basis. This will help get rid of the dead skin cells that can cause a dull look to your skin. When you exfoliate away the dead skin cells, you support the growth of new skin cells. This process will keep your skin looking younger longer. My personal favorite exfoliating scrub is one that you can make yourself. It is a simple recipe of sugar and honey mixed together. I usually use a one to one ratio when mixing the two together. Sugar is a really great exfoliating instrument because it is not too abrasive for the sensitive and delicate skin on your face. Beautifully, honey also has a moisturizing effect on the skin so it is very beneficial to the face in keeping a moisture balance.

Keeping the moisture balance in your skin is extremely important. Applying a face mask about once a week will help rejuvenate your skin by deeply moisturizing it. Keeping your face properly hydrated will always help improve your skin tone. Instead of spending a lot of money on a deep moisturizing treatment, try using yogurt. Plain yogurt with no additives can be purchased from almost any natural foods store. The yogurt can be applied to your face and left on for about five to ten minutes just like you would leave any face mask on. The yogurt will help your face regain its moisture balance. The natural acidophilus in the yogurt will also help kill any unwanted bacteria which may help clear up minor acne.

By trying these homemade beauty tips and skincare remedies, you can keep your skin looking amazing without breaking the bank. Improving your natural beauty can make your daily makeup regimen more simple. It can also allow you to get away with wearing less makeup in the first place. Now that’s refreshing!

Picture Perfect ~ Healthy, Sexy, Bridal Hair

Plan Your Look – As soon as you’ve found “the dress,” decide how you want to wear your hair and makeup for the big day. Start growing your hair if you think you’ll want it longer. Now’s the time to test new looks. If you’re contemplating a drastic cut or color change – do it now( if you are 6 months out) – and leave time to get used to your new do, or change it back.

If you like your current cut and color, then the people who cuts and colors your hair now should continue to do so.  However, they may not be the most experienced with up do’s or hair styles for your big day, and not all stylists are comfortable working with headpieces.   Ask for a recommendation at your regular salon keeping in mind you may be selecting a different look for your big day, and that may mean picking someone other than your usual stylist.  Audition stylists until you find one you love; if your regular salon does not have a referral, ask friends and fellow brides for recommendations. Once you select someone, he or she can help you come up with a wedding-day hairstyle.  Next, decide if you’re going to have your hair done at the salon or at your house. If it’s the latter, set up the appointment well in advance, blocking out enough time to ensure a rush-free session. If you’re going it alone, a good stylist will work with you in advance to get the right look. Then practice it, getting the routine down with the right products. If you want to experiment, do it early. Next comes the headpiece and more decisions. Do you plan to wear it the entire day, or do you want the option of taking it off for the reception party? That could make a difference in your hairstyle choice. Bring a photograph of the headpiece (or the accessory itself) and dress with you to the salon as soon as you make the selections. You and your stylist can make sure your plans are on the right track, or if changes should be made.

Your choice of headpiece, gown and hairdo should complement each other. Some experts say that the more elaborate the gown, the simpler the headpiece should be. Similarly, the more elaborate the headpiece, the simpler the hairstyle should be.
Upswept styles, including the chignon and the French twist, are natural complements to dresses with Victorian-style necklines. The French twist, with a few tendrils left free, is ideal for dresses that have dramatic cuts that expose the back or shoulders. Don’t forget about your attendants. Talk to them about their hair plans; perhaps even book them in the same salon, with a different stylist.

Discuss the long-range game plan with your salon. Map out approximate times for cut and color appointments. It’s recommended that your last color appointment be scheduled a couple of weeks before your wedding (no less than one week) and your last cut two weeks before the big day. This also allows you plenty of time to get your hair into top shape with conditioning treatments, if you need them.

Finally, establish a hair care and conditioning regimen and stick to it.  For chemically treated hair, avoid chlorinated pools, hot tubs and Jacuzzis. they can discolor chemically treated hair.