Your Best Skin: 4 Basic Steps.

Welcome to 2011.  My, how the time flies!

With the new year, one of my main focuses will be that of better skin. When it comes down to beauty, it all begins with proper skin care.  Over the next few months, I plan to do a big highlight on many different skin care products. I have been testing so many - eye creams, neck creams, body creams, serums, moisturizers, masks, along with some of the newest beauty tools. In my exploring, I hope to make it easier for you to find you next favorite skin care item (or items) to make your skin the best it can be.

Let's start with the basics, without talking specific products right now.  There are 4 steps to basic skin care.

1. CLEANSING - Your skin has to be clean to be healthy, so cleansing is key. You need to find a good cleanser that works for your skin type, and you need to cleanse your skin once or twice a day, depending on its condition.
2. EXFOLIATION - In order to keep skin glowing, you need to continually help remove the top layer of dead skin cells that dull your complexion. A once a week exfoliation will do the trick, whether it be through the use of a scrub, mask or peel.
3. MOISTURIZING - No matter what your skin type, you need to lock moisture in to make it look and feel its best. Finding the right type of moisturizer can be tricky, depending on it's needs. Not enoough moisture, your skin will fell tight, while too much can lead to clogged pores and oily looking skin.
4. PROTECTING - I cannot express this enough: sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. The UV light we get from the sun causes more aging to our skin than anything else. IN order to protect and prevent this damage, a sunscreen of at least an SPF of 15, each and every day will help more than you know.

I will be featuring products for these basics and beyond. I hope you join in and tell me about your experiences with the products I feature and even let me know about your favorites too.

Your Best Skin for 2011 with Tända.

It is time to start thinking about the new year and how to improve your skin. It is constantly on my mind, and starting in January, I plan to explore a lot of skincare.  I have been testing many new products, and I cannot wait to tell you all about them.

One new product that I am longing to try is an innovator called the Tända. Tända is the leader in LED Light Therapy Skin Care.

I am really interested in learning more about this, and it just so happens that Tända is having some really great specials going on right now - just in time for the new year.

Here is a list of the specials:

$50.00 Mail-In Manufacturers Rebate on any Tända Prestige Kit!

Purchase a Tända Clear Acne Light Therapy Treatment Kit or a Tända Regenerate Anti-Aging Light Therapy Treatment Kit from any authorized reseller between December 26^th, 2010 and January 2^nd, 2011 and get $50.00 off by mailing in this rebate form!

Stock Up on Your Favorite Tända Topicals at 20% Off!

Purchase any Tända Clear Pre-Treatment Gel or Tända Regenerate Pre-Treatment Gel between December 26^th, 2010 and January 2^nd, 2011 and receive 20% off! (Limit of 4 of each Gel per person)

Share The Secret of Clear Luminous Skin for 50% Off!

Purchase any Tända Prestige Kit and get the 2^nd Kit for HALF PRICE! Must be purchased between December 26^th, 2010 and January 2^nd, 2011!

All of these specials are available at TandaSkincare.com and wherever Tända is sold. Let me know if you have tried the Tända.  I would love to hear how it has worked for you.

Rodan + Fields ANTI-AGE AMP MD System.

I am all for anti-aging treatments. I try them all. This one with NEEDLES intrigued me probably more than any other - or at least lately. Needles, I say "yes". This is one of those tools that are normally used only in Doctors' offices, so this is a first for at home treatment. Groundbreaking!

The Doctors behind the famous Proactive line of products. Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, have another winner on their hands with this ANTI-AGE AMP MD System.

With their years of combined work, they realize that one of the greatest roadblocks to transforming skin through topical products is the limited penetration of ingredients through the skin’s outermost protective layer. Getting deeper into the layers of skin has not been possible at home, until now. ANTI-AGE AMP MD is the solution, as it is a micro-channeling tool based on medical-grade rollers used by dermatologists. The AMP MD roller is a non-abrasive instrument with embedded surgical-grade, acupuncture-type, stainless steel micro needles which painlessly create precise micro-channels in the uppermost skin layers.  This allows a deeper, more uniform and effective delivery of ingredients in the Rodan + Fields ANTI-AGE Regimen.

The ANTI-AGE Regimen is a four-product, daily system that layers potent doses of dermatology-proven active cosmetics to combat skin aging from various angles. It is meant to be used at night and followed by ANTI-AGE Overnight Restorative Cream to close and fortify skin’s barrier while you sleep.  In the morning complexion is smooth, supple and resilient.  By combining the AMP MD System with the ANTI-AGE Regimen, lines and wrinkles are reduced, pore size is less noticeable, and collagen production is increased so that elasticity and firmness is greatly enhanced.  

Looking at the tool, I was hesitant, but only for a second as I rolled it over my hand and felt nothing as the superfine needles ran over my skin. I studied the instructions and learned the patterns in which to use the tool, and started using this every night on my face. It only added an extra minute to my routine, but a minute well worth it as I started seeing my skin looking more firm and smooth within a few weeks.  Overall, my skin feels softer and I swear my brown patches that I have been working on for months now, have faded more quickly after I started using the tool as well.

As this tool is medical grade and is made with needles, it needs to be cared for properly. The initial kit comes with everything necessary to properly keep it clean, and this is all described in the instructions which I recommend reading carefully.

ANTI-AGE AMP MD System is available right now at the Rodan & Fields website, where you can learn more in-depth information on it as well. It sells for $200, but I bet we will soon see infomercials with special offers and pricing, so keep a look out.