Eye Creams for Every Age

Eye cream is a product that's pretty easy to get addicted to. Creamy, moisturizing goodness will surround your delicate eye area. Leaving your eyes feeling as though they've just had a tall glass of water. Its never to early to start incorporating an eye cream into your skin care regimen. Creams are formulated with all sorts of different benefits, NOW is the time to start battling those dark under eyes and fine lines. 

Twenties:

• Eye Cream: Light and creamy, this firming eye cream will help combat the early signs of aging. Pro Tip: Leave your Eye Cream in the fridge over night, applying it cold will help to combat difficult dark circles and puffiness.  

• Phyto-Contour: Formulated with rosemary extract to help visibly reduce puffiness and dark circles. Beech bud peptides will help in reconstruct and smooth the delicate eye area. This product was developed for an immigrant anti-fatigue effect. Be sure to keep your eyes closed when applying this product, in order to give the rosemary fragrance to dissipate and prevent tearing.   

Thirties:

• EyeXcellence:Formulated with peptides, this product will help smooth fine lines, brighten dark circles, and calm puffiness. Licorice root extract helps to promote even skin tone.

Licorice Root ExtractLicorice

Licorice Root Extract

Licorice Root Extract

• Ideal Complex- Restorative Eye Cream: This is a new product from PCA that comes in both gel and cream which allows for selection based on texture preference. Featuring the Restorative Cream for those in their 30's. Hypoallergenic formula with high quality ingredients for fast results, without irritation! The cream formula of Ideal Complex features optical diffusers that instantly brighten the under eye area. 

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Forties:

• A.G.E. Eye Complex: A rich emollient texture, this 3-in-1 eye cream will help to dramatically reduce the appearance of dark circles, crows feet, and puffiness caused by aging. Optical diffusers will improve radiance in the under eye area. Proxylane and blueberry extract will reduce existing wrinkles and crows feet and prevent them in the future. 

• Multivitamin Power Firm: Creamy, silicone based texture allows for a smooth application. Silicone acts as a barrier to help to protect skin against the environment. Vitamins A, C, and E help to improve skins elasticity and protect against pesky free radicals. Seaweed extract will help to improve the appearance of fine lines. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors, making this a great option for anyone with particularly sensitive skin. 

• Ideal Complex- Revitalizing eye Gel: This is a new product from PCA that comes in both gel and cream which allows for selection based on texture preference. We are featuring the Revitalizing Gel for people in their 40's. This product has a light silky texture that can be applied to the entire eye area, including the eyelid! Hypoallergenic formula will work well for sensitive skin. Using reintopeptides, you will experience the benefits of a retinol without the negative side effects sometimes experienced. This product will help to lift the eyelid, reduce crows feet and fine lines, and improve sagging skin.

Fifties:

• Eye Balm: A combination of highly effective, yet gentle phytochemicals help to rehabilitate mature skin around the eye area. Specifically formulated to battle the 3 major signs of aging, moisture loss, laxity, and free radical damage. Eye Balm is going to work well for people with dry, sensitive skin around the eye. 

EyeXcellence

EyeXcellence

EyeXcellence

EyeXcellence

EyeXcellence 

 

EyeXcellence

EyeXcellenc

BLINK GIVEAWAY

We are celebrating the launch of Surface Secrets with a fabu-lash giveaway! A gift certificate, valued at $149, for a Bashful set of eyelash extensions from Blink Lash Boutique! 

Our winner will be chosen at random on October 10th.

"At Blink Lash Boutique we believe that everyone deserves the most customized look for their own beautiful eyes! This is why we offer different levels for you to choose from. You are unique and one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to Eyelash Extensions. Because of this each set will look different on you than on anyone else. Not sure which set is right for you?  We will be happy to set up a free consultation for you, so you and your lash stylist can discuss your desired look and feel, and what will work best for you! "

Antioxidant Science Explained

If you've ever visited our Spa, then you know we have a borderline crazy obsession with antioxidant serums. That's because, (Spoiler Alert!) they give you crazy good results!
One of the most popular lines we carry at Surface Esthetics is SkinCeuticals, due to their amazing antioxidant products. With a product range including everything from gentle cleansers and sunscreens, to retinols and corrective creams. It is a line that has it all, and best of all it's all backed by science!

What is an antioxidant and why do I need it?
Most of us are aware of the health benefits associated with eating foods rich in antioxidants. What most people do not realize is that antioxidants can be used topically on your skin as well! Using antioxidants in this way has been proven to help tremendously in reducing damaging free radicals caused by UV rays, infrared radiation, and pollution (Uh, hello San Diego!). Free radicals are small, unstable molecules created in an oxygen environment.  When free radicals are generated, oxidation occurs. Photo damage and accelerated skin aging are the result of oxidation. SkinCeuticals antioxidants neutralize these unstable molecules before they can damage your skin cells.

C E Ferulic: Combination antioxidant treatment containing 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha tocopherol, and 0.5% ferulic acid. This powerful antioxidant serum is going to work perfectly for dry, mature skin. The cocktail of antioxidants is going to help protect against damaging UV rays to help prevent signs of aging. (AKA it makes your sunscreen work even BETTER!)

• 15% L-ascorbic acid: Neutralizes damaging free radicals and protects skin’s breakdown from oxidative stress.

• 1% alpha tocopherol (vitamin E): Neutralizes free radicals and replenishes skin’s lipids.

• 0.5% ferulic acid: This plant-based antioxidant neutralizes free radicals, helps inhibit UV-induced skin discolorations, and has anti-inflammatory properties. 

Phloretin CF: Broad-range antioxidant treatment combining 2% phloretin, 10% L-ascorbic acid, and 0.5% ferulic acid. Phloretin is going to help fight against reactive molecules (including free radicals) that are known to cause cellular damage. While providing you with all the benefits from a topical antioxidant serum this guy packs a 1-2 punch! Diminishing the appearance of hyperpigmentation, it helps increase cell turnover to smooth your skins texture. Phloretin is going to work wonders on oily, acne skin. 

• 2% phloretin: Neutralizes free radicals, accelerates cell turnover, and reduces the production of unwanted pigment. 
• 10% L-ascorbic acid: Neutralizes damaging free radicals and protects skin’s breakdown from oxidative stress.
• 0.5% ferulic acid: This plant-based antioxidant neutralizes free radicals, helps inhibits UV-induced skin discolorations, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Your Best Brow

Eyebrows are arguably the most important feature on your face. For anyone blessed with naturally thick, dark and beautiful brows proper grooming is extremely important. A wise person once said, "Friends don't let friends get waxed at nail salons". As far as we are concerned, truer words have never been spoken.
So, what if you haven't been blessed with cooperative brows? Don't worry! We've put together this step-by-step guide and product recommendations that will help you tame even the lightest, most sparse eyebrow.

Use a makeup brush or pencil to guide you. It can be helpful to make small dots with your powder or pencil to show where your eyebrow begins, ends and its highest point. These marks can easily be blended in later.

1. Place your brush so that you are connecting your nostril to the inner corner of you natural brow, this should form an almost completely vertical line. This is where your brow will begin.
2. For your arch you can try two tricks. You can move your brush so that it forms a diagonal line from your nostril over the iris of your eye. If that doesn't work for you, try taking the brush and forming a vertical line from the outer edge of your iris upwards. Either trick will help you find the highest point for your brows arch.
3. Rotate your brush to a 45 degree angle, the brush should form a line from your nostril to the outer corner of your eye, this is ideally where your brow should end.

Everyone has different eyebrows, use our tips as guideline and not a strict set of rules. To fill in your eyebrow, we suggest following the natural shape and width of your brow. Lightly take your product along the bottom of your eyebrow to "connect the dots" and blend upwards.  Remember to always use small flicking motions with your brush or pencil, this trick will help create the look of small hairs.

PRO TIP: When filling in eyebrows start in the center, where brows are naturally thickest, working outwards down the tail and towards the beginning on the eyebrow. This will help create a gradient effect and more natural looking eyebrow.

5 Foundations We Love (and use!)

Our mission at Surface Esthetics is to create beautiful skin that does not require any makeup. However, sometimes even the best of us need a little coverage. Sephora and make up counters can be intimidating, and choosing the right foundation is not an easy task. We recommend asking a makeup artist for an application before making a purchase this will help you with a number of things. Most importantly making sure you chose the correct color. Some foundations will oxidize after being applied, leaving you with an entirely different color than the perfect shade you thought you had chosen. Trying the foundation first will also allow you to feel the product on your skin, that way you can be sure it doesn't dry you out, or turn your face into an oil-slick (yuck!). 

1. Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15: Long-wearing liquid foundation has weightless coverage and hydrating technology, allowing for an excellent amount of coverage without drying out your skin. It also features broad spectrum UV protection SPF 15. This foundation will work well for combination skin types.

2. Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation: Pressed mineral powder will leave you with a sheer and semi-matte finish. Provides Broad Spectrum SPF 20 that is water resistant for up to 40 minutes.

3. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 20: Created to give skin a healthy ‘no-makeup’ look with a soft hint of color that helps evens skin tone. Oil-free and lightweight with broad spectrum SPF 20 UVB/UVA sunscreen provides your skin with the ideal amount of protection. Works great for all skin types, especially sensitive or oily skin.

4. SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50: This product isn't technically a foundation, we still LOVE it. Color-infused technology allows this sunscreen to provide a light coverage that will help boost skins natural radiance. 100% physical sunscreen provides water-resistant broad spectrum protection with transparent titanium dioxide and zinc oxide while remaining completely weightless. Perfect for all skin types. Can also be used under your foundation for extra coverage and sun protection!

5. Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder: Anti-aging powder with pure gold, 48 minerals, 11 amino acids, a powerful peptide and the patented hydration system leaves skin looking brighter and more radiant. This light coverage powder works well with all skin types.