Skin Nourishing Balm – This emollient, aromatic balm is the ultimate healer!  Place the balm in your hands and rub until it melts like butter. This can be used all over the body including knees and elbows to relieve dry itchy skin. Also, try rubbing some on your upper chest before you go to bed and breathe in the aromatic essential oils as you drift off into your beauty sleep.

Calming Balm- After you get your eyebrows or lips waxed, the skin can be red and irritated. Apply this soothing facial moisturizing gel to help calm and hydrate the skin. Keep cold in the refrigerator and use as needed.

Sensitive Skin Enzyme Mask – It may be called a mask but that does not mean you can’t use it on other areas of the body. This creamy, clay mask doubles as a skin polisher and brightener.  In addition to your face, this mask is also great for dry hands and arms.

Anti Wrinkle Face and Neck Cream – This is an all in one wrinkle fighter. The benefit of this multifaceted cream is itcan be used as an eye cream, face cream, neck cream and declote’ cream. Great for those of you that just wants one cream for everything and don’t have time for several steps in the morning and/or evening.

Cucumber Bead Cleanser – Cleanse with cucumbers all over the body. Works well as a luxurious body polish or as a facial pre-shave. Use this aromatic exfoliating cleanser in your shower for a spa-like experience from head to toe.

Share how Control Corrective Skincare has helped make your beauty care regimen fully functional by leaving a comment below.

Being physically active is important to keeping fit and healthy. Did you know it can even affect the condition of your skin?  On the plus side exercise increases blood flow and body temperature which in turn helps oxygenate and bring more circulation to the skin.  This further increases lymph flow, and overall skin vitality.

On the flip side, if you exercise regularly it can take a toll on the skin’s surface without even being aware of it.   From dehydration, and photo damage when exercising outdoors, to dry hair, nails, feet and skin when swimming or sweating, to breakouts when touching the skin too much or from pressure and friction caused by exercise gear that rubs such as hats, helmets, exercise equipment, tight undergarments, or other occlusive clothing.

Unknown to most of us, infections are the most common cause of skin problems in athletes, according to Dr. Brian Adams, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Dept. of Dermatology.  It is important to use hand sanitizers, wash hands frequently, and follow some of these simple skin saver tips.

1. Invest in soft, 100% cotton washcloths. Simple as it sounds, what you use to wash with and rub on your face makes quite a difference in skin sensitivity. Using the softest, cotton allows you to cleanse the skin without over stimulating it.  For very sensitive skin, get  cotton“baby diapers” to use as washcloths.  Believe it or not, they are they softest most gentle fabric we have found.

2. Cleansing your face after playing a sport is very important, but it is important to use a non-soap cleanser. This will keep away dirt, oil, bacteria and surface debris, but not over dry the face. Our Gentle Face Wash rinses away surface pollutants, grime and makeup without even a hint of irritation.  Follow with a hydrating toner such as our Balancing Tonic and of course moisturizer to give the skin the healthy, hydrated glow.

3. Select the right sunscreen for your skin type. When dealing with skin that is dry, rough and or acne prone, it is important to know your skin type and to determine if it is dry, oily, or a combination. Control Corrective offers a variety of non-comedogenic (non pore clogging)  sunscreens for all skin types. Because we have many more sebaceous glands on our face than our body, do not assume that the “cheap” body sunscreen works well on your face

4. Tie your hair back during work outs or use a headband. Hair styling products can irritate the skin resulting in clogged pores and acne breakouts. If you do tend to get more breakouts due to sweating while you exercise then you can apply our Sulfur Calming Mask. This creamy comforting mask helps to reduce inflammation and decongest pores. If you breakout in your scalp with small bumps or flakes, try using our Salicylic Wash 2% prior to shampooing your hair.  (It can be left on 30 seconds, then rinsed out – very effective and simple to add).

Becoming more aware of how you can help your skin retain it’s moisture, reduce breakouts, sun damage and dryness by implementing several small shifts during your fitness routine will definitely help you look AND feel healthy over the years.

I have worked on many women over 35, concerned with wrinkles, but also experiencing micro-comedonal congestion, whether from hormones, cosmetics, pressure and friction or simply not using the right products.  These are the perfect clients to recommend using our Salicylic Wash 2% three to five times per week.  It is often all that is needed to gently loosen and exfoliate the skin, without over drying.

For acne-prone skin, whether oily or dry, the benefit of combining salicylic acid with glycolic acid provides a stronger keratolytic effect that is often necessary for chronic acne conditions, very oily “resistant” skin.  The key is to blend these actives in way that does not over-dry the skin.  The Control Corrective, Acne Spot Treatment, which can be used once to twice daily on the affected area, will do the trick for most.  It will not only help clear up the blemish, but will help lighten the residual dark spots.

When choosing a peel for acne prone or “rough” aging skin, our professional Beta Peel 22% is a great choice.  This creamy peel contains a strong enough percentage, but will not “over-dry” the skin.  Left on 2-3 minutes, then neutralized, it is a perfect peel for those who have built up a tolerance to AHA peels.  Keep in mind that 2% salicylic acid = 8% glycolic acid in terms of strength, so when comparing a glycolic acid peel to a salicylic acid peel, the percentages need to be converted in terms of action on the skin.

It is also important to note that salicylic acid peeling is not advised for those allergic to aspirin, while on Accutane, when using Retin-A (or retinoic acid derivatives), during pregnancy, on highly sensitive skin, sunburned skin, on clients going through treatment for auto immune disorders, chemo/radiation, or other treatments that make the skin more photo-sensitive.  Always review current medication usage with your clients so you can adjust the facial treatment to best meet their needs.  Watch a video demonstration of our Beta Clear Facial to view how to incorporate this peel into your menu.

Salicylic acid peels and products are credited with great skin improvement for many skin conditions and can be a great way to boost and improve the complexion.

A typical home care regimen for combination skin/acne prone adult:

1. Cleanse with Salicylic Wash 2%
2. Apply Balancing Tonic
3. Apply Acne Spot Treatment on blemishes (1-2x daily)
4. Apply Aroma Matte Day Cream (SPF 30)
5. Apply Oil Free Healing Lotion at night as desired
6. With fingers or fan brush apply Sulfur Calming Mask (as needed- left on blemishes overnight if desired)

Here is what I learned that all business owners can benefit from:

Look up at your ceiling, in the corners, everywhere in your spa or salon.  Creating a “special” atmosphere for your clients is of utmost importance.  I think we can all improve on this after seeing what reminded me of a “diorama” many booths created.  From painted ceilings and floors, many of these brands used EVERY BIT OF SPACE to give the visitor an intense feeling of their brand, and drew us in to be part of the “experience”.

1. Smile and be generous.  I have to give the prize to Moroccan Oil!  They not only handed out the best, most amazing vinyl aqua bags with a few     samples, (I think I heard they handed out at least 20,000 – maybe per day?), they gave you a few extra if you wanted, and they happily did so, even if you came back every day.  Of course, that was costly, but great marketing and now the we in the beauty world will soon become addicted to putting Moroccan Oil in our hair.
2. Add color.  Of course that is what we have done with Control Corrective and I might add, received quite a bit of compliments about our packaging.  But whether you add color in your spa decor, your menu, POS materials, seasonal displays, do so thoughtfully and with impact so it draws your clients in to say, “oh, what’s that?”, “I don’t remember that from last time”.  ”I need some of that…”
3. Lastly, ask good questions and travel.  We learned as much from attendees, as we did from fellow exhibitors and neighbors.  I learned for example that in Russia, the demand for American made products is very high, and that Italy has a “Woman’s Day” every March 8th,  that honors all women in the country and on that day you bring all your female loved-ones Mimosa flowers (beautiful yellow flowers – very delicate).

Hope this puts a little fire under you to get out and do something different to help you grow and be successful.  Visit us in Las Vegas this June at IECSC if you need a good excuse to go to a trade show and keep learning.

Reminder 1

Never forget that the facial experience begins the minute your client walks in the door.  You do not have to be a 5-Star resort to implement simple things to set your spa aside.  Every property we walked into immediately offered us a choice of two key beverages, and beautifully scented wet hand towels.  There was also

Ellen in Cancun displaying Control Corrective

fresh fruit in a basket along with a full cookie tray.  A lovely receptionist smiled, and offered us the refreshments.  It started to relax us right away and the lesson being that the experience really does begin before the treatment, and the front desk should be in charge of “setting the stage”.

Reminder 2

Hire the right attitude.  You can always teach an esthetician how to execute a good facial if you have excellent products and good training materials.  What is more difficult to train is to instill a gracious attitude.  I would rather have a new graduate from beauty school with a positive outlook, a love of helping others and a willingness to work hard over a ten year veteran who thinks there is only one way to be successful, and claims, “the reason the clients come here is because of me”.  Always interview for the attitude.

Reminder 3

How are you creating a memorable experience?  Find something you can do differently than your competition.  I scheduled a massage in our hotel and had no idea what the experience would be like.  I was

Fish Pedicure Treatment

delighted to be led to a small, but absolutely wonderful spa facility.  After enjoying the facilities, the massage therapist led me to a large couch area with spa music piping through and dim lightning, where she put aromatherapy heated mitts on my feet, and around my shoulders and let me enjoy for several minutes before the massage.  I was already feeling the relaxation and nurturing and drifting away before she led me to the treatment room.  I think of this as the “appetizer”….  What type of complimentary appetizers can you offer to create a memorable experience for your clients?  This costs very little in money and the obvious gain is significant…larger tips, client retention, word of mouth, and experience being elevated.

You know it’s a good trip when all I could think about at the Cancun airport was when I can get back to these resort spas that work so hard to create an enchanting experience.

I have so many bottles of creams and exfoliates taking up room under my sink. Touched once and put away. Control Corrective changes that. You don’t buy a product that promises an all in one healer. You find the product that fits your needs. Aging controls, sun damage, acne, sensitivity even deep skin treatments. With each category offering four to five products it’s easy to find what you are looking for and the people of Control Corrective are there to help.

I myself have dry patches and places of redness. Most of this happens around my nose and chin. My concerns with wrinkles are only around my eyes. Being contact lenses user, pulling and rubbing my eyes daily seems to cause some small wrinkles. I am twenty two years old and even now I can see signs of aging due to tanning earlier in life and not taking the proper care of my skin. Control Corrective sent me an assortment of samples products to test out meeting my needs. I have more favorites to tell you about.

In order of use I will start with the Cucumber Bead Cleanser. It is just the right amount of exfoliate my skin was never left feeling raw or over exfoliated. Topping that with Crystal C Serum makes skin glow feel moisturized a layer of Botanical Soothing Cream, which provides SPF of 30 and done. I really enjoyed this combo and it has helped my skin so much. I could always tell a huge difference when using this particular combination.

It’s hard to find an exfoliate that is not just a rough scrub to rid your skin of dead cells. The line between raw over done skin and fresh smooth skin is where Control Corrective did it right. The Cucumber Bead Cleanser is so gentle yet very effective. I also was very impressed with the Hydrant Stabilizer, so creamy and is the best layer of moisturizer I have found.

Control Corrective was founded by Ellen Clark in 1997, in Orange County, California. I see these as amazing skin care products for all skin types and skin issues. My only down side is those with sensitive skin may not be able to use all products due to scents in the products. Yet they offer a Sensitive Skin line, which is wonderful! I cannot wait for so many people to find out about this company and bring light to a new revolution of skin care.

Fear not!  Here are some tips to keep your skin looking it best while also enjoying the beautiful benefits of make- up.

1)      Start off with a clean slate. Cleaning your brushes is key for healthy, clear skin. Make up brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria, which can cause skin irritation and break outs.

2)      Read the label.  Many believe that using hypo-allergic make-up implies it will not congest the skin and that it is “better” or “healthier”.  However, last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that FDA’s regulation defining “hypoallergenic” was invalid. This means there is now no regulation specifically defining or governing the use of the term “hypoallergenic” or similar claims.

3)      Exfoliate weekly.  Remove dead skin build up several times per week with our CucumberBead Cleanser. Your makeup base will go on smoother and you may even use less in the future. Using the softest, cotton wash cloths allows you to very gentle exfoliate and rinse your skin without over stimulating it.

4)      Cleanse at night.  Avoid going to sleep with make-up on. If you wear make-up during the day. A.M. cleansing helps get rid of the makeup and grime. The PM cleanse is to ensure that your skin is really clean and free from impurities so that your moisturizers and toners can absorb better. It is important to use a cleanser for your skin type so your skin is not stripped of its natural oils.

5)      Take off your mascara. Use our Soothing Chamomile Eye Makeup Remover after a long day and ensure all mascara is completely gone from your lashes. If you sleep in your mascara, your eyelashes may eventually become dry and brittle, and are more likely to fall out.

Sleep Beautifully

So what can we do?

• Do not sleep on your side or stomach; sleeping on your back to avoid the pillow touching your face is one of the best ways to avoid getting these lines.
• Massage our Skin Nourishing Balm on your décolleté and neck, and around your eyes (if dry) before going to sleep, to soften the skin, making it less likely to cause the dehydrated skin to tighten up and stretch.   This natural balm serves as a breathable, aromatic skin softener .  If your skin is very dry, also use it on the entire face.  Great for heals and elbows too.
• Don’t forget about your eyes. Using a high quality eye cream is a crucial part of the wrinkle battle. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest and most delicate so you need to provide extra protection at night. Our Collagen Eye Defense delivers superior hydration that lasts for hours.

Have you been showing signs of sleep wrinkles? Do you have any anti aging sleeping tips to share? Post a comment!

Step 1:  Cleanse withGentle Facial Wash or Sensitive Skin Cleansing Milk.

Step 2:  Do a second cleanse with the Cucumber Bead Cleanser.

Step 3:  Put Chamomile Tea Bags in a steamy hot pot, and steam your skin for 3-5 minutes (towel over the head to hold in the steam if desired).  This softens the skin.

Step4: Apply 1/2 teaspoon of our Skin Nourishing Balm and massage skin for 3 minutes to increase circulation and soften the skin.  After, tissue off excess.

Step 5: Apply Sensitive Skin Enzyme Mask with fan brush or fingers.  If eye puffiness or redness is a concern, saturate two cotton rounds with our Soothing Chamomile Eye Makeup Remover  rest on your eyes while the mask is on your face.    Leave on ten minutes, then rinse and remove with gentle washcloth.

Step 6: Apply Firming Tri Peptide Serum or Crystal C Serum and massage into the skin.

Step 7: Finish facial with application of Collagen Eye Defense and Ceramide Daily Cream to the face and declote’.

Step 8: Apply your favorite makeup and you will shine!