Skin care - Inspired Living SA

Beauty, Beauty Pick of the Week, Beauty Products, Product Reviews, Reviews and Features

Kiehl's Ultra Review

Today I am reviewing two products from the Kiehl’s Ultra Range – the Ultra Facial Toner and the Ultra Facial Moisturizer.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner – A toner should be a part of your everyday beauty regime but not the oil stripping variety, that quite a few brands offer. Your toner should cleanse your skin while at the same time restoring the balance that everyday elements disrupt. The Kiehl’s Ultra Toner is a pH-balanced, alcohol free toner, which effectively removes surface debris whilst hydrating and comforting the skin. The toner has a milky consistency as a posed to many that are a clear liquid, it leave your skin feeling silky and smooth rather than dry and taught. It also provides the ideal preparation for your Facial Moisturizer.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer – The famous Ultra Facial Moisturizer is a light yet effective lotion that leaves skin feeling soft and nurtured. Although the formulation is light I found that being an Ultra Moisturizser, it is a bit too nourishing for my skin and it is probably better suited to dry skin. It did not make my skin overly greasy but I do imagine mid summer it might give me a bit of a “glow”. I could see myself using it in the evening, rather than for daytime application. It is recommended for all skin types and contains *Squalane, Vitamins A and Vitamin E. It is also a favourite with make-up artists for its versatility and lightweight formula! There is also an option in this range that contains an SPF15.

If you would like to try Kiehl’s products but are not in the Gauteng area, then you can order and have the products delivered to your home via Edgars Fashion Hotline! Phone 0116857000

To keep up to date with Kiehl’s in South Africa and find out about when a store is opening near you – follow them on Twitter.

*Squalane is a natural hydrocarbon and triterpene derived from a variety of plant and animal sources. It is a component of human sebum. Squalane is a saturated analog of squalene, from which it can also be produced by hydrogenation.

Beauty, Beauty Products

Kiehl's South Africa

I was very excited to receive a wonderful range of products from Kiehl’s South Africa last week. Kiehl’s recently launched their first store on Africa soil, in Edgars Sandton City in Johannesburg.

Kiehl’s was originally founded as an old-world apothecary in New York’s East Village over 150 years ago, they opened their doors in 1851 as a community pharmacy on New York’s ‘Pear Tree Corner’ . Kiehl’s extensive experience has resulted in a unique blend of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, herbal and medicinal knowledge developed over generations. The Kiehl’s philosophy believes that ingredients are the single most important component of their products, only formulas with ingredients that are truly beneficial to the skin are selected.

The Mission of Kiehl’s” is a tribute to our belief in giving back; in supporting both the local communities in which we serve and the global community in which we live and thrive. Underlining the Mission, we have developed a number of Fair Trade partnerships, plus lent our support to non-profit, charitable organisations around the world, primarily in three areas: AIDS research, cure and care; environmental conservation and sustainability; and outreach programs to benefit children and/or local communities.

I am really looking forward to trying out the Kiehl’s range, which is rather extensive! They have sent me items from their mens, baby’s, skin care and body range. The one product that I have heard so much about is the Creme de Corps, which is a rich hydrating body moisturizer and has been a firm favourite for over four decades. I have also been on the lookout for a new sunscreen, which does not irritate my rather sensitive skin. I will be trying out all the products, well in exception of the Mens range (I will leave those to Mr) and I will report back on my thought on the products.

To keep up to date with Kiehl’s in South Africa and find out about when a store is opening near you – follow them on Twitter.

Beauty, Beauty Products

Tips To Get Your Body Summer-Ready

Bio-Oil is a specialist skin care product, which I have being using for many years and I can assure you it really works! Not only does it improve the appearance of scars and stretch marks, it also helps correct uneven skin tone. It is one of the world’s fastest growing skin care brands and is sold in 19 countries across five continents including the UK, the USA and Japan. It is South Africa’s No. 1 selling scar and stretch mark product. Its enhanced formulation, which contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™, also makes it highly effective for numerous other skin concerns, including ageing, dehydrated and sunburnt skin.

With Spring in the air and the promise of summer and sunny beach days on the way, Bio-Oil offers some advice on how to keep your skin moisturised, healthy and glowing this summer.

Cosmetic scientist, John Knowlton (C. Chem., MRSC, Dip. Cos. Sci. (GB)) says that one of the most important factors for a naturally healthy looking skin is the amount of moisture it contains. Besides using a good moisturiser like Bio-Oil, limited sun exposure, drinking plenty of water and making sure you use the correct skin care products will assist you in maintaining your glow this summer.

Here are some practical tips on how to stay safe in the sun while keeping your skin moisturised, healthy and glowing:

Self-tanning: Use a good self-tanning lotion instead of sitting in the sun. Avoid dryness caused by these products by massaging Bio-Oil into your skin twice a day to lock in your skin’s moisture, and give your tan extra staying power.
Delicate décolletage: Your neck and chest often show sun damage first, with sun-induced superficial lines and wrinkles caused by skin dehydration. Smooth them out with Bio-Oil’s super moisturising properties, which help retain the skin’s own moisture.
Soothe the burn: While you should be sun savvy enough not to get burnt, if it does happen put a few drops of Bio-Oil in a cool bath and apply directly to the damaged skin. The Chamomile extract and Calendula oil in Bio-Oil are renowned for their ability to soothe red, stinging skin.
Happy hair days: For unruly, thick hair prone to dryness, Bio-Oil will condition and soften your locks. Apply to damp hair after a wash and cover with a towel or hair-wrap. Sleep with your hair wrapped up to lock in moisture and avoid soiling bed linen. Rinse your hair in the morning and style as usual.

Bio-Oil contains no preservatives, is dermatologically tested, hypo-allergenic, non-acnegenic and suitable for all ages and skin types.

Bio-Oil is available at pharmacies and select retail outlets nationwide in 60ml (R49.99), 125ml (R74.99) and 200ml (R109.99). For further information on this amazing product visit www.bio-oil.com

Source: Images by Super Mom Blog, Copy Bio-Oil

Beauty, Lifestyle

My Beauty File – My CACI Treatment

Last week amongst all the exam prep and wedding planning activity I managed to squeeze in my complimentary CACI and Microderm abrasion treatment, from Elements on Kloof. It was wonderful and great to finally meet Yvonne, the lady behind the Elements brand. I had done a bit of research about the CACI(click on the link to read more about this) treatment and I have had MDA before and Yvonne made me feel very relaxed, so over all it was a very positive experience.

As I approach forty I have become more aware of how quickly my skin seems to age. Another problem I seem to be encountering is adult acne – who would have thought! But according to Yvonne the percentage of woman acne suffers aged 32 – 42 years is higher than the collective amount of teenage acne suffers. How is that fair, surely we should be allowed to age gracefully not looking like a spotty teenager!

My other concern is pigmentation, it’s one of those things that arrives in your life and you are not entirely sure how it got there. What causes pigmentation, well herein lies the debate – some sources blame sun damage, others hormones but my concern is not how it got here but how do I get rid of it! Well by this stage I have exhausted most options available and nothing much has worked, so it could be one of those things in life which I will just have to learn to live with.

Back to the treatment – after Yvonne’s assessment of my skin, which in spite of the pigmentation was fairly positive, she began the MDA treatment. This is a cosmetic technique that uses a mechanical medium for exfoliation to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the epidermis. It is a non-invasive procedure and may be performed in-office by a trained skin care professional.

She then applied some gel and began the CACI treatment, which uses Micro-current stimulation to deliver tiny electrical impulses that mirror the body’s own natural bio electrical field. You do not feel much besides for a slight electrical tingling sensation.

So what are the results I hope to achieve by having these treatments:

Toning and tightening muscles in the face.
Smoothing fine lines.
Smoothing and decreasing wrinkles.
Stimulating collagen.
Treating skin around the eyes to reduce wrinkles.

What I can report is that my skin felt rejuvenated after the treatment and I spent the evening asking my hubby if he thought I looked more youthful – like any wise man he affirmed the fact that my skin did indeed look much perkier! The skin over my cheek bones definitely feels firmer and more elasticised.

As I said previously, I have tried various options to treat my pigmentation but have not found anything to be very successful, so I have decided that I will remain open-minded but not become obsessed with treating this problem. I will instead concentrate on the general good health of my skin, using good products, sun protection and staying out of the sun as much as possible.

I have booked a follow-up appointment for the new year and I will keep you posted as to the results achieved by these treatments. I really encourage you to make an appointment and have your skin assessed – I found Yvonne to be both knowledgeable and sincere in her approach; I never once felt pressured into doing anything or purchasing any products. If anything her approach is conservative and modest.

The salon also sponsored me with two products from the relatively new SPA, skin care range, by Charlotte Rhys, so I will see what results are achieved from these products as well.

Thank you again to Elements on Kloof for my wonderful treatment.