Author: Cybil Solyn

I'm a skin fitness guru who has a passion for reading, travel, and musicals.

Lessons Learned from Acne Journey Stories

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in Opinion, Uncategorized, Wellness

I’m known as the House MD of Skincare because I specialize in hard cases. This brings a lot of acne into my office. But not the easy to fix acne, the weird, obscure, and just plain nasty to fix stuff that is often on the edge of ruining a person’s psyche.

The thing many people don’t realize, is acne is physically, emotionally, and mentally scarring. This is where a well crafted skin journey is vital. The power of seeing someone else get clear, someone with skin like yours or worse than yours, clear up give you hope! The more positive the message and story the better.

It takes courage to share an acne story which is why so many people don’t want to. In my office I clear about 30 cases of acne a year, but very few of my clients are comfortable sharing those images online. It’s hard to show yourself at your most vulnerable and unflattering pictures that remind you of the worst moments of your life are just that. Remember what I said about acne being physically, emotionally, and psychologically scarring? Well sharing all this. Reliving it all can be really triggering for the storyteller.

All Yellow Josh is a perfect example of what a great acne journey is all about. He mixes bravery, humor, and creativity with a strong message to his viewers. His acne journey has me sobbing over how vulnerable he was with everyone.

I also appreciated how clear and strong Josh’s message of love and support was while expressing that there is no magic cure to acne. He was adamant that acne is controlled not cured. He got help to get it under control. He continues to take care of his skin and knows that his acne can flare up, but feels in control of his skin now because he’s educated and knows what to do if he has an acne breakout again in the future. He sought help from those more skilled and educated than he was, listened to their advice, and the plans to continue with his routines to keep clear. We love you Josh!!!💛 💛 💛

Another way acne stories can help is by showing real pictures with dates. Acne is a twisty bitch and getting clear isn’t a straight line. For the hard cases especially it gets better, it gets worse, it gets better, then it gets THE WORST IT’S EVER BEEN right before it gets better in nearly all the cases I work on. I’m not going into the why’s in this post, but there are reasons for sure why!

Showing images of how long the process takes and what the clearing process is like gives you a realistic expectation of what getting clear skin from having years of breakout will be like. I’ll be honest, I’m amazing at my job. I’m one of the top estheticians in the country but getting someone clear and controlling a hard case can takes about a year. YES you heard right, A YEAR. That’s just reality.

I follow Madison on Instagram (she’s very talented!) and when I saw her acne journey photos in her Story I reached out to talk to her for this post. Like me she was called to aesthetics because she struggled with her own skin. Her journey is beautiful to watch because she was so diligent about her photos. In them you can see the clearing and purging cycles that come with any true deep acne healing instead of acne suppression. As I always tell my clients – “That craps gotta come out!”

Since Madison is an esthetician she is honest about her feelings, what crazy stuff she’s tried (and OMG as esty’s we try crazy stuff!!), and finally what worked for her. She discussed her ongoing struggle to stay on track and keep clear because controlling acne is a lifelong endeavor!

My favorite part about speaking with Madison was talking to her professional to professional about how diligent you have to be to control acne. “You can’t give up. I got lazy and my skin wasn’t looking right. I finally forced myself to keep to a better routine.”

Madison’s acne journey is the perfect example of setting realistic expectations for people. I get so mad when I see stories of people who washed their face for a week and cleared up. If you started from nothing and did something, then yeah you’re going to get great results. The reality of most clients who see me, and who are reading about acne are that they’ve lived with it for a long time. It’s going to take some time to heal that up.

I encourage you to go look up some acne journey’s for yourself. If you have one write it! Be brave and share. Know that your acne story could change someone’s life.

The Three Most Important Skin Care Habits Even If You’re Working From Home

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in Skincare

Yeah you aren’t seeing anyone while on quarantine while Covid-19, the Coronavirus strikes fear in our hears with its pandemic claws. But you still need to take care of what you have. So let’s talk about the three most important skincare habits even if you’re working from home.

SPF, Ceramides, & Face Wash are Most Essential Daily

Wash Your Face

Wash your face at least once a day, preferably in the morning. I mean, I’d like morning and night, but let’s get real. If you’re reading this then you’re probably sitting in your pj’s and haven’t showered in a few days – am I right?

Go ahead and splash your face with water in the morning, or wipe it down with a microfiber mitt like Jane Iredale’s Magic Mitt, a knitted micro-fiber cloth that relies only on water and tiny micro-fibers to penetrate and wash away oil and grime. but your skin does a lot of clean up and repair while you sleep so help it by taking out the trash before you snooze by removing the days’ dirt. I really like SPELL Skincare’s Brilliantly Clean.  the pumpkin enzyme does double duty by gently exfoliating dead skin and cleansing it with anti-aging antioxidants. It smells pretty awesome before bed too.

A Daily Ceramide

Ceramides are what’s in the skin’s barrier that helps it retain moisture and allows it to hold proper hydration. Always oily? Get blackheads a lot? Always dry? Flakey skin? Forget basic moisturizers and serums. You need a ceramide! My favorite is the ultra-clean and made specifically designed for acne prone skin Roccoco Botanicals Ceramide Booster.

Sunscreen

I know you’re inside, but unless you’re living in a windowless room like that summer you lost playing WOW in your mom’s basement, you’re are getting UV and cancer-causing damage through the glass and whenever you go outside. Maybe you don’t need that 100+ spf that makes you white (you know the one), but you do need something. My favorite is Jane Iredale’s Powder Me SPF.  It feels like nothing and can easily just be powdered onto the face in a few quick swipes. My all-time favorite SPF is Epicuren’s Zinc SPF 27. It’s simple, feels awesome, helps mattify the skin, and has next to no smell.

Excuse Me, But Do My Pores Look Big In This?

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in Skincare

LOP_PoreVanisher_Pores101_Liya_596x596Let me just start by saying that you can’t make your pores get any smaller. Not really. Let me repeat this bigger so you can hear me.

YOU CAN’T MAKE YOUR PORES SMALLER

You can’t. I’m sorry. Your pores are the size you were pretty much born with. Like shoe size or finger length there are certain factors that may have increased pore size as you were growing up like humidity, uncontrolled oiliness, or just bad skin health. But honestly, even that is a minor factor in their overall size. Mostly it’s just genetics. It’s not like you had small pores and then lived in Florida and now have craters on your face. No, you might have slightly larger pores because of something you did when you were young, but what you’re born with is what you get. That’s all.

 

In this day and age of Photoshop, filters, and HD cameras, pores have become the evil holes that lurk inside our skin. But let me tell you a secret. We all have pores. *gasp* All of us. From Angelina Jolie to me. And you know what? Almost all of us think they are big. Even GIGANTIC!

I’ve been an esthetician for over a decade now and I’ve never heard someone complain to me about their tiny pores. No one has ever cried to me and said, “Oh Cybil, my tiny pores are making my skin all congested and bumpy because I’m not getting enough oil and my pore is so small that everything gets trapped in it. Please help me!”  Even a client with this particular skin condition due to the small nature of their pores has come into me and complained about their big pores.

And the reason? We all have pore envy. Although most of us have normal, average sized, pores we think we should have the smooth, poreless skin of a magazine cover. Sure I occasionally get some large pored people in, but most common are the people who have enlarged pores because of the wacked crap they’ve been doing to their skin.

 

So Why Are We All So Crazy?

janeiredal_pore_imageWell I think the media  has a lot to do with this. As I said before Photoshop and such gave us unrealistic expectations of what skin should look like in a poreless state.  Where I look at the photo to the left and see uncanny valley, many of my readers come to me seeking this perfection.

THIS IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT MAKEUP AND PROBABLY NOT EVEN THEN.

But this is okay everyone because really we all look the same. We all look like humans and not like this in real life!

 

 

So, Like I Have Big Pores

(No I Do! I Really, Really Do!)

Now What?

First, you don’t have big pores. (Dammit, why am I even writing this article?!) But in the off chance you do, come to terms with them and help them look smaller. Seeking the advice of a  skincare professional like me is a great start. Stop watching crazy videos and doing self treatments at home is another. Did I mention the wacked crap earlier?

Dirty, oily, abused, dehydrated, and clogged pores will make pores look bigger. Washing 2x a day with a gentle cleanser, following up with a hydration serum and SPF and using a good for your skin makeup (Jane Iredale is my favorite) can do wonders to keep your pores looking smaller. I know other people will say scrub and stuff, but Just Say No.  Stick to an enzyme based exfoliating mask or Clarisonic/Foreo face brush 1-2x a week. In the end though, seek a good skincare professional. They will show you the way.

How To Apply Jane Iredale Pressed Powder

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in How To, Makeup, Video

Learning to apply Jane Iredale Pressed Powder is easy once you have the proper tools. I like to use the Flock Sponge since it gives me the most coverage with the best control. Apply with a pressing down, stippling technique. I use a taco shape on the sponge with my two fingers pressed into the back of the sponge for the best control.

To apply Disappear I like to use the Crease Brush with as little of the product on as possible. Just dab it onto the spot then remove excess. Then you want to feather and blend around the spot blending it out. Try not to mess with the spot itself at this point. So many people apply concealer then mess with the concealer and next thing you know the concealer is everywhere but WHERE you want the concealer to be! So watch out for that.

Once that’s done. Be sure to apply more powder on top and most important set with a Jane Iredale setting mist. The setting mist is MOST IMPORTANT! Without it the powder just falls of your face. So be sure to use it!

How To Create Your Own Tinted Moisturizer

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in How To, Makeup, Video

You can totally make your own tinted moisturizer using Jane Iredale’s Pressed Powder.

Learning to create your own tinted moisturizer is easier than you think especially with a product as versatile as Jane Iredale’s mineral makeup. Since it’s all rocks it mixes with nearly any creamy moisturizer and her setting mist for tinted moisturizer that flawlessly covers and hydrates your skin while protecting with an FDA approved SPF.

To create your tinted moisturizer you’ll need:
Jane Iredale’s Pressed Powder or Amazing Base in your color
Jane Iredale’s setting mist
A creamy moisturizer
Something to scrape the powder out with like the back of a makeup brush

Steps

1) Put a nickel size amount of moisturizer in your palm
2) Scrape out some powder and dump it into your palm with the moisturizer
3) Apply 3-4 spritz of the setting mist
4) Blend together until creamy

Voila! You’ve done it! You have your very own tinted moisturizer! Watch the video for bonus techniques and more specifics and comment or questions are always welcome!

What To Expect at That First Facial

Posted on Cybil SolynLeave a commentPosted in Skincare

Ready for your first facial? This soothing and cleansing treatment is a favorite of many, but if you’re a first-timer here’s what you can expect during your appointment.

Check-in
After you arrive, you’ll be guided to a comfortable room for your facial. You’ll be asked to put on a robe and get comfortable. You’ll fill out a health form, which will help our aesthetician understand your skin type and issues.

Cleansing
Your facial will begin with a cleansing treatment. This is meant to remove any makeup and dirt to prep your skin for the facial.

Exfoliation
Some form of exfoliation, usually an enzyme that digests dead skin cells and is packed with antioxidants and other nutrient-rich ingredients, will be applied to your face. This process is usually followed with a hot towel or steam to soften the skin for extraction.

Extraction
Blemishes are removed, including blackheads. You’ll experience some pressure during this process, but it shouldn’t be very painful since the skin has been prepped for this through the first part of your treatment.

Massage
Expect a soothing massage of your head, neck and shoulders. This is not only relaxing, but it promotes blood flow and muscle relaxation which helps reduce wrinkles over time.

Mask
Depending on your skin type and the needs of your skin, a custom mask will be applied to your face. There are a variety of masks to pick from. For example, a hydrating mask can help with dry skin. A clay mask can treat oily skin, and an oatmeal mask can help irritated skin.

Moisturizing
Before you go, special serums and moisturizer will be applied so you are as hydrated and glowing as possible.

SPF
If it’s daytime an appropriate SPF will be put on you. Sometimes even some skin care makeup to keep you looking good all day.

If you liked your facial, schedule another one before you leave. A monthly facial can keep your skin looking bright and youthful. Call to schedule your appointment today.