Tina performed a 60 Minute Gua Sha Glow Facial on Cynthia right before these photos were taken.
Fill in the blank. Self-care to me is _______________________.
Loving yourself and taking care of yourself.
How and how often do you incorporate self-care into your routine?
I try to every single day. It's so important!
Tell us one thing you wish you did more often for yourself.
Stretching (exercise if I had more time!)
What's your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day or week?
Watching good television with my husband.
If there were one thing you wish you would be easier on yourself about, what would it be?
As a beauty influencer, I can be very hard on myself when I get breakouts. It can really affect my confidence. I'm still learning to love my skin along with its imperfections!
Define skin health.
Hydrated, plump and glowing!
Fill in the blank. My skincare routine is ______________.
Extensive and consistent.
What is your biggest skin concern?
PIH (Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation).
Tell us about your daily skincare routine. What products you use, how often you get facials?
I am huge on double cleansing. My go-to cleansing balm is the Farmacy Green Clean. For cleansers, I recently discovered the Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée. It's such a nice gel cleanser and I really think it's helped with my breakouts! My two tried and true favorite cleansers are the Youth To The People Superfood Kale cleanser and the COSRX Low pH First Cleansing Milk Gel. Tip: it's important to keep your cleanser on your skin for more than 30 seconds so the ingredients can really do their job! For toner, I love the Perricone MD No:Rinse Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner and the REN Ready Steady Glow toner. The Perricone one gently exfoliates and I love that it leaves my skin on the matte side. I always mist after toner to prep my skin for serum. In the morning I love using a hydrating serum and at night I love using a retinol, such as the Verso Skincare Super Facial Serum. I'm not very picky when it comes to moisturizer but since I have oily skin I like a lighter texture. Finally, I always make sure to wear tons of sunscreen. My current favorite sunscreen is the Purito Centella Green Level Unscented Sun!
Name three things you love about your appearance.
My eyes, my smile and I'm proud of my strong body after carrying two kids!
Do you have a favorite feature?
My laugh!
Can you share a recent or regular skincare splurge?
Klur Symmetry Fluid serum. I want to try more from her line!
Is there an unusual skincare trend you want to try?
I can't think of anything at the moment, but after my Gua Sha facial, I do want to incorporate Gua Sha massages into my nightly routine!
What is the best skincare tip you’ve ever received, or one you love to share?
Apply and reapply sunscreen!
Do you have a favorite skincare ingredient or product?
Niacinamide
What about skin care vices? Is there anything you do to your skin that you wish you didn't?
I have a major sweet tooth, but I know if I have too much sugar I will wake up with spots. Even though I know this, I'll never be able to quit candy!
Is there a beauty trend you would absolutely never try?
Faux freckles and laser hair removal
If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick only one beauty product to have with you, what would it be and why?
Definitely sunscreen because sunscreen is the most important anti-aging product!
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We met up on a lovely sunny day in Pasadena, during one of the many two-week dips in COVID-19 surges, caught up on the past, her two little ladies, how crazy it is to run a multi-million dollar company, and how she’s managing to stay sane during such turbulent times. We talked about microcurrent, her favorite skincare ingredients and so much more.
Hint: keep reading to find out the one ILIA product Sasha is bringing with her if stranded on a desert island. xxTina
Sasha received the ‘Pamper Me' Face Trainer and this photo series was shot by Jenna Elliott immediately following her facial in Pasadena.
Fill in the blank. Self-care to me is ______.
Taking time to be alone with myself and turn off my mind.
How and how often do you incorporate self-care into your routine?
Not often enough! But I do try to get out for a walk or do some exercise a few days a week.
Tell us one thing you wish you did more often for yourself.
Facials! Self-care for the skin is important, and don’t get them done nearly enough.
What's your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day or week?
Spend some time with kids on the couch. Or pour a glass of wine and cook dinner. Anything to break up the zoom routine away from the screen is a good thing.
If there were one thing you wish you would be easier on yourself about, what would it be?
Acceptance of what I can do and what I can’t. Often I try to do too much, and it usually results in a crash and burn moment.
Define skin health.
At ILIA we say skin health depends on two things: to protect and revive. SPF should be used to help protect the skin, especially in California. Reviving can be done with so many ingredients that regenerate the skin over time.
Fill in the blank. My skincare routine is.
Serious at night and built into ILIA products in the day.
What is your number one skin concern?
It used to be acne but now it is around elasticity, smoothness, fine lines!
Tell us about your daily skincare routine. What products you use, how often you get facials, etc.
In the evenings I like to rotate between a barrier building moisturizer and gentle acids or retinoids. In the day, I use Vitamin C and other skin boosting ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide to help keep the vigor from the routine going.
Name three things you love about your appearance.
Wow! That makes me feel vain. I am told I have nice skin texture, big eyes, and great legs.
Do you have a favorite feature?
I don’t think I do. I believe it’s about finding ways to highlight your best features and bring others into balance. Harmony between features can be a beautiful thing. Outside of a bold lip, which is a feature I will always love.
Can you share a recent or regular skincare splurge?
I invested in the Myolift QT handheld microcurrent device and you were right, it’s amazing.
Is there an unusual skincare trend you want to try?
This is more cosmetic, but am looking to try Microinfusion, which is similar to Microneedling but with a boost of skincare ingredients.
What is the best skincare tip you’ve ever received, or one you love to share?
One of the best tips is that your skin doesn’t stop at the jawline, the neck and décolletage are also part of the equation.
Do you have a favorite skincare ingredient or product?
Right now I’m loving Thomas Grove The Facial Oil, it’s created by a fellow OC mama as well so that’s a bonus.
What about skin care vices? Is there anything you do to your skin that you wish you didn't?
I am a side sleeper. Always have been and always will be. It’s a vice, as they say it’s much better to sleep on your back when it comes to the skin on your face.
Is there a beauty trend you would absolutely never try?
Not sure, it would depend on the treatment.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick only one beauty product to have with you, what would it be and why?
This may sound like a plug but it is true: it would be ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40. It does everything in one step and gives me that SPF protection since I am on an island.
How has the pandemic shaped how you think of self care?
The pandemic gave us a chance to slow down, and all too soon it picked back up. During the windows of various shutdowns, I started taking the time for skin without needing to rush a routine.
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Sacha Strebe is a true Skinfluencer. Not only is she gorgeous, generous and accomplished (she’s currently the Editorial Director of Create and Cultivate, founder of the incredible skincare resource Skinlexicon, and a doting mom to her son Neon), but she takes skincare seriously, and is the first to try and learn all there is to know about every notable skincare treatment and facial modality. She follows a thorough skincare routine (see below!) including retinols, LED, weekly peels and regular exfoliation – her glowing, flawless skin is the result.
We met Sacha on a sunny Saturday afternoon and treated her to ‘The Face Trainer’ - our microcurrent facial. We had the best time chatting about our mutual obsession with skincare, (including Cosmedix) and followed her facial with a fresh-faced photo shoot. Sacha is incredibly photogenic and glows from inside and out. We hope you enjoy her interview as much as we do!
Fill in the blank. Self-care to me is
taking care of my mental health just as much as my physical body.
How and how often do you incorporate self-care into your routine?
Every day! I consider my daily skincare routine to be my self-care routine too. I love taking the time to apply my lotions, serums, and creams. I also love to dry body brush almost every day, use my Deesse LED mask, and apply masks or peels weekly too. It's so important to me. When my skin is healthy it boosts my confidence and I just feel better about myself.
Tell us something you wish you did more often.
I wish I could relax more. I'm such a go-go-go personality—there is always something to do. My husband and son are great at switching off and doing nothing, but I find that incredibly difficult. I just love being productive, ticking off a to-do list, and feeling accomplished at the end of the day but I have a tendency to burn out. I am realizing more and more that sometimes you have to forgo the exercise to take a nap or lie down and read a book. I'm trying but I'm hopeless at it.
What's your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day or week?
I love to cuddle my Frenchie puppy, Cosmo and my son, Neon—together! haha... I also love to take a bath with Epsom salts and do a mask! Sometimes I exercise too, in fact, I often exercise to release stress and remove static emotion or anxiety from my body. I am obsessed with Megan Roup from The Sculpt Society. Her dance cardio and sculpt workouts are honestly so hard and so good.
If there were one thing you wish you would be easier on yourself about, what would it be?
Oh everything! I'm a type A perfectionist for sure. I could always be better at everything—a better friend, a better mom, a better wife, a better employee, a better person... it’s a chronic case of the disease to please but I'm working on it. It gets better with age, but I am my own worst critic. My husband and son are great cheerleaders though and keep me accountable. They bring me back down to earth with their love and guidance. I'm so lucky to have that or else I'd be working all the time, I think.
Describe your definition of skin health.
Skin health is having the best version of your skin, not someone else's. We all have beautiful skin but Instagram and celebrities with filters can make us feel like ours is inferior, but skin health is about taking care of what you have and making your skin look its best—not setting an unattainable standard. I also think good skin health doesn't happen overnight, it takes time and dedication. You have to be disciplined with your routine and not introduce too many new products or overwhelm the skin with products you don't need. Keep it simple. I also think skin health is about your diet, mental health, and exercise regime. They all go together.
Fill in the blank. My skincare routine is ______________.
my happy place!
What is your number one skin concern?
Aging and pigmentation. I had melasma from pregnancy (my son is now 11 years old) which I treated with IPL (not recommended now btw!) and monthly peels with laser genesis. Now I maintain it with brightening serums, regular peels (I love Cosmedix Essential Peptide Peel and Blueberry Smoothie), and laser (Clear & Brilliant). This treats the pigmentation and the fine lines.
Tell us about your daily skincare routine.
I have quite an extensive daily skincare routine, but I have it down to an art now, so it doesn't take me that long. This is my current 12-step skincare routine.
Cleanser
Cosmedix Clarify Foaming Cleanser
I love an exfoliating cleanser to slough off dead skin cells to keep blackheads away and keep my skin feeling smooth and fresh. Both of these are also incredibly gentle on the skin and never irritate or dry my skin out. I'm obsessed with Cosmedix's new foaming cleanser—it's a salicylic acid foaming cleanser but it's so gentle and doesn't have any parabens which I love.
Toner
Cosmedix Purity Balance Exfoliating Prep Toner
I'm a big fan of using acids and this one has both of my favorites, salicylic and lactic acids. I have been using this toner for at least 10 years now and it is truly one of my hero products. I love how it removes excess oil or residue (including makeup) to reveal smooth, clear skin. It can also be used as a spot treatment for breakouts and I've even used it in lieu of a cleanser when I forgot to pack it on a work trip once. It's really an amazing product.
Serums
Skinmedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator
There are a lot of hyaluronic acid serums out there—I mean, a lot—but after trying almost everything out there (well, not all, but a lot!) I consistently come back to this one. It works, plain and simple. I recently started testing out the iS Clinical Hydracool serum after my friend and celebrity esthetician Candace Marino recommended it. It's packed with hyaluronic acid and feels incredibly cooling to the skin—I'm already a convert.
Cosmedix Cell ID
My esthetician Matthew Miller recommends this serum to almost everyone. It has really high levels of Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3 that helps to manage acne, rosacea, pigmentation issues, and wrinkles. This is a really nice everyday defense serum.
iS Clinical Active Serum
I mix a few drops of this with the iS Clinical Super Serum Advance and the iS Clinical White Lightening Serum morning and night straight after I've toned my skin. I've been doing this for a few months now and I can honestly say it instantly tightens and brightens my skin. I have definitely noticed a difference. I really love how fresh it makes my skin feel too—the results are immediate. Not sure how I ever lived without it.
Moisturizer
Cosmedix X-Age
I have been using this moisturizer for about a year now and I notice the difference in my skin texture and overall appearance when I stop using it. This is worth the $$. It has encapsulated Vitamin A and a ton of antioxidants to help improve the texture and elasticity of aging skin. I just really love it. I mix it with my face oil every night for added hydration and dewy skin. Humidify is also lovely when I want something hydrating but lightweight. When I want something lighter for during the day I turn to iS Clinical Youth Intensive Cream it smells incredible and is really hydrating too.
Oils
DMK Seba-E Oil
I was first introduced to this face oil through Matthew Miller and I have been hooked (actually I think it's safe to say obsessed) with this face oil ever since. I love to mix it with my moisturizer and even reapply it throughout the day for dewy, glowy skin. It can be mixed with makeup too. Mara Beauty Universal Face Oil is also really beautiful and great mixed with makeup as is the new face 100% organic oil by Kohza Numbers (touted as a daily supplement serum with vitamins A, C, and E). It's super lightweight and looks insane when mixed with foundation. I just love it, I just DEW!
Eyes
Cosmedix Eye Doctor
This magical eye cream is hands down one of the best out there. I promise. Honestly, you have to own this product. It is like eye cream and a highlighter in one. Their Opti-Eye Crystal (which is slightly cheaper) is also great and one of their best-selling products. But I personally prefer the Eye Doctor because it has retinol and feels more targeted to my anti-aging needs.
Sunscreen
iS Clinical Eclipse SPF 50+
This is almost like a mousse in texture, it's light, not too oily and mixes into the skin without leaving a white residue, but also keeps my skin dewy. I love the size of the bottle and I use it for my face and body. It's paraben-free and doesn't have any active chemical ingredients. Side note, my husband had a terrible reaction to oxybenzone and avobenzone so if you're sensitive please look out for that ingredient and avoid sunscreens that have it.
Face Mist
iS Clinical Copper Firming Mist
I have tried sooo many face mists but this is by far my favorite. It does feel firming and is a great spritz to set makeup. I also really love Cosmedix mystic. It smells so good and is incredibly hydrating.
At-Home Peel
Olga Lorencin Red Carpet Facial in a Box is my go-to for a simple peel that doesn't strip the skin—it's an instant brightening peel that sloughs dead skin cells and makes my skin brighter and glowier. Trust me!
Name Three things you love about your appearance.
I would say my eyes, skin, and hair. I have recently started loving my ears too. They stick out so it's taken me years to get to this point of self-love but now I really like how they stick out when I slick my hair back. Age is a beautiful then in that regard.
What's your favorite feature?
My eyes. They change color depending on the day or what I'm wearing.
Can you share a recent or regular skincare splurge?
The Kinesko Diamond Radiance Collagen Mask with the neck and Décolleté combo. I can't wait to use it!
Is there an unusual skincare trend you want to try?
I definitely want to try threads. I have an appointment with Vanessa Lee at The Things We Do to see they're right for me, but I hear they are great for tightening and lifting the skin. A facelift with no downtime, yes please!
What is the best skincare tip you’ve ever received, or one you love to share?
That good skin takes time. Every great esthetician will tell you that and honestly it pays to be consistent and see an expert for product recommendations rather than buying what someone else uses from an Instagram post or story you read because skincare is so individual.
Do you have a favorite skincare ingredient or product?
I love acids—aha, bha, lactic, glycolic, salicylic—retinol, and niacinamide, there's so many!
What about skincare vices? Is there anything you do you that you wish you didn't?
I pick my skin sometimes. When I see a blackhead, I just have to get it. I can't wait! It's bad, I know but it's really hard not to. I usually do the right thing and leave it for an expert but when you look at your skin as much as I do, it's hard to leave them alone.
Is there a beauty trend you'll absolutely never try?
I'm pretty game for most beauty trends—anything in the name of skin health and anti-aging!
If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick only one beauty product to have with you, what would it be and why?
Sunscreen—hands down! it's the best anti-aging, hydrating, dewy product out there! I use it every day, reapply multiple times a day, and even put it on when I'm inside the house. All day, every day!
]]>Mysha Gardner-White (known on Instagram as @blacqueunicorn) radiates beauty, and her positive aura is palpable. It makes perfect sense that she lists healer on her resume. Mysha arrived to her A.M. facial in a flowing blush dress, and huge smile. Our clients are always grateful but Mysha had an air to her that screamed self-care and a big THANK YOU. Our first question during the skin analysis is ‘What is your #1 goal for your facial today?” And her answer was relaxation and self-care. We picked our Gua Sha facial, because of the 90% chance she'll dose off and embrace the calm. After a 60 Minute ‘Gua Sha Glow’ facial, Mysha left hydrated and glowing. Next time we’ll do Microdermabrasion or a Peel to aide with post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, but skincare is a process, so we started with a facial that opens thing up, and preps the skin for exfoliation down the road. Over time, Gua Sha is also a facial modality that eases hyperpigmentation. To finish, we sent Mysha home with Sonage Go to Glow exfoliating pads to add to her home care routine.
We followed her facial with a photo shoot, a cup of tea, and a deep dive into Mysha's skincare and self-care routine, including why she'll bring butter with her to a desert island, and her go-to skincare products.
Finish the Sentence: Self-care to me is _______.
Self Love.
How often do you incorporate self-care into your routine?
Everyday.
Tell us something you wish you did more often.
Take long hikes in the forest and forestbathe.
What's your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day or week?
Sitting for tea or taking a boxing class then sitting for tea, depends how stressful the week.
If there were one thing you wish you would be easier on yourself about, what would it be?
Not trying to focus on one path or interest at a time, they are all a part of what makes me, me.
Describe your definition of skin health.
Glowing.
Fill in the blank. My skincare routine is __________.
Simple.
What is your number one skin concern?
The pollution and dryness here in LA leads to clogged pores and breakouts.
Tell us about your daily skincare routine.
I try my best to stick to clean green beauty lines, but due to some dark spots on my face I use Peter Thomas Roth face wash day and night. I also love supporting friends and local businesses so I use Osea Malibu Sea Vitamin Boost, Rituel Beauty CBD infused Rose Mist and Sacred Serum and Supergoop SPF. Weekly I use Spiced Sugah’s Gold Mask. I also have a jade roller I keep in the fridge and love using Daily as well. Professional Facials I get about twice a year, that’s crazy to think about, I’ll have to work on getting a few more in 2020.
Name three things you love about your appearance.
My eyes, my curves, my cheekbones. Favorite feature is my bedroom eyes for sure.
Can you share a recent or regular skincare splurge?
I have fallen in love with the smell of Saint Jane Beauty’s Body Oil and it ain’t cheap.
Is there an unusual skincare trend you want to try?
I’m intrigued by these vampire facials, but I feel my deep skin tone scars too easily to follow through. I’ve heard good things though.
What is the best skincare tip you’ve ever received?
Wear sunscreen and drink water are a tie here.
Do you have a favorite skincare ingredient or product?
CBD for sure. It’s had such a calming effect on my skin, which is usually a bit irritated.
What about skincare vices? Is there anything you do you that you wish you didn't?
I touch my face too much during the day for sure! It’s a bad habit.
Is there a beauty trend you'll absolutely never try?
Never say never, but fillers aren’t my thing.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick one beauty product to have with you, what would it be and why?
Shea Butter because being well moisturized is so important.
Clothing designer and born and bred Angelino, Rachel Pally is confident, strong, kind and easygoing. She emits a natural glow. We could live in her similarly easygoing dresses and tops, just like we did over ten years ago when we first discovered her eponymous line at a boutique in San Francisco. While her clothing has evolved with her, Rachel Pally has successfully grown the brand organically and at her own pace, staying true to herself, and evolving into the cherished brand it is today. We met Rachel in the morning, after the whirlwind of early emails and school drop offs, and proudly gave her the TLC she deserves.
After consulting with her Esthetician Anjanette, Gua Sha was the facial of choice, and a nice excuse to take a 60-minute nap. ‘Gua Sha Glow’ is a hero facial at Cheeks & Co. Rightfully so, as Gua Sha aides in circulation, reduces inflammation, gives the skin an unforgettable ‘glow’, improves skin’s texture and can help treat common conditions like TMJ and sinus congestion.
Rachel left the treatment dewy and glowing. Immediately after the facial, we captured a photo series of Rachel, fresh-faced and showcasing Rachel’s natural beauty. We also take a peek into Rachel’s self-care routine, the skin care treatments she’ll never try, and one product she swears fixes everything.
Finish the sentence. Self-care to me is ...
being kind to myself.
How and how often do you incorporate self-care into your routine?
I try to do something every day - I meditate, I journal, I do a face mask, I take a long shower, I stretch before bed. I don't always have a lot of time but even listening to a mindful podcast on my way to work helps!
Can you share with us something you wish you did more often.
Hike. Dance. Nap.
What's your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day or week?
I love to pour a glass of wine and snuggle up with my kids. Or my husband. Or a good book.
Describe your definition of skin health.
Fill in the blank. My skin care routine is ...
What is your number one skin concern?
Tell us about your daily skin care routine. What products you use, how often you get facials, etc.
Name three things you love about your appearance.
What's your favorite feature?
Can you share a recent or regular skin care splurge?
Is there an unusual skin care trend you want to try?
What is the best skin care tip you’ve ever received, or one you love to share?
Do you have a favorite skin care ingredient or product?
What about skin care vices? Is there anything you do you that you wish you didn't?
Is there a beauty trend you'll absolutely never try?
If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick only one beauty product to have with you, what would it be and why?
Rachel wears the new Rachel Pally Simona Dress. During her facial, her Esthetician used Osea, Botnia and a Beauty Secrets Gua Sha stone.
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