Achieving smaller-looking pores is a common skincare goal, and various practices can contribute to a refined appearance. Skincare products play a crucial role in this process by eliminating dead skin cells and excess oil, minimizing the visibility of pores. A clear and unobstructed pore will naturally appear smaller, resulting in a brighter, smoother, and more even skin surface that feels softer to the touch.

Understanding the impact of temperature on pores is essential for effective skincare. While hot water can temporarily open pores, and cold water can temporarily close them, these effects are short-lived. The skin quickly returns to its normal temperature, and pore size follows suit. Estheticians often use hot towels and warm water to soften oil plugs before extracting blackheads, facilitating easier removal.

It is crucial to note that water temperature alone does not determine pore size in the long term. Excessive use of hot water can irritate the skin, particularly for individuals with dilated capillaries or inflamed blemishes, leading to increased redness and visibility. Large pores are commonly associated with oily skin, and maintaining proper cleansing practices is vital for pore health.

To prevent clogged pores, consumers should look for terms such as:

• Non-comedogenic
• Oil-free

The word ‘non-comedogenic’ means the product won’t clog your pores. When pores clog, they expand, which can make them look more noticeable.

Cleanse your face twice a day

Clogged pores or an oily complexion can make pores look larger. Cleansing twice daily can unclog pores, prevent them from clogging, and reduce oiliness. When cleansing your face, you’ll want to:

• Use warm water. Hot water can irritate your skin, causing pores to look larger.
• Gently wash your face. Scrubbing can irritate your skin, causing inflammation. When skin is inflamed, pores tend to be more noticeable.
• Find a gentle, non-comedogenic cleanser. Again, you want to do everything you can to stop irritating your skin and stop clogging your pores.

For those with oily skin or mild acne, incorporating a cleanser with salicylic acid can help unclog pores, as studies suggest its efficacy in this regard. Sun damage can also impact skin firmness, making pores more apparent. Daily application of a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher is advised to protect the skin from sun-induced damage.

It is crucial to handle the skin gently, especially as we age and the skin loses firmness. Avoiding aggressive scrubbing and refraining from picking, squeezing, or digging into pores is essential to prevent irritation and maintain a smoother complexion. 

For these reasons, you want to be very gentle with your skin. Never scrub, rub, pick at, or squeeze the skin on your face.

For more advanced skincare needs, professional therapists offer procedures that require no downtime and can contribute to the overall health and appearance of the skin.

Last party of the year… If you want to prepare your skin and give it an extra wow for an amazing makeup look, here are 7 steps for ringing in the NEW YEAR with glowing skin.

• Cleanse

Last morning wake-up of the year. Wash your face and give your skin cells a great boost of energy with DÉCAAR Purifying Cleansing Gel.

• Exfoliate

Give your skin a jump start with a pre-party peel. The Oxygen Scrub gently sloughs off dead skin to reveal a healthy glow. Your skin will feel refreshed and prepped for your night’s beauty look.

• Mask

Apply the Calming Mask for 15-20 minutes to even out the skin and minimize the pores. It also works wonders to control oiliness and shine, while improving hydration.

• Hydrate and Illuminate

Few drops from DÉCAAR Illuminating collection the Lumi CC Booster in combination with the Dream Glow Cream will give extra radiance on your skin and regulate the skin tone.

• Treat Your Eyes

It’s been a long month of holiday parties but don’t let your eyes give it away. The Instant Lift Eye Cream will reduce puffiness and give an immediate tightening effect to make you look fresh anytime.

• Cleanse

The party’s over and you’d like to go straight to bed, but there’s no greater skincare mistake than sleeping with your makeup on. Use Dual Phase Cleanser and swipe with cotton pads, followed by the Purifying Cleansing Gel. 

• Restore

Apply Oxygen Mask, massage slightly to make it absorb and you’re done. No need to rinse. Happy new year, happy glowing skin!

Visualize your skin as a grape—when it loses moisture, it shrinks, leading to the emergence of wrinkles. However, restoring hydration can plump up the skin, potentially reducing the appearance of lines. The skin around your eyes, being delicate and thin, demands specialized care to avoid irritation and discomfort. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to care for the skin around your eyes.

1. Choose the Right Products:

The thin and sensitive nature of the skin around your eyes may react negatively to regular face creams. Opt for a dedicated eye cream to ensure gentleness and effectiveness.

2. Check the Ingredients:

For Fine Lines and Wrinkles:

For this result, the most potent ingredients that stimulate collagen include:

• Retinoid
• Retinol
• Vitamin A derivative
• Peptides
• Growth factors

For Hyperpigmentation (Dark Circles):

To combat hyperpigmentation (dark circles) caused by the sun’s UV rays, you’ll want to look out for the following ingredients:

• Arbutin
• Kojic acid
• Vitamin C
• Soy
• Niacinamide
• Azelaic acid

For Puffiness:

The remedy for puffy eyes can be as easy as getting enough sleep or drinking enough water. But when it comes to skin care ingredients, the following may help reduce puffiness:

• Caffeine
• Green tea and coffee berry polyphenols
• Dipeptide-2 (Eyeliss)
• Willow herb

For General Concerns:

For more general concerns about the skin around your eyes, look for antioxidants. These powerful ingredients help remove free radicals in the skin that are triggered by UV radiation, smoking, and pollutants. Moreover, they may also help put a brake on the aging process.

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Green Tea
• Vitamin B-3 (Niacinamide)

Be gentle, always:

• When removing makeup:
  • Apply your favorite eye makeup remover to a cotton
  • Press the pad gently onto your skin.
  • Slowly drag it in an outward motion.
  • Repeat until your makeup is fully remove

• When applying products:
  • Apply your product to your pinky finger.
  • Dab your product around the eyes, circling your eye area. Don’t forget the upper eyelid.
  • Repeat until the product is fully absorbed into the skin.

• Sun protection:

Sun exposure accelerates the skin aging process, leading to darker skin under the eyes. A broad-spectrum sunscreen is truly an indispensable part of any skin care routine and should be applied every day. Even if it looks gloomy outside, UVA rays can still cause damage. Also, don’t forget your upper eyelid. This is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to applying sunscreen.

And if reapplying sunscreen on top of makeup, especially eye makeup, is too much of a hassle, consider investing in a pair of sunglasses that offers UV protection. This can help protect your eyes but also the skin around them from unwanted UVA and UVB rays.

With the right products, ingredients, and gentle application, combined with sun protection, you can effectively care for the delicate skin around your eyes, maintaining its health and youthful appearance.

Aftercare advice and recommended home care play a crucial role in skincare. For professional therapists, providing aftercare advice is an integral part of their service. This not only reassures clients of their expertise but also increases the likelihood of client satisfaction and recommendations to others. A well-designed homecare routine, prescribed by a skincare specialist after a facial treatment, is key to achieving significant and long-lasting results.

The Power of Consistency:

When visiting a spa, we often expect immediate correction of our skin concerns. However, achieving noticeable results requires dedication and a consistent approach. By diligently following the recommended homecare routine, you can accelerate the desired outcomes. It’s important to note that the purpose of the skincare prescription is to help you achieve your desired results, rather than simply selling products.

Boosting Results:

A well-rounded homecare routine can enhance the effectiveness of professional cabin treatments by 60-70%. Start by cleansing your skin at least twice a day using the recommended cleanser suitable for your skin type. To further enhance results, consider incorporating a serum before applying your eye product and moisturizer. Lastly, don’t forget the importance of sun protection – shield your skin with your favorite SPF.

The Power of Exfoliation and Masks:

In addition to daily care, it’s beneficial to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. This process helps remove dead skin cells and promotes a smoother complexion. Furthermore, applying a mask after exfoliation can provide immediate and visible results.

The combination of cabin care treatments and a consistent homecare routine will make a noticeable difference in the look and feel of your skin.

A homecare skin routine is not just a recommendation – it’s a vital component in achieving optimal skincare results. By following the prescribed routine, you demonstrate your commitment to self-care and maximize the benefits of professional treatments. Embrace the power of consistency, and you’ll soon experience the transformative effects on your skin.

Sun damage often manifests as dark spots, which are clusters of hyperpigmentation. It usually looks different across skin tones. In lighter skin types we can notice thinning of the skin, fine lines and discolorations while in darker skin types, discolorations may be the most prominent feature of sun damage. The technical term for these changes is called “photoageing”.

UVA rays are generally linked to the ageing of skin cells, causing wrinkles, sunspots and other signs of sun damage. UVB rays, on the other hand, are the main cause of sunburns, directly damage DNA in skin cells and are linked to most skin cancers.

Despite how many years of sun damage your skin has suffered, it’s never too late to start reversing the damage. It is possible to reverse sun damage to some extent using certain cosmetics or treatments like laser, chemical peels that help reduce dark spots, encourage collagen deposition and repair the skin. 

Humectants and emollients can hydrate and smooth the skin to keep it looking plump, which is particularly important for dry skin. Anti-ageing topicals like antioxidants, peptides and alpha-hydroxy acids can increase the turnover of skin cells, increase collagen production and decrease discoloration.

So make sure you are protecting your skin for real now and keep in mind that additional exposure to UV rays will prevent any progress in treating sun-damaged skin.

Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen that filters out both UVA and UVB rays. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all exposed skin and renew every two hours especially during hot summer days.

Last but not least, wear lightweight and long-sleeved shirts and pants, sunglasses with UV protection and a wide-brimmed hat. Enjoy summer safely!

Pigmentation is a condition that causes your skin to darken. It is harmless and it is more of a cosmetic issue for most people which can affect just some areas of the skin or even the entire body. These can appear not only due to sun exposure, but also due to inflammations and certain medications. Age spots, also called liver spots, are a common type of hyperpigmentation.

Types of Hyperpigmentation:

• Melasma; due to hormonal changes, it is usually developed during pregnancy. It appears on any area of the body, most commonly on the stomach and face.
• Sunspots or solar lentigines; the most common type of hyperpigmentation. They are related to sun exposure over-time. Generally they appear as spots on the areas exposed to the sun, like hands and face.
• Post – inflammatory hyperpigmentation; a result of injury or inflammation to the skin. A common cause of this is acne.

A specialist can diagnose the cause of your hyperpigmentation. Topical application of skin lightening cosmetics containing retinoids, vitamin C, arbutin, kojic acid are some of the ingredients that will help you brighten your skin.

Homecare also includes daily use of sunscreens, the most important factor in improving hyperpigmentation. Choose a sunscreen based on mineral filters that physically block the UV rays. 

It’s not always possible to prevent hyperpigmentation, however you can protect yourself by using an SPF of at least 30. Reapply every 2 hours or more often if you are out in the sun, if sweating or swimming. Wear clothes and hats that block sunlight, and avoid the sun during the time of the day that is strongest, usually between 10.00 am to 4:00 pm.

Be more careful whenever you are under certain medication like antibiotics and birth control pills to wear a higher SPF for extra protection.

In some cases dark areas will fade on their own with good sun protection. In other cases, a more specialized treatment is required to be performed by a professional.

And remember, sunscreen is vital every season, not just during summertime!