Shizuka New York Day Spa Blog

Uma Thurman is looking fabulously flawless on the cover of W Magazine.  Inside you can get the scoop about her two children, NYC townhouse in the Village, and her upcoming movie “Motherhood.”  So is Uma’s stunning cover look the result of meticulous skin care or Photoshopping?  You be the judge.

As for Uma’s beauty tips, she has stated her need for a good night’s sleep as well as her regular exfoliation.  Those both sound like great ideas to us!

Scandalous vixen Kim Kardashian of Keeping up with the Kardashians and Dancing with the Stars fame is now a contributing beauty editor at OK! Magazine.  Kim will divulge some of her personal celebrity beauty secrets and makeup tips for looking gorgeous.

She will make her editorial debut covering New York Fashion Week on September 10, and we’re all  very curious to see what she has to say!

Source: Examiner.com

Did you know…?

Shizuka’s Foaming Cleanser was featured in OK! Magazine shortly after Shizuka’s line of skin care products was introduced.

“My facialist used this during a treatment and I’ve been addicted ever since!” said an OK! staffer.

Read more about the Shizuka New York Skincare System and purchase through our online store.

The cucumber, an age old spa cliche, is possibly on its way to a comeback, although not in the way you might think.  A new U.K. study found that certain fruits and vegetables may hydrate the body twice as effectively as a glass of water.  The minerals, sugars and hydrating salts in these raw foods work in a similar way to hydrating sports drinks according to researchers at the University of Aberdeen who concluded that eating foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, papaya and celery could hydrate people better than sports drinks and even water itself.

Watermelons are 92 percent water in addition to being rich in rehydration salts calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, and also Vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene which can help protect the body from UV radiation.

Cucumbers can produce twice the amount of hydration as plain water due to their 96 percent water makeup and mineral balance.

Body hydration is essential to maintaining healthy and youthful skin.  Moisturizing products can only go so far if you are not hydrating from the inside-out as well as outside-in.  Next time you think about putting cucumber slices on your eyes, you may want to consider eating them instead.

More information at the Daily Mail Online.

In case you missed Part 1 of this post on Secrets to Beautiful Skin, please take a look.

Here are some great anti-aging ingredients that you should look out for when shopping for skincare products:

Vitamin C

In addition to its antioxidant properties, Vitamin C is essential in the creation of collagen in the skin.  One of Shizuka New York Day Spa’s most popular skincare products is C-Mollient Gel ($63 at ShizukaNY.com) which contains Vitamin C and green tea extracts in smooth and light gel.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid has become very popular in skin care products lately for it’s ability to deeply hydrate the skin and promote collagen formation.  Two great hyaluronic acid skincare products we offer are the Hydrapeptide Gel ($66) and DCL’s Hydrating Serum ($40.70).

Did you know?…
A form of hyaluronic acid is also what is injected beneath the surface of skin in dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane.

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is one of nature’s best skin brighteners.  It is actually a byproduct of the sake brewing process and is incredibly effective at treating hyperpigmentation (age spots, sun spots, and freckles) and creating a more even complexion.  In the KojiLac Cream ($63), kojic acid is combined with lactic acid (see below).

Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body and one of the main ingredients in Shizuka NY’s new T-Zone Facial.  Lactic acid is an excellent natural exfoliant that can remove environmental debris and excess oil from the skin’s surface.  Lactic acid is one of the peeling ingredients in Shizuka NY’s Multi Hydroxyacid Daily Pads (for acne treatment) and Weekly Pads (for anti-aging).

A few weeks back the U.K.’s Daily Mail posted some not-so-posh photos of Posh Spice who had an acne breakout at the time.

Acne is a serious problem for many people.   Pimples and blackheads can be embarrassing even if you are not a celebrity on a magazine cover.  The Geisha Facial is an excellent facial treatment for all skin types, including acneic.  Also highly recommended for acne treatment are the Acne Facial with Intense Pulsed Light and the new T-Zone Facial.

Apparently Posh has been battling acne since her teenage years and has recently turned to Geisha Facials to treat acne:

Victoria has been regularly indulging in £100 Geisha Facials, using a paste made from nightingale droppings.

A friend told Closer magazine recently: ‘When Victoria was in Japan recently she was admiring the local women’s clear skin and discovered it was down to these facials.

‘She was intrigued and when she got back to the US she found that some New York beauty salons now offer the treatment.

‘She tried it and loved how great her skin looked.’

Hopefully Posh will get back on the Poo!

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Change your skincare routine like you change your wardrobe…seasonally.  This is especially important for those living in places such as New York City with very distinct seasons.  That face wash that worked great all winter long may not be the best for you as the weather gets warmer and more humid.

To avoid that dreaded t-zone shine, look for these qualities in your summer facial cleanser or mask:

1. Absorbs oil with ingredients such as clay or mud.
2. Clarifies the skin with ingredients such as lavender, citrus and, for those with oily skin types, a low concentration of salicylic acid to cleanse the pores.

Here are a couple of good face wash recommendations:

		Shizuka New York Clay Cleanser $48, ShizukaNY.com Moroccan Lava Clay , peppermint and green tea absorb excess oil and clarify the complexion.
		Naturopathica Aloe Cleansing Gel $28, ShizukaNY.com Lavender, ylang ylang and citrus extracts tone the skin while aloe and rose soothe inflammation.

After cleansing, don’t forget to close your pores with a good toner.  Try Shizuka NY Skin Freshener ($62) or Naturopathica’s Lavender Honey Mist ($28).  Use a small cotton pad to lightly brush toner over your t-zone on clean and dry skin.  Follow with a moisturizer and sun protection.

The most important tip for summer skincare is to protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays by using sunscreen or sunblock daily.  Use a product with an SPF of at least 30.  Protecting your skin from the sun is vital to maintaining a youthful complexion free of hyperpigmentation, age spots and wrinkles.

The New York Times recently published an article that demystifies SPF.  Is SPF 100 over 3 times better for you than SPF 30?  You will be surprised to find out that there is very little difference between the two!