San Diego Loves Surface Selfie Contest - Enter to win this Tory Burch Bag!

SD Loves Surface Selfie Contest

We want to know what makes San Diego America's Finest City to you!

Take a selfie doing your favorite San Diego activity and post it to our Surface Esthetics Facebook Page with #SDLovesSurface for a chance to win your very own Tory Burch Perry Tote to flaunt around town!

Did you get that? Only 3 simple steps:

1. Take a San Diego Selfie (at Balboa Park, surfing Windansea, eating a California Burrito etc).
2. Visit our Surface Esthetics Facebook page.
3. Post your selfie with hashtag #SDLovesSurface and be entered to win!

Easy Peasy!  Contest winner will be announced April 7, 2016 on Facebook.


Additional contest rules:

• All selfies must be received starting March 14, 2016 and no later than midnight March 31, 2016.
• Participants must submit original work.
• Each individual can submit multiple selfies. Each unique selfie will be entered into the contest for more chances to win!
• Winner must pick up purse at Surface Esthetics Spa located at 12702 Via Cortina #106, Del Mar CA 92104 or may make arrangements for shipment (shipping cost will be covered by constestant, not Surface Esthetics).
• Contest open to all legal U.S. Citizens residing in the United States. Winner must present valid identification to claim prize.
• Only entries received between March 14, 2016 and before midnight on March 31, 2016 will be accepted.

Teen Acne: Our Most Important Advice

 "I was 15 or 16 the first time my Mom took me to see her Dermatologist. My skin had become servilely broken out and it was cause for concern to both of us. I was put on oral and topical medications for my acne. I began getting regular facials and chemical peels to treat my acne. I had the cleansers, toners and moisturizers that were recommended by my Doctors and Estheticians. But I kept breaking out. Why? I was a teenager and I was lazy about my skin care routine."

So if you don't already know, I write for Surface Secrets in addition to being the Spa Coordinator at Surface Esthetics. I wanted to share a little bit of my history with acne as a teenager in this post. I am looking forward to sharing with our readers more personal skin care experiences myself, Michelle, Jen, and Amanda have had. If only we could tell our 16 year old selves the skin care secrets we know now...

• Results do not happen over night. 

This secret applies to all good things in life, but most importantly it applies to your skin care routine. Teens need to know they will have to be consistence with their skin care  if they want to get rid of break outs once and for all.

• Make it easy!

The last thing on a teenagers mind is washing their face before school or after a long day of activities. Make it easier for them by leaving a bottle of their favorite cleanser in the shower! This is an easy reminder and will quickly become a regular part of the shower routine.
 

• Keep it simple.

An oral medication, cleanser, topical medication, toner, treatment serum, moisturizer and sunscreen is a lot for even the most skin care committed adult. Keep it simple for teens with a basic cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen for daytime. If any Doctor or Esthetician recommended treatment products are a part of the routine, ask if its fine to use them only at night. 

• Don't pick!

Seriously. Stop. Everyone has heard this one a million times before and we cannot stress it enough! Not only are you creating difficult to get rid of scars and pigmentation, but the dirt and bacteria on your hands/under your nails is not doing your skin any favors.   
 

Anti Aging Secrets

The Fountain of Youth... Wouldn't it be wonderful if it actually existed? If only we could change the water at Surface Esthetics and greet you with a magical, anti aging elixir. When we aren't busy with wishful thinking we are busy compiling our personal tricks that keep us looking young. (Or at least create the illusion.)

Try This in Your Twenties:

• Making sunscreen a habit now is ideal to prevent dark spots and fine lines that come with over exposure to UVA/UVB rays.

• Your twenties are filled with late nights and early mornings... Dark circles and puffiness have a tendency to age even the best of us. Incorporate an eye cream into your skincare regimen to help sooth tired eyes and fight future fine lines.

In Your Thirties:

• Invest in a potent topical vitamin C to reduce free radical damage caused by the environment.

• Deep set wrinkles and fine lines starting to appear in your thirties? A retinol will speed up cell turnover and boost collagen production.

In Your Forties:

• If you haven't already tried injectable fillers, now is a good time. Products like Botox and Juvederm will plump and fill deep set wrinkles.

In Your Fifties:

• You may feel like you need a complete resurfacing during these years. Try a laser treatment like IPL or Fraxel to turn back the clock.

Our Favorite Nightcaps

This past week has been a particularly busy one around Surface Esthetics. A couple of us from the spa, including myself, took a trip up to LA to take a few Yonka training courses! We had a great time refreshing our skills and learning some new tricks. We all know that you are supposed to layer your skin care products in a certain order for maximum efficacy, but throughout the course our instructor kept suggesting mixing certain products together for beautiful results... What!?! Lets be clear, this does NOT mean that you can mix your moisturizer, serum, and retinol together and call it a night. Think more along the lines of adding a boost to your product. This is done by mixing a few drops of an appropriate Yonka serum with your night time cream. Depending on what you use it will add more hydration or extra calming effects. We like the term product "cocktail". After an 8 hour class, our product cocktail inspiration was flowing and we could wait to get back to our hotel and try some out for ourselves, but first we had to stop for a REAL cocktail!

Its Flu Season...

Hey everyone! I want to start by apologizing for a lack of posts this week, I was out of commission due to something we all have to deal with... a cold. Yes, its that time of year again, the temperature starts to drop... you start dreaming of holidays gifts (and parties!) and then WHAM! You're hit with something that knocks you out for 3 days. And while all you want to do is lay in bed, we have a few tricks that will make your recovery process a little more relaxing, even if you cant breath out of your nose.

1. If you are feeling a bit crumby while reading this next sentence you may think I am crazy, but trust me on this one. Get up and go take a shower. Or even better, a hot bath! The hot water is going to soothe your aching body and the steam is going to, if only momentarily, relieve congestion. 
2. Wash you face. Don't skimp on skin care even if you are feeling down. You can even have a little fun with it! I like doing a super moisturizing face mask, as my skin tends to get very dry while I'm sick. Its a little bit of luxury that might not make your immune system feel better, but I promise YOU will feel better. Its the little things. Try Yonkas Mask 1.
3.  BUY A HUMIDIFIER! I don't know why I have waited so long to purchase one, but I am so thankful that I finally did. While teetering on my death bed (actually my couch, but who doesn't add a bit of dramatic flare when under the weather?) with my mouth wide open, unable to breathe through my nose, I decided to bite the bullet. I drug my sick self down to target at 8 o'clock and purchased one for less than $20. What these bad boys do is add moisture to the air, it will help with stuffy noses and dry coughs. It was super easy to set up, all you do is fill the basin with water.
4. Don't forget your lip balm. All that mouth breathing can cause some seriously cracked lips.

DIY Skin Care

DIY skin care is hard to avoid. Assuming you are all as avid pinners as I am, you are constantly seeing crazy remedies from peoples pantries. But who's to say what really works and most importantly, whats really SAFE for your skin? Some things will work if you are truly in a pinch but nothing truly replaces a skin care regimen prescribed by your trusted esthetician.

Apple Cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which can help preventing acne. It is a good source of alpha hydroxy acids, it will help to remove built up dead skin cells by exfoliating. Apple cider vinegar is potent stuff, so be wary if you have sensitive skin. Apply it with a cotton pad, as you would a toner. Let it sit for a few minutes, then apply a soothing moisturizer. We like Yonka's Hydra 1 Cream, since they are a natural line made with essential oils. 

Avocados are abundant here in San Diego, and I'm willing to bet you have a few sitting on your kitchen counter right now! So, cut it open and smear it on your face. Why? Avocados are a great source for omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E. Using a mashed avocado as a quick DIY mask can provide your skin with a ton of moisture. Cold pressed avocado oil is another (less messy) way to get these same benefits. It can help sooth irritated skin in a pinch. 

Oatmeal is great for not only your face, but your entire body! Oatmeal can help normalize your skins pH levels, pouring a cup into a warm bath can help sooth dry, itchy skin. For your face, you can whip together a little oatmeal, coconut oil and brown sugar for a DIY natural exfoliating scrub.

Get the Man in Your Life to Wash Their Face!

"How do I get my son/husband/boyfriend to prioritize skin care?" This seems to be a question with many situational answers.  Men have about 25% thicker skin than us ladies. Is thick headedness the be all and end all answer? In most cases it is unfortunately is not. Men also have skin with a rougher texture. So when men try to (not so slyly) use our products, it may not be enough for their skin. In our experience men are able to commit to the basics, cleanser, exfoliation, and moisturizer. We can do everything up to coming to your house and forcing the men if your life to wash their faces. Here are our tips for encouraging guys to take care of their skin.

 

Is your man forgetful? Put his cleanser in the shower. Making it easy for him to wash his face along with the rest of his body!

Men like to scrub their skin. A cleanser with micro-beads is going to slough off dead cells and remove dirt and oil, all while giving them a scrubbing sensory experience. 

Sometimes it takes a little push. Buy your guy a few products as a gift! Don't worry about him being insulted, guys like things that are specially made for them. Make sure to encourage them to use products properly for maximum benefits. Guys are vain too! 
  

• Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash - $19.00 
• Dermalogica Oil Clearing Matte Moisturizer SPF 15 - $24.00 
• SkinCeuticals Simply Clean - $34.00 
• Dermalogica Daily Defense SPF 15 - $36.00
• SkinCeuticals Micro Exfoliating Scrub - $30.00
• PCA Rebalance - Not available online, pick it up at Surface Esthetics