Brooke Moinet

I recently went back to my old stomping ground at Dr. Youn’s office and treated not only myself to the facial of all facials, but a few weeks later had the pleasure of treating others to the luxurious experience as well. We call this treatment the “Laser Facial“. Sounds a bit scary, but in reality it’s your best friend to all facials, and it doesn’t hurt or leave you looking beat up.

The Laser Facial is commonly recommended to clients who have a rough texture skin tone (think orange peel), rosacea, or even acne. However, you don’t need a reason or “condition” to have this treatment. What the facial does is it stimulates collagen reproduction at a rapid rate below the skins surface, where collagen originated from.  Thus, smoothing out texture, reversing signs of aging, filling in lines, reducing redness, shrinking pores, and leaving you with a healthy glow days after. The best part is you reap the benefits much longer than you would from any other facial you get from some frilly spa, and at about the same cost.

So, the next time you feel like treating yourself to a luxurious treatment call your local clinical esthetician, plastic surgeon, or derm and book a Laser Facial that will actually get you results.

I was recently asked how to create volume and keep it there, even if you have super stick straight, flat hair by nature.

Being as I have been blessed with naturally stick straight, flat, lifeless hair myself, I have more than a little experience when it comes to making my hair look bigger and thicker than it naturally is. These trick not only work for straight, flat hair, but for all hair types looking for a little extra umph.

First, start by looking at what shampoo and conditioner you’re using. Chances are your two most importand styling products are working against you.Try a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, or a lightweight/ gentle, daily shampoo and conditioner.
When you condition do not use a lot of conditioner, just a very small amount. If this still isn’t giving you the results you want, try either skipping conditioner or just apply the conditioner on your ends. BedHead makes a yummy volumizing shampoo and  conditioner, or opt for their conditioning spray/leave in conditioner. These products don’t dry your hair out or strip color and they are very lightweight.
Some also say try conditioning before shampooing, and they say this gives hair more volume.
Second, get yourself a “back-combing” comb.
Trust me, these babies work wonders. Try your local Sally Beauty Supply.
Take small, thin sections and begin backcombing by lifting the section high, and gently from the top of the section comb down to the bottom. Do this a few times each section.
After you have done the sections in which you want to achieve volume, turn your head upside down and spray with a light weight hairspray.

Viola! Sexy voluminous hair.

 Brown spots or technically speaking “hyperpigmentation”. What is it, How does one get it, and how do you treat it if you have it.

Hyperpigmentation is when an over production of melanin rises to the skin surface due to medication, hormones, post-inflammatory,  or sun-damage. Thus, creating brown spots, or “blotches” on the skin. This can be “permanent” or come and go as seasons change,  or when you expose yourself to the sun.

In some of my clients I have seen hyperpigmentation due to pregnancy (pregnancy masque), on the upper lip from tanning prior to a waxing, and most commonly on the sides of the face/cheeks from sun-damage, mostly due from increased UV exposure when driving. Don’t be fooled, “freckles” are also hyperpigmentation, it’s sun-damage, and it can be treated.

In my experience, the best treatment for this condition is hydroquinone of a clinical strength. This product is applied topically twice daily, after cleansing and prior to SPF/moisturizer. Sunscreen is a MUST always, especially when using hydroquinone because, it increases sensitivity. This is not an issue you want to make worse when you are trying to treat it, so wear a high level of SPF.

To properly treat your brown-spots or hyperpigmentation, go to your local Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeons office for a regimen. There you can recieve personalized care which may also include in office treatments to give this condition an extra kick in the pants.