Education

Winter can be a hard time of year- especially for people living in Vancouver.  Sure, we have the mildest winter weather in Canada, but the constant grey skies and sogginess can get you down.  Sunny vacation destinations are one way that people supplement their vitamin D intake. Another way is to head to the mountains. After all, there’s a much larger chance of seeing the sun when you’re up above the clouds.

The cold wind and snow can wreak havoc on your skin as you rip down the mountain.  One of the best defenses against dry, cracked, wind-burnt skin is Dermalogica’s Climate Control.  

It’s shaped like a little mini deodorant and is chalk full of ingredients that create an environmental shield for your skin. Climate Control isn’t limited to treating the ailments of outdoor pursuits; it soothes eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis outbreaks, as well as dry, cracked lips- an unfortunate reality of winter weather. 

Shea Butter, Oat Extract, Vitamin E, Superoxide Dismutase, Bisabolol and Lavender Extract are all included in the formulation. To spell out what these ingredients do in a metaphorical sense, it’s a band-aid for the skin- a cure for what ails.

This is definitely an underrated product and one of my personal favorites. If you haven’t tried it yet- you should- the Climate Control Lip Treatment is just $10! and your lips will be thanking you.

Shop for Climate Control and Climate Control Lip in our on-line store.

Our web store has expanded! For the holiday season last year we opened our web store featuring gift certificates for dollar denominations and treatments. This year, we’ve added the full range of Dermalogica and Pro-Derm products.  Products junkies don’t have to leave the house in order to reap the benefits of professional products and it’s easier to share the addiction with friends and family by taking the foot work out of holiday shopping and simply pointing and clicking your way to stress-free/ stress relieving gifts.

Here’s link to our store to see what’s new. Spruce Body Lab Shop

Keep an eye out for special Holiday promotions to come!

Excuse my ignorance, but I never really considered the lengths and pains that men go through to avoid five o’clock shadow- that is until I attended the launch of Dermalogica’s new Shave line.  

I’ve seen other brands bring out product lines for men, and to be honest, there really isn’t anything very innovative out there. They all seem to be blue- blue packaging, blue cream, blue gel, and they all have that exhausted cologne scent.  Not to mention that most of these products contain ingredients that create irritation for a process that’s irritating to begin with.  Traditional shaving products, although marketed to help with shaving are in fact a hinderance by causing razor burn and sensitivity. 

At the Dermalogica’s Shave launch, a shocking example how the ingredients in a product are so important, was a pH test that showed a common shave gel to have a pH of 8- the same level as a household cleaner. This is what men are putting on their faces almost everyday.  It’s no wonder they don’t look forward to shaving!

The Shave line from Dermalogica breaks down these hackneyed models of men’s skin care and stays true to their brand vision. Using refreshing essential oil blends, omitting alcohol, dyes and artificial fragrance, while creating products that make shaving better for men.

I was won over at the launch, but the true test was for the man in my life to try them.  The verdict- the best shave he’s had in years.  

Two products that I think are big winners from this new line are the Pre-Shave Guard, which softens and cushions the beard used in combination with the Soothing Shave Cream.  To quote one of the Dermalogica educator’s experience- “It’s like cutting through butter.”

Ladies don’t need to feel left out- the shave products, although targeted to men, are good for anyone to shave with.  I personally tried the Invigorating Shave Gel on my legs and found them looking and feeling smoother than with anything I’ve used previously as a shave medium.

Curious about the new shave products? Do you want to learn how to best take care of your skin? Book in for a Face Mapping or Skin Bar session and get introduced to a new way of shaving and better skin!

Featured Skin Care Product

Yes, I have a tan- and I make no excuses.  Living in Vancouver means there’s usually one month of sunshine to soak in for the year and I took advantage!  Most week ends in July I spent outside and willingly exposed my skin to the sun. In my defense, I did wear sunscreen and reapplied every few hours. So while I avoided any severe damage from a burn, I still ended up with a nice bronzed complexion- the kind I’m usually telling people to avoid!

Now it’s damage control and the best thing for a little post-summer boost to my skin is Dermalogica’s Daily Resurfacer.  If you want bright, smooth, hydrated and youthful skin, then this is your product.  It’s great to prepare your skin for big events or to even out your skin tone as your tan fades.  

The packaging for this product is fun and it’s very easy to use.  Each silver container contains 35 individually wrapped finger mittens that are soaked in sugar cane to gently exfoliate, South African rooibos extract for it’s potent anti-oxidant properties and Japanese Unshiu citrus peel to address hyperpigmentation.  This three-in-one product saves time and money.  Apply the single dose to your skin after cleansing, allow it to soak in for a few seconds and follow with your moisturizer. Exfoliation, hydration and anti-aging in one step.  

My motto is the simpler the better.  Who knew that great skin can be achieved in 10 seconds and comes in the form of a little finger mitten? Now you know!

Consumers are continually bombarded with anti-aging products. but truthfully, there is nothing that we can buy that will actually arrest the aging process. However, with the right ingredients we can significantly improve the appearance of our skin, reduce the signs of aging and AGE SMART.

We’re all familiar with the surface characteristics of aging skin: wrinkles, elastosis, uneven pigmentation, dilated capillaries and dehyration.

What’s behind it all?

As we age our skin’s ability to produce new collagen and elastin slows; there is a cross-linking of collagen that occurs which hardens the usually flexible and supportive dermis. Impaired barrier function leads to dehydration. Cell turnover and cell renewal slows; the epidermis thins while the layer of dead skin cells on the surface thickens. Erratic melanin formation and inflammation occur. All these factors comprise what is beneath aging skin.

So how do we slow down this process and take into account the many elements listed above?

By addressing the three biochemical reactions that lead to aging skin.

1. Reactive Oxygen Species: otherwise known as free radicals, these are unstable oxygen molecules generated by UV rays and pollution. They attack and react with stable molecules within skin cells. This causes non-reversible damage to the cell, cross-link collagen and elastin (causes wrinkles) and lessens skin natural ability to repair itself.

antioxidants such as polyphenols from white tea, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP- a highly stable form of Vitamin C), licorice and Vitamin E all work to inactivate or quench free radicals and create stable molecules, preventing damage to the cell.

2. Matrix Metalloproteinase Enzymes (MMPs): these are enzymes that are activated by UV exposure or inflammation which break down proteins such as collagen and elastin and trigger the formation of uneven pigmentation.

peptides, MAP, Rtinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) and powerful plant extracts all help to control the formation of MMPs.

3. Advanced Glycation End-Product (AGEs): The same glucose (sugar) that provides energy for our cells can also react with proteins, including the skin’s collagen. This reaction results in the formation of Advanced Glycation End-Products, which contribute to cross-linking of collagen protein fibers (causes wrinkles), inflammation, inhibited skin cell growth and accelerated aging.

“sugar traps”, soy proteins, glucosamine and specific peptides intercept the sugar, bind to it and prevent sugar from reacting with collagen protein in our skin.

Dermalogica’s new AGE SMART products comprise the necessary factors to intelligently treat aging skin. Try them out at our skin bar and see the results for yourself or book a skin treatment featuring the AGE SMART products for advanced professional results to control the biochemical triggers that lead to skin aging.