Macadamia Oil

Although I have been attending skin care trade shows for the past 3 decades, every time I go, I come home with new information, new insights and sometimes a great new product. This year my biggest "ah-ha" was macadamia nut oil - direct information from the farmers.  Macadamia nut oil is the closest in composition to human sebum.  This means it is easily absorbed into the skin and its components become bio-available to the skin. The first thing I noticed when they "demoed" it on my hand and arm was that afterwards there was no greasy feeling that I would have expected from a product with significant oil content.  The skin felt super soft and had almost a glow to it. While it wasn't greasy or sticky, it felt well, moist.  I walked around and tested other products but nothing came even close to the feeling I had gotten from this lotion. I went back and purchased some to test it out.  Hours later, I noticed my skin still had that nice, soft, moist feeling. Pretty amazing.  So following their suggestion for improving the skin, I applied it before bed. In the morning, my skin was still moist.  Nice surprise.  I continued to use it twice daily. In about 3 days, I noticed my tear drop psoriasis was fading away and my normally quite dry legs were staying soft and smooth feeling all day long.  Time for some internet research.

Almost 90% of macadamia oil is made up of 3 fatty acids; oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acid that moisturizes the skin and acts as an anti-inflammatory. It helps skin cells regenerate quickly, keeping skin smooth and supple. Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated, omega-7 fatty acid that helps to prevent burns, wounds and skin scratches. It is the most active anti-microbial in human sebum and is surpassed only by palmitic acid as the main fatty acid in sebum. Palmitic acid is a saturated fatty acid that helps maintain the skin’s healthy barrier function, by forming an occlusive layer on the surface.

Skin's sebum consists of a number of complex lipids, such as, triglycerides, wax esters, and squalene. As we age, the production of sebum changes in both quantity and in composition. In early adolescence, our sebum production increases until we are in our 20’s and 30’s, where it begins to decline. The amount produced varies between males and females, with females experiencing a more noticeable decline around the age of 40. (No wonder we get dry skin when we go through menopause. The composition of our sebum also changes with age. The two main fatty acids of human skin sebum are palmitic acid (22.5%) and palmitoleic acid (21.8%). The level of palmitic acid in sebum remains fairly constant throughout our lives. However, the production of palmitoleic acid starts to decline once we are in our 20’s.   My research indicated it is not comedogenic.

While all the scientific information seems good, it gets even better when you talk to people who have been using it a while. It is particularly helpful to maturing skin.  Its composition lets it soak in more deeply than other oils so the skin becomes better hydrated and skin seems to "recognize" the components and make use of them.  As a skin care professional I use a lot of wonderful serums and products on my face, but I have never found a body product I could stick with - until now.  I have only been using it less than 3 weeks, but my skin is softer, smoother, firmer with no hint of the former dry flakiness. Feel free to do your own test. Buy a bottle and try it twice a day for at least a month (how long it takes for the skin to completely turn over) and send me a message with your results.  You can find it on our website at http://www.estheticsnw.com/jindilli-delight-in-your-skin/ or pick up a bottle the next time you visit me at the clinic.

Permanent Eyeliner Styles and Tips

Permanent eyeliner is the process of implanting pigment into the skin.  It is a form of tattooing. While it is permanent, it does require the color be refreshed periodically.  Frequency of re-enhancements depends on the technician’s skill with their device, but also it depends a lot on the client.  Certain medications and/or medical conditions seem to cause more color loss or quicker fade.  The more medications the client is taking the odds are the color won’t hold quiet as long before needing refreshed.  I typically see my clients every 2-5 years.  The eye is a sensitive area but because of the thinness of the skin, the area responds very well to

During an initial consultation always wear your eyeliner so your technician can see what your style and goals are.  Very wide eyeliner, tails and wings are a bad idea with cosmetic tattooing because the tattoo does not age well.  And what looks good on us in our 30’s or 40’s may not look so good in our 60’s, 70’s or 80’s.  Why?  Because when we apply cosmetics topically we automatically make adjustments as our face changes with time.  The tattoo in the skin can’t do this.  So we need to take a more classical approach and add the fashion look with cosmetics when it is appropriate.

People who are sporty naturals and don’t want a “made up” look, love lash enhancement.  With lash enhancement tiny dots of pigment are placed in between the lashes. The healed result is the appearance of thicker lashes.  This works well for both women and men.  I have found it works best for clients who have darker lashes.  For those with blond lashes, the dots don’t blend in as well.  For those with blond eyelashes, go for a very thin line. Anyone can wear a thin natural look eyeliner.

A classical eyeliner starts with a natural eyeliner but then widens it out a bit. For safety reasons, eyeliner should not go closer to the tear duct than the last eyelash, nor should it extend beyond the last eyelash at the outer corner.  The structure of the skin changes at that point and there is a high risk of migration which is not correctable. If you want it to extend farther or you like to have the outer corner upper connect to the outer corner lower, this is better done with makeup.  Classical eyeliner can be applied either narrower on the inner corner and wider as it moves to the outer corner or in a dome where the widest part is directly over the iris.

If you like a slightly more smudgy look, this can be achieved with a halo color.  A halo color is an additional line placed just above the upper eyeliner. It is designed to disperse more and give a soft halo to the eyeliner.  Halo colors are lighter and softer than the black or off-black eyeliner colors. Most pigment manufacturers have moved away from the dated green, violet and navy eyeliners, opting instead to recommend dark brown, brown black or black.  While I used to do dark brown or brown black, I now avoid this whenever possible.  Browns are a much weaker color and fade faster. Black goes into the skin better and stays much longer.  For clients that feel black is too harsh for them, a deep moss or charcoal color is a good alternative.

Many ophthalmologists recommend permanent eyeliner for their clients who have a lot of allergies or sensitive eyes. Its also great for people who have lost their close up vision or struggle with dexterity.  Permanent makeup does not smear, smudge, or bother your contact lenses. It stays on right through whatever your busy lifestyle may encounter.  To help it last the longest, wear dark glasses when you are exposed to UV light.