Archive for April, 2012

Time To Get To Scrubbing

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Spring skin prepAs the temperatures go up the clothes come off, well the winter ones at least

While you may be ready to take on the shorts and sandals, chances are your skin might not be so ready to bare it all! And if you are planning to add some color (self-tanner only!) it’s more important than ever to get a good scrub on.

There a only a few things worse for your skin than winter. Low humidity in conjunction with hot air, heat and less fresh air can leave your skin looking dry, rough, scaly and even wrinkled and older. Knees, elbows and heels can also suffer from prolonged use of winter boots.

Prep for hair removal & some self-tanner - Many women pay a lot less attention to body hair accrual during the winter months so you may be facing a major de-fuzzing. One of the best ways to prep your skin is a full-body exfoliating scrub before you start hacking away. In need of an all-natural scrub? Scandle has got the goods - our Dead Sea Salt Soak & Scrub is back and you can get it in any one of our Scandle-ous fragrances.

A good scrub also rids the skin of flaky dead cells, which when a self tanner hits can cause the infamous yellow/orange streaks. The best way to ensure a great sel-tanner application, is an all over body scrub.

If you’ve got the DIY gene then try your own scrub! Here’s a little help:

Brown sugar/olive oil/ginger body scrub

Mix 2 cups of brown sugar with 1 cup of olive oil and add a small amount of ground ginger. Mix well until the mixture forms a paste. Using circular motions, rub your entire body, paying special attention to elbows, heels, and knees. Rinse with an all natural body wash and wet washcloth and towel dry.

What are some other ways to get in your best skin shape?

Before you slather on the sunscreen, read this!

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Warmer weather, who could ask for more? Around here we love the heat, well maybe just spring time, it is Texas after all! While you should ALWAYS use sunscreen throughout the year, the spring is when we really start to notice the need for all over coverage.

The FDA’s new sunscreen guidelines go a long way toward making sunscreen labeling clearer. But there’s still a lot to know before your hit those drug store shelves. Here’s what to look for when shopping for sun protection:

  • Opt for creams. I know the sprays are so much more convenient but they can release tiny particles of sunscreen that may not be safe to inhale.
  • Avoid the chemical ozybenzone. This common sunscreen ingredient is a synthetic estrogen. Some research has shown that it can penetrate the skin and contaminate the body.
  • No matter the SPF level, you must reapply! Just because it is SPF 95, doesn’t mean it’s protecting you 95% of the time. Anything between 15-50 works just fine. But pick a product and reapply often.

A digital perm for a digital world

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

That’s right, I just mentioned perms. For those young-ins out there here is a history lesson: a permanent wave involves the use of chemicals to break and reform the bonds of the hair. The hair is washed and wrapped on a perm rod and waving lotion is applied with a base. A perm is what made the 80s all about big, curly hair and I might have gotten one in the 90s

A much less common hair treatment in the 2000s, the traditional perm uses chemicals and rollers to make straight hair curly. Well, in keeping with the technological times, there is a new form for the 21st century - the digital perm. Looks a bit futuristic to me!

A digital perm is a perm which uses hot rods with the temperature regulated by a machine, which has a digital display, hence the name. However, there aren’t too many difference between the two, except for the shape and texture of the wave.

A normal perm, or a “cold perm”, makes the wave most prominent when the hair is wet, and loose when it is dry.

A digital perm makes the wave most prominent when the hair is dry, and loose when it is wet. The digital requires heat, so it is also called a “hot perm” in comparison to the “cold perm”. Because of this heat, perms created digitally are often softer, smoother and shinier than the original perm. FYI - it costs a lot more than it’s original counterpart.

No surprise here - they are extremely popular oversees, particularly in South Korea and Japan. So when this trend hops over to the US, will you be lining up to get a digital permanent?

Kiss those red bumps bye bye & get bikini ready!

Monday, April 2nd, 2012

Razor burn, bumps and ingrown hairs, oh my! Now that the warmer weather has begun it’s time to shed some layers. And while you don’t have to admit to it, ladies, it’s time to start shaving above the knee again

With the emergence of shorter skirts, flip flops and summer dresses, it’s time to prep your winter skin for hair removal. Razor burn, bumps and ingrown hairs are all common skin reactions from shaving. But what causes these gross skin issues and how can you prevent them?

Razor burn - the general skin redness, abrasion and irritation that result from shaving. Nicks and cuts caused by shaving are also categorized as razor burn. One of the most common causes - too much pressure when shaving. Other common causes - lack of sufficient skin lubrication and shaving against the direction of hair growth. In men, after-shaves and colognes can cause drying and irritation, causing the appearance of razor burn.

Ingrown hairs - these guys form when “sharpened” hairs curl back and re-enter the same hair follicle. This causes your body to react to the ingrown as a foreign body. It attacks the foreign body causing inflammation, itching and even infection.

Razor bumps - very similar to ingrown hairs, bumps are small tender pimples which appear on the skin surface after shaving. These bumps occur when closely cut hairs grow out and pierce back into the skin at a neighboring hair follicle. Again the body attacks these hairs as foreign and tries everything it can to eliminate it, causing the bumps, redness and irritation.

Now that you know what you are dealing with, how about preventing it? Well, Scandle’s got your back (and legs, bikini line, and anything else that needs some prep)!

Scandle’s new ECO-Shave and Shower Foam is here! Designed for both men & women of all skin-types, this dual purpose, plant derived shave foam doubles as a eco-friendly body wash! The softly scented foam acts as “first-aid” to skin and razor blades virtually eliminating:

* Ingrown hairs

* Red Bumps

* Razor Burn

* Nicks & Cuts

* …And Dull Blades