Hello friends! Summer in Vero Beach is, well...crickets...quiet. It's just us family and you can get an appointment with your favorite hair stylist without waiting two weeks! Yea! On the other hand, summer is a slow time for most businesses around here so I took the opportunity to take Continuing Education classes in my favorite subject...facial massage! For most clients it's the favorite part of the facial treatment and those that know me, know I wax poetic about the art of a good facial massage. Besides being rejuvenating for your skin, refreshing for your mind and relaxing for your body, it is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent the visible signs of aging. Benefits of a facial massage Enhances skin elasticity, tightening and toning facial muscles ... [Read More]

  I can count the number of people I've talked to recently that have heard of G.M. Collin products on one hand. It's just not a skin care company that is very well known in the area. Unless, of course, you use their products. Slowly but surely the word is getting out! Without exception, after a client has used the products diligently for about a month, there is a very noticeable difference in the health of their skin. It looks fresher, smoother, plumper, and younger looking. I know it's hard to believe and you'd expect me to say that...but it's true. A client called the other day to tell me that she's been getting unsolicited comments about her skin. People she doesn't even know are commenting on how beautiful her skin is! After one or two comments, she was flattered that ... [Read More]

Let's Talk Ceramides, Shall We? Ceramides are lipids found in the cell membrane of cells. You'll find ceramides in the outermost layer of the skin called the epidermis. Ceramides and other lipids in the epidermis work together to prevent moisture loss and help to keep our skin moist and supple. About 40% of the lipids in the epidermis are ceramides. Ceramides also act as a barrier against bacteria and environmental pollutants. Sadly, but not unexpectedly the levels of ceramides naturally decline with age and is one reason skin becomes drier as we get older. Using harsh cleansers disrupt ceramides and lipids and even some medications like cholesterol-lowering drugs can also affect our skin. What we eat or don't eat will affect our skin. For example, eating a diet that lacks essential ... [Read More]

Let's talk chem peels, shall we? We’ve all heard about Alpha and Beta HydroxyAcids and been told how important they are for healthier skin and a youthful look, but where did they come from? What are they? How do they work? Are they for me? Let’s start with where they came from. You may think peels are a new trend but you’d be wrong. They’ve been around for centuries! That’s right. The Egyptians wrote of using sour milk to help keep the skin bright and smooth. Why sour milk? Lactic acid is a derivative of sour milk. Legend has it that Cleopatra (or was that Elizabeth Taylor) bathed in a bathtub of sour milk. How about Marie Antoinette lounging in a bath of champagne? Now if you’re a wine aficionado, you know that as grapes ferment, they get more acidic. Tartaric acid is a derivative of ... [Read More]