Fox News Magazine featured Shizuka!

Shizuka’s Tips

Read more:  http://magazine.foxnews.com/style-beauty/spring-cleaning-your-skin#ixzz2O5R3trfr

Why Use a Facial Toner?

A few clients have been asking: “Why is toner important for my skin?”

First off, what’s most important is your own skin’s reaction to the toner.

Absolutely do not use any toner that irritates your skin. Any irritation disrupts your skin’s natural healing process and reduces healthy collagen production.

The purpose of toner is to rebalance and restore skin’s pH balance after cleansing. Your skin needs a range of ingredients like antioxidants, glycerin, fatty acids and ceramides to restore and repair its surface (skin can never get too much of these important ingredients!) The right toner can do wonders for your skin, giving it what it needs for a healthy, radiant glow.

Skipping toner can cheat your skin of the beneficial ingredients it needs to become healthier and smoother. Using toner within a particular skin care line is always a good idea because the products are formulated to work together (cleanser, toner, and moisturizer).

>>In the news: Tune in to the Hallmark Channel to watch the debut of Marie Osmond‘s new talk show October 16th, 2012 at noon. Shizuka new york Day Spa will be featured in the “Extreme Beauty” segment!

At Home Pumpkin Enzyme Facial

It’s that time of year when we see pumpkins popping up everywhere—as festive décor, in desserts, even as seasonal ale! Why not apply pumpkins’ sweet hearty goodness to your skin too?

Naturopathica’s Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel utilizes pumpkins’ powerful carotenoid antioxidant qualities to slough away dead skin cells for a clean, clear and radiant complexion. This peel also includes antiseptic herbs such as cinnamon bark, oregano and rosemary extract that help clean and soften skin. It smells so good, you’ll want to eat it (PLEASE DON’T)!

We use this peel in some of our Shizuka NY facials and also offer it as an add-on treatment.

Use this peel on normal to oily skin and give yourself a mini-facial at home 2-3 times a week. Here’s how:

1. Apply 1 tsp of Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel to clean skin and hold face near a stream of hot water (can be done in the shower) to allow steam to activate the enzymes. Massage with fingertips and leave on for 3-5 minutes, rinse and towel dry.
2. Rebalance skin with Shizuka NY’s Skin Freshener to help close pores and remove excess oil.
3. Finish by applying Shizuka NY’s Oil Free Moisturizer to hydrate and restore normal barrier function without clogging pores.

Preventing Acne, is there an App for that?

What’s one thing we carry around all day, use it indoors and out and it touches our hands and faces?  Our phones! A recent post on Allure.com’s Daily Beauty Reporter mentions that disinfecting our cell phones can easily be a preventative measure for reducing acne. The article quotes New York City dermatologist Patricia Wexler: “Phones are a breeding ground for bacteria—we touch them repeatedly with dirty hands and often hold them to our faces for long periods of time,” she says. “That could certainly cause breakouts.”

Makes sense to us!  Simply, give a quick wipe of hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol to the outsides of your phone a few times a week to keep any acne-causing bacteria at bay.

Check out a few more day-to-day acne prevention tips from the Mayo Clinic:

• Avoid heavy foundation makeup. Choose powder cosmetics over cream products because they’re less irritating.
• Remove makeup before going to bed. Going to sleep with cosmetics on your skin can clog tiny openings of the hair follicles (pores).
• Clean make-up brushes regularly. Be sure to throw out old makeup and clean your cosmetic brushes and applicators regularly with soapy water. *Shizuka stresses the importance of this because brushes can transfer bacteria back and forth from powder to skin.
• Shower after exercising or doing strenuous work. Oil and sweat on your skin can trap dirt and bacteria.

Read more acne-prevention tips from the Mayo Clinic here>>

What’s helped you prevent acne? We’d love to hear from you, share your comments below>>

Fall Skin Care Guide

The weather is changing…is your skin care routine?  It is important to slightly modify your beauty regimen each season as you change your wardrobe.

Moving into the Fall season, the weather begins to get cooler and less humid in many places, including NYC.  Here are a few tips to adapt your routine to maximize your skin care results:

Tip #1: Putting on an extra layer of clothes? Remember to put on some moisturizer as well.

As your surroundings get colder, you will naturally want to wear more layers of clothing. Don’t forget that your skin also needs extra protection from becoming dried out.   If your skin is feeling itchy and dry, try a slightly richer moisturizer during the day.  Here are a few of our recommendations for fall moisturizers by skin type.

Tip #2: Make sure that your cleanser is still working for you.

Keep in mind that if you have been using stronger cleansers with Salicylic acid and AHA’s for congested summer skin, this may not continue to benefit you through fall and winter months.  After cleansing, your skin should feel clean, but not overly tight and dry.  If this is happening, you may want to transition to a gentler cleanser during colder weather:

You can find more information about Shizuka NY Spa Products and Naturopathica products, including ordering information in our Online Store, or simply order below using our secure shopping cart. If you have further questions about fall skin care tips, please feel free to email blog@shizukany.com/development.

Order the Products Listed in this Blog Post

Shizuka NY Theramoist Oil-Free Clarifying Moisturizer (Oily/Acne)

Shizuka NY All-Natural Moisturizer (Normal/Combination)

Naturopathica Beech Tree & Ginseng Daily Moisuture (Normal/Dry)

Naturopathica Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream (Dry/Mature)

Shizuka NY Multi HA Medicated Cleansing Foam (Oily/Acne)

Shizuka NY All-Natural Clay Cleanser (Oily/Combination)

Shizuka NY All-Natural Foaming Cleanser (Normal/Dry)

Naturopathica Chamomile Cleansing Cream (Dry/Mature)

View your shopping cart and check out here

[Reader Questions] Secrets to Beautiful Skin, Part 2

In case you missed Part 1 of this post on Secrets to Beautiful Skin, please take a look.

Here are some great anti-aging ingredients that you should look out for when shopping for skincare products:

Vitamin C

In addition to its antioxidant properties, Vitamin C is essential in the creation of collagen in the skin.  One of Shizuka New York Day Spa’s most popular skincare products is C-Mollient Gel ($63 at ShizukaNY.com) which contains Vitamin C and green tea extracts in smooth and light gel.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid has become very popular in skin care products lately for it’s ability to deeply hydrate the skin and promote collagen formation.  Two great hyaluronic acid skincare products we offer are the Hydrapeptide Gel ($66) and DCL’s Hydrating Serum ($40.70).

Did you know?…
A form of hyaluronic acid is also what is injected beneath the surface of skin in dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane.

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is one of nature’s best skin brighteners.  It is actually a byproduct of the sake brewing process and is incredibly effective at treating hyperpigmentation (age spots, sun spots, and freckles) and creating a more even complexion.  In the KojiLac Cream ($63), kojic acid is combined with lactic acid (see below).

Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body and one of the main ingredients in Shizuka NY’s new T-Zone Facial.  Lactic acid is an excellent natural exfoliant that can remove environmental debris and excess oil from the skin’s surface.  Lactic acid is one of the peeling ingredients in Shizuka NY’s Multi Hydroxyacid Daily Pads (for acne treatment) and Weekly Pads (for anti-aging).

Has Victoria Beckham Been Neglecting Her Geisha Facial®s?

A few weeks back the U.K.’s Daily Mail posted some not-so-posh photos of Posh Spice who had an acne breakout at the time.

Acne is a serious problem for many people.   Pimples and blackheads can be embarrassing even if you are not a celebrity on a magazine cover.  The Geisha Facial® is an excellent facial treatment for all skin types, including acneic.  Also highly recommended for acne treatment are the Acne Facial with Intense Pulsed Light and the new T-Zone Facial.

Apparently Posh has been battling acne since her teenage years and has recently turned to Geisha Facial®s to treat acne:

Victoria has been regularly indulging in £100 Geisha Facial®s, using a paste made from nightingale droppings.

A friend told Closer magazine recently: ‘When Victoria was in Japan recently she was admiring the local women’s clear skin and discovered it was down to these facials.

‘She was intrigued and when she got back to the US she found that some New York beauty salons now offer the treatment.

‘She tried it and loved how great her skin looked.’

Hopefully Posh will get back on the Poo!

Related Stories:

Acne Treatment NYC – T-Zone Facial

Shizuka New York Day Spa is proud to introduce the T-Zone Facial, an acne treatment, just in time for summer.  As a special introductory offer, Shizuka is offering the T-Zone Facial, normally $140, at a $20 discount through Labor Day.

What is a t-zone?
T Zone is the nickname for a group of areas on the face that are most prone to acne breakouts and excess shine in people with oily and combination skin types.

If you look at your face in the mirror, draw an imaginary T that covers the forehead, nose and chin.  Many people have an excess of oil, whiteheads (pimples) and blackheads that are concentrated in these areas.

During the summer heat and humidity, these problems can often become more troublesome.

Shizuka New York Day Spa’s new T-Zone Facial acne treatment is the perfect summer remedy that combines cleansing using Shizuka’s all-natural products with a Lactic acid exfoliation and painless pore extractions focused on the t-zone area.

Lactic acid is highly effective at gently removing dead skin and debris while Shizuka’s pore extraction technique maximizes results while minimizing the squeezing, pinching and redness often associated with facial treatments.

The result is skin that is softer, smoother and clearer.

T-Zone Facial (60 minutes, $140 $120 through Labor Day, 09/07/2009)

Seasonal Skincare: Summer

Change your skincare routine like you change your wardrobe…seasonally.  This is especially important for those living in places such as New York City with very distinct seasons.  That face wash that worked great all winter long may not be the best for you as the weather gets warmer and more humid.

To avoid that dreaded t-zone shine, look for these qualities in your summer facial cleanser or mask:

1. Absorbs oil with ingredients such as clay or mud.
2. Clarifies the skin with ingredients such as lavender, citrus and, for those with oily skin types, a low concentration of salicylic acid to cleanse the pores.

Here are a couple of good face wash recommendations:

		Shizuka New York Clay Cleanser $48, ShizukaNY.com Moroccan Lava Clay , peppermint and green tea absorb excess oil and clarify the complexion.
		Naturopathica Aloe Cleansing Gel $28, ShizukaNY.com Lavender, ylang ylang and citrus extracts tone the skin while aloe and rose soothe inflammation.

After cleansing, don’t forget to close your pores with a good toner.  Try Shizuka NY Skin Freshener ($62) or Naturopathica’s Lavender Honey Mist ($28).  Use a small cotton pad to lightly brush toner over your t-zone on clean and dry skin.  Follow with a moisturizer and sun protection.

The most important tip for summer skincare is to protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays by using sunscreen or sunblock daily.  Use a product with an SPF of at least 30.  Protecting your skin from the sun is vital to maintaining a youthful complexion free of hyperpigmentation, age spots and wrinkles.

The New York Times recently published an article that demystifies SPF.  Is SPF 100 over 3 times better for you than SPF 30?  You will be surprised to find out that there is very little difference between the two!

Greeting from Shizuka Bernstein

Welcome to Shizuka New York Day Spa‘s new spa blog! This blog will be dedicated to bringing you expert skincare advice on topics ranging from acne treatment to anti-aging skin care in addition to spa and wellness issues.

In upcoming blog posts I will be personally addressing your questions regarding skin care, spa treatments and spa etiquette.

I invite you to submit your own question to our day spa blog by either commenting on this post, or emailing blog@shizukany.com/development.

If you have not already joined our free e-mailing list, please follow this link for quick and secure sign-up.

Sincerely,
Shizuka Bernstein