Comraderie

Last night I hosted the first ever Peels To The People Open House.  It was so fun!  You never know how many people will show up at events so when I looked out at a sea of smiling faces, it was gratifying to see clients (new and established) checking it out.  I see it’s all about connection.  You’ll find an aesthetician on every corner in this town so when they come to you year after year (after year), you know something special is going on.  Thank you, thank you….whatever I give to you, you return in spades.

Football and Bald Heads

Today I attended the OSU/PSU football game in Corvallis.  When the rain finally stopped and fans started shedding clothing, I couldn’t help but notice the remarkable bald head in  front of me.  This belonged to an older gentleman who had obviously had a lot of sun damage to his bald scalp.  It had a scaly, blistered appearance and I immediately  thought Epionce Medical Barrier Cream.  It could no doubt help the gentleman heal his blisters a little faster.  That and sunblock of course.  Go Beavs!

Plan Ahead

I’m planning an Open House/Client Appreciation Event on Thursday, Sept. 24th from 4:30 to 6:30.  Take a tour of PTTP headquarters, meet my Epionce rep Chad, and see for yourself how the latest equipment for anti-aging/acne/rosacea will help your skin look healthier!  RSVP please!

August 2009 Newsletter: Part Two

The People’s Skin Care Newsletter
vol.1, #2                   August 26, 2009

* Summer’s End Skin Care Tips
* Product News
* The Power of Referrals &
   The Greatness of Clients

SUMMER’S END SKIN CARE TIPS

While fall is still a few weeks away,
our skin will be ready to get rid of its
summer buildup of crud…like the
higher SPF you’ve been wearing (you
have, haven’t you!), the extra self-
tanner or perhaps simply the rather
casual way you’ve been cleansing
your face while rafting on the
Deschutes or sleeping in a hammock
in Sisters. 

OK, we’ll forgive those little trans-
gressions and allow you to gently
settle back into your usual diligent
routine.  This should include:

  * washing face & neck at least
     once daily
  * applying a treatment cream/
     serum at least once daily
  * wearing SPF 20 + daily
  * using an eye cream daily
  * using a treatment-oriented
     night cream

These few steps should not take more
than a few minutes AM and PM.  It’s
simple: clean, treat, repair, protect.
Your own skin care routine accounts
for 90% of how your skin looks now
and in the future!  While peels and
facials and light treatments are, of
course, fabulous…it’s your daily skin
regimen that really counts.  In the
immortal words of Tim Gunn, “Make
it work”.

PRODUCT NEWS

What a natural segue into products!
Now I’m going to tell you what to use.

Cleansers are important; should you
spend $40 for one?  I don’t think so
either.  But do spring for one that is
specifically for your skin type, i.e.
Epionce Milky Lotion Cleanser for dry,
mature or sensitive skin; Gentle
Foaming Cleanser for almost everyone
except for the oily folks who will want
the Lytic Gel Cleanser.  All Epionce
cleansers are super-concentrated and
will last for months.

Treatments/Exfoliants are important
because they actually do something
visible.  Over time (I measure “time”
as 1 to 3 months), the Epionce Lytic
products will visibly: help to even out
skin tones, reduce redness, clean out
clogged pores, and overall brighten dull
skin.  Lite Lytic is for sensitive skin,
Lytic Lotion Plus is for oily skin (or
those who want faster results) and
Lytic Lotion is for most everyone else.

Sun protection is essential.  The two
Epionce products are physical blocks
with zinc oxide to protect from UVA
and UVB rays.  They both also contain
antioxidants and are extremely well-
priced at $19 (SPF 30) or $24 (50).

Renewal products are moisturizers
as well as treatment creams.  Call
them two-fers!  For sensitive skin, use
the Facial Cream; for oily skin, the Lite
Lotion, and for everyone in between, I
recommend the Renewal Lotion.  The
Epionce Eye Cream is great for all skin
types.  My favorite Renewal product is
the Intensive Nourishing Cream…just
rich and yummy and perfect for aging
(but still fighting!) skin.

What are we missing?  If you have
more serious hyperpigmentation (pesky
brown/age spots), I am now stocking
a non-Epionce cream that is formulated
for me at Portland’s premier compounding
pharmacy.  It is a blend of two profound
bleaching agents called kojic acid (from
Japanese fungi) and hydroquinoine.  If
spots don’t improve quickly enough using
your regular routine, try this stuff.  It will
bring spots to their knees.

I should also mention taking care of arms
and hands as these are visible targets of
sun damage.  The Renewal Enriched Body
Lotion contains potent antioxidants and
(again, over time) should help with the
pinch-factor on thinning skin.  The amazing
Extreme Barrier Cream is also great for
hydrating dry, even scaly skin on feet,
elbows, hands, nails, you get the picture.

THE POWER OF REFERRALS AND THE
GREATNESS OF CLIENTS

I heart my clients big-time.  Since I’ve
been on my own (three months already),
you have been beating a path to my door
(or me to yours) in numbers greater than
I’d ever imagined and I am so very, very
appreciative.  So appreciative, in fact,
that I’m going to lavish you with….well,
if not riches then rewards!

For every friend/family member that you
refer, YOU will get half off of your next
procedure!  (fine print:  your referral
needs to actually have a treatment/buy
a product to qualify).  Say YOU are into
a course of peels/LED treatments.  You will
save 50% on both your peel and your light
treatment at your next appointment.  Nifty!

May I also tempt you with a Travel Size
Epionce cleanser of your choice just for
being such a good and loyal client?  I think
I will!

Finally, may I invite you to an Event (with
a capital E!) I’m planning in September.
Details to follow but it will include BBQ’d
shrimp, Olive Pit olives, many more tasty
goodies, plus a guest appearance or two
AND 10% off all purchases made at the
event (including gift certificates!).   Stay
tuned for the date.
And once again, THANK YOU, wonderful
clients and friends.

August Newsletter: Part Uno

“The People’s Skin Care Newsletter”
vol. 1, #2      August 20, 2009

This month’s highlights:

* New Services Update
* New Online Ordering
* Summer’s End Skin Tips
* Product News
* The Power of Referrals &
  The Greatness of Customers

NEW SERVICES UPDATE

Starting in September, I will begin using
an FDA-approved device for SKIN TONING
and TIGHTENING called Bio-Therapeutic
Microcurrent Platinum.  This machine has
morphed from a strictly medical device to
an aesthetic one used by both physicians
and aestheticians.  It is used on both the
face and the body to LIFT and CONTOUR.

Why would YOU consider microcurrent?
If you look in the mirror and see those
tell-tale signs of loose skin around the
eyes, mouth, “jowls”, jawline, or neck,
then microcurrent can help TIGHTEN
those areas.

The Platinum machine also works on body
regions such as the bust, upper arms,
buttocks, and thighs.  It has shown success
on the abdominal region when excess fat is
low. This is not a weight-loss device.  It
will tone to the degree that it CAN tone.

For those of you who experienced, or should
I say endured, THERMAGE…microcurrent
will be a welcome and painless alternative.
Treatment consists of a series of sessions
over the course of several months, with
regular maintenance to keep up the results.

After my personal training next weekend
with the international trainer, I’ll have
many more details to share with you.  This
is an exciting, non-invasive alternative to
surgery and laser resurfacing.  No, it’s not
a facelift or a tummy tuck but microcurrent
has a well-documented track record for
tightening, toning and contouring skin.  And
I’m getting the best FDA-approved device on
the market!

Increasingly I find that clients prefer the
non-invasive approaches that I can offer
such as LED light, peels, and now micro-
current.  They’re effective, pain-free, less
expensive and natural.  WaaHOO!  Could you
ask for anything more?

NEW ONLINE ORDERING AT
http://www.peelstothepeople.com

If you want to continue using medical
skin care products that I’ve recommended
over the years, you can continue to order
them via my website.  Plus, you can get
up to 20% off of these products by
entering a special code that you’ll find
under each skin care manufacturer.  And
you’ll get home delivery, often with no
shipping fees!  Orders are shipped within
48 hours.

Say you love SkinCeuticals C & E Ferulic.
You like to use it every morning with your
Epionce products.  OK, go to my online
store, search by manufacturer, click on
SkinCeuticals C & E Ferulic, look for
“coupons”, click, click and click and you
just saved 20%.  Now what could be
easier?

I’m STILL studying the vast array of
products on this site.  I’m particularly
interested in skin lightening agents…
that is, products to reduce brown spots,
hyperpigmentation and melasma (the
“mask” of pregnancy).  Epionce is weak
in this area (they’re working on it!), but
here are some excellent products to
consider IF you’re trying to lighten
dark spots:

OBAGI:  their products can be harsh
but I can recommend two of them that
work well without irritation (CALL ME
for directions!).  They are (1) Blender,
a combination of vitamin E, lactic acid
and hydroquinone, and (2) C Clarifying
Serum, a combo of vitamin C and 4%
hydroquinoine.

PCA Skin:  pHaze 13 Pigment Gel with
hydroquinone…less expensive than
Obagi, but I have no personal experience
with it.

Other Online Finds continued….

KINeSYS (stoopid name!) for spray-on
sunblocks for children, athletes, etc.

NeoStrata makes a great Hand & Nail
Cream that’s very inexpensive.

Neova Lash Conditioner will give
Latisse a run for it’s money!

Nioxin…if you’re already using this
line for thinning hair, it may be less
expensive on my site.

Well, obviously, I’m Chatty Cathy on
my newsletter SO….this will be Part
One and you’ll have to wait (with
baited breath!) for Part Two ASAP.

Thanks again for your encouragement
and continued support.  Go Raiders!
(that’s for my husband who is so
supportive of my home-based biz).

EPIONCE: Skin Care Tour

The bakery of beauty: Epionce ingredients ready for formulation

Epionce Mask: From their Vats to our faces

Road trip complete!  Back from two days in Boise where I had the opportunity to tour the headquarters and manufacturing facilities of EPIONCE skin care.  Thanks to Krista and Susan for explaining the process of blending and mixing and packaging and shipping products, not to mention marketing strategies, networking and outreach opportunities available from the company.  I am more impressed than ever with the science behind these wonderful products.

While I was there, the initial mixing of the oil-based ingredients of the Enriched Firming Mask was  happening in a super-giant mixing bowl contraption.  Later this will be added to the water-based ingredients to form the final product, a lovely blue-tinted hydrating mask that’s wonderfully calming to irritated skin.

And did I mention the entire facility was spotless?  Clients can be assured that products are custom-made in small batches for freshness and that orders are processed practically immediately.  For a small, family-owned and operated operation, EPIONCE really has their act together.  Thanks everybody!

Do you know the way to Boise?

I’m off on a road trip!  First to visit a client who moved to dry, dusty, hot Richland, WA for a special emergency delivery of Epionce skin care products for dry, dusty skin.  Next, heading to  Boise, ID  for a plant tour at the headquarters of Episciences.  I’ m so excited!! 

 

I do have a history of plant tours….accompanying my father to see steel fabrication manufacturers and mammoth pipe fitting plants in southern California.  Wow, those things are big.  Back when this kind of stuff was done in the states and not China.  At least my wonderful Epionce products are home-grown and right here in the Northwest.

P.S.  I forgot the factory tour I took in Surabaya, Indonesia at the corporate headquarters of Sampoerna, NA, #5 manufacturer of kretek cigarettes in Indonesia (ca. 1990)…a factory floor filled with over 1,000 ladies wearing pink uniforms HAND-ROLLING cigarettes, so quickly that you couldn’t see their hands move!  It was amazing.

Acne & LED

The blue light of LED (light emitting diode) creates an oxygen atmosphere on the skin while penetrating the skin with intense blue light.  Studies show that blue light in the 417 nm to 425nm range is effective in treating acne.

Treatments are painless and relaxing and improvement can be seen following the initial procedure.   Usually a course of nine or more treatments are necessary to resolve active acne, although everyone is unique.  Good home care products and peels will also help tackle the problem.

Peels for the Neck and Chest

Rough, blotchy skin on the neck and chest can be improved.  Start with a chemical peel perfectly suitable for the thinner skin (vs. facial skin) of the “lower face” .  Yes, you want to consider the nec and chest as the facial unit.  Continued improvement will occur when medical-grade skin care such as Epionce’s Intensive Nourshing Cream and Active Shield SPF 30 are used on the entire facial unit daily.

Happy August 1st!

End of Month Checklist

1.  Check your sunscreen supplies.  If you’re running low, don’t forget to buy more.

2.  Review products.  If you haven’t used it in 6 to 12 months, throw it away!  Yes, it is painful.

3.  Think peels to clean up your skin after all the sunblock you’ve been putting on.   Extra exfoliation is a good thing.