A French Touch Salon

The finest in Parisian skin care on the central coast.

C-Esta

Jan Marini, Dermatology, and Quality Assurance for Your Skin

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Bonjour Mes Amis!

As you know, we are still just giddy about our recent interview with Jan Marini. She was so great to talk to that we ran out of room to cover our conversation in our last post!

Jan

One part of the conversation that particularly interested us was Jan’s emphasis on the quality of her products. She discussed the dichotomy between the over-the-counter skin-care versus that purchased from doctors or dermatologists– Jan noted that there was a perception that products purchased from doctors are of a higher quality, which is not necessarily true. Over-the-counter products from major manufacturers are often produced under the highest standards, while many smaller professional market brands are produced in lesser labs that do not have the same scrutiny or FDA inspections.

In any case, in the past, patients often purchased products that were not compatible with prescriptions, certain skin conditions or cosmetic procedures.  Jan recognized the need to provide the highest quality, most efficacious, medically and clinically validated skin care in order to bridge that gap. Jan launched her remarkable line so that physicians and skin care professionals could have absolute confidence in products that produce measurable results.

Secondly, JMSR’s lab  is what is referred to as a “GMP”  lab, which is a designation given to labs who are licensed to produce pharmaceutical drugs and are regularly inspected by the FDA and have strict FDA oversight.  This is a further testament to JMSR’s emphasis on safety and efficacy.

 

JM 20th

From the onset, Jan Marini Skin Research originated their formulas and owns their proprietary formulations. JMSR  has pioneered numerous product firsts and holds a number of prestigious patents.  Among the firsts, are the first lipid soluble form of Vitamin C, the first combination of glycolic salicylic and azaleic acids, the first product with Transforming Growth Factor beta-1 (TGF beta-1) and many other groundbreaking technological firsts.

Recently, there has even been a Bioglycolic Body Scrub, which we are extremely excited about. All of these products resurface the skin and address concerns such as discoloration, adult acne, fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged follicles. It is truly a wonder formula, designed to address all potential skin concerns.

Bioglycolic Face Cream

 

 

One aspect of this formula is that it boosts collagen production in the skin. A key prerequisite is the pH of the acid.  If the pH of the acid is too low, it can cause an on-going inflammatory response that can encourage collagen breakdown.  If the pH of the product is too high, the formula will lose it’s effectiveness.  The key is to maintain efficacy without on-going irritation. In fact, Jan Marini’s Bioglycolic formula is gentler at a higher percentage than many others are at lower percentages of glycolic.

This is not the only innovation by Jan–you’ve heard us brag about the C-Esta line enough to know that. C-Esta products utilize the power of Vitamin C, and as we mentioned earlier, Jan Marini Skin Research was the first to introduce Vitamin C with a neurotransmitter factor into the skin care market.

c-Esta Dmae

 

Another incredible innovation by Jan Marini Skin Research was the incorporation of TGF Beta 1, one of many growth factors, collectively referred to as cytokines, which help maintain skin’s youthful appearance. The Transformation line of products incorporate this growth factor for maximum transformative power. Additionally, our favorite Regeneration Booster incorporates this growth factor along with keratinocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor and Cycloastrogenal.

Regeneration Booster

All in all, our conversation with Jan affirmed what we all already knew–Jan Marini Skin Research produces formulas that are incredibly effective, and down-right revolutionary. As a company, they do their absolute utmost to ensure the quality of the product. What that means for us, as the consumers, is that we can be satisfied that these products are the best of the best and have physician endorsement.

Keep that in mind as you review the specials for the upcoming Hot August Beauty Night!

We can’t wait to see all of you and celebrate 20 years of the amazing Jan Marini Skin Research.

Bisous!

Adrienne

Antioxidants, Facials, and a Citrus-y Summer

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Bonjour Mes Amis!

I don’t know about you, but summer has always seemed synonymous with citrus to me. After all, what’s better than a cold lemonade to stave off the heat? The grocery stores and even home décor stores around SLO seem to concur—lately I see citrus everywhere.

 

Sothys Orange Grapefruit Facial
(Look, now you’re seeing citrus everywhere too!)

In any case, I’m more than happy to satisfy my citrus craving—through both enjoying a cold lemonade and utilizing some of the many fabulous skincare products that incorporate citrus for its antioxidant benefits.

Why antioxidants? First of all, it’s helpful to understand what an antioxidant does. An antioxidant is a molecule that prevents the loss of oxygen when molecules combine. Loss of oxygen is known as oxidation, hence, antioxidant (for whatever reason, my mind was blown when I learned this little scientific nugget).  I like to think of antioxidants as the little super heroes that fight the villainous oxidation process. Antioxidants help to protect against and repair existent free radical damage, as well as other external forms of oxidative stress such as sun exposure, nicotine and alcohol, and stress.

What does this mean in terms of your skin? The damage caused by these oxidative stressors causes our skin to visibly age. Antioxidants both prevent this from happening and repair our skin if it already has. The concrete effects include minimizing  fine lines, brightening and retexturing the skin,  lightening of discoloration and over-pigmentation and overall improvement of the skin’s ability to repair itself. We have a tendency to be hard on our skin, sometimes without even knowing it, but antioxidants help us combat the effects of everyday life.

Obviously, skin care lines want to harness these incredible benefits for us, so allow me to fill you in on my favorites! Among the products we carry at A French Touch that utilize the power of antioxidants are the Sothys Energizing line (covered in depth here), Intensive Serum line, and Daily Protection Cream. Jan Marini also offers a fabulous Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant in addition to their C-Esta line, which includes cleansers, serums, lip treatments and masks that all incorporate antioxidants and vitamin C.

C-Esta products include Ascorbyl Palmitate, which is a fat soluble form of Vitamin C. It’s a fast absorbing, long-acting vitamin for your skin. As Jan Marini says “Because Ascorbyl Palmitate is fat soluble, it penetrates the skin very rapidly and intersperses in the cell membrane. This affinity with the cell membrane results in tremendous antioxidant benefits and helps to prevent cellular aging”. Ascorbyl Palmitate has been proven more effective than Ascorbic Acid, while being less irritating to the skin. This is in part because Ascorbic acid (used in most over-the-counter versions of “Vitamin C”) has a very low Ph, whereas Ascorbyl Palmitate does not. This is great for those of you with sensitive skin–all of the gain, none of the  pain (or redness). Even those of you who don’t have sensitive skin will benefit from the powerful antioxidant properties present in the C-Esta products.

c-Esta Dmae

In addition to these products, Lindsay and Patricia are now offering a fabulous antioxidant facial here at the salon. The ladies incorporate the powers of antioxidants with their usual expertise in a special Summer Antioxidant Facial. Plus, just because the ladies love to spoil you, a Summer Antioxidant Facial comes with a complimentary Vitamin Serum. Trust me, everything that goes into this facial (which was hand-crafted by Lindsay and Patricia), will make your skin look and smell beautiful. As always, you will leave feeling refreshed and pampered. With the new ingredients, your skin will be dewy, glowing, and fresh.

If you have any questions about any of the products that incorporate the power of antioxidants, the Summer Antioxidant Facial, or simply want a personalized recommendation, you can always book a 15 minute Skin Care Consultation or call us. The ladies of A French Touch are always happy to hear from you. Of course, you can always simply book the facial here and allow the ladies to take care care of you. I for one would go with option number two, but that’s just me.

Enjoy the beginning of your summer, mes amis!

À bientôt!

Adrienne