Source: OK! Magazine
September 1 2008
Issue #35
By Loni Albert

10 SKIN CARE TIPS TO TRY NOW!

6 SCRUB IT SMOOTH

“Exfoliating is the most important step in your skin-care regimen. It’s like giving yourself a mini facial every time. It gets rid of the dead skin cells and surface dirt that your regular cleanser may leave behind. I recommend exfoliating every two days - just make sure you buy the appropriate scrub for your skin type.” - Joanna Vargas, celebrity esthetician

Others who gave tips include: Dr. Howard Murad, dermatologist and founder of Murad Skin Care; Christine Chin, celebrity facialist, Kate Somerville, celebrity facialist, Dr. Steven Pearlman, NYC facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Jody Levine, co-founder of Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC; Olga Lorencin-Northrup, founder of Kinara Facial Clinic, Melanye Morris, head esthetician, Darphin trainer, Dr. David Bank, Mt. Kisco, NY

Source: OK! Magazine
September 1 2008
Issue #35
By Loni Albert

Joanna Vargas is in good company with the likes of Dr. Murad, Kate Summerville, Christine Chin, in a recent issue of OK! magazine. She and others give some easy yet brilliant tips and tricks for achieving and keeping a perfect complexion. See what the Hollywood elite are doing and what skin care products they are using. You can find all ten tips on pages 54 and 55 of the September 1, 2008 issue of OK! magazine. See what Joanna says by clicking on the link above.

At age 37, I still have random people I meet tell me that I look 10 years younger. I attribute this to having good genes, but mostly to the super amazing Joanna Vargas who I have been seeing religiously for the last 7 years.

Nathalie Salame
Mother

Joanna’s treatments are miraculous! My skin has never looked or felt better- even in the pollution of NYC! The wrinkles and sags seem to go into hiding (dare I say disappear?!) after Joanna has done her usual amazing job!!!

Ricki Helfer
Financial Consultant

Joanna is amazing! My skin would be lost without her facials. I also love all the products that I use, recommended by Joanna.

Carey Parsons
Clothing Wholesaler/Owner of The High Street

Skin care and facials are still considered by some as an indulgence, or a form of relaxation. And this is due in large part to the positioning communicated by marketing techniques. Although the pampering experience and relaxing atmosphere are part of any elite skin care salon or spa, the fact remains that skin care has never been mentioned as a vital part of healthy, beautiful skin. The benefits of skin care have been overshadowed by the hyperbole of the marketing machine. To fully understand the need for skin care we must examine the purpose of the skin and its many functions.

The skin is part of a complex system of organs called the Integumentary System. It is an organ system that protects the body from damage. This system is comprised of skin, hair, nails, sweat glands and their products (sweat and mucus). You can consider that nails and hair are a modified type of skin.

Skin is the largest organ in the body and is essential as it forms a barrier that prevents harmful substances and microorganisms from entering the body. It protects body tissues against injury. It also excretes waste, prevents the loss of life-sustaining fluids like blood and water, helps regulate body temperature through perspiration, and protects us from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.

Proper skin care is therefore vital as unclean skin favors the development of pathogenic organisms – any organism that can cause disease. The proper care of the skin will remove dead cells that continually build up on the epidermis. Mixed with sweat, sebum and grime they form a filthy layer on its surface.

This in turn interrups the function of the skin to regenerate and heal itself, thus making it more possible to become easily damaged and prone to breakouts or infections. And if you are using cosmetics to cover up the situation, then you are only aggravating the skin condition further.

One way to achieve healthy skin is by getting a facial every four to six weeks as skin regenerates itself every 28 to 30 days. This will help remove the surface impurities and expose fresh new skin. Also you can do a full body scrub or full body microdermabrasion. This is highly beneficial as the skin’s healing mechanism is triggered by this action. Helping to repair sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles and your skin will become more supple.

I always do microdermabrasion with every facial and always have clients do a full body microdermabrasion every few months. All our treatments are non-invasive and use only the best organic skin care products that nourish and nurture the skin back to full vitality.

Healthy radiant skin is beautiful and sexy. You deserve it! Beautiful sexy skin builds confidence and there is no better accessory than confidence.

Green skin care products has been an evolution that has progressed exponentially over the past few decades. It started with pioneering farmers that wanted to protect the earth and keep it free of petroleum-based pesticides, thus keeping the environment balanced naturally and able to heal itself.

Today, organic skin care products are mainstream and a way of life for millions of people worldwide, blossoming into big business. Each year the number of organic skin care products grows thus providing a healthier choice for those consumers which do not want a chemically-based and potentially hazardous skin care or personal care products.

Many of us are making the decision to pursue a green lifestyle in whatever small ways we can. This means watching both what we put in our bodies and what we put on them as well. The fact is that organic skin care eliminates the many synthetic chemicals that would otherwise be absorbed by our skin and into our bodies.

Research shows that these synthetic chemicals found in personal care products can be toxic. Furthermore, as your skin and body absorb these potentially harmful ingredients the body defense systems become taxed as the liver, overwhelmed by these many ingredients becomes unable to process them and detoxify your body.

This process breaks down the cells many functions and ultimately, the loss will manifest itself in the skin. Depending on the lifestyle of the individual this can manifest rapidly or slowly but it will manifest. Premature aging or loss of youthful skin will be translated into wrinkles, lost elasticity and firmness of the skin.

All this can be prevented by using organic skin care products that nurture your skin and provide the needed nutrients that will restore life. Radiant skin can be yours and you can start by using organic skin care products!

One of the best things that you can do at home in order to keep your skin clear and beautiful is: NEVER GO TO SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON. This basically clogs your pores and slows down your skin’s natural regeneration process. Think of it as a preventative measure and insurance against the factors that will cause you to age prematurely.

Your skin goes through the same process that your body does when you sleep. It repairs and restores itself from the wear and tear of the day. Night time is so crucial for cell regeneration and if you leave makeup on, not only will you ruin your pillow case but also your beautiful skin.

The other more immediate cause of not removing your makeup is that your skin could breakout- something easily prevented by washing your face at night time. The fact is that most makeup contains harmful chemicals that are known carcinogens and studies show that your skin will absorb the many chemicals contained in them. They cause the skin to become irritated and dry immediately, but in the long run they cause aging from within.

Using a night time cleanser is an easy step that is often overlooked by many people, but if you start now you might avert any signs of aging for years to come. Washing your face at night before bed is a fundamental step to clear and beautiful skin. DON’T NEGLECT IT.

My recommendation when choosing a cleanser is simple. First, you should always use an organic facial cleanser that you can use everyday to remove surface dirt and grime. This will prepare your skin for moisturizer which contains needed nutrients that your skin needs in order to repair itself. Obviously, your moisturizer should also be organic so your skin can properly absorb all the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to function at optimum. The result? Radiant, beautiful skin.

It is never too late to start a skin care regime that will make your skin look healthy and glowing! You will love yourself for it!

Not all facials are created equal and deciding what type of facial you need might be a daunting task. Especially when there are a multitude of facials found in todays spas and skin care salons. Knowing the basic purpose of a facial will help you in deciding what kind is best for you and what you can expect.

Regardless of the many names spas give facials, in my estimation there are only two types: they are anti-aging facials and deep cleansing facials. Both use a variety of techniques and products to either rejuvenate or to give you clean and clear skin. And each can be customized for the specific skin type by using the proper combination of skin care products.

When clients come to Joanna Vargas Skin Care, most want a luxurious and pampering experience and indeed, that is what they get. However, there is an underlying practical philosophy that I impart and it is my operating basis for skincare. And that is, that a facial should be done as part of a regular skincare regime and used as a means to prevent and protect the skin from the factors which cause skin to age prematurely.

That does not mean that a facial should feel like work or be painful. A well crafted facial will be something that you look forward to and not something that you avoid because of painful extractions, harsh skin care products or techniques that leave your skin red or irritated. After a facial your skin should be clear and glowing not red or irritated.

Surely you can get facials to handle a specific skincare problem or to even pamper yourself, but its main function for me is that it should be a preventative measure against aging. That is why I craft each part of the facial to give results and the sum of its parts give an overall improvement to your skin that is undeniable.

All facials regardless of their fancy names have a basic purpose and that is to cleanse and purify your face. And that is done by exfoliation, or the removal of the top layer of dead skin and deep pore cleansing. Both essentially act as a means of detoxifying the skin. The end of that process, if expertly done, reveals fresh and glowing new skin.

This simple action alone can handle a variety of skin issues and restore the health of your skin dramatically. The reason? Exfoliation triggers the skin’s natural healing ability by the production of collagen and elastin, two vital proteins that firm and give the skin elasticity, restoring it to a more youthful complexion.

These two essential steps of exfoliation and deep pore cleansing are the cornerstone of most facials as they prepare and allow the skin to more readily absorb the needed skin care products for a more radiant and youthful appearance. I prefer to use organic skincare products for this reason as the skin absorbs a more natural ingredient and they act as a nutritional source for the skin. Chemically base products might irritate the skin or in the long run cause the damage that they were meant to “prevent”.

Our bodies tend to shed the skin every 28 to 30 days. And by properly exfoliating at home or during a facial we help the body get rid of the extra skin that usually clog pores and can cause the skin to become dull and lifeless. Also, oil can get trapped beneath the skin and cause breakouts causing a more complex problem.

The solution to beautiful and clear skin is a skincare regime that includes facials at least once every four to six weeks and a maintenance plan at home that includes: washing your face every night that help remove surface dirt and impurities, using a proper hydrating night cream, to help regenerate and repair the skin, and exfoliating at least once a week if not twice.

I had scars that I thought would never go away. But with Joanna’s LED light treatment, they are virtually all gone. It’s been amazing!

Rebecca Minkoff
Designer