A French Touch Salon

The finest in Parisian skin care on the central coast.

Beauty

What are the right steps for your morning skincare routine?

By

Owner of A French Touch Salon, Patricia Kaspian, gives us those steps and the short version.

Those of us living or working on the central coast, we all know about the microclimates, from the dry, tough heat up in Paso Robles to the foggy, cool days in Morro Bay. And of course, add in the environmental hazards such as the recent fires and our skin is screaming for attention. What can we do for our skin, to start the day off right? I sat down with a French touch salon’s owner and skincare expert, Patricia Kaspian to find out what we should be doing for our morning skincare routine. I have to admit I’m not good when it comes to a routine with many steps; i mean who has that kind of time these days but then, the alternative is damaged and prematurely aging skin and who seriously wants to look old before their time?! Exactly! We’re on the same page.

Hi Patricia! I know you have a very busy schedule so let’s get to it…please educate us on what we need to do for our morning skincare routine.

Patricia: Your morning routine is to begin with a freshening cleanse so it responds well to the products that you’ll be using. These are the steps i highly recommend…

  1. A milk cleanser…it won’t strip the skin.
  2. Toner…a very important part of your routine! It removes every last bit of dirt or what the cleanse doesn’t get. It prepares your skin for better absorption of the products that will follow.
  3. Then your eyes…a very delicate area. Use a multi-action eye contour cream or serum that penetrates well into this delicate tissue to address concerns like fine lines, puffiness ir dark circles.
  4. This next step is critical and not many women know about it…add a professional vitamin c (over the counter versions fall sadly short of what a spa or medical line such as Jan Marini can provide in terms of results).a daily vitamin which is a free radical scavenger. For the whole day, it builds the skin’s defenses against any environmental aggressions.
  5. If you’re applying the Jan Marini skincare regimen, cleansing and vitamin c (above) are followed with an exfoliating glycolic acid bio-clear cream to stimulate cell turnover to keep your skin glowing.
  6. Customized serum and moisturizer is next to create that nourishing, moisturizing barrier which delivers more peptides & anti-oxidants. And, a good moisturizer will make the skin supple and less prone to wrinkles over time.
  7. Don’t forget about your neck cream!! We have Jan Marini’s Juveneck. Please don’t stop at the face. Take it downtown ladies and nourish that décolletage.
  8. Lastly, the finisher, is the sunscreen…whether it is Sothys SPF 30 (face & body), the anti-oxidant SPF 30 from Jan Marini or the all-in-one, make-up & SPF 50 mineral sunscreen by Colorescience…we have many powerful protective options that fit your taste and lifestyle. But remember…sunscreens last only 80-90 minutes a day so you must reapply! Even if you’re driving.

What do people need to know about most face washes? If there is soap in the wash, do they not tend to strip our skin?

Patricia: Yes, they do, compromising the delicate acid mantle of the skin.  I recommend using a purifying foam gel for oily skin, for dry or sensitive skins use a milk cleanser. I’d suggest using the bioglycolic cleanser which dissolves more dead cells and debris, getting rid of the flakiness and dryness so then, you’re left with skin primed and ready for better absorption.

Most people have a lifestyle, and patience, that can only handle a few steps in the morning. What steps would you say are a priority if someone just can’t or won’t take the necessary time in the morning to care for their skin?

Patricia: First, micellar waters are very big right now. They’ve been popular in Europe for years and we’re loving this easy peazy option because, they thoroughly clean and tone the skin and double as an eye makeup remover. Micellar water by Sothys is a great choice and perfect for all skin types. They can’t be beat for gym workouts and travel kits. Next, the vitamin c…it’s critical. It’s a step that you can’t afford to miss. Followed by your sunscreen. An anti-oxidant sunscreen which is actually hydrating. That could be the shortened version of taking care of and protecting your skin for the day. However, for those of you that have dry skin…you have to add a hydrating step with a serum or cream moisturizer.

Ok, people. Those are the steps for you to follow. Whether you do them all or can’t make the time and do the short version…starting your day off right by protecting and hydrating your skin will keep you looking fresh and youthful. You can come in the salon and find everything you need to follow these steps…one stop shop and Patricia would be more than happy to help you and answer any questions you might have. Patricia has high ratings and a following for a reason! Better yet, book online and get the full “French touch” experience! Au revoir!

 

Jan Marini Skin Research Retinol PLUS

By

Why is Retinol the Best Anti-Aging product recommended by Doctors?

~Smoothes the Skin
~Boosts Collagen
~Reduces Fine Lines
~Evens out Discoloration
~Unclogs Pores

The first Non-Irritating and Skin-Smoothing over-the-counter retinol!

Age Intervention Retinol PLUS provides unparalleled skin rejuvenation benefits. The strongest levels of stabilized all-trans-retinol are synergistically combined with advanced topical agents to maximize efficacy while simultaneously decreasing or even eliminating acclimation/irritation concerns. Acclimation with prescription retinol can include redness, drying and visible peeling of the skin, leading many to discontinue it’s use. Retinol Plus delivers the equivalent skin-smoothing and brightening results without the downtime associated with prescriptions, while providing anti-aging and collagen boosting peptides, antioxidants, hydrators and skin soothing ingredients. Retinol PLUS truly separates itself from the pack.

Retinol PLUS helps with numerous skin concerns such as wrinkles, texture, acne and hyper-pigmentation by promoting increased cell health and stimulating the growth of collagen and elastin in the skin, which literally reverses the fine lines, wrinkles, and other damage caused by aging.

At  A French Touch, we recommend incorporating Retinol Plus into your regimen with the Jan Marini Skincare Management System customized to your particular skin, and strongly encourage the use of this regimen before, during, and after any peel series to maintain and enhance the rejuvenating effects of the peels.

Merci Pour Vos Mots Gentils!

By

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

eiffel tower2

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,

jessie signature

Pieces of Paris

By

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,

jessie signature

Do You Know Your ABCDs?

By

Bonjour Mes Amis!

 Let’s talk for a moment about the alphabet soup craze that seems to be taking center stage in skin

JM abcd cream pic

care lately.  AA, BB, CC, and now DD cream have burst onto the market and become the latest trend in skin care and makeup brands alike.  But who really knows what all of these creams are, what they do, or even how they’re different?  Never fear!  I have come to your rescue!  I’ll explain it all, and most importantly, tell you that while these creams are great, you are better off using a series of skin care products than one that claims to do it all!  So let’s break these down one at a  time, shall we?

AA Cream:  AA cream is a bit less renowned for its alphabetical title; you might recognize this type of cream if I called it by its formal name, Anti-Aging.  Anti-Aging creams are not new to most of us, as they have been on the market for quite some time, when comparing them to the recency of most BB CC and DD creams.  AA creams use a variety of ingredients, including antioxidants (which help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin damage), peptides (which helps to increase the body’s production of collagen fibers within the dermis helping restore elasticity and improve fine lines and wrinkles), and retinol (which contains vitamin A that can help unplug pores, even out skin discoloration, restore vibrancy to the complexion, reduce oiliness, treat acne and psoriasis, improve the appearance of fine wrinkles, and has even been suggested to help build collagen.  Wow!).  Retinol is often the most popular  anti-aging agent recommended by dermatologists; we at A French Touch love it because it works AND it’s good for your skin.

BB Cream:  This product especially has become wildly popular recently, even more so than it’s newer and younger sisters (CC and DD), in my opinion.  Did you know that even though we’ve only been using them in the US for a few years, BB creams have been used in parts of Asia since the 1980s!  But now that we’ve finally caught on, let’s go over why we have so quickly come to love them.  BB creams, also known as “Blemish Balms” or “Beauty Balms”, are designed to be a moisturizer, primer, sunblock, and foundation all in one!  Most BB creams provide an adequate amount of SPF protection (the average seems to be around 20 to 35), while hydrating, smoothing, and evening your skin tone.  Some BB creams also pride themselves on avoiding the use of oils or other heavy ingredients, while others even include antioxidants (yay for natural skincare!).  Even though these handy little bottles have made their way into our makeup bags and our hearts, I was still surprised at just how much they could do!

abcd creamCC Cream:  CC cream–which stands for “color control”–seems to be a more refined, grown up version of the BB cream.  Most makeup and skincare brands that carry one boast that the CC cream has a lighter wear than BB, while focusing more on the tinting in the cream.  These creams are reported to be better with smoothing skin tone by decreasing the appearance of redness and dark spots on the face, while some even include vitamin C, which naturally brightens the skin.  The magical powers of the BB cream are all presumed to be still present in this next generation, but the emphasis seems to have shifted from ‘doing it all’ to this product’s name sake.

DD Cream:  The DD cream has hardly dipped its toe into the pool, but is already generating quite the buzz, what with the fame of AA, BB, and CC creams.  I had never heard of DD cream before a few weeks ago, and when I researched it I was only able to find one brand who has plans to put it on the market.  According to them, DD stands for “daily defense”, while others speculated that the newest lettered cream to hit the shelves would stand for “dynamic do-all”, and be a heavier cream intended for foot and body use.  This cream, however, didn’t seem to be creating quite the buzz that BB creams, or even CC creams, did.  Many reviews I read even poked fun, asking what the next letters were going to stand for and how the trend would survive once we ran out of letters!  The reviews on this DD cream were limited, as were the rumors about other potential DD creams.

So what should we make of all of these letters, then?  If I were to combine my opinion with the reviews and comments I’ve read from users and skincare professionals alike (including our lovely Patircia!), these creams are a handy bottle to have around, and are great in that they incorporate a protective spf into a regular beauty routine

_professionals_Marketing_Product Images_LoRes_Skin_Care_Management_System_Normal-Combo_LoRes

 (a habit that we need to get more in the habit of!).  The big “but”, though, is that while an all-in-one product might seem like a great shortcut to minimize the time we spend getting ready in the bathroom, there is definitely something to be said for the strength in numbers.  We’ve all heard the studies about multitasking, so why should we believe that a cream can do everything to its fullest potential all at the same time, if we can’t even focus on reading the paper while painting our nails?  While I love my BB cream, I know that since I switched to using multiple products (Jan Marini Skin Care Management System! My newest love!) to do all of the jobs it claims it can handle, my skin has felt and looked much softer, brighter, and even toned.

In all of this alphabet soup madness, then, don’t forget that while your AA, BB, CC, or DD cream is a lovely addition to your bathroom counter, don’t slide the rest of your skincare off to the side!  Your beauty ritual is just that, a ritual, and should ensure long-term visible benefits to your skin. Your skin deserves a full beauty routine, rather than one product that can’t possibly do everything at once!  Don’t cut corners when it comes to the health of your skin, mes amis, but maybe we could make a little room for some extra little letters!

Bisous,

jessie signature

Pensées sur la Beauté

By

beautiful

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

How wonderful is that quote?  I stumbled across it the other day and thought that it would be perfect to share with you. 

In my own experience—and I’m sure many of you can relate, and then some!—it can be very easy to let this lovely little peace of mind get lost in the craziness of life.  But, this little saying reminds me that yes, I am beautiful!  It is important to remember that beauty is not physical; as D.H. Lawrence, says, “Beauty is an experience, nothing else.  It is not an arrangement of features.  It is something felt, a glow.”  With all of the messages we get from magazines and celebrities and television these days, I’ve found that the meaning of beauty is often confused with one’s physical appearance.  All anyone ever mentions about beauty anymore is the proportions of one’s body, the surgeries they’ve had to get it that way, the Versace dress they wore, or the lack of lines around their eyes when they smile.  No one mentions the light behind that smile, or the bright sense of inner confidence it takes to pull off that Versace dress on the runway! 

To me, beauty should not be presented as the way one looks—it should be used to talk about the way one feels.  Beauty is that confident voice in your head when you look in the mirror that says, “You look fabulous, darling!  And no matter what you look like, no matter what you wear, no matter how much or how little makeup you put on, no matter how many times you forget one (or both) of your earrings, I love you!” 

I suppose that’s where I’ve been coming from with all of my “Show your skin some love!” posts; a sure sign of growing a healthy sense of inner-beauty is in wanting to care for, rather than change, ourselves!  And A French Touch does everything with exactly that in mind, because we want you to love the skin your in—literally!  The sense of self-love and positive body image that it takes to truly care for yourself is what really makes you beautiful—that confidence will shine through anywhere! 

Since I’ve found this quote, I’ve started a morning routine; after I’ve rolled out of bed but before anything else (even before a cup of coffee—this must be serious!) I stand up in front of my mirror and say out loud:

I am Strong.

I am Beautiful.

I am Loved.

It’s only been a couple of days, but I’ve noticed a wonderful improvement in my mood throughout my day.  I am much happier!  And feeling better will always do more good than just looking it.

What do you all do to make yourselves feel beautiful?  I’d love it if you shared with me!

A bientôt, until next time!

Bisous,

jessie signature