Sun & Skincare Archives - Accent Aesthetics

New Year, New Skincare Resolutions!

by Katherine Bredice | Jan 22, 2024 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

2024 Skincare Resolutions

I personally don’t like to make New Years Resolutions, feels like too much pressure. But when it comes to healthy, beautiful skin sometimes we need some guidance. So we’ve compiled a VERY FEW things you can do this year to make life easier but get some results!

1: Simplify your skincare routine

I know skincare is a hot trend right now, and I love that. But a lot of people are using way too many products due to so many being the trendy thing to try. If you are applying 5/6/7 products at one time, ask yourself, how much are these actually absorbing? You are most likely wasting your time and your money. Use 1-3 products that you love and are medical grade and corrective. For example:

Morning Routine:

Cleanse: IF not extremely dry. If you are like a lot of our Colorado clients and extremely dry, it is best to skip cleanser in the morning or use a creamy cleanser. You do not need to spend a lot of $ on a cleanser, it is on the skin for about 15-30 seconds. Use something basic and affordable such as Cetaphil or Cerave. Save your $ for the corrective products.

Antioxidant: This is a product you want to spend your $ on. Topical antioxidants fight free radical damage such as UV radiation, pollution, etc. all of which breakdown your skins’ barrier function and collagen and also create sundamage in the form of reds and brown spots in the skin. A high quality antioxidant will most likely contain Vitamin C. Not all Vitamin C’s are created equal, you want to look for THD, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. This is the most advanced form of Vitamin C.

Moisturizer: If your skin requires extra moisture after your antioxidant then apply. You don’t need to spend a lot on this product either as you have already put the correcting product on.

SPF: Apply your SPF last and use something you love. With all the choices out there these days, it’s very easy. Make sure to reapply mid day.

Nighttime Routine:

Cleanse: I always recommend a double cleanse especially when wearing sunscreen and makeup. This insures a clean, fresh slate for your very important correctives to absorb and work properly.

Retinol or Retinoid: These Vitamin A derivatives are the single most important part of anyone’s skincare routine aside from SPF! Retinoids are most likely prescribed from a doctor and tend to be more aggressive but definitly work. Retinols are mostly over the counter, but come in a variety of strengths and tend to be more time released so they are tolerated well by the skin and therefore can be used more consistently.

Moisturizer: A simple moisturizer will seal in water and prevent water loss. The corrective ingredient is on the skin so your moisturizer doesn’t need to be fancy.

2: Get consistent with professional treatments

Monthly treatments don’t have to break the bank. We offer several membership options to make it easy to be consistent. Treating your skin monthly with either a microdermabrasion, chemical peel, hydrafacial, dermaplane etc. allows us to stay on top of any skin concerns you have and improve them. Consistent exfoliation, extractions and collagen stimulation gets the skin in shape and keeps it there. Think of us as the gym for your skin!

3: Practice better sun prevention

Sunscreen can only protect your skin so much. Here in this Colorado elevation we absorb SO much more UV rays than those at sea level. In order to really prevent sundamage you need to apply spf every 2 hours when outdoors and wear a wide brimmed hat to keep the rays off your face as much as possible. A lightweight neck gator like the ones used for fishing are a great idea to prevent redness, brown spots and wrinkles on your neck and chest.

Simplify your skincare in 2024

Consider a simplified approach to skincare in 2024. Focus on quality rather than quantity, streamlining your routine to include essential steps like cleansing, a high-quality antioxidant with Vitamin C, moisturizer if needed, and reliable sunscreen. Consistency is key, both in your daily regimen and regular professional treatments. With a commitment to sun prevention, including frequent sunscreen application and protective accessories in sun-exposed areas like Colorado, you can look forward to healthier and more radiant skin without the burden of excessive skincare rituals.

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Best Sun Damaged Skin Treatments When You Live in Colorado

by Katherine Bredice | Nov 15, 2023 | HydrafacialMD, IPL Limelight, Peels, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

As we finally say goodbye to summer in Colorado (you can never know when), it’s the perfect time to address all of the glorious sunshine that has accumulated on our faces, necks, chest, hands and arms. These are some of our favorite sun damaged skin treatments to get your skin looking healthy, smooth, even and bright!

Chemical Peels:

Peels are one of the easiest and most cost effective treatments you can do. Here at Accent Aesthetics, we offer many different types of peels from light to deep. We can custom blend them to treat all kinds of issues: acne, scarring, hyperpigmetation and sun damage and texture issues such as fine lines, crepiness and wrinkles. Social downtime (redness, dryness, peeling and flaking) ranges depending on the peel we choose. But most often it is anywhere from 1-5 days. A small price to pay for skin that is more even toned and smooth and all around healthier.

IPL:

Intense Pulse Light. Such a great, tried and true technology. The light sees the melanin (pigment) in the brow spots and the hemoglobin in the red vasculature of the skin. Most sundamage is a mixture of these 2. Our IPL device is amazing at targeting and shutting down these issues.

Social downtime can range anywhere from 2-7 days and generally appears as redness and mild swelling then coffee ground scabbing which literally looks like tiny little coffee grounds where the browns are. These fall off within a few days to reveal noticably more even skin! The IPL does produce collagen and kill bacteria due to the thermal technology but we really use it as a color correcting treatment. But the reduction of acne and improvement in skintone is a nice side effect.

HydraFacial:

The clear choice if dryness is your main concern. We’re convinced this was created for Colorado skin! This relaxing treatment uses varying degrees of physical and chemical exfoliation combined with hydrating peptides, antioxidants and hyaluronic acid. The exfoliation removes built up dead skin, allowing hydrating moisturizers and serums to absorb better. The alpha hydroxy acids brighten stubborn pigmentation and loosen clogged pores. There is no downtime with HydraFacials and they can be done right before an event for a beautiful glow!

AdvaTx:

AdvaTx combines 2 lasers in 1 treatment for full dermal health. The more superficial wavelength is similar to that of the IPL, focusing on breaking up the reds and browns in the skin, but delivered in a different way, allowing for less trauma to the skin. The second, longer wavelenth focuses on bulk heating deep in the dermis to stimulate collagen reducing unwanted textures such as fine lines and large pores. It also helps shrink oil glands that can cause acne and lesions such as sebacous hyperplasia. There is little to no downtime with AdvaTx, and you leave the office looking smooth and refreshed!

Call or go online to book a consultation!

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Colorado Fall Skincare Tips

by Katherine Bredice | Oct 31, 2023 | skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

It’s getting cooler, and DRYER!

If you’ve lived here forever or even for just a little while, you know the change of seasons here in Colorado can be extreme. It’s 96 degrees and sunny one day, 29 degrees and snowing the next. Welcome to Fall in Colorado! It comes in quick!

These changes often wreak havoc on your skin. But luckily there are a few fall skincare tips and simple changes you can make to your skincare routine that will ease your skin in without any issues!

Fall Skincare Tip #1: Switch up your cleanser

This is an easy and inexpensive way to help your skin adjust to the seasons. If your using a foaming cleanser with anti-acne properties such as Salicylic Acid or Benzoyle Peroxide, start using a more gentle, foaming, fruit enzyme cleanser such as Revision Papaya Enzyme Cleanser. This cleanser uses Papain, a fruit enzyme derived from papaya, to gently polish away dead surface cells and keep pores clear without stripping the skin’s natural moisture. It also delivers vitamins and minerals to the skin helping brighten it up after the harsh, sunny summer. (And it smells divine!)

Fall Skincare Tip #2: Swith up your nightly retinol

We LOVE our retinols, they do so many important things. Create new collagen, hold on to the collagen we have and increase cell turnover, all things that create and maintain healthy, youthful skin. But higher concentrations can be drying, especially this time of year. It’s ok to use something lighter if it means you can use it consistently through the season. Our fave is Revision Skincare’s DEJ Night Face Cream. It’s a low strength retinol combined with their anti-aging/anti-redness moisturizer. You can use it every night without irritation or dryness. An Accent Aesthetics MUST HAVE!

Fall Skincare Tip #3: ADD THIS MASK TO YOUR NIGHTLY ROUTINE

We feel like this product was made just for us here in Colorado! It goes on after your nightly products such as retinol and sooths and hydrates all night long.You wake up soft and glowing! And it may be the best thing you’ll ever smell!

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Heliocare: SPF in a pill?

by Katherine Bredice | Apr 26, 2023 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

Here in Colorado, we are constantly battling the effects of the sun on the skin. The sun is the reason we live here but it can wreak havoc, causing sun damage in the form of brown spots, fine lines and wrinkles and chronic redness. Not to mention skin cancer but we’ll leave that to the Dermatologists!

What is Heliocare?

Heliocare Ultra is an oral supplement taken once daily that decreases inflammation in the body and fights off free radical damage. While this is a great thing for anyone in any location, it’s especially important in a state like ours where the UV radiation is so concentrated and intense.

Heliocare’s broad spectrum antioxidant blend is a rare and powerful one. It is derived from a fern native to Central and South America call Polypodium leucotomos. Once an aquatic plant, this fern had to adapt to being a land plant, therefore developing incredible resilance to the sun’s harmful rays. Taken internally it provides HUGE antioxidant and antiinflammatory protection. It even helps block DNA damage and mutation caused by UV radiation which can prevent many, many unwanted side effects.

Studies confirm that the long-term use of Fernblock inhibits photoaging and cancer-forming cells, as well as a decrease in UVB-induced skin changes. We recommend Heliocare Ultra as a powerful addition to your topical skin care regime year-round, but especially in the summer months when sunlight exposure is in its prime.

Purchase Heliocare Here.

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Benefits of Vitamin C: Boosting The Power of SPF

by Katherine Bredice | Jan 26, 2021 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

By now, we all know the benefits of Vitamin C and what adding a high quality, medical-grade Vitamin C to your skincare regime can do for your skin health. It is one of the most multi-functional and beneficial correctives you can use!

Some of the benefits of Vitamin C include brightening existing brown spots or hyperpigmentation and preventing new ones, decreasing overall redness in the skin, and preventing fine lines and wrinkles.

Our bodies do not create or store Vitamin C, which is essential for collagen production. Adding Vitamin C topically helps to produce and maintain collagen in the skin, a HUGE anti-aging benefit!

Breaking Down The Benefits of Vitamin C

Lines and wrinkles can form on the skin due to oxidative stress, a disturbance caused by unstable electrons that attack healthy cells and change their structure. Oxidative stress mainly occurs when the skin is exposed to pollutants and environmental aggressors, such as the sun’s UV rays. When an anti-oxidant such as vitamin C is added to the skin, it combats the oxidative stress, slows the aging process and protects the skin.

It’s important to know that not all Vitamin C’s are created equal. As we like to say, “you get what you pay for”. Vitamin C can be highly unstable if exposed to air, heat, etc. Make sure yours is sealed off to air and has been tested extensively for temperature regulation. If not, you are most likely putting something oxidized on your skin, the opposite of what you want.

In addition to ALL of that, we are now finding that Vitamin C topically can boost the efficacy of your SPF by 80%! Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which helps fight off free radicals. The sun’s UV rays being one of the most damaging. Vitamin C and other antioxidants, protect the skin even further from sun damage, therefore boosting the protective power of SPF.

A lot of Vitamin C’s have a low pH, making them irritating to the skin. This could possibly present as red, rashy skin or the product stinging when applied. That is the opposite of what we want to achieve with this product.

A high quality Vitamin C should be more neutral in pH as not to upset the skin’s natural and delicate acid mantle which is essential for keeping the good things in (moisture) and the bad things out (bacteria, free radicals). Revision Skincare’s Vitamin C Lotion is a 30% concentration, time-released formula, and one of the most potent and effective Vitamin C products available.

Schedule a consultation with one of our providers to find out which products can help you achieve your healthiest, most beautiful skin ever!

The Essential Skincare Correctives You Need in Your Regime

by Katherine Bredice | Feb 10, 2020 | accent aesthetics, Acne Facial, HydrafacialMD, IPL Limelight, Microdermabrasion, Microneedling, Peels, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare, Uncategorized

Skincare Correctives: What Do We Mean When We Talk About These?

You’ve got your basic skincare products: cleanser, maybe a toner, moisturizer, and SPF. But what skincare products do we all need to really see a change in our skin? To see a healthier, clearer, younger-acting skin? These are our essential skincare correctives for almost all skin types and skin concerns.

Retinol

Vitamin A derivatives are a must for almost every single person who walks through our door. Retinol is the only clinally proven skincare ingredient shown to actually reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and if you’re a retinol junkie like us, you know it does that and then some.

Our skin cells naturally regenerate every 28 days when we’re young, that slows down significantally as we age, leading to a build up of dry, dead skin, dullness, dark spots and crepey texture. Acne can also be caused by this build up of dead skin in the pores, forming a “traffic jam” with our sebum leading to congestion. This is why we see so many clients with dry yet acneic skin.

Consistant retinol use keeps the cell turnover going at an excellerated rate. This allows for better absorbtion of other skincare products, a decrease in unwanted pigmentation (sundamage), fewer fine lines and wrinkles, less congestion of blackheads and whiteheads, more hydrated skin, more even skintone, less scarring, production of new collagen and prevention of collagen loss that we already have and want to keep! That’s pretty fantastic! We joke around here that if you have wrinkles: retinol, acne: retinol, boyfriend dumped you: retinol, and on and on! It really does help EVERYTHING!

The sun can deactivate the vitamin A so it is always recommended to use at night. This also encourages us to cleanse and prep the skin before bed which we all know at this point is crucial for healthy, beautiful skin!

Vitamin C

An absolute must for any Colorado skin, Vitamin C does so many things. Our bodies don’t store or produce Vitamin C and it’s essential for collagen production. It’s also great for lightening hyperpigmentation or sun spots, or just overall brighteing of the skin. Vitamin C can also help reduce chronic redness in the skin as it acts as an anti-inflammatory. Acne is often improved with Vitamin C use as well, as inflammation is a key coomponent of acne.

Hyperpigmentation, broken capillaries and diffuse redness can all be signs of sundamage and that’s important to know living in a state with an elevation like ours.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps prevent and reverse oxidative damage caused by UV rays. The sun, especially at our elevation, causes so much more oxidation (free radical damage) on our skin than that of sea level. We recommend this important ingredient to every person and skin concern we see, even if it’s preventative.

Eye Cream and Neck Cream

These are often at the bottom of the priority list for people and they should absolutely be at the top! The signs of aging on the neck and around the eyes are not only some of the hardest to treat but some of the most common concerns we hear.

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin on the body and often lacks active oil glands, combine that with constant motion from smiling, etc. and fine lines, wrinkles and laxity show up quickly!

The neck will often show signs of aging from “tech neck” or the constant position of our heads and necks looking down at out screens all day, everyday. Sleeping also causes creases and wrinkles on the neck and chest from prolonged postitions. The skin on the neck is often neglected when it comes to basic skin care products such as moisturizer and spf leading to a quick onset of lines and wrinkles. The neck and chest are thin and need not only the basics but the corrective skincare treatments just as much as your face. Trust us. You’ll thank us later.

Scheduling a consultation is the best way to learn what medical-grade skincare products are best for you.