"How Can I Look More French and Have Youthful Skin?

WOW! Two questions in one! I love it!

Let's dive right in!

Just a few (actually a lot) of my personal lifeisum's and TIPS to your questions!

First, you are truly beautiful at any age so don't try to look 20 at 50+. (You know what I mean).

Work at being happy in your own skin.

By working at this, you will always be able to make yourself look better and feel better...I really mean this. It's amazing what a little lipstick or walk around the block can do for your mental state of mind!

Have a daily routine!

Get-up every morning (even if you are working from home), brush your teeth, shower, wash your face and comb your hair.

Mom always said...

take a shower or bath in the evening to wash off the day and shower or bath in the morning to wash off the night. Plus, you will be healthier and less sluggish during the day if you do this. New day, new you!

Stretch, walk, yoga, or whatever you resonate with for movement and oxygen.

Put your daily clothes together (pj's are not day clothing;). Comfortable yet classic.

Eat some fresh, "live" food and get on with your day!

Turn off the Kardashian's, you said you wanted to be more French!

Don't follow someone else's standards. "That's like chasing a rabbit down a rabbit hole" or another way to say it, "you will never catch that carrot!"

Find YOUR own uniqueness and own it!

Try to stop "over looking" around at other women or men wishing and hoping you had their amazing... (fill in the blank). Always comparing yourself to others is actually quite hard on your mind and takes up a lot of negative head space. It does take work not only to be conscious of doing this, but to change this habit bit by bit.

Healthy inside and out!

Natural, fresh, botanical skin care products like Dr. Lucy's twice a day for healthy, youthful, less problematic skin. "Dr. Lucy is your man!" (insert Irish accent!):)

Again, Dr. Lucy's fresh, natural, French style skin care for healthy, more youthful looking skin. Nourish, protect, calm, plump, revitalize and regenerate...everyday and night!

1-2% natural Glycolic Acid mask once a week to remove dead skin cells (No drying peels).

Organic fruits, veggies, protein (fewer chemicals is a good thing).

Limit sugar and caffeine (I'm not talking about being a monk).

Lots of spring water (I love Crystal Geyser!).

Whole food supplements (If the bottle reads in "IU’s" and or unpronounceable ingredients, then it is not a whole food supplement).

Best kept beauty secret? 8+ hours of sleep a night and try to go to bed at the same time every night (body clock rhythms are very important).

Work on keeping your makeup more natural looking, same with your hair.

Classic clothing (Check out some French sites).

Last but certainly not least, relax and go live your life, it flies by!

Love and Blessings!
Rebecca

Should You Be Using a Crème Cleanser?

Crème cleansers like Dr. Lucy’s do not strip the ski like soap, foam or clear cleansers do. Crème cleansers also help to keep the skin at a lower pH (potential hydrogen) balancing and maintaining the skin’s mantle. Plus they start the nourishing and hydrating process for the skin.

Natural crème cleansers that are made with “good oils” will help sweep the “bad oils” (makeup, dirt and pollutants) out of your pores and off of your skin. They will also remove dry, dead skin cells to reveal a more, calm, soothed, hydrated, beautiful complexion!

Why we need cleansers! I know, my science nerd side is coming out again!...

Hygiene is the practice of keeping oneself and one's surroundings clean in order to prevent illness or disease. Consequently, skin hygiene includes both skin cleaning and also taking care of its health.

Among humans, cleansing has come a long way beyond dirt removal. It is a ritual performed by man since the time of his origin and has been an essential part of religious ceremony and belief. In recent times, the act of cleansing to many people serves as a means of relaxation and escape from the vagaries of everyday life, and also as a way to improve the skin health and appearance. Irrespective of the outlook, a fine balance needs to be maintained between skin cleansing and the preservation of its homeostatic properties.

Many of the environmental impurities and cosmetic products are not water soluble and so washing the skin with simple water would not be sufficient to remove them. Substances capable of emulsifying them into finer particles are to be used for making these fat soluble impurities water soluble. Herein, cleansers fit into the picture. Skin cleansers are surface—active substances that lower the surface tension on the skin and remove dirt, sebum, oil from cosmetic products, microorganisms, and exfoliated corneum cells in an emulsified form. An ideal cleanser should do all these without damaging or irritating the skin, on the contrary it should try to keep the skin surface moist. -Why we need cleansers from the National Library of Medicine Jan-Feb 2011

Here are some additional benefits of cream cleansers:

* They gently remove all dirt, oil, and other unwanted impurities, making skin look dewy fresh and healthy all day long.

*Cream-based cleansers help to maintain a high level of hydration.

*They help avoid skin dehydration, keep pH mantle intact and preventing further aging effects.

*Seriously reduce acne or pimples.

*Helps in maintain proper pore size.

*Beneficial for all skin types

*Think of natural skin care products like Dr. Lucy’s as nutrient dense, hydrating foods for your skin.

*Natural and organic skin care products that are made with superior ingredients and that are formulated correctly, simply work better to give lasting, beneficial results!

With Love and Blessings!
Rebecca

Are You Using Bar Soap?!

On your reading glasses only!

I get it, when I lived in Europe I experimented with some of the best bar soaps I could find, there is just something about them that just seems so luxurious and wonderful. Sadly, every single time I would use one, my skin would immediately feel tight, dehydrated and with a slight film left behind.

I truly believe that cleansing your skin with a bar of soap (even if it's a "facial" bar) is not healthy, but harmful to your skin.

This is an actual statement from a "natural soap maker"...

"The one thing in homemade soap you can’t substitute is lye. You should always use 100% sodium hydroxide, or lye in crystal form. Don’t substitute liquid lye or drain cleaners such as Drano. These may cause inaccurate measurements or have bits of metal in them. You don’t want either." -DYI Natural

Toxic ingredients...

Bar Soaps that are "natural" or not imbalance your skin's natural pH with all the binders and other chemical ingredients they have in them. These toxic ingredients cause your skin to go into an alkaline state which results in dryness, dehydration and instantly strip your skin of moisture.

Esthetician talks bar soap and high pH...

"One of the biggest problems with traditional bar soaps is that they have a very high pH. They range anywhere from 7.5-10, whereas the skin’s natural pH hovers around 5.5. If the skin is put into an alkaline state long enough, it can easily lead to moisture barrier damage." -Renée Rouleau, esthetician.

Repairing the damage...

Bar soaps pull all the water out of the skin and they create dead, dry skin cell buildup. To compensate for the moisture you just removed, your moisturizer now has to repair the dehydrated cells caused by using soap on your face.

Biggest myths...

"One of the biggest myths is the assumption that once a chemical degrades it disappears and is harmless." -Andre Leu, Poisoning Our Children

Tip!

Apply your toner right away after cleansing, then your serum and moisturizer within one minute after toner to avoid moisture loss.

*Squeaky clean skin NO! Squeaky clean bathtub YES!

With Love and Blessings!
Rebecca

Do You Have Mites in Your Eyelash Extensions?!!

You might want to double check...

I know this is a repost, but I have been hearing and running into this lash/eye problem ALOT lately!

Food For Thought!...

_WARNING!_ This important information might make your stomach feel a bit uneasy, but I think you will learn a lot from it, I know I sure did!

Ok, so as I am sitting here typing, I'm itching all over!

I'm going to dive into this hot topic on mites in your eyes, eyelash extensions, plus other symptoms that can cause eye problems.

This is not a very pretty topic I know!

I have said this a million and one times, and it's not the last time I will be saying it. I believe always and forever, "you do you!"

I just happened to mentioned this topic to my Ophthalmologist the last time I saw him and I was so surprised at his response!

I told him I keep seeing women with goopy, red eyes and eyelash extensions. He told me how women are just not cleansing there lash extensions or eye area very well if at all, so they become the perfect breeding ground for Mites! Of course, you know me, I started investigating this popular fun fade myself.

Something to Think About...

Lash or eyelash mites (also known as Demodex folliculitis) are microscopic parasites found in the follicles on our faces. They eat the dead skin cells and oils on our eyelids. Eyelash extensions do not cause lash mites. Poor hygiene is the number one cause of lash mites.

What are the symptoms of an eyelash mite infestation?

Itching

Burning eyes

Redness

Crusty red edges and swelling around the eyelids

A scratchy feeling in the eyes

Blurry vision

Watering of the eyes

Discomfort or irritation

Here is an article by Dr. Melissa Ah-Seng, Optometrist discusses how eyelash extensions can be harmful to your eyes.

While eyelash extensions are an attractive option to achieve more luscious lashes, there are some less glamorous risks to consider. Eyelash extensions may be pretty, but they also need to be used with care to prevent damage to your eyes.

Longer lashes have a fan effect which increases the amount of air flow to the ocular surface with every blink. This causes your eyes to dry out faster, leading to irritation and possible damage to the ocular surface. A lot of users are under the impression that you don’t need to clean your extensions. We are here to tell you that is FALSE! Eyelash extensions trap debris and bacteria close to your lash line. This causes an inflammatory reaction of the lid margin also known as blepharitis.

Blepharitis Symptoms Include:

Itchy eyelids

Gritty sensation of the eyes

Burning

Redness

Sensitivity to light

Sticky eyes and possible blurred vision.

If left untreated this can increase your risk of developing styes, infections and dry eyes. Clean your lashes with a proper eyelid and eyelash cleanser on a regular basis to prevent bacterial overgrowth.*

Just a side note...

Mites love dirty pillow cases, so don't forget to change your pillow cases every day or at least every other day.

Ok, we got through all this intense information unscathed, yet armed with more knowledge to make an informed decision on this topic!

P.S.

This is when I let you know the Dr. Lucy Gentle Crème Cleanser will gently yet thoroughly cleanse away, dirt, grim and debris. Yet all the while protecting your skin and eye area with natural and safe ingredients.

P.P.S!

Please forward to anyone that you think might benefit from this information. Merci!

To You and Your Beautiful Skin!

Rebecca

Gentle Crème Cleanser! Purify, Nourish, Calm

Our luxurious facial crème cleanser is a hydrating and replenishing cleanser for sensitive, dry, normal, combination and aging skin types.

This Gentle Crème Cleanser aids in promoting collagen production, healthy cell regeneration with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergen properties.

Your skin will reap the benefits of the overwhelming concentration of super anti-oxidants, with a crème texture which leaves your skin soft, smooth, clean and nourished.

Soap On Your Face Is Not Sexy!

Would I ever use a bar of soap? Yes! On my reading glasses!

Again, this is one product I will never, ever use on my skin!

I truly believe that cleansing your skin with a bar of soap (even if it's a "facial" bar) is not healthy and is harmful to your skin. I never, ever recommend anyone to use - and I certainly wouldn't use it on my own face.

Soap bars natural or not imbalance your skin's natural pH with all the binders and other chemical ingredients they have in them. These toxic ingredients cause your skin to go into an alkaline state which results in dryness, dehydration and instantly stripping your skin of moisture.

**If you want to keep your skin balanced, hydrated, plump, glowing and yes clean, then this Frenchie will always recommend using a gentle, nutrient dense, cream cleanser like the Dr. Lucy Gentle Crème Cleanser single or duo.

Sign-up today for the Dr. Lucy “C’est La Vie” Newsletter and ski care tips to read the full story!

Can I use just water to cleanse my face? I would say, "Yikes No!" to this question!

Can you wash your face using only water if you don’t use makeup?

Tip: You should always wash your face with a gentle crème cleansing product morning and evening like Dr. Lucy's Gentle Crème Cleanser, even if you haven't applied makeup.

Why?

Even if you haven't applied makeup, your skin still has bodily wastes and sebum caused by sweat and dirt remaining on your skin. Water alone can’t wash them off. So you’ll need to use cleansing products like oil cleansers or oil based crème cleansers to aid in the gentle, deep cleansing process.

For one of my personal stories about a full blown acne break-out and cure, sign up for the June Dr. Lucy “C’est la vie” Newsletter today!