How to Cook + Grill on a Himalayan Salt Block

By Marji Soofi

Summer is coming and everyone loves to grill.  Ever try to grill on a Himalayan Salt block? If not, then you must try this out this year.  It’s a great way to grill and enjoy the most delicious tasting food.

Himalayan Salt has 82 trace minerals and is Anti-fungal and Anti-bacterial.  You can grill on it, use it as a cutting board, serve food on it and more.  Season your food accordingly, but you don’t need to add salt.  The Himalayan salt board will flavor your food and it tastes incredible!

If you’re using your board as a cutting board then remember one thing.  It doesn’t matter if you are cutting up fish then vegetables, then meat.  No matter what you are cutting all you have to do is wipe the block down with a damp cloth and move to your next item.  Unlike your regular cutting boards, Himalayan salt is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  It doesn’t allow for the transfer of any germs or any items in food.  So mixing raw meat or fish with fruit or vegetables will not get you sick because it doesn’t allow it to happen.

I ate shrimps, steak, fish, and vegetables after we grilled on the board.  It was the most amazing meal I had ever had.  The food tasted so light and flavorful.  I highly recommend this method of cooking to everyone.  You will not be disappointed.  Cook, grill, put it on the stove top or in the oven.  You can even freeze it and serve chilled food on it.

If you haven’t gotten your cutting/cooking board yet then call us at Tavoos or stop by . We can get you what you want and they are available In many different sizes!

What is the Difference Between Himalayan Salt and Epsom Salt?

By Marji Soofi

There are many differences between these salts. Epsom Salt is not actually salt, it is a mineral found in water containing high levels of magnesium and sulfate. The mineral has a crystalline structure similar to that of table salt (which is the reasoning behind it being called salt), but it is actually a pure mineral compound. It has no sodium chloride (which is salt) and is technically known as magnesium sulfate. Epsom Salt is magnesium that is bonded to sulfur and oxygen. It was first distilled in the town of Epsom in Surrey, England in the 1800’s and was named for the town. It has been said to have many beneficial uses from easing achy muscles and other ailments to fertilizing your garden.

Himalayan Salt has magnesium and sulfate plus 82 other minerals and trace elements, including sodium and chloride and is truly salt. There are certain properties that come with being salt, such as, being anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Crystals are hand-harvested from mineral deposits on salt cave floors that have been dated by geologists to the Precambrian Age. Himalayan Salt is mined from the underground salt mines in the foot hills of the Himalayan Mountains and is the purest salt available on earth. Himalayan Salt produces negative ions that help purify the air of allergens, bacteria, dust, and other pollutants. When warmed the crystal salt emits a negative charge that enriches our environment and as the negatively charged ions enter our bodies they attach to the toxins and neutralize their charge, thus detoxifying our systems. Himalayan Salt is known to reduce inflammation within our bodies, which, makes it of great benefit to those suffering from arthritis and other ailments of inflammation.

What Kind of Sunblock are You Using?

By Marji Soofi

UV rays are responsible for 90% of photo-aging and an increase in the risk of cancer.  Most people think that all sunscreens are equal and getting the higher the SPF the better.  Well this is a misconception.

All Sunscreens are designed to prevent the transfer of energy from solar rays to the skin.  There are two groups of sunscreens; chemical absorbers and physical blockers.

Notice the two key words? Absorbers vs. Blockers?

Chemical Absorbers: work by absorbing the energy of UB radiation before it affects or damages your skin.  Most chemical sunscreen ingredients are colorless, odorless and feel light on the skin, but can also cause allergic reactions, irritation, and inflammation of the skin.  If you see any of the following ingredients in your products then you should know that they are chemical absorbers; octinoxate, avobenzone and oxybenzone.

Physical Blockers: when the sun hits these physical blockers, such as titanium oxide, or zinc oxide, it is reflected and bounces away from the skin.  These rarely cause allergic reactions or irritations because they are natural ingredients and don’t get absorbed into the skin.  Physical blockers have been found to be more effective in protecting the skin against UVA and UVB rays.

The higher the SPF is not better.  I usually recommend SPF 30 and SPF 50.  The consistent application of adequate amounts of sunscreen lessens the damage to the skin and skin cancer risks.

Come into Tavoos Spa and pick up the right sunscreen for you!

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes: Step-by-Step Instructions

By Marji Soofi

How to Clean Your Brushes

1. Mix olive oil and dishwashing detergent
2. Dip your brush in the mixture. Wet your brush first if it’s really dirty. Use the palm of your hand and mix the brush around. Use cool running water as you do this. Continue this step until no more product is coming off your brush. Be gentle.
3. Use any hair conditioner and cover the bristles. Let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse off the brush and squeeze out any water
4. Lay your brushes to dry. Shape them the way they are supposed to be so that they don’t dry funny.

*Do not use warm water or you could unglue the top of the brush from the base

History + Origins of Waxing

By Marji Soofi

Removing hair from the body is certainly not new.  Ancient Egyptians were the first to wax.  The ancient Egyptians saw smooth and hairless bodies as beauty. Wax was made with a sticky mixture made of oil, honey, and sugar. This was applied to the body and stripped away. Every Egyptian woman took care that there was not a single hair on her body. A mixture of arsenic, lime, and starch, as well as threading, were other methods of hair removal.

Waxing is a form of semi-permanent hair removal, which removes the hair from the root. New hair will not grow back in the previously waxed area for four to six weeks, although some people will start to see regrowth in only a week due to some of their hair being on a different growth cycle.

Waxing is a fast effective method for removing hair. When hair is shaved or removed by depilatory cream, the hair is removed at the surface rather than root. Within a few days, the hair can be seen at the surface. With shaving, hair tends to grow back in a rough stubble. Areas that are repeatedly waxed over long periods of time often exhibit regrowth that is softer.

At Tavoos Spa, we use different types of waxes to remove excess body hair, and we choose the best wax to suite your skin type.  Let us help you enjoy your summer by removing your unwanted body hair.

Call to book your Appointment Today!

Winter Skin 101

By Marji Soofi

As we change our clothes season to season, we should change our skin care regiment too. For some, winter brings uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face and body. This can lead to cracks in the outer layer of skin, loss of hydration, and ultimately, inflammation.

For some people, the problem is even worse; their skin gets so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed).

You change your light summer top to a heavy thick sweater, but having thick heavy creams is not always the answer for dry winter skin. There are certain ingredients that are immensely hydrating with a light texture.

Cleanser: Gentler, creamy, milky textured cleansers with no surfactants
Toner: This hydrates and accelerates results with your skin care products. Alcohol free toners with soothing ingredients such as aloe, panthenol, and/or allantoin.

Exfoliates
Physical: like Himalayan salt, sugar, enzymes, oriza sativa( rice powder). Always use any scrub with the most gentle pressure and add lots of luke warm water.
Chemical: Salicylic acid and Micro Retinol, to exfoliate dead cells and promote healthy skin.

Moisturizer

Always remember this general rule ” thinner to thicker or lighter to heavier”.
* Serums /Emulsions – are lighter and penetrate easier, hydrate and repair. Look for Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides, Matrixyl, L-Ascorbic Acid.
* Creams – Use thicker moisturizers equipped to help protect the skin’s barrier. These seal in the serums/emulsions. They are nourishing, hydrating, and protect against external aggressions. Look for Lipids, ceremides, avocado oil, primrose oil, almond oil, and argon oil.

General Care Tips
Avoid deodorant bars, antibacterial soaps, perfumed soaps, and skin care and hand cleansers containing alcohol. Instead, use warm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap or moisturizing body wash. Limit your showers or baths to no more than 10 minutes, pat dry, and moisturize while your skin is still damp.

To soften stubborn dry patches on rough elbows and knees, opt for a rich, hydrating scrub. use a simple mix of: Himalayan salt and cultured yogurt, or honey, sugar and lemon. When applied topically these reduce inflammation, increases circulation, as well as having a brightening effect on the skin. This mixture can be used on the face too but with a more diluted consistency.

Is a Mask an Important Part of a Skin Care Routine?

By Marji Soofi

Is a mask an important part of a skin care routine? It certainly is! So much of skin care today seems focused on removing unwanted skin conditions by either dissolving or scrubbing. Masks give our skin back much needed nutrients and ingredients to support our skin care goals. No matter what method of delivery, frequent mask application is a vital step.

A mask blankets the skin, helping the active ingredients penetrate. Depending on the type of mask, it can draw impurities from the skin and eliminate dead cells, or tighten and tone.

What Types of Facial Masks Are There?

Clay Masks
These use kaolin clay, a natural component in soil. Kaolin is known for its efficacy in absorbing oil, for drawing out impurities and for removing dead skin cells. These masks might be targeted to oily T-zones or acne-prone skin, and may contain acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid.

Hydrating Masks
Hydrating masks deliver much needed moisture to dehydrated skin. These soothe, nourish and, as their name implies, super-moisturize.

Firming and Anti-Aging Masks
These deal with skin in need of a reboot and contain nourishing and/or firming ingredients to combat the signs of aging.

Sleeping Masks

These are booming in Asia and are now growing worldwide. It’s applied at bedtime so the skin can absorb the benefits of the ingredients all night long. Nighttime is when the skin is rested and regeneration is at its peak, so you wake up to skin that’s fresher, more hydrated.

Let the skin care professionals at Tavoos Spa help you choose the right mask for your skin.

Masks are applied to cleansed skin for 10 to 15 minutes or more. Don’t forget the neck and hands. These parts are just as important as your face, so don’t neglect them when applying a face mask. Whether you go the nocturnal, rinse-off or peel-off route, follow the instructions. Then, sit back and enjoy a little bit of soothing magic.

Best Eyes for Your Age

By Marji Soofi

Our daily life effects how we age, specially around the eyes. The skin covering our eye muscles is rather thin, making it subject to easy aging such as puffiness, dark circles, wrinkles, fine lines and sagging.

HOW OUR EYES AGE

Puffiness – This can be hereditary although other factors like allergies, pollution and topical irritants can trigger inflammation which makes the eyes look puffy. Now there is fluid build up, lymphatic drainage, and blood flow slows down. Both these factors compromises supply of oxygen resulting in collagen and elastin loss.

Dark Circles – This happens because the thinning of the skin, loss of collagen and fat in the area. The skin becomes more translucent, the blood vessels under the eyes become more obvious. This gives the appearance of dark circle.

Lines and Wrinkles – All the expressions we make, emotional (laugh/cry), environmental (sun, allergies), genetics, smoking.

Sagging – As we age there is a loss of collagen and elastin. Also, the fatty tissue of the eyes lose their plumpness as well. Unfortunately, now there is little support for the skin to snap back into shape and sagging happen

WHAT TO DO AT YOUR AGE

20s – Hydrate, Tone and Prevent Lines
Most of your eye regimen has to do with prevention of damage, so sunscreen, antioxidants, and sunglasses are important. In the morning, apply an antioxidant and use a sunscreen on your lower lids and the rest of your face.

• Home Care: GM Contour Cream, Tavoos Instant Firming Eye Gel

30s/40s – Prevention, Protection, and Correction
Delicate eye area needs protection from dehydration, sun damage, and expression lines. Eyes that suffer from long hours and potential lack of sleep need relief from puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines.

• Home Care : GM Bota Peptide Eye Contour Cream, Tavoos Instant Firming Eye Gel, Tavoos Firming Peptide Eye Cream

50s/60s/70s – Correct and Protect
Years of squinting and frowning can bring on the “11’s”, deep furrows between the eyes. Inhibit the action, hydrate and contour to avoid crepeness.

• Home Care : GM Bota Peptide Eye Contour Cream, Tavoos Eye Serum, GMC Phyto Stem Cell Eye Contour Cream

Instant effect For All Ages – Perfect pick-me-up in 20 minutes, for fatigued eyes (reduces fine lines, wrinkles, bags, dark circles) to get them event-ready.

• Home Care: Instant Radiance Eye Patches are a great one-time use treatment

Health + Beauty Tips: Exfoliation

By Marji Soofi

Plastic Micro beads, are commonly used in facial scrubs and other personal care exfoliating products. Micro beads are causing a lot of problems for our environments. Plastic can act as a sponge for chemicals. The experts say these particles can last for decades or centuries in the waterways and can be eaten by fish, turtles, and waterfowl after traveling down the drain and through the waste water treatment process. To date, many of our states have adopted laws to ban micro beads.

At Tavoos we use Himalayan salt, sugar, papaya enzymes and other natural ingredients for our exfoliation.

Why You Should Exfoliate:

Exfoliation helps to remove the dead cells, promoting better penetration of your products and stimulating production of the cells responsible for the healing of the skin (collagen), in a nut shell keep the skin younger looking.

Dry Brushing

By Marji Soofi

What is Dry Brushing?
Cellulite is simply a toxic material that has accumulated and is trapped in the body’s fat cells, unable to be eliminated from the body. Dry skin brushing helps to break down any trapped toxins from within the body and helps the body eliminate them through its usual elimination channels and lymph system.

Who Benefits from Dry Brushing?
Everyone, including those with any autoimmune deficiency(like lupus), poor circulation, flaky thin and dry skin, can benefit from dry brushing.

Lupus can affect multiple organ systems, including the skin, eyes, heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidney, and brain. Therefore, dry brushing will increase your lymphatic drainage and would improve the lupus condition.

Dry brushing is also a powerful exfoliate that can help reduce the appearance of both new and old stretch marks.

What are the Benefits of Dry Brushing?

Dry brushing helps shed dead skin cells (and encourages new cell renewal), which results in smoother and brighter skin. It can also help with any ingrown hairs. Dry brushing assists in improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. Your skin is like a second kidney; dry brushing will eliminate the toxins and give you a healthier body.

Eczema (aka Atopic Dermatitis)

By Marji Soofi

There has been an increase in the number of children and adults who are suffering from Eczema.  The exact cause of Eczema is unknown, but it is a thought that is caused by the immune system’s response to irritants. These irritants cause flare-ups and inflammation in the skin. The common irritants of eczema are diet, genetics, environmental factors, stress, and allergies. Symptoms of eczema include dry, red, itchy skin. It is a chronic condition.

FOODS THAT MAY TRIGGER ECZEMA

• Dairy products, which includes milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt

• Oranges, which have two chemicals, salicylates and amines, that are irritants

• Grapes, including wine, raisins, or any grape products

• MSG, triggers eczema and causes inflammation, found in soy sauce

• Avocado is a good food but high in amines which is an irritant for eczema

• Tomatoes are rich in salicylates and amines and natural MSG all which may cause inflammation

• Broccoli, spinach, and kale, have the same properties as tomatoes, and can be an irritant

• Processed meats, including ham, sausage, and bacon are high in nitrates which is an irritant

• Dried fruits, contain salicylates, amines, MSG, and sulphites, all irritants

You can eat some of the above listed foods but you should limit them. Always check with your doctor.

TREATMENTS

• Clean diet; eat eczema friendly foods, good quality meats, seafood, eczema-friendly greens that are lower in salicylates and these include green beans, iceberg lettuce and celery.

• Drink filtered water since tap water contains chlorine which can be an irritant. Also carrot juice offers numerous benefits to the skin of people suffering from eczema.

• Topical use of high quality Himalayan salt as a coating on the irritated areas, sealed in with a cream. Infrared sauna and the Salt room therapy increases the healing of skin and reduces inflammation.

• Keeping the skin hydrated with unscented moisturizers that helps to increase the lipid barrier will help to reduce irritation. The thinner the skin’s lipid barrier is the more prone to redness, irritation and rashes the skin is.  Niacinamide is a great ingredient that boosts ceramide production (which is like a glue holding the barrier together) and linoleic acid, which improves lipid barrier function. Oils like safflower and sunflower contain linoleic acid.  Antioxidants like vitamin A, C and E, plus green tea extract all help to reduce inflammation.

• Sunscreen is a must, but only mineral based, check our blog on sunscreen.

• Essential fatty acids can be taken as a supplement, which helps to reduce inflammation.

• Be cool, use tepid water to wash your face and avoid taking hot showers, or using hot tubs.

• Keep your stress level down. Stress has been proven to slow down healing of the skin and causes chronic weakening of the skin.

It’s All About Lashes!

By Marji Soofi

Nowadays, fashion is all about the eyes - especially the eyelashes.  Eyelashes are as beautiful as they are functional.  Their main job is to protect the eyes from dust and debris.  Cleopatra used ground lapis lazuli for eye shadow, and black kohl made from powdered sulfide and animal fat to protect her eyes from sunlight.  As time progressed eyelashes have been adorned with mascaras, lash tints, extensions, and eyelash growth serums.

How do serums work?
The eyelash life cycle is about five months, during which it goes through three phases; the growing phase, Anagen, which they are actively growing longer and thicker, the dormant phase, Catagen, and the shedding phase, Telegen, which can last up to nine months.  The best way to encourage eyelash growth is with the use of a daily eyelash serum.  This extends the growth phase as well as increases growth of new lashes. It takes only six weeks for you to start seeing new growth.  Eyelash serums provide a great deal of nourishment to your lashes so they can achieve their full potential.

Common ingredients in eyelash serums are Prostaglandin l, peptides, amino acids like arginine, and biotin.  All of these ingredients have the ability to improve the thickness and growth of your eyelashes.

Regular application of serums is necessary for continuous eyelash growth.  While eyelashes are going through their separate phases they are continuously being stimulated and a break in the use of a serum will affect the untreated eyelashes from growing to their full potential.

A Brief History of Lipstick

By Marji Soofi

Ancient Sumerian men and women were possibly the first to invent and wear lipstick, approximately 5,000 years ago. They crushed gemstones and used them to decorate their faces, mainly on the lips and around the eyes.

From 3000 BC to 1500 BC women in the Old World (Mesopotamia, South Asia, Persia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Ancient Egypt) applied red tint to their lips for beauty. Though Ancient Egyptians wore lipstick to show social status rather than for beauty alone. Egyptians like Cleopatra crushed bugs to create red color for the lips. To achieve a pearlized effect crushed fish scales were added to the mixture.

During the Islamic Golden ages, the 8th – 13th centuries, an Arab physician (Abulcasis) invented solid lipsticks, which were perfumed sticks rolled and pressed into special molds.

Until late 16th century, lip coloring was banned by the Christian church. They thought that lip coloring was connected with the Satanic rituals, and was only reserved for lowest classes of people, such as prostitutes. It was not until the time of Queen Elizabeth, that bright red lips and a stark white face became fashionable. At that time, lipstick was made from a blend of beeswax and red dye from plants. Only upper class women and male actors wore makeup.

However in the 19th century respectable women did not wear cosmetics, and the use of makeup was associated with actors and prostitutes. Around the 1850s there were warnings of the dangers associated with the use of makeup due to the lead and vermilion that was used to make the products.
By the late 19th century, a French cosmetic company Guerlain started manufacturing lipsticks. The first commercial lipstick was invented in 1884, from deer tallow, Castor oil, and beeswax, covered in silk paper. Prior to this lipsticks were made at home.

By the early 20th century fashionable American women accepted lipstick as an important part of their daily and public attire. Famous American actress Sarah Bernhardt begun wearing lipstick in public. During that time, lipstick did not come in tube, but instead a pot and was applied with a brush.
In 1915 the first lipstick that was sold in cylinder metal containers was invented by Maurice Levy. Then in 1923 the cylinder swivel-up tube was patented by James Bruce Mason Jr. in Nashville, Tennessee. This invention made lipstick easy to apply.

By the 1930’s the rise of the photography made lipstick acceptable across Europe and North America. Also around this time Max Factor invented lip gloss lipstick.

The Second World War made lipstick scarce, because several of its essential ingredients were used in the war effort (petroleum and Castor oil). During those years, metal tubes were replaced by plastic and paper.

In the 1950’s American chemist Hazel Bishop created the first long lasting and non-smearing lipstick. At that time actresses Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor popularized dark red lips. Their influence, and new inventions by the companies Gala and Max Factor created new colors and trends.

Rock groups Ronettes and the Shirelles popularized white lipsticks in the 60’s, but the majority of female population preferred darker or more colorful tones. By that time, lipstick and high heels were one of the biggest examples of femininity.

In 1990 another form of lip color, a wax-free, semi-permanent liquid formula, was invented. Lipstick finishes became semi-matte. Shades of brown were very stylish. These shades were inspired by several shows such as “Friends”. In the late 1990s and into the 21st century, pearl shades became very trendy. Lipsticks were no longer matte or semi-matte; they were now shinny, shimmery, and opalescent.

Around 2015 and 2016 liquid lipstick, which applies like a gloss but dries matte, became fashionable with brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills. Its most common form comes in a tube, applied with an applicator wand.

Lipstick also has many variations including lip balms, glosses, crayons, pencils, liners, and stains. Balms and glosses tend to be more translucent and not as dark or vibrant.

Lipstick has had quite a journey from where it began to what we know and use today.

What Do Chemical Peels Do?

By Marji Soofi

Chemical peels are an extremely effective way of achieving healthy skin as well as maintaining it too. The right chemical peel depends on what your goals are for your skin.

What are Different the Types of Peels?

Glycolic, Lactic, Mandelic and Salicylic acid are different types of acids used in peels.  Sometimes a combination of acids are used to achieve a desired result.  These peels will help to clear out pores, brighten the skin, improve the texture of the skin, and in cases of excess hair growth reduces ingrown hairs.

How Does a Peel Work?          

A peel dissolves the material in your skin that adheres the layers together.  This breaks down the bonds of the outer layer of your skin resulting exfoliation of the top layers and stimulating brand new healthy cell growth.  Peels are sometimes temporarily uncomfortable, but this discomfort is short-lived and will quickly subside when the peel is removed.

What are the Benefits of Peels?
Facial peels can fade acne scaring, improve large pores, diminish sun damage and sun spots, reduce fine lines, wrinkles, crows feet, blemishes, and uneven skin tone, resulting in healthy, glowing, and vibrant new skin.  For the best results multiple facial peels are suggested.

What Should Be Avoided Post-Peel?
 
There should be no hair removal 5 days or even longer post treatment depending on the skin, this includes waxing, threading, and electrolysis.  Limit exposure to the sun and avoid tanning beds. Do not pick any dry areas.  Discontinue using products with acids and retinol, and consult with your skin therapist as when to restart use.

To choose the most appropriate peeling agent, your skin therapist will assess your skin and choose the correct formula, (or protocol), for your skin.  Taking these factors into consideration, we can design a program for you that will meet your skin health goals and leave you with youthful looking skin for years to come.

What is Rosacea?

By Marji Soofi

Men and women both suffer from this skin condition. Usually people with Rosacea have reddish tone to their skin with some breakouts. It looks like acne but it is not.

SYMPTOMS OF ROSACEA

• Redness and inflamed skin

• Broken blood vessels

• Burning and stinging of the skin

• Dry and scaly skin

• Sensitivity

• Acne breakouts and oily skin

• Large pores and thickening of the skin on noseband and chin

CAUSES OF ROSACEA

• Inflammation – Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition, which often is mistaken for acne, skin allergy or eczema. It is more common on fair skin.

• Dilated blood vessels – As we age the constant inflammation causes the blood vessels to lose their elasticity. Because of this weakening condition the skin has a permanent redness in appearance.

• Demdex mites – These are Microscopic organisms, mites, that are near the hair follicles which carry bacteria that irritates the skin. People with Rosacea carry a higher quantity of these mites, which reduces the skins natural immune response.

• Genetics or hereditary

WHAT TRIGGERS ROSACEA

• Alcoholic beverages

• Spicy foods

• Intestinal bacteria

• Extreme temperatures

HOW TO CONTROL ROSACEA

Rosacea cannot be cured, but it can be controlled by the following home and professional treatments:

• Using a specific skin care routine with gentle cleansers, toners, exfoliating agents, and moisturizers that are all targeting Rosacea conditions

• Avoiding direct sun and using antioxidants and sunscreen

• Avoiding alcoholic drinks and spicy food

• Microdermabrasion treatment to reduce thickening of the skin

• Laser and light therapy treatments

• In severe cases taking medicine and antibiotics targeting Rosacea

• Taking probiotics to control intestinal bacteria

Professional treatments and facials that are designed for Rosacea are very important and are crucial for a facial-redness remedy to not only repair damage, but to help rebuild healthy skin.

Facial Cleansing Routine: What + How

By Marji Soofi

Cleansers vs. Soaps
I believe it is harmful to clean your face with a bar soap even with one called “moisturizing,” it will still be drying and it will affect your skin’s PH negatively.  Today’s cleansers can dissolve makeup without irritation.  You have many choices of cleansers; creams, milks, foams, and liquids that can dissolve makeup without irritating your eyes.

Water Temperature
You should use medium warm water to begin with when washing your face, and finish with medium cool water.

When and How Long
Most ladies do not take enough time to clean their faces.  First remove all eye makeup before cleansing your face.  You do not want to spread your mascara and eye shadows all over your face.  Then clean your face with the appropriate cleanser for your skin type for two minutes at night.  In the mornings a quick wash is sufficient.
Gentlemen, you should clean your face with an appropriate cleanser for your skin type for one minute at night, and a quick wash in the mornings.

Tools or No Tools
If you wear a lot of makeup, layer on sunscreen, live in a highly polluted city or sweat often, using just your fingers might not be enough to cleanse your skin thoroughly.  Gentle scrubs or oscillating cleansing brushes with soft nylon bristles and sonic vibrations are an option.  Use your choice of exfoliating method several times a week, but make sure you do not use too much pressure.

Toners or No Toners
Toners are an important part of cleansing.  You should choose an appropriate toner for your skin type.  The purpose of a toner is to remove any remaining make up, oil, dirt and debris from your skin after cleansing.  A toner will help to calm and hydrate the skin, allowing your products to penetrate better, and therefore helps to reduce the amount of products you use.

How to Treat Sunburns

By Marji Soofi

A sunburn is reddening of the skin that occurs after you are exposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light. Wearing broad spectrum sun screen of SPF 15 or higher, wearing a hat and protective clothing and avoiding the sun when its rays are at the strongest between 10am and 4pm are ways to help prevent sunburn.

There are times that with all the precautions you take you seem to still get a sunburn. Multiple sunburns increases your risk of melanoma. Here are some tips to help relieve the discomfort of sunburn.

1. When you feel slight discomfort in the sun GET OUT of the sun. Allow your body to cool down.

2. Take a cool shower and  do not use soap during your shower, or go for a quick dip in the pool.

3. Make a body mask from aloe gel and cultured yogurt , apply to your body wait 10-15 minutes, then rinse off in a cool shower.

4. Increase your intake of antioxidants (all types of berries), fluids (water), and fruits like watermelon and melons.

5. Take anti-inflammatory medicine like aspirin, ibuprofen (Check with your doctor).

6. Moisturize your body with soothing, post sun lotions. Avoid petroleum jelly (Vaseline), or other oil-based products. These can block pores so that heat and sweat cannot escape, which can lead to infection. DO NOT pick at or peel away the top part of the blisters.

7. Do NOT wear tight clothing , wear  loose outfits made from natural fibers (cotton) is best.

Combating Acne

By Marji Soofi

With the summer heat and temperatures rising, you need to take special care of your skin to keep it healthy.  To combat the increased oil production in the skin, I suggest these few tips:

1. Use a good facial cleanser, do not use soaps. Check our FaceBook page for the pH tests on cleansers.  Facial cleansers should have a pH between 5-6, not too acidic and not too alkaline. Tavoos Cleanser has a pH of 5.5, perfect for your skin.

2. Get a Facial. This will help to clean over active oil glands.

3. Do not do home remedies that are not suitable for your skin just because your friend saw it on Youtube.  We can consult with you and recommend a skin care regimen.

4. Mask regularly one or more times a week.  We can recommend the correct masks for your skin type for home treatments.

5. Use the correct antioxidant.  Antioxidants enhance the skin’s protection against environmental damage caused by free radicals and provide visible anti-aging benefits.  Vitamin C helps in diminishing the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and uneven skin tone.  Vitamin E protects and defends the skin from outside elements and pollutants that can have a negative effect.

6. Use sunscreen.  I only like and recommend mineral sunscreen (please refer to our blog on our website about sunscreen).  It helps not only to protect your skin against photo damage, it also helps your skin to heal from within because it is not fighting the outside elements.

7. Be selective in your makeup. Try powders over cream foundations during the summertime.

Is It Time To Replace Your Products?

By Marji Soofi

Would you eat produce that has perished, I am pretty sure you would not. This train of thought should apply to your skin care and makeup as well. We all pay attention to expiration dates on food and medications, but how often do you consider the freshness of the cosmetic products you use regularly? Expired products can cause unwanted reactions such as allergies, acne, dry skin, skin infection, bumpiness, and spots. Almost all skin products have a distinct shelf life. This may vary on the products ingredients. Organic products tend to expire at a quicker rate as they usually do not contain preservatives.

Be aware of the following factors when checking your products:

Odor. When a product is new it should smell fresh and inviting. Manufacturers may add fragrances to maintain the original scent, but when a product is old you definitely can notice a difference in the scent. The product may smell bad or rancid because it has become oxidized.

Texture. Products should have a consistent feel. When the components of a product separate the texture does not have a pleasant feel. It may become gritty, dry, brittle, or oily.

Bacteria. Preservatives are used to protect the products from spoiling but even so bacterial build up can happen especially in expired products.

Color. A Slight change of color is not unusual, but if there is an immense change for example, a soft white to a deep orange, it may be time to throw this product out.

Consistency. Chemical changes in products affect its contingency and its potency. For example, sunscreens that are old will not have the SPF protection that they should have.

Appearance. Changes in texture, separation of oil and water, dried out, changes in consistency, and color, indicate the product has gone bad.

The Best way to store and use products
Contrary to popular belief, bathrooms are not the best place to store your products. Ideally products should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. The bottles and jar lids should be firmly shut to help reduce oxidation. Always wash hands before dipping into jars. Pumps are an easy way to dispenses lotions and creams and act as a barrier against bacterial growth.

Expiration Guidelines
Products tend to have expiration dates on the containers but did you know they also tend to have a symbol that indicates the lifetime of the product once it has been opened. The period-after-opening symbol or PAO symbol is a graphic symbol that identifies the useful lifetime of a cosmetic product after its package has been opened for the first time. It depicts an open cosmetics pot and is used together with a written number of months or years.

Acne creams should be used within three to four months from first being opened. Products containing glycolic, retinol, antioxidants like vitamin C and E, or anything labeled anti-aging, should be discarded after six months. If products are used correctly and routinely you should have finish it within six months. Don’t try to make your products go further by using too little, it will just go bad anyway, so why not get the benefits while it is fresh. Sunscreen, moisturizer, and eye cream should be discarded after one year. Sunscreen should have an expiration date, but if you can’t find it, don’t use it.

Common Product Life Expectancies

• Facial masks: 12-18 months

• Mascara, liquid gel eyeliners: 3 months

• Lipsticks, lip liners, lip gloss, cream: shadows, blushes, bronzers, concealers: 12-18 months

• Powder shadows, face powder, bronzers, blushes: 2 years

• Cream compacts, foundations: 12-18 months

Mark your products when you open them so you can have an idea when to replace it!

All About Antioxidants

By Marji Soofi

Which Antioxidant is Best?
We’re are often asked what are the best antioxidants for skin. Here is a list from our skin experts:

Vitamin E
Vitamin E (often listed as tocopherol or tocotrienols) is one of the most well-known antioxidants. This fat-soluble vitamin is available in both natural and synthetic forms. Research shows that both forms provide significant antioxidant benefits to skin, but the natural forms are more potent and last longer in skin than their synthetic counterparts.

What it does:
Vitamin E works in several ways to protect and defend skin from outside elements that can have a profound negative impact on skin. Vitamin E is often found in sunscreens because of its supporting role in helping defend skin from the stress caused by UV light exposure.

Vitamin E also works in powerful synergy with vitamin C, so a serum or anti-aging product that contains both vitamin C and vitamin E can be doubly beneficial. Look for Vitamin E in serums and moisturizers.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C (listed as ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and various other names) is a potent antioxidant that’s particularly effective in diminishing the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and uneven skin tone. This well-researched water-soluble vitamin is considered an anti-aging superstar for all skin types.

What it does:
When applied topically, vitamin C has been proven to preserve skin’s resilience so it takes on a firmer feeling and smoother appearance. Research shows that vitamin C also helps improve an uneven skin tone and brighten dull skin so it’s visibly more radiant, just like younger skin.

Like most antioxidants, vitamin C also can calm and help hydrate skin so it’s better able to withstand the rigors of daily life and the environment’s impact on how skin looks and feels.

Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a potent polyphenolic antioxidant that’s found in red grapes, red wine, nuts, and fruits such as blueberries and cranberries. It’s relatively new on the market, but emerging research is showing that resveratrol is another antioxidant superhero for your skin.

What it does:
Applied topically, resveratrol helps protect skin’s surface, interrupts and helps rebuff negative environmental influences, and brightens a tired-looking complexion. It also has significant skin-calming properties that may help minimize the look of redness. Look for resveratrol in moisturizers and eye creams.

Retinol
Retinol (the technical term for vitamin A) has a long-established reputation as one of the most extraordinary ingredients for skin. It’s both a skin-restoring ingredient and an antioxidant, and provides multiple benefits for almost every skin care concern imaginable, from uneven skin tone, bumps, enlarged pores, rough surface texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and improving skin luminosity.

What it does:
Retinol has been shown to improve skin’s resilience, which contributes to its overall feeling of firmness and more youthful, healthy appearance. Due to its anti-aging ability, retinol is a key ingredient to look for if you want to minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and uneven skin tone.

As an added benefit, retinol also has been shown to unclog congested pores and soften the appearance of the red areas that many people perceive as surface imperfections.

Green Tea
Green tea is a potent antioxidant when applied topically. A significant amount of research has established that tea—green, black, or white—has many intriguing anti-aging benefits. The key compound in green tea that provides its antioxidant kick is epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG).

What it does:
Current research indicates that EGCG extract, applied topically, can help defend skin’s surface from the environmental factors that have the most pronounced negative effects on skin. Green tea also has a distinct calming effect, making it a great ingredient to visibly soothe red areas. Look for green tea in moisturizers.

Antioxidants Perform Even Better Together
When it comes to your skin and antioxidants, remember the old adage: “There’s strength in numbers.” When the top-notch antioxidants detailed above are combined to work together, and reinforced with daily use of sunscreen with antioxidants and other skin-beneficial ingredients, the visible results can be remarkable!

One thing to keep in mind is that antioxidants break down when exposed to light and air, so it’s important to make sure the products you buy are packaged in opaque and airtight or air-restrictive containers. That means no jar packaging, otherwise these vital, but unstable, ingredients will begin to lose their effectiveness once you open the container.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 90% of visible aging is caused by sun and pollution. Take the initiative to defend your skin from harmful environmental damage with our protection and prevention products. The C E Freulic acid at Tavoos helps prevent environmental damage by replenishing your natural, free radical fighting antioxidants. This boost of antioxidants helps to diminish wrinkles, improve elasticity, and improve skin firmness. Our selection of sunblocks protect your face with broad spectrum coverage.

Internally boost your free radical fighters by eating fresh fruits and berries while they are in season. These foods are packed with antioxidants that neutralize UV and pollution induced free radicals.