A French Touch Salon

The finest in Parisian skin care on the central coast.

anti-aging

Sothys Anti-Aging: Grade 2

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Let’s carry on with Sothys’ Age-Defying System and talk about Grade Two!

grade2serum


Grade Two steps up the anti-aging power as we begin our forties, in order to address more advanced issues of visible aging than Grade One.  The wrinkles are a bit deeper now, as opposed to the just-visible early signs, and the expression lines have become more permanent; these cause more lines across the forehead, around the mouth and nose, and around the eyes , referred to as “crows’  feet.”

grade2cream

The Grade Two Serum incorporates the H2CR Complex once again, to strengthen and revive cellular health, but adds Hyaluronic acid, a hydrating component found in our own skin, which plumps fine lines and then works even further by stimulating collagen growth.  This combination of healthier cells and collagen production works in the long term especially to minimize the appearance of  wrinkles and keep your skin looking firm and youthful.  Use this with the Grade Two Cream, which incorporates Candle Brush Extract to protect skin cells by acting as an anti-free radical, and African Tiger Nut Extract to reinforce the structure of the Papillary Dermis (just under the top layer of your skin) to increase the firmness and smooth over wrinkles and lines.

Once again, I’m going to cover the next two steps in Sothys’ Anti-Aging System this week, but if you’d like to learn more now, call us or book an appointment online to find out what would work best for your skin.

Alors, à demain!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Sothys Anti-Aging: Grade 1

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

eye02This week I wanted to talk about one of the most comprehensive anti-age skin care systems luxury has to offer: Sothys’ Grade Serum and Cream system.  Each of the four grade duos in the system is designed to specifically target your skin’s visible signs of age, whether you are battling the first wrinkles or deeper lines and delicate skin.  

The secret ingredient to the Grade Serums is the H2CR Complex (Cell Health Restoration Complex), which combines Plant Messenger Peptides and Powerful Natural Antioxidants to improve cell communication and protection; this means that your cells will be stronger, firmer, and better able to retain their shape and moisture, leaving you with radiant, revitalized skin.  The Grade Creams, which are designed to work with their respective serums, combine tetrapeptide with various natural plant extracts to target similar problem areas, especially the various stages of lines and wrinkles.

So for today, let’s start at the beginning, with the Grade One Duo.  This stage of Sothys’ anti-aging line is perfect for someone who is just starting to notice the beginning signs of wrinkle formation (fine lines around the eyes, mouth, or on the forehead), or for someone who simply wants to fortify their skin to fight early visible signs of aging.  Grade One is the mildest of the four stages, meaning that it will pack just the right amount of anti-aging power for all of you 30-somethings out there, to keep your skin looking healthy and radiant.

The Grade One Serum combines the H2CR Complex with Ribose (sugar) molecules fromgrade1creamgrade1serum wheat, which restores cellular energy while the H2CR works to revitalize the skin’s appearence and fight early signs of wrinkles and expression lines.  The second half of our wrinkle-fighting duo, Grade One Cream, which includes Candle Brush extract (an anti-free radical!), Di-peptides, and Oat Extract to protect and strengthen cells, relax facial muscles, and work with its serum counterpart to prevent the formation of wrinkles and expression lines.

Stay tuned for details on Grades Two, Three, and Four this week to see which grade is the right fit for you and your skin, and learn about how Sothys can help you turn back time and melt away the years!  Of course, if you simply can’t wait, give us a call or book an appointment online for a Skin Care Consultation and talk to Patricia about Sothys’ Anti-Aging Grade System.

Alors, à bientôt!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Succulent Soothers: Why We Love Sothys!

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

succulentsAmerican Spa recently featured an article titled “Succulent Soothers”, which discussed the uses of succulent plant extracts in skin care.  At first, I couldn’t get the image of a few potted plants that my mom has upstairs on a table in our living room: succulents?  Like cactus?  No way.

Way!  As it turns out, succulents have worked miracles for humans for ages, dating back to the Native Americans living in desert areas.  They unlocked the secrets of the greenery that was able to thrive under such harsh environmental conditions, and used extracts from these prickly plants to treat illness, and dermal afflictions, as well.  Succulent extracts, especially from the Prickly Pear Cactus and the leaves of Chaparral , can treat blemishes, warts, eczema, cold sores, and contact dermatitis (an allergic reaction in the form of a rash, resulting from contact with our skin).  Much more than this, though, skin care brands like our much-loved Sothys have included these extracts because of the miracles they work in hydration, and even anti-aging.

prickly pearPrickly Pear, which was featured in the article, is said to have tons of “super-antioxidants that protect the skin from the arid climate and help minimize fine lines and wrinkles.”  Sothy’s Marketing Manager, Soraya Thonier, says that prickly pear cactus extract also boosts cell turnover and exfoliates to reveal smooth skin, while its antioxidants “neutralize free radicals and protect against future cellular damage and premature aging.”  Prickly Pear is used in Sothys’ Firming Body Cream, as well as the luxurious anti-aging Secrets line: our Secrets de Sothys Global Cream, Eye Contour Serum, Secrets Intense Lip Crème, and Global De-Stressing Serum.

chaparralChaparral Extract is used in their Hydra Protective Cream and Hydra Protective Softening Emulsion, and possesses many of the strengths that the article boasts about, including the power of maintaining the skin’s by increasing its “capacity to hold moisture, protecting the skin from dryness.”  These products both work to moisturize and nourish the skin, then protect it from the abuse and elements it faces every day (climate extremes, pollution, you name it!).

So now when you hear succulents, rather than picturing a spiney, homely-looking cactus, think of a natural skin treatment that hydrates the skin (and seals that hydration in!), fights free radicals, nourishes, and provides anti-aging, all in one bottle.  Combine that with the soft, luxurious feel of Sothys creams and serums, and I think we’ve made our point!

Alors, stay thirsty, mes amis!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Exfoliation 2.0: Peels

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Let’s kick our exfoliation up a notch to the professional level, shall we?gentle peel treatment

I know I’ve mentioned peels earlier this week, but I want to go through what our peels at A French Touch are like, and what results they’re designed to have.  First, however, let’s get a few misconceptions about chemical peels out of the way.

For those of you who are imagining the skin on your face peeling off like it does after a bad sunburn, I’m happy to say that you’ve got it all wrong!  

gross peel

Only very strong chemical peels have that effect on your skin, but A French Touch prefers to offer gentler, effective peels that provide results without downtime.  We want our lovely clients to be able to jump back into their busy lives, feeling refreshed but not feeling the side effects!  Our Jan Marini-inspired peels penetrate the skin deeper than our home-care products (and certainly deeper than a mechanical form of exfoliation), working to not only clear away the dull-looking top layer of debris, but also to revitalize your skin’s natural glow and beauty.  Jan Marini Skin Research says that peels are one of the most popular aesthetic treatments out there, and are effective in treating acne, acne scars, hyper-pigmentation, photo-damage, lines, and wrinkles.  More radiance and no downtime, what more could you ask for?

Our first, most gentle peel is the Jan Marini 40% Glycolic Acid Peel, which we offer as a one-time treatment, a series of 3 over three weeks (recommended), and as an add-on to your facial.  This peel uses (obviously) Glycolic Acid, which is a product many of us already use in our home-care routines (Bioglycolic cleansers, lotions, and creams for the face and body), just in a  stronger solution.  This peel has zero-downtime, which means you’ll be able to immediately re-apply your makeup and sunscreen and be on your way!  The Glycolic Acid Peel specializes in treating fine lines, uneven texture, acne, and pigmentation issues, even with one application; however, both Patricia and the experts at Jan Marini tell us that these peels, as with most skincare products and procedures, work best with continued application and treatment (read: you get to relax for a peaceful session every week and treat your skin to a little TLC!).

Our new Brilliance Peel takes the Glycolic Acid Peel and turns up the anti-aging magic just a bit!  In this peel, we combine Glycolic Acid with Jan Marini’s new Retinol Plus Mask, which uses Retinol and several other wrinkle-eliminating ingredients to boost cell turnover rates, collagen stimulation, and evenness of pigmentation (this mask is coming soon, read more about it here!).  The combination of these two treatments in one works wonders for your skin because, as the Glycolic acid removes that cement-like top layer of dead skin cells, the Retinol Plus Mask is able to penetrate and absorb even more deepkly into the skin, amplifying the results and leaving you looking lovely!  Again, this peel works best as a series of 3 over 3 weeks, and has almost no downtime.

marini_peel_system_ba_1_6durations

Finally, the Refine Peel is our most intensive peel, and should be done as a series of 3, but 3 to 4 weeks apart, due to the strength of the peel.  Jan Marini says that the Refine Peel is excellent in providing overall skin rejuvenation with less peeling and downtime than more aggressive treatments, and works to visibly combat uneven texture, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and uneven pigmentation while rejuvenating the deeper levels of your skin.  The application of the Refine Peel is followed by a high-powered Retinol Activator, which synthesizes collagen as it regenerates tissue. Finally, our popular, elegant  Antioxidant SPF33 Sunscreen is applied and off you go! And we top off your experience with our signature Sothys hand treatment and Green Tea with Citrus.

You may see flaking that lasts from 3 to 5 days, easily minimized with our efficient Skin Zyme Mask (see above) and BIOSHIELD home care cream.  In fact,  Jan Marini’s new BIOSHIELD is a rapid recovery complex that was designed specifically to speed up recovery and  enhance treatment results from these peels. Unlike most petrolatum-based (yes, read “petroleum”!) products recommended post-laser, or post-peel,  this formula  delivers Epidermal Growth Factor, Palmitoyl Oligopeptides and Tetrapeptides to stimulate collagen and reduce inflammation and Co-Enzyme Q-10 super-antioxidant to reveal healed, healthy, GORGEOUS skin!   

And there you have it, mes amis!  Our peels are gentle enough for all skin types, but effective, and definitely the most thorough method of exfoliation we can offer you.  Exfoliation is a very important component in your skincare regimen, so make sure you’re exfoliating often; your skin will look healthier, and your other home-care products will absorb so much  more  to reveal your most beautiful skin!  If you aren’t sure which method or peel is right for you, call or email us to set up a free 15 minute consultation with our expert, Patricia.

Alors, bon week-end à vous!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Revolutionary Retinol Mask

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

young skin

I am a lady who is true to her promises, so as I promised in Tuesday’s post, let’s talk about Retinol!  I’m am willing to guess that many of you have heard about Retinol before—you might even incorporate it into your skin care routine already—but let’s review exactly what Retinol is, and how is works it’s miracles in wrinkle-smoothing, pigmentation-correcting, and surface-smoothing.

It all goes back to Vitamin A, which is a natural essential vitamin we need to maintain healthy skin and eyes.  However, our skin can’t use pure Vitamin A in a topical cream, but it does work after being processed into a closely related substance known as retinoic acid.  When dermatologists made this connection in the late 1960s, they started working with Vitamin A in an attempt to produce an effective topical treatment to common skin ailments, such as hyper-pigmentation and acne.  In fact, in 1973 a Retinol-based product called Retin-A was introduced as the first-ever effective acne treatment.  

Nowadays, however, we’ve come to realize that topical application of Retinol does much more than treat acne; check out what Jan Marini’s high quality Retinol products (like our new Retinol Plus Mask, and the Retinol Plus Cream!)  can do for your skin…

Anti-Aging, Lightening, and Acne 

jan-marini-retinol-plus-before-after

  • Retinol 1%
  • Oligopeptide 24
  • Salicylic Acid

Anti-Inflamatory

  • Aloe
  • Alpha Bisabolol
  • Green Tea Extract

Barrier/Hydration

  • Vitamin E
  • Essential Fatty Acids
  • Shea Butter

Impressed?  We are too!  Think of Retinol as your own personal fountain of youth, and call us when you need a refill!  Retinol once was believed to be unhealthy for your skin during the daytime, because Retinoids are photosensitive (meaning that the active ingredients stop working after too much sun exposure).  For a time, many people believed that this also made your skin hypersensitive to sun exposure, too, but this has been proven to be untrue; the Retinol becomes less active, yes, but it doesn’t do any damage or affect the way your skin reacts to the sun.  Jan Marini presented this at her Educational Forum, saying that using Retinol with proper sun protection was safe and even encouraged, because Retinol is more effective when used twice a day and over a long period of time.  Still not sure if you love Retinol?  Ask Oprah and see what she has to say about it!

At A French Touch, we offer several products and treatments that use topical Retinol to enhance the appearance of skin (we want you to feel toujours belle, inside and out!).  Jan Marini Skin Research has had their Age-Intervention Retinol Plus facial cream on the market for a while, which we highly recommend for home use to brighten and boost the effects of your treatments here!  And, as you read about on Tuesday, the new Retinol Plus Mask is not only the perfect way to relax at home while showing your skin some love, but also the new perfect touch finish to some of our facial treatments.  

mask facial

In our Brilliance Peel, combine a 40% glycolic acid solution with the NEW 1% Retinol Plus Mask.  The glycolic solution works to remove the layer of dead skin cells and debris that cover our skin and give it that flat, matte, dull look, which enables the retinol, aloe, Vitamin E, and so on to penetrate the skin better, and ensures the positive effects I mentioned before even more prominent.

We’re also introducing a brand new treatment, our Retinol Boost Facial, which provides a milder anti-aging treatment option, as it features a professional application of the Retinol Plus Mask and application of Jan Marini’s other miracle products that is sure to leave you floating out of the salon on Cloud 9!

As I said in my last post, we truly want the best for you and your skin, and these Retinol treatments will not only leave you feeling healthy, refreshed, and youthful, but will work wonders for the well-being and appearance of your skin.  As fall starts picking up speed and that ‘summer vacation’ mindset fades, many of us might find that we devote less time to our skin, or ourselves in general.  So challenge yourself to set aside an hour every other day, or even every day, to relax and indulge your skin in some seriously good stuff.  Just because the summer holiday is over, doesn’t mean you don’t still deserve a mini-holiday every once in a while!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Back to School with Jan Marini!

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week so far!  But, even though we’ve finally made it to September, let’s back up just a bit to the end of August so I can share all of the latest-and-greatest in skin care with you!jan_marini jmsr

As I mentioned in last Tuesday’s post, Patricia went to beautiful sunny Southern California last weekend not only to enjoy the gorgeous weather (with proper sun protection!), but to attend Jan Marini’s annual Educational Forum to hear all about what’s new as we start heading into Fall.  Jan Marini, as I’ve told you in a few of my previous posts, is one of our favorite names in skin care because of her dedication to innovation and the science behind her products.  Jan Marini herself–looking lovely, as always!–was in front of all of the dedicated estheticians that attended, sharing her enthusiasm and excitement for her organization’s continued influence and success in the world of beauty and skin care.

So, (aside from all that I heard about some really cute shoes!) here are some of the new, exciting products and treatments you can expect to see at A French Touch soon, merci à Jan Marini Skin Research:

  • Marini BioShield: Rapid Recoverybioshield

“Until now, the post-procedure market was seriously lacking in immediate post-procedure products that offer positive user experiences to patients. Marini BioShield is the first product of its kind. It is a silicon-based, non-petrolatum product for advanced post-procedure barrier protection and repair. This patent-pending formulation combines targeted growth factors and peptides with hyaluronic acid and CoEnzyme Q10 to reduce downtime and enhance treatment results. BioShield’s near-invisible matte finish protects the skin, speeds recovery and significantly increases user satisfaction by minimizing or eliminating the objections and social impact common to post-procedure recovery.”

  • ret plus maskRetinol Plus Mask:

Due to recent studies that have come out stating that, contrary to popular belief, Retinol products are safe to use during the day as well as the night, Jan Marini has just introduced their new Retinol Plus Mask.  Retinoids work absolute wonders in anti-aging, as they give the skin a younger, softer feeling by speeding up cellular turnover rates.  Jan Marini says that the results from this mask are remarkable and that it’s already “one of my must-have products.”  But we’re going to talk about Retinol a bit more later this week, so stay tuned!

  • Anti-Aging Facial Treatment:mask

Inspired by Jan Marini’s new Retinol Plus Mask and the fact that the majority of dermatologists recommend Retinol as the most effective anti-aging ingredient in home skincare, A French Touch is adding to it’s fine list of services the Retinol Boost Facial, an all-new, all-Jan Marini anti-aging facial. The Retinol Boost facial will include a professional application of Jan Marini’s new Retinol Plus Mask, while incorporating clinically active Jan Marini anti-aging accelerators.  We also incorporate the Retinol Plus Mask in our Brilliance Peel Series, which couples with glycolic acid to refine, soften, and refresh your skin while providing extra collagen synthesis.

We at A French Touch are so excited to be working with such noted pioneers as Jan Marini in the beauty and skin care field, not only because of the fun, enthusiastic energy everyone at Jan Marini wants to share, but also because of the continued improvement and clinical validation of their products.  So, with names like Jan Marini Skin Research, we can say with confidence that you are receiving the very best that we can treat you with!  Alors, merci à Jan Marini, for their wonderful products, et merci à vous, mes amis, for showing your skin some love.

Bisous,

jessie signature