Blog Post For Laura Skin Care Petaluma, CA

Should You be Using a Serum?

Laura Pagliaroni Skin Care Jan 19, 2022 Comments Off

Although it can be tricky to find a skincare product that will deliver the results you are looking for, a serum can certainly boost the time it takes to achieve your skincare goals.

Find out what a serum can do for you.

What is a Serum?

A serum is a highly concentrated skincare product meant to treat, hydrate and protect your skin.

It packs a skin-saving punch by delivering a more concentrated dose of active ingredients than a cleanser, toner or moisturizer alone can give you. A serum gives your daily cleanser and moisturizer the power to give you visible results even faster.

Benefits of a Serum

Aside from faster visible results, you can customize your serum to the type of skin issue you want to correct. There are different serums available to address just about any type of skincare issue.

Here are some of the most popular:

Anti-Aging

Most anti-aging serums are designed to help rejuvenate the skin and boost the production of collagen, which combats sagging skin and fine lines.

Most contain some type of retinol, in a concentrated form.

Hydrating

Hydrating serums are designed to help the surface layers of skin retain moisture, which in turn makes it look plumper and more youthful.

Most contain hyaluronic acid, which has molecules that bind with water in the skin to retain its moisture. The plumping effect also helps to minimize the appearance of fine lines.

Another common ingredient in hydrating serums is vitamin B5, which also helps to hydrate the skin.

Skin Brightening

One of the effects of aging and tired, dull skin in general is due to overall skin tone. Skin brightening serums work to rejuvenate and refresh the appearance of skin, giving off a healthier, youthful looking tone and glow.

Skin brightening serums often contain antioxidants to help accomplish this goal. Correcting skin imperfections like pigmentation and dullness with ingredients like vitamin C, and skin-loving glycolic, lactic or ferulic acids work wonders on improving skin tone.

Acne Serum

To calm and correct the problems with acne-prone skin, acne serums contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, in addition to salicyclic acid or vitamin B3, to soothe and hydrate irritated and sensitive acne-prone skin.

Using a Serum

Laying a moisturizing cream over a serum produces the best results.

A serum is lighter, almost a gel or liquid consistency, which delivers active ingredients to your skin quickly. It goes on first after cleaning your skin.

By first using a serum, you address issues like dullness, fine lines, acne or discoloration. By following up with a protective layer of moisturizer, you lock in moisture to keep the skin hydrated.

Use a face serum once or twice a day. Typically, any time you clean and/or tone your skin, it’s the next step or base layer under any type of moisturizer, sunscreen or makeup.

Wrap Up

A serum is a great addition to your current skincare routine to correct and prevent your unique skincare issues more quickly and effectively.

If you need help with choosing a serum, reach out to the skincare experts at Laura Skincare in Petaluma, CA for advice and answers to your questions.

Retinol vs. Hyaluronic Acid…How to Choose?

Laura Pagliaroni Skin Care Jan 10, 2022 Comments Off

More than likely, you’ve heard a lot about the importance of retinol and hyaluronic acid in combatting skincare issues.

All the discussion about these two skincare products leads to the question of which one to use. Is one product better than the other? How do you choose?

Retinol vs. Hyaluronic Acid – The Differences

The main difference between retinol (a form of vitamin A) and hyaluronic acid is that one is increases cell turnover and the other hydrates. But it goes deeper than that.

Retinol

Retinol is an antioxidant, or a molecule that slows down free radical damage to your skin cells. Free radicals are unstable molecules produced by your body that attack healthy cells, causing collagen breakdown, fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots.

Retinol is scientifically and clinically proven to change your skin on a cellular level. It increases the rate of new skin cell turnover, shedding dull, dead skin cells from skin’s surface layer while replacing with fresh, healthy skin cells.

Retinol works to:

Improve collagen production to tighten and smooth saggy, wrinkled skin
Increase cell turnover
Improve skin tone while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Decrease melanin production to reduce skin pigmentation
Reduce inflammation
Unclog pores
Treat acne-prone skin while improving and preventing acne scarring

Because a strong dose of retinol, especially at first, can make existing skin conditions worse or irritate skin, it’s important to use a gentle formula, use sparingly or and build up frequency of use over time.

Hyaluronic Acid

Scientifically speaking, Hyaluronic acid is classified as a glycosaminoglycan capable of retaining skin’s moisture and holding up to 1000 times its weight in water, which makes it an excellent choice for hydrating and moisturizing.

It is found naturally in your skin, but with age comes a decrease in the production of natural hyaluronic acid. As you age, skin is prone to dehydration and dryness, which increases the odds of enlarged pores, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

Hyaluronic acid is both hydrating and nourishing to your skin but does little for exfoliation or skin cell turnover.

The hydrating benefits of Hyaluronic acid include:

Improved skin elasticity
Reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (dry, dehydrated skin is prone is more wrinkles and sagging)
Reduction in inflammation
Prohibits growth of bacteria

How to Choose

The good news is that you don’t have to choose one over the other. In fact, research suggests that they not only work well together, but compliment the benefits of each other after only 4-8 weeks of consistent, continued use.

Used together, the benefits multiply:

Retinol induced skin inflammation is reduced by the use of calming hyaluronic acid
Increased skin cell turnover due to improved levels of hydration
Long-term use of retinol boosts production of natural hyaluronic acid, while daily use of

hyaluronic acid produces instant hydration benefits

How to Use Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid Together

Because retinol may cause skin irritation, it’s best to use once a day, preferably at night. Hyaluronic acid should be used twice a day to take advantage of its skin-drenching hydration qualities.

Build up a tolerance to retinol by starting use once per week, then twice a week and so on until your skin adjusts and to prevent damage to your skin. It’s still effective and working even if you only use once or twice a week.

You can dive right in with hyaluronic acid because it doesn’t cause skin irritation and provides immediate hydration benefits. It’s recommended to use hyaluronic acid twice a day, after cleansing the skin. Follow up with a moisturizing cream after applying hyaluronic acid to lock in the moisture.

Hyaluronic acid should be applied to damp skin as it’s easier for it to bind to and penetrate into damp vs. dry skin.

Retinol should be applied to skin after patting dry with a clean towel.

If using together, apply retinol first, let dry, then apply hyaluronic acid and seal with a heavier moisturizing or night cream.

Wrap Up

Whether you want to slow down and improve the effects of aging with retinol or take skin hydration to new levels with hyaluronic acid, know that you can use both together to maximize healthy skin effects.

For more information on retinol, hyaluronic acid or the benefits of professional skin exfoliation and peels, contact the experts at Laura Skincare in Petaluma, CA.

Pros and Cons of DIY Waxing

Laura Pagliaroni Waxing Dec 20, 2021 Comments Off

While waxing certainly isn’t the most pleasurable thing in the world, the results are second to none for smooth, hair-free skin.

If you are brave, you’ll try your hand at DIY waxing at home. Before you do, read through these pros and cons of DIY waxing to see if it’s for you.

Pros of DIY Waxing

Performed in the privacy of your own home
Less expensive than a salon
No waiting for an appointment; can be done anytime
Available in pre-waxed strips for convenience and less mess
Results last for about two weeks

Cons of DIY Waxing

Need to follow directions carefully
At home kits don’t contain the high quality wax that salons do; can be sticky or messy
Takes more time
Painful; can leave skin red, bumpy and/or irritated
Potential of infections, in-grown hairs, or burns from too-hot wax
Potential of pulling/tearing skin
Multiple applications may be needed; followed up by tweezing/clean up
Unable to reach all areas that need waxing

Professional vs. DIY Wax

Although the price sounds right and at-home kits are better than they used to be, there are more risks that come along with DIY waxing.

Face Waxing

The results of any DIY waxing performed on your face shows up on your face. Be careful when applying wax to shape eyebrows because you’re working in such close proximity to your eyes.

Chin, lip, and face waxing may result in irritation and redness but can be treated with chamomile or sweet almond oil for calming and healing.

Waxing inside nostrils has become a popular, but dangerous trend. The hair inside your nose acts as a filter to keep impurities from entering the respiratory tract through your nose. Removing too much hair (your filter) can aggravate asthma and other breathing disorders. Don’t try this one at home.

Underarms, Legs, Arms and Private Areas

While there’s nothing wrong with trying your hand at DIY waxing as a general means of removing hair for longer periods of time than shaving or hair removal creams, remember to follow directions carefully to avoid injury, damage or irritation to the skin.

See a dermatologist or skin care professional for help if a rash or skin condition develops.

Aside from privacy concerns and saving money, there are more risks involved with DIY waxing. From pain to less-than-stellar results, it may make more sense to leave it to the professionals. This holds true especially for waxing in delicate areas.

See the difference and get the results you really want by scheduling a wax with the professional estheticians at Laura Skin Care. We promise you’ll see and feel the difference.

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