A French Touch Salon

The finest in Parisian skin care on the central coast.

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Sothys Anti-Aging: Grade 1

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

eye02This week I wanted to talk about one of the most comprehensive anti-age skin care systems luxury has to offer: Sothys’ Grade Serum and Cream system.  Each of the four grade duos in the system is designed to specifically target your skin’s visible signs of age, whether you are battling the first wrinkles or deeper lines and delicate skin.  

The secret ingredient to the Grade Serums is the H2CR Complex (Cell Health Restoration Complex), which combines Plant Messenger Peptides and Powerful Natural Antioxidants to improve cell communication and protection; this means that your cells will be stronger, firmer, and better able to retain their shape and moisture, leaving you with radiant, revitalized skin.  The Grade Creams, which are designed to work with their respective serums, combine tetrapeptide with various natural plant extracts to target similar problem areas, especially the various stages of lines and wrinkles.

So for today, let’s start at the beginning, with the Grade One Duo.  This stage of Sothys’ anti-aging line is perfect for someone who is just starting to notice the beginning signs of wrinkle formation (fine lines around the eyes, mouth, or on the forehead), or for someone who simply wants to fortify their skin to fight early visible signs of aging.  Grade One is the mildest of the four stages, meaning that it will pack just the right amount of anti-aging power for all of you 30-somethings out there, to keep your skin looking healthy and radiant.

The Grade One Serum combines the H2CR Complex with Ribose (sugar) molecules fromgrade1creamgrade1serum wheat, which restores cellular energy while the H2CR works to revitalize the skin’s appearence and fight early signs of wrinkles and expression lines.  The second half of our wrinkle-fighting duo, Grade One Cream, which includes Candle Brush extract (an anti-free radical!), Di-peptides, and Oat Extract to protect and strengthen cells, relax facial muscles, and work with its serum counterpart to prevent the formation of wrinkles and expression lines.

Stay tuned for details on Grades Two, Three, and Four this week to see which grade is the right fit for you and your skin, and learn about how Sothys can help you turn back time and melt away the years!  Of course, if you simply can’t wait, give us a call or book an appointment online for a Skin Care Consultation and talk to Patricia about Sothys’ Anti-Aging Grade System.

Alors, à bientôt!

Bisous,

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Ultimate Peel Package: Radiance at Home

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

October has come to a close, and we’re slipping a little deeper into fall each day (who else is loving the change in weather?  All of my boots and sweaters are finally getting their share of fresh air!), and I’m here to help you welcome in November with a few new specials at A French Touch!

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If you’re regretting the fact that you’ve missed out on last month’s awesome Peel specials, or if your last peel series ended far too
quickly, do not despair; a pre-holiday gift from your friends at A French Touch and Jan Marini has come, bearing gifts for refreshing, youthful skin!

Alors, je voudrais vous présenter—I am pleased to present to you—a new twist on the Ultimate Peel Package that incorporates more home care!  This month, we’d like to continue the emphasis on the fabulous benefits that peels provide for your skin—clearing away the dull-looking top layer of debris, revitalizing your skin’s natural glow and beauty, and treating acne, acne scars, hyper-pigmentation, photo-damage, lines, wrinkles, and more (all the details here)—while throwing in the crème de la crème of post-peel home care to maximize the benefits of your peels!

The Ultimate Peel Package includes (while supplies last!):

  • The New Beauty award-winning Jan Marini Skin Care Management System, the perfect foundation for a fabulous at-home skin_professionals_Marketing_Product Images_LoRes_Skin_Care_Management_System_Normal-Combo_LoRes care routine.  If you are running low on your Skin Care Managment System supplies, this special is the perfect time to refresh your at-home routine.  If you’ve never tried it, keep reading!  The basic kit, made for Dry, Normal/Combination, and Oily skin, includes a Bioglycolic Cleanser to deeply exfoliate, a C-ESTA Serum to rejuvenate, a Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion or cream to resurface, a Transformation Face Cream or Age Intervention Face Cream to hydrate, and an Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant (spf 33 and available in tints, too!) to protect your skin.  The Enlighten Plus Skin Care Management System also includes an Age Intervention Gentle cleanser and Age Intervention Enlighten Plus with retinol, to lighten hyperpigmentation and give you a revitalized natural glow while stimulating collagen.
  • -professionals-Marketing-Product Images_LoRes-Age_Intervention_Retinol_Plus_Pump_and_Box_LoResJan Marini’s Age Intervention Retinol Plus Face Cream, one of the best in anti-aging, is also included.  This gentle cream is not drying or irritating, like many perscription retinol products, and works to visibly smooth the skin, reduce fine lines, even out discoloration, unclog pores, and leave your skin dazzling.  The hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and anti-inflammatory Green Tea Extract included make this product easy to include in the Skin Care Management System with no acclimation period.  -professionals-Marketing-Product Images_LoRes-Clean_Zyme_and_Skin_Zyme_LoRes
  • Jan Marini Skin Zyme Cleanser and Mask: Supplemental home care exfoliation products incorporate the enzyme “Papain” from green papaya to digest dead skin cells without harming sensitive or irritated tissues. Benefits of other resurfacing agents are dramatically accelerated and desired results are more rapidly obtained with regard to skin rejuvenation, acne, hyperpigmentation and scar reduction.
  • Two Complimentary Refine Peels in your series of Three!  You can read all about how wonderful peels are for you in my blog and in Patricia’s educational video (see it all here!), but the best thing to remember is that it not only clears out all of the dead cells, debris and dirt our pores accumulate over time, but that clearing and refreshing your skin enables your products—namely, the fabulous one’s I’ve just listed!—to penetrate deeper and have more immediate, visible results.  

With the Ultimate Peel Special, you can save $175 (with single peel) or $225 (with peel series) and take advantage of the most intense anti-aging regimen—savings equivalent to several new additions to your fall and winter wardrobes!  Helping you to look and feel your best and providing you with all the tools you need to put your best face forward—whether you get a chance to come visit us, or just work your skin care magic at home—is our priority!  So, give yourself a pre-holiday treat and call, stop by, or make an appointment online to reserve your Ultimate Peel Package before the end of this month while supplies last! 

Bisous,

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Merci Pour Vos Mots Gentils!

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

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And our “amis” are the people we want to celebrate today!  The expression above means “Thank you for your kind words”, and is a sentiment that we are so happy to be extending to our loyal clients.  We wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your positive reviews, kind comments, and encouraging feedback on our social media pages.  Reviews on Yelp (where we have a wonderful 5 star rating, thanks to you!), comments on Facebook, comments on this blog, responses to the survey on our website, and other social media outlets are so encouraging for all of us at A French Touch, because we love to hear about what we do that makes you happy; our goal has and always will be to keep you looking and feeling your best, and hearing such glowing reviews makes everything we do that much more worthwhile.

In such a challenging economy and such a small community, it’s a great comfort and pride of ours to have such a close-knit, honest, and loyal group of clients.  Your kind words mean so much to us—encouragement, feedback, support, advice, and invaluable input—that we wanted to take this time to let you know how very much we appreciate your love and support, mes amis!  We look forward to many more happy years of helping you look and feel your best.

Bon weekend, mes amis, et encore merci!

Bisous,

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Pieces of Paris

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Bonjour Mes Amis,

parisian girlLet’s imagine for a moment, mes amis, that we are in Paris, la ville d’amour.  You’re sitting at  a small outside table at a quiet café, overlooking a park with a hot cappuccino, listening to the melodic cadences of the French language being tossed around old cobblestone streets, observing the beautiful architecture found on every city block.  Perhaps later you wander through an outdoor market with fresh flowers and produce, then take in a beautiful view of the city from the very top of la Tour Eiffel, and top off your day with a warm crepe and a walk around le Basillique du Sacre Coeur at dusk.

When I think of Paris (especially when I’m lounging here in our sitting room at A French Touch!), I think of the effortless, clean, stylish elegance that French culture exudes.  The French have always commanded a great deal of respect and influence when it comes to fashion and make-up, but only gradually are cultures like ours starting to pick up on the wisdom and sophistication of their skincare philosophies, as well.  

Lucky you, though, because A French Touch seeks to embrace all of these beauty secrets, out of a desire to help you maintain and reflect your natural beauty and to help your skin age gracefully.  

So let’s begin first with the concept of a skincare salon.  Skincare salons are as common in France as hair and nail salons are in the US.  The idea of a skincare salon might sound suspiciously like a spa, but the ‘salon’ part is supposed to emphasize a regular treatment of the skin to maintain a healthy appearance, rather than a once-in-a-great-while treat for oneself.  In France, the skincare salons are known as “Les Instituts de Beauté”, institutes of beauty, where skin is therapeutically nourished and refreshed.

The French do not believe in heavy make-up application, and therefore emphasize maintaining the natural beauty and balance of your skin so that excessive make-up is not needed.  The trick to make-up is to make it look as though you aren’t wearing any, rather than  looking like a five-year-old who went rummaging through her mother’s vanity drawers!  Foundation, blush, eye make-up and lip products are only to be used to create an I-am-this-beautiful-after-just-waking-up look.

From fashion to make-up to everyday life, the chic French femininity we love conveys a sense of effortlessness, of simplicity, of pink masknatural beauty.  However, when it comes to the skincare ritual behind the effortless beauty, the opposite couldn’t be more true; French women dedicate a great deal of time to applying quality products that ensure the health of their skin.  They generously employ moisturizers, serums that stimulate collagen production, and liberally apply their sun protection on a very frequent and regular basis.  All of this stems out of a longing for natural beauty, not a false, cakey, make-up induced appearance, and out of a love for their skin.  

I know you might be a bit tired of my “Show your skin some love” theme from this summer, but I mean it in earnest when I say that it is the absolute best way to give yourself that extra bit of ‘me time’, that ten minutes of pampering and unwinding to begin and end your day with.  I know since I stepped up my skincare routine after starting at A French Touch, I have come to look forward to cleansing and soothing my face at the end of a long day, almost like I’m exfoliating and moisturizing and nourishing all the stress away; that time is just for me, and I love it because I deserve a few moments to feel beautiful, even after the make-up comes off!

Alors, mes amis, I hope these thoughts find you happy and leave you happier.  Stay beautiful, because you are, and because you deserve to feel like it, too.

Bisous,

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Emily Katz: Make-Up for the Stars!

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Emily Katz HeadshotWe have a very exciting event coming up for you next week, mes amis!  One of Elle’s Beauty Genius MakeUp Artists Emily Katz is coming to A French Touch Salon this Monday, the 23rd, to discuss how to maintain a beautiful you with skin care and make-up tips adored by Hollywood’s most glamorous.  

Over the past 20 years, Emily has become the biggest and best in makeup and skin care by working with the stars of Lost, Big Fish, Nine Lives of Chloe King, 24, and Anger Management.  She also provides skin care consultations and classic makeup styles for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, always emphasizing healthy skin and a natural look.

Her simple message, “Stand in your Beauty”, describes a natural and healthy sense of beauty and self that we strive to impart at A French Touch; she describes it perfectly, saying “I strive to bring out the beauty that is in each of us, without creating a mask so that a woman feels like she’s expressing her inner beauty as well.

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Even a full-on glamour makeup still allows a woman to feel gorgeous and be herself when she knows that sometimes less is more! I love skin, and prefer to let it show through a makeup without looking cake-y or dull.

Beautiful skin…or the impression of it, without heavy looking coverage is what I always strive for. I find it important that we feel beautiful inside and out, and want to support women in doing just that.”

You hit the mark, Emily, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!  Please go to her website for a fuller appreciation of Emily’s talents and philosophy at http://www.ektruth.com/.

So, be sure to join us at either 11:00 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. for one of Emily’s talks and demonstrations, as she shares her favorite skin care products (she loves Jan Marini, too!), and some age-defying makeup tips that keep your skin looking young, fresh, and naturally beautiful.  She’ll also be offering discounted private consultations, to help you capture the glamour and youthful beauty of the stars for yourself and make it reflect the true, beautiful you.  Call us or email us if you’d like to reserve a seat for you and the special women in your life (and really, what better way to spice up your Monday!).

I’ll see you there, mes amis!

Bisous,

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Exfoliation 2.0: Peels

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Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Let’s kick our exfoliation up a notch to the professional level, shall we?gentle peel treatment

I know I’ve mentioned peels earlier this week, but I want to go through what our peels at A French Touch are like, and what results they’re designed to have.  First, however, let’s get a few misconceptions about chemical peels out of the way.

For those of you who are imagining the skin on your face peeling off like it does after a bad sunburn, I’m happy to say that you’ve got it all wrong!  

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Only very strong chemical peels have that effect on your skin, but A French Touch prefers to offer gentler, effective peels that provide results without downtime.  We want our lovely clients to be able to jump back into their busy lives, feeling refreshed but not feeling the side effects!  Our Jan Marini-inspired peels penetrate the skin deeper than our home-care products (and certainly deeper than a mechanical form of exfoliation), working to not only clear away the dull-looking top layer of debris, but also to revitalize your skin’s natural glow and beauty.  Jan Marini Skin Research says that peels are one of the most popular aesthetic treatments out there, and are effective in treating acne, acne scars, hyper-pigmentation, photo-damage, lines, and wrinkles.  More radiance and no downtime, what more could you ask for?

Our first, most gentle peel is the Jan Marini 40% Glycolic Acid Peel, which we offer as a one-time treatment, a series of 3 over three weeks (recommended), and as an add-on to your facial.  This peel uses (obviously) Glycolic Acid, which is a product many of us already use in our home-care routines (Bioglycolic cleansers, lotions, and creams for the face and body), just in a  stronger solution.  This peel has zero-downtime, which means you’ll be able to immediately re-apply your makeup and sunscreen and be on your way!  The Glycolic Acid Peel specializes in treating fine lines, uneven texture, acne, and pigmentation issues, even with one application; however, both Patricia and the experts at Jan Marini tell us that these peels, as with most skincare products and procedures, work best with continued application and treatment (read: you get to relax for a peaceful session every week and treat your skin to a little TLC!).

Our new Brilliance Peel takes the Glycolic Acid Peel and turns up the anti-aging magic just a bit!  In this peel, we combine Glycolic Acid with Jan Marini’s new Retinol Plus Mask, which uses Retinol and several other wrinkle-eliminating ingredients to boost cell turnover rates, collagen stimulation, and evenness of pigmentation (this mask is coming soon, read more about it here!).  The combination of these two treatments in one works wonders for your skin because, as the Glycolic acid removes that cement-like top layer of dead skin cells, the Retinol Plus Mask is able to penetrate and absorb even more deepkly into the skin, amplifying the results and leaving you looking lovely!  Again, this peel works best as a series of 3 over 3 weeks, and has almost no downtime.

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Finally, the Refine Peel is our most intensive peel, and should be done as a series of 3, but 3 to 4 weeks apart, due to the strength of the peel.  Jan Marini says that the Refine Peel is excellent in providing overall skin rejuvenation with less peeling and downtime than more aggressive treatments, and works to visibly combat uneven texture, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and uneven pigmentation while rejuvenating the deeper levels of your skin.  The application of the Refine Peel is followed by a high-powered Retinol Activator, which synthesizes collagen as it regenerates tissue. Finally, our popular, elegant  Antioxidant SPF33 Sunscreen is applied and off you go! And we top off your experience with our signature Sothys hand treatment and Green Tea with Citrus.

You may see flaking that lasts from 3 to 5 days, easily minimized with our efficient Skin Zyme Mask (see above) and BIOSHIELD home care cream.  In fact,  Jan Marini’s new BIOSHIELD is a rapid recovery complex that was designed specifically to speed up recovery and  enhance treatment results from these peels. Unlike most petrolatum-based (yes, read “petroleum”!) products recommended post-laser, or post-peel,  this formula  delivers Epidermal Growth Factor, Palmitoyl Oligopeptides and Tetrapeptides to stimulate collagen and reduce inflammation and Co-Enzyme Q-10 super-antioxidant to reveal healed, healthy, GORGEOUS skin!   

And there you have it, mes amis!  Our peels are gentle enough for all skin types, but effective, and definitely the most thorough method of exfoliation we can offer you.  Exfoliation is a very important component in your skincare regimen, so make sure you’re exfoliating often; your skin will look healthier, and your other home-care products will absorb so much  more  to reveal your most beautiful skin!  If you aren’t sure which method or peel is right for you, call or email us to set up a free 15 minute consultation with our expert, Patricia.

Alors, bon week-end à vous!

Bisous,

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