Say Hello to Healthy Winter Skin

Whether you’re gearing up for ski trips, hunkering down for quality time indoors, or riding the wave of holiday festivities, winter brings on a host of new challenges for your skin. Adding a little extra TLC to your daily skincare routine can help you maintain a healthy-looking glow from head to toe this season—and well into the New Year.

Check out these winter skincare survival tips:

• Keep calm, cleanse on (gently). Since harsh winds and cold climates can dry out skin, leading to cracks, inflammation or visible redness—‘tis the season for soothing skincare. Swap out harsh, and abrasive soaps for cleansing products that gently remove makeup and nourish chapped, red-looking skin without stripping its essential moisture.
• Beware the steam bath. When the weather outside is frightful, it’s tempting to crank the water temp to high—but long, hot, steamy showers can strip skin of its natural oils and moisture barrier. The skin-friendly solution: Cleanse your face and body with warm (not scalding) water.
• Slather before you snooze. The best time to quench dry skin on your face, hands, lips and body is right before bed. Make moisturizers, overnight creams and anti-aging products part of your nightly skincare routine this winter, and wake up to a more luminous, younger-looking you.
• Give dry skin a hand. Our hands are among the hardest working (and often most neglected) body parts, so they tend to look older than our faces. All that added exposure to the elements can make hands even more vulnerable in winter. Rather than let your hands give away your age, you can moisturize, brighten skin tone and improve the appearance of crepey skin and wrinkles with REDEFINE Hand Treatment Regimen with SPF 30.
• Keep the SPF coming. Even on cold, blustery days, the sun can still do damage through the cloud cover (or snow flurries). No matter your age, ethnicity, or local climate, your skin needs protection from UVA and UVB rays. Before heading outdoors this winter, apply a broad spectrum sunscreen. If you plan to hit the slopes, take extra care to use higher SPF and reapply every two hours since UV radiation increases at higher elevations.
• Air on the moisture side. Staying cozy inside has its perks, but dry, over-heated rooms can further dehydrate skin, leading to cracks, inflammation and visible redness. Help counter skin dryness before it strikes by setting the humidity level in your home to 40 percent or using a humidifier to boost moisture levels in the air.

Start following these tips today and keep your skin looking smooth and radiant—no matter where the winter takes you.

Six Teas to Drink for Seriously Radiant Skin

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

Tea is anything but a one-trick pony—it can be comforting when you’re sick, relaxing when you need to sleep, or energizing if you’re not a coffee drinker. Another bonus? Many varieties can also help you get a glowing complexion.

“Tea is a superstar in the natural skin-care world,” says Theresa Krier, founder of Big T NYC, a brand that makes curated and bespoke teas and tisanes. “It’s packed with a host of vitamins, amino acids, and catechins that work holistically to slow aging, stimulate collagen production, reduce body fat, and maintain healthy skin cells. Tea also combats dehydration, a major culprit of dull skin.”

Tea is also inherently rich in antioxidants. “It has EGCG, which is a type of antioxidant that is really well-known for boosting metabolism, but also is great for fighting free radicals that cause skin damage and premature aging,” says Krier.

Think of it as a super easy (and delish) way to drink your skin-loving nutrients while getting a hydration boost. “We like to think of it as water plus,” says Krier. “It’s just as good as drinking a cup of water in terms of hydration, but you’re getting the added benefit of all sorts of antioxidants and the great flavors that come along with it.”

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For anti-aging: rooibos

Move over, retinol—rooibos is actually a major player in anti-aging. “Its high levels of antioxidants, zinc, and alpha-hydroxy acids give it the ability to prevent and reverse fat loss under the skin,” says Krier, which she notes was just confirmed in a new study. The antioxidant arsenal includes nothofagin, aspalathin, and superoxide dismutase, which are all enzymes that provide an effective protection against harmful free radicals (AKA culprits in complexion woes).

“Rooibos tea’s also rich in zinc, which can help correct hormonal imbalances that trigger acne,” says Krier. That’s major.

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For rejuvenation: white tea

White tea is essentially the most pure of all teas. “In general, white tea is considered more rare than other teas because you’re taking the youngest leaves off of the plant,” says Krier. “Because of this purity, it contains the highest level of antioxidants of all teas.”

It also has strong skin rejuvenating powers. “White tea can help to slow the skin-aging process and prevent collagen and elastin breakdown,” she adds.

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For reducing inflammation: green tea

Though green tea is from the same plant as white, it has nuanced differences that affect your glow in other ways. “Green tea reduces inflammation, maintains healthy skin cells, and can help internally protect against sun damage caused by UV radiation,” says Krier. That’s because of its high presence of ECGC, a super-potent antioxidant that is known to reactivate dying skin cells, she adds.

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For hormonal acne: spearmint

If you tend to get hormonal acne, reach for the minty tea. “Spearmint has an anti-androgenic effect that can help improve hormonal imbalances and prevent the production of excess sebum on the skin,” says Krier. “It also contains both phenolic acids and flavonoids, two forms of antioxidants that help prevent oxidative damage.” In other words, it protects your skin from free radicals (which lead to acne).

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For stress relief: chamomile

When you think of chamomile tea, you probably think of warming up to a mug right before sleep. “That’s because chamomile has antispasmodic, anxiolytic, antibacterial, and anti-mutagenic effects,” says Krier. “The active ingredients include anti-inflammatory flavonoids and coumarin, which help prevent and reduce inflammatory acne lesions.” And it’s a stress-reliever (thanks to its anxiolytic and antioxidant effects), which aids with stress acne. “Chamomile is ideal for inducing feelings of calm and rest, which are critical for allowing the skin to naturally heal,” says Krier.

Graphic: Katherine Sokolova

For a natural glow: hibiscus

The beautiful red floral tea is rich in vitamins, which can aid in achieving that sought-after glow. “Hibiscus is very high in vitamin C, and is a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, zinc, and iron,” says Krier. “And it has natural alpha hydroxy acids and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails.” Tea time, anyone?

Merry Christmas!!!

Lash Lab: Eye on Ingredients

 It’s no secret that growing older can leave telltale signs on our skin (from age spots to crow’s feet and expression lines). But did you know that aging isn’t easy on eyelashes either?

Over a lifetime, lashes undergo serious changes of their own. The lash hair’s natural cycle shortens, meaning we start shedding eyelashes more often than we’d like. Eventually, the fabulous fringe that once framed our eyes becomes thinner and more brittle.

What if we gave our eyelashes the same care and attention as our skin? The reality is that you can get lush, longer-looking lashes by adding a simple step to your nightly skincare routine: R+F Lash Boost, the eyelash conditioning serum that moisturizes, nourishes and protects.

A journey into the lash lab reveals several key ingredients hard at work while you get your beauty sleep:

Panthenol conditions lashes by attracting and maintaining essential moisture. This goes a long way toward promoting lash flexibility and resilience.

Peptides also play a prominent role in Lash Boost. A combination of Octapeptides, Copper Tripeptides and Polypeptides enhance durability, protect against breakage and support more voluminous-looking eyelashes.

Last, but definitely not least, are Biotin and Keratin, two powerful protein-enhancers used in hair care. Together, these nourishing agents help protect against future damage (like the pulling and tugging that can result from our daily beauty routines).

This Multi-Med Therapy ingredient approach is at the heart of our R+F Lash Boost formula. After four weeks of nightly use, you can experience darker-looking, fuller-looking lashes. In eight weeks, you’ll be wondering whether you need mascara at all.

Holiday Countdown to Party-Ready Skin

As your calendar fills up with holiday celebrations and family gatherings galore, it’s time to start the countdown to a younger-looking you. Remember, great-looking skin doesn’t happen overnight—even when it’s on the top of your wish list.

Here’s our guide get your skin glowing and party-ready for the holidays.

4 weeks out, the eyes have it. It may feel like you have all the time in the world; in reality, you’ll want to focus on your eyes a month ahead of any big event. If wrinkles are putting a kink in your skincare story (crow’s feet, anyone?), try REDEFINE Acute Care. This at-home cosmetic alternative features line-defying Hyaluronic Acid and peptides to visibly reduce expression lines with 10 uses over 4 weeks.

Planning to leave your eyelash routine to the last minute? Think again. Having lush, longer-looking, fuller-looking lashes that are 100% yours is possible—as long as you give yourself a head start. Apply R+F Lash Boost eyelash conditioning serum nightly, and in 4 weeks you’ll be wondering if you need mascara at all. Talk about a beauty (and confidence) boost!

3 weeks out, face the big picture. Whether you are tackling acne, sensitivity, wrinkles or stubborn dark spots, it’s important to follow a daily skincare regimen for your specific skin concerns. If you’re already on a journey to healthy-looking skin and are seeing positive results—now is not the time to quit. You may no longer notice the rapid progress you once did, but your skin benefits from consistent care. Even if your holiday schedule gets hectic, don’t let your skincare routine follow suit.

2 weeks out, lock in on the lips. Perfecting your pucker often involves more than a dash of lipstick as you’re running out the door. When it comes to lips, time and the environment take their toll in a profound way. Use these last 2 weeks to reclaim a youthful look for your lips with REDEFINE Lip Renewing Serum, featuring peptides and antioxidants to help smooth lip texture and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Then say, hello mistletoe!

1 week out, go for the glow. Exfoliation is all about kicking out old, dulling skin cells to allow younger, more vibrant cells to surface. Using an exfoliating body scrub is the perfect skincare step to take the week before your grand entrance at the party. Follow up with moisturizer, and then try a sunless tan formula to give your skin a sun-kissed glow the healthy way.

Party day. You’ve done all the daily work using your regimen, and zeroed in on your eyes, lips and overall radiance. Today it’s all about a flawless finish with ENHANCEMENTS Mineral Peptides, a lightweight powder to even skin tone and diffuse visible redness for a more luminous look. Just slip on the perfect black dress, and your party prep is complete!

Here’s to a holiday season filled with great-looking skin and selfie-confidence.

Festive Spice Holiday Smoothie

This post was originally seen on KimberlySnyder.com

Do you find yourself feeling guilty around the holiday season? It’s true that the holidays are notorious for surrounding us with sugary treats and temptations, but we can easily combat these with my Festive Spice Holiday Smoothie Recipe. And while there is nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence, let’s try to keep our spirits up by making healthier replacements when we can- especially when those replacements are just as yummy!

So what’s in this ‘Festive’ smoothie?

You’ll be drinking in your spinach, which is an amazing beauty food, packing with minerals, protein, fiber, and vitamins. It’s such a great food for glowing skin and health.

Next, you’ll be gaining antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits from the cranberries, as well as from the delicious and juicy raspberries. Inflammation contributes to everything from cancer to accelerated aging of the skin to pretty much every disease and general ailment you can think of. So these pretty little berries are extra important in our recipe.

Let’s not forget about the amazing banana and its total fiber content—containing pectins—a unique and complicated type of fiber (Mother Nature is so incredibly amazing with all the countless details she has created, is she not?!). Bananas are one of my favorites due to their digestive importance, and as you probably know by now, optimizing digestion is a key Beauty Detox principle.

Click here if you want to give your gut a boost of love!

And last but not least, this recipe also contains the metabolism-boosting, fragrant and warming, sweet, and aromatic tastes from the mix of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Prepare ingredients.

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend on low and gradually increasing until fully blended.

Serve immediately.

Let’s face these final days of holiday shopping and hanging out with relatives and dealing with crowds with this smoothie which will keep you nourished and balanced. Take care of yourself in every season, Beauty!

Ready to start blending….

Festive Spice Holiday Smoothie Recipe

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: Kimberly Snyder

Serves: 2 small servings or 1 large serving

Ingredients

• 1 cup filtered water
• ⅓ cup frozen or fresh cranberries
• ½ cup raspberries
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1 small banana, sliced and frozen (optional)
• 2 dates
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. Nutmeg
• Pinch of cloves

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to blender. Blend on low and gradually increasing until fully blended.
2. Serve immediately.

 
SaveSave

Give Yourself a Gift!

Give yourself the best give of all - your OWN business this holiday season!

Here is some of my team with me this week, team-building and Christmas partying it up before the holidays! So proud of ALL of these women and how they are making incremental income in the nooks and crannies of their already very busy lives! These products sell themselves and I need more people to help me - we are literally growing faster than I can go! Curious? Message me TODAY!

Don't Forget Your Skin this Holiday Season!

As the year draws to a close, keep the countdown going to your greatest skin ever. Wherever you are on your journey to great skin, it’s important to stay focused on small, daily skincare changes that can add up to big results.

‘Tis the season to celebrate your unique journey to great skin, so we created a skincare checklist to keep you looking your best through the holidays and into the New Year:

1) To give your skin a fresh start in 2016 and ensure the best results from your Regimen, start by tossing out old products. The ingredients that make your clinical skincare most effective work best when they’re fresh, so it’s out with the old, in with the new.

2) Exfoliate regularly—but no more than two to three times a week. Sloughing off dead skin cells helps your skin renew itself and radiate a natural glow for the New Year.

3) Stop picking at and touching your skin—this habit further irritates your skin.

4) Step up the emollient power of your daily moisturizer now that winter’s harsh weather is underway. Opt for a day formula that contains broad spectrum sunscreen, like REDEFINE Triple Defense Treatment SPF 30, and a night formula such as REDEFINE Overnight Restorative Cream.

5) Sanitize your phone every day—it’s a magnet for microbes that can cause breakouts on your face.

6) Don’t let overcast winter days fool you into thinking you can skip the sunscreen. Shield your skin from the sun’s damaging rays by applying UVA/UVB protection daily—rain or shine, year round—and protect your eyes with sunglasses.

7) Keep the cold, dry weather from ravaging lips with ESSENTIALS Lip Shield SPF 25 with UVA/UVB protection for day and REDEFINE Lip Renewing Serum, power-packed with peptides and antioxidants, for night.  

8) Give winter-weary hands the extra care they require with a protective, hydrating hand cream and sunscreen duo, like REDEFINE Hand Treatment Regimen to visibly reduce the appearance of brown spots and wrinkles while offering SPF 30 protection.

9) Resist the temptation to drink to every holiday toast, and keep alcoholic beverages to a minimum—no more than one a day. In addition to causing flushed skin, alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle, dehydrates skin and destroys your body’s supply of Vitamin A, weakening skin’s ability to fight off damage by free radicals.

10) Though a steamy bath or hot shower may be enticing in cold winter months, hot water actually inflames the surface of your skin and strips its natural oils, which protect against the elements and aid in moisturization.

Lash Boost: My Personal Results

Who wants LONG LASHES for New Year's Eve!? Looking for a holiday gift for yourself or your sister, best friend, wife!? Lash Boost from Rodan + Fields is the HOTTEST gift this Christmas! I'm thrilled with my personal 6-week results! My lashes haven't looked this long, thick and dark since I was a teen-ager! Just one swipe of the serum at night before bed! 100% yours and 100% real! Keratin, Peptides and Biotin help nourish, protect and hydrate the lashes to literally grow before your eyes! Holiday promo - get this adorable cosmetic bag and mini eye-cream for FREE if you purchase before January 2nd, 2017 (or while supplies last). Message me and I will hook you up!

Eyeslashes 101

Eyelashes (just like your skin) are prone to life’s ups and downs. Whether you opt for heavy mascara or an au naturale lash look, it pays to know the full story behind your fringe–that way you can prep for a lifetime of lush, healthy-looking lashes.

Here are a few things all of our eyelashes have in common:

1. Your eyelashes work hard every day. Eyelashes demand their fair share of attention—but did you know they also serve an important biological function? It’s true: Those beautiful lashes also protect your peepers from dust, debris, wind and sunlight, in addition to triggering the blink reflex.
2. You are born with a certain number of eyelash follicles (openings in skin through which lashes grow). And, as hard as you might wish on it, this number will not increase during your lifetime.
3. People typically have around 100 eyelashes on the upper eyelid and half as many on the lower lid. But who’s really counting? Remember, it’s not how many you have, it’s what you do with them!
4. Eyelashes are continuously going through stages of growth, resting, shedding, and re-growth.The entire cycle can take anywhere from 5 to 11 months—a good reason not to take your lovely lashes for granted, or risk losing them by rubbing your eyes too hard.
5. Eyelashes do thin as we age. If your lashes don’t seem as long or as full as they were in, say, your teens or early twenties, you aren’t imagining it. The appearance of our eyelashes not only changes the older we get (sigh), but eyelash follicles can actually stop producing new lashes.

Now you’ve got the facts, that’s no reason to fret. Set yourself up for the ultimate lash look at any age withR+F Lash Boost. This proprietary formula with Biotin and Keratin deposits an infusion of protein to dramatically improve the look of lashes while protecting them against future damage from everyday beauty routines that pull and tug. The result? Lush, longer-looking lashes that are 100% real and 100% yours.

For most of us, primping eyes comes last in our daily beauty routine—but maybe it’s about time we put them first. After all, a lot can happen in the blink of an eye—so why not make the most of every wink and flutter?

Yoga Poses for Clear, Healthy Skin

When a yoga instructor asks you to set an intention for your practice, do you ever think: “To get rid of this huge pimple on my face”?

I’m not going to lie—I’ve jokingly wished for that (along with more serious things, of course). But little did I realize that it’s not such a crazy idea. According to the ancient Indian healing tradition of Ayurveda, certain yoga poses actually are believed to fight acne.

There are several reasons why yoga is so closely linked with the skin in Ayurvedic custom, says Shrankhla Holecek, founder of Ayurvedic beauty brand Uma. For one thing, breathing techniques, like the ones you do in yoga class, are major stress busters—and we all know how stress impacts the complexion.

“Pranayama—a breathing meditation within yoga—can be deeply balancing to the mind and body, alleviating the stressors that cause acne,” says Holecek. (In fact, she adds, breath work is often the first thing an Ayurvedic doctor will recommend if you’re struggling with acne.)

The movement side of yoga also affects skin. Take sun salutations, for example: Though we often think of them as energy-boosters, in Ayurveda they’re so much more than that. “Sun and moon salutations can expedite the body’s detox processes, helping rid you of acne-causing toxins,” says Holecek.

It stands to reason, then, that other poses could also play a role in fighting pimples. After all, Holecek says, “Acne is considered to be an imbalance, and generally, yoga practices are all about bringing you back to balance.”

As is always the case within Ayurveda, the right yoga prescription for you varies depending on your predominant dosha, or mind-body constitution. (If you don’t already know yours, take this quiz.) I know it sounds a little out-there, but even if you’re skeptical, know this: Getting more yoga in your life is never a bad thing.

Keep reading for the yoga poses you should practice to get rid of your acne, according to an Ayurvedic expert.

Pitta: Red, angry pimples

“Pitta-type acne is often triggered by emotional imbalances such as stress or anger,” says Holecek. This dosha is especially prone to “fiery” emotions, which lead to imbalance overall.

To soothe your emotions: “Poses like hidden lotus (above) and fish (top) have a deeply calming effect on [emotions], alleviating acne triggers,” says Holecek.

To relax the mind and body: There’s a reason why your yoga instructor saves shoulder stand (above) and half-wheel (also known as bridge pose) for the end of class—they put you in a totally Zen state. “These are excellent circulation boosting poses, but double in their efficacy for pitta types because of their deeply relaxing nature on the mind and body,” explains Holecek.

Vata: Whiteheads, blackheads, and milia

When airy vata types experience an imbalance, it can often result in digestive issues—and, according to Holecek, this can lead to fermentation in the gut and toxin buildup.

To amp up your digestion: “Poses like lotus (above) are excellent in aiding digestion,” says Holecek, who claims that this will lead to better toxin elimination and nutrient absorption.

To reduce constipation: “Headstand, backward bends (above), and plough (top) further alleviate constipation—a common problem with vata types—and boost circulation to the face, delivering vital nutrients for resolving acne,” Holecek says.

To bring circulation to your face: “Cobra (above) and locust poses deliver the unexpected benefit of stimulating facial and neck muscle, which aids in detox and cellular turnover,” explains Holecek. (A welcome bonus, if your gut issues are showing up on your skin.)

Kapha: Deep-rooted acne

Many skin-care experts will tell you that cystic acne is related to off-kilter hormones, and Holecek is one of them. She adds that this kind of imbalance is connected to the kapha dosha, which tends towards stagnation.

To help regulate hormones: “Poses like lion (above) and boat (top) can have a stimulating effect on glands, which is especially beneficial for kapha acne,” says Holecek.

To detox: “Kapha-type acne finds great relief with a good detox, and spinal twists (above) are excellent for that,” Holecek notes.

To improve circulation: “Half wheel [or bridge pose] (above) helps boost circulation and furthers detox, which is good for healing acne,” says Holecek.

Article first published on WellandGood.com