A French Touch Salon

The finest in Parisian skin care on the central coast.

Jan Marini Skin Research

Emily Katz: Make-Up for the Stars!

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Emily Katz HeadshotWe have a very exciting event coming up for you next week, mes amis!  One of Elle’s Beauty Genius MakeUp Artists Emily Katz is coming to A French Touch Salon this Monday, the 23rd, to discuss how to maintain a beautiful you with skin care and make-up tips adored by Hollywood’s most glamorous.  

Over the past 20 years, Emily has become the biggest and best in makeup and skin care by working with the stars of Lost, Big Fish, Nine Lives of Chloe King, 24, and Anger Management.  She also provides skin care consultations and classic makeup styles for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, always emphasizing healthy skin and a natural look.

Her simple message, “Stand in your Beauty”, describes a natural and healthy sense of beauty and self that we strive to impart at A French Touch; she describes it perfectly, saying “I strive to bring out the beauty that is in each of us, without creating a mask so that a woman feels like she’s expressing her inner beauty as well.

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Even a full-on glamour makeup still allows a woman to feel gorgeous and be herself when she knows that sometimes less is more! I love skin, and prefer to let it show through a makeup without looking cake-y or dull.

Beautiful skin…or the impression of it, without heavy looking coverage is what I always strive for. I find it important that we feel beautiful inside and out, and want to support women in doing just that.”

You hit the mark, Emily, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!  Please go to her website for a fuller appreciation of Emily’s talents and philosophy at http://www.ektruth.com/.

So, be sure to join us at either 11:00 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. for one of Emily’s talks and demonstrations, as she shares her favorite skin care products (she loves Jan Marini, too!), and some age-defying makeup tips that keep your skin looking young, fresh, and naturally beautiful.  She’ll also be offering discounted private consultations, to help you capture the glamour and youthful beauty of the stars for yourself and make it reflect the true, beautiful you.  Call us or email us if you’d like to reserve a seat for you and the special women in your life (and really, what better way to spice up your Monday!).

I’ll see you there, mes amis!

Bisous,

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Exfoliation 2.0: Peels

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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.

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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,

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Last Friday’s Fun with Jan Marini!

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

C’était un anniversaire joyeux, it was a happy anniversary indeed!  If you missed our Open House last Friday, don’t worry!  I am here to fill you in on all the fun!

We were joined by the lovely Kari, our friend and representative from Jan Marini, who helped give

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 personalized advice about skin care routines with our award-winning Jan Marini products.

We had some pretty fabulous sales, but if you missed out, it’s not too late!  All of  our remaining Jan Marini Skin Care Management Systems are going to stay at 19% off for the rest of the month!  Call us or email us if you are interested in reserving a system, or talking to Patricia to see which system–Normal/Combination, Dry, Oily, or Enlighten Plus (our best seller!  Helps with hyper-pigmentation)–is best for your skin type.  Another fun detail I’d like to mention is that Jan Marini has a Men’s Skin Care Management System!  Who says skin care has to be all about the ladies?  Perhaps the men in your life could use a little summer love for their skin, too!

If you were able to join us last Friday, I want to hear from you!  Tell me what you thought about our event, and what your favorite Jan Marini product is!  We genuinely appreciate any feedback you have–after all, these events are all about you, mes amis, and we want you to have the best experience possible!

Here are a few more highlights from our Open House!

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Patricia and Kari talking with a couple of the clients that came in to visit!

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Patricia always finds the most beautiful flowers, mais non?

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Jan Marini Eye Creams, all ready to go with the Skin Care Management Systems (a great addition to the kit!) and these cute little gift bags!

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Those Chocolate-drizzled Strawberries I was telling you about!  And me, looking very focused on this crucial task.

We had so much fun and are so glad that so many of you made it last Friday!  Life can get  busy (even during the summer, imagine!), so we appreciate you taking the time to  not only visit with us, but also to show your skin some love!  Remember, you are  strong, beautiful, and loved, but all of that starts with you!  

Bisous,

jessie signature

Come Celebrate With Us!

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Bonjour Mes Amis!

I hope you’ve all had a long and lovely weekend!  I know I did; barbeques with friends and family, shopping, and new shoes (on sale!), what more can a girl ask for?!  But even though the fireworks are over, I am here to remind you that there is still a great deal to look forward to this July; A French Touch’s amazing sales on Jan Marini this month for their 19th anniversary! 

jmsr 19th salesKari, a representative from Jan Marini Skin Research, will be here in the salon all day with us to give consultations and advice on these fabulous products, especially the award-winning Skin Care Management Systems!  These systems are an additional 19% off all month, and come with a FREE Age Intervention Eye Cream (we save you $120, talk about a happy anniversary!)

Our open house event is your chance to stock up on all of your favorite Jan Marini products, because on this day only (on top of Kari’s consultation and advice, your discounted Skin Care Management System, your free eye cream, AND 20% off of a Jan Marini facial! Wow!), our entire Jan Marini Skin Research inventory is an additional 10% off!  Also, if you bring a friend to our event you’ll both be entered twice each in a raffle to win a free Skin Care Management Starter Kit!  The Starter Kit is perfect for traveling—throw it in your make-up case or overnight bag, and never leave home without it!  I’d also recommend trying the starter kit (whether you win one or not!) if you haven’t tried the skin care system yet; with a sample of each of the five (or seven, if you get the Plus system!) steps, you have a chance to fall in love before you come back for the full-sized kit!

So what’s the scoop on the Skin Care Management Systems anyway?  To put it simply, they are all you’ll need to give your skin the love that it needs this summer (there’s that Love your Skin thing again, I must be onto something)!  The five steps in the kits are custom designed to work with multiple skin types—Normal, Oily, Dry, and Sensitive—and will allow you to cleanse, rejuvenate, resurface, hydrate, and protect your skin with Jan Marini’s clinically tested and loved lotions, serums, and cleansers (Read more about the system steps here!).  The Skin Care Plus system is also included in our sale, which adds Jan Marini’s Age Intervention Cleanser and Enlighten Plus facial lotion to the kit, to give your skin that extra bit of pampering before you start your day and again after it’s worn you out! IMG_4069

Why Jan Marini?  Because of the fabulous deals, their time-tested, clinically-approved, client-loved, and award-winning, products, and their whole-hearted commitment to providing a healthy skin care regimen to keep you looking and feeling your best.

Why our Jan Marini open house on the 19th?  Because you’ve earned a morning, an afternoon, an evening, or even a whole day off!  Come visit with us, bring your friends and allow yourselves to be pampered for a while!  We all need a day off every once in a while, even if we don’t like to admit it, so why not take that time to show your skin some summer love!

Voyez-vous là, see you there!

Bisous,

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The Ultimate Summer BB Cream

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BB Creams are showing up all over beauty publications these days – but what are they, and what do they do?

BB Creams – short for beauty balm or blemish balm – are a unique product in that they are meant not only to provide tinted coverage, but also improve your skin and protect from damaging UVA and UVB rays. This all-in-one product acts as a moisturizer, primer, coverage, and sunscreen to make your beauty routine easier and more streamlined.

A quality BB Cream will:

  • Hydrate, smooth, and prime skin
  • Hide imperfections and even skin tone
  • Treat skin with high quality active ingredients
  • Protect with SPF from UVA/UVB damage

While the benefits of a BB Creams are many, perhaps the most important of its uses is its protection from the sun – damaging rays can not only cause skin cancer, but also allow free radical damage which visibly ages the skin. In fact, a new study released just this week showed that people who apply sunscreen at least once a day see 24% less aging in their skin.

BB Creams are also customizable in that they can be worn different ways for different skin types and preferences. For normal skin it can be worn alone or blended with foundation for higher coverage, for dry skin it can be combined with a preferred moisturizer, and for oily skin it can be used as a primer to control shine and hold makeup in place.

Convinced? Luckily, A French Touch Salon offers the highest quality options for BB Creams from Jan Marini Skin Research.

SPF 33 Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant

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Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant provides broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection to decrease the risk of premature skin aging. This fast-absorbing, cosmetically elegant formula features microscopic sponges for additional oil control. Enhanced by the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and skin rejuvenating benefits of phytomelanin and beta glucan 1,3 to help prevent and reverse damage caused by sun exposure. Available in tints of Neutral, Sand and Bronze.

SPF 45 Marini Physical Protectant

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The newest product to join Jan Marini’s superior sun protection line, Marini Physical Protectant utilizes purely physical filters for broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. The weightless formula features microscopic sponges for additional oil control with a matte finish. Green tea extract and alpha bisabolol provide enhanced free radical protection while soothing and calming the skin from stress caused by UV and heat. Paraben free, chemical free, and universally tinted.

Boost your skin this spring with the Jan Marini Glycolic Resurfacing Peel

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French Women

Obtaining seriously younger-looking skin is possible, but there are often misconceptions about the process. A common one we hear is that astonishing results may only be achievable through intense treatments from a doctor or dermatologist that have a long recovery time, cause irritation, or require surgery. The truth, however, is that there are alternative options that provide visible results.

Jan Marini’s Glycolic Resurfacing Peel is a medically endorsed, viable alternative to chemical peels, avoiding discomfort and recovery time while still providing dramatic results.

In my experience over the past 12 years in the skincare industry, Jan Marini 40% Glycolic Acid Peels have provided clients with the results they desire. These glycolic acid peels work wonders on reducing fine lines, wrinkles, acne, and hyperpigmentation, and are a gentle procedure requiring zero recovery time. And because they provide visible results, you can bet our clients include this anti-aging treatment in their regular skincare regimen.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND GLYCOLIC ACID PEELS

Glycolic acid,  which is naturally derived from sugar cane, is the most effective alpha-hydroxy acid for anti-aging concerns because of its small molecular weight. Its molecular size allows it to dissolve the “glue-like” substance that causes buildup in the skin’s stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin), providing deep penetration and exfoliation.

As we age our stratum corneum cannot shed as efficiently, so it builds up over time, creating a common skin issue known as corneocyte cohesion. Corneocyte cohesion results in thick, dry, and coarse skin that plays a pivotal role in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Jan Marini’s 40% Glycolic Acid Peel lifts away these dead, thickened layers without wounding the skin.

EXPECT MORE COLLAGEN AND LESS LINES

The science behind Jan Marini’s 40% glycolic acid peels provides visible results, including:

  • Noticeably firmer, brighter, more supple, and softer skin
  • Significant decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • Rapidly cleared acne lesions and reduction in the appearance of acne scarring
  • More even skin tone and minimized hyperpigmentation due to photodamage

MEDICAL VALIDATION

Medical studies confirm that when the skin receives a series of glycolic peels, along with a home care program that includes glycolic acid and retinol, the cumulative action results in the encouragement of collagen as well as glycosaminoglycans responsible for epidermal volume, thus substantially increasing firmness and lessening the appearance of deeper lines.

WHY SPRING IS THE BEST TIME

The Jan Marini Glycolic Resurfacing Peel Series is recommended twice annually as a series of six treatments for a deep “beauty boost,” ideally following summer and winter climate damage and dehydration. Get rid of winter dullness to reveal luminous skin!

 OFFERED IN EACH 45-MINUTE FALL RESURFACING TREATMENT:

*  Clarisonic Ultrasonic Deep Pore Cleanse with Jan Marini C’Esta Cleansing Gel

*  40% non-irritating Jan Marini Glycolic Peel

*  Jan Marini Customized Mask to address your individual concerns

*  Gentle Jan Marini Hand Treatment