What if I told you there was a more natural way to plump, lift and tone your
skin other than traditional injectables? I’d like to introduce you to your new
favorite beauty ritual, gua sha.

Often referred to as Eastern Botox or Eastern Facelift, facial gua sha is a
massage technique designed to relieve tension in the muscles of the face,
boost blood circulation, and encourage lymphatic drainage.

Gua sha utilizes a tool with a flat, smooth edge to gently scrape (gua) the skin. The
gentle scraping motion affects the connective tissue and muscles within the
face to help ‘iron out” fine lines and wrinkles while simultaneously
increasing blood flow to the face to bring about a healthy glow.
When performed correctly, puffiness is instantly reduced and stagnation is
dissolved, while the gentle glide and pull on the face tones muscles and
firms the skin. Facial gua sha also repairs the skin’s natural
hydration, sculpts the jawline and cheekbones, lifts facial contours, softens
the forehead, brow and nasal labial lines, and carries away toxins that can
lead to acne and blackheads.

Plus, it releases tension around the eyes to
lift and smooth lines, and stimulates the skin’s natural ability to heal.
Lets talk tools. Most gua sha tools are made of gemstones such as jade
and rose quartz and come in a wide variety of shapes. Choosing a gua sha
tool is really quite simple. Pick a shape and a stone that you’re most drawn
to. The most important thing is to make sure the tool is made of natural
stone and not dyed acrylic or glass. The dyes used in the fake stones can
irritate the skin and acrylic and glass provide none of the healing benefits of
natural stones.

Facial gua sha is definitely having a moment on social media and a quick
Google search will bring up numerous tutorials but here is a quick and easy
gua sha routine. You’ll need your tool, a clean face, a few drops of your
favorite face oil and about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the movements are
gentle and slow, almost meditative. Each stroke should be repeated 3-5
times.

1.Begin at the base of your neck and applying gentle pressure, gently glide
the stone upwards. Be sure to work the front and the back of the neck.

2.Working one side of your face at a time, place the stone at the center of
your chin and glide the stone outward towards your ear.

3.Next, move the stone up to the corner of your mouth and side of your
nose, working outward under and over your cheek.

4.Repeat the same motion between your eyes and over the brow and
forehead.

Pro tip: Apply a warm, damp washcloth to your face and hold for a few
seconds after your gua sha routine and gently wipe away any excess oil.
Once finished, you can follow up with your normal skincare products.This
ritual is easily incorporated into your weekly skincare routine and can be
done two to three times a week.

Can this ancient modality replace your modern day injectables? If you’re
looking for a more natural and holistic approach treating aging skin or an
alternative to traditional injectables, consider adding gua sha to you
skincare routine. Keep in mind that the key to lasting results is consistency.

And if this all sounds a little overwhelming, you can always schedule a
professional gua sha facial at Tryst Studio in Hingham.
*Stay tuned for some gua sha workshops in 2020!

Book a professional gua sha facial with Renee Wood at Tryst in Hingham

Chemical Peels aren’t as scary as you think…and, with the dry air of winter fast-approaching, it’s the perfect time to invest in your skin. Professional skin care treatments are the key to that radiant glow you will wear everyday for the rest of your life.

Chemical peels have come along way since Samantha Jones, in Sex in the City (season 5), had to hide under her hat!

Your initial instinct might be a hard “NO WAY!” – thinking you’ll need weeks of down time and you’ll scare your kids and have to hide from your neighbors. Peels only SEEM harsh and drastic but, skincare has evolved greatly over the last few years.

So, let’s dig a little deeper: peels can act as a one-step cure-all for a lot of skin issues. Peels can treat wrinkles, diminish sun damage and signs of aging, improve the appearance of mild scars, treat certain types of acne, reduce age spots, freckles, and dark patches due to hormones, and improve the look and feel of skin.

Here’s where we take away the “scary” part peels: peels now come in a variety of strengths, so you can control just how drastic a treatment you’re getting. You don’t have to PEEL with a peel.

What happens during your appointment?: your esthetician applies a thin layer of chemical solution to your skin (typically your face, neck or hands), leaves it on for a few minutes, then peel will self neutralize (or the peel is removed). You might experience some tightness or a slight stinging sensation. During the next few days, skin will feel tight and you may see some flaking or peeling depending on the level of peel you receive and your overall skin health.

But, the end result with a peel is that brand new, flawless skin emerges brighter, and more radiant than before.

We recommend micro peels with your monthly facials and a slightly more aggressive peel during winter months.

Once the scare is gone you have nothing to look forward to but beautiful skin, and the knowledge that you are truly investing in your own self-care. After all, beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle. The holidays are the perfect time to give yourself the gift of glowing skin.

With summer coming to an end – its important to reboot your skin care regime with both treatments and home care.

Begin with a basic skincare regime: if you add too many products you’ll fall off the skincare wagon and feel overwhelmed.

So, here is our fail proof regime to keep your skin healthy and glowing!

1. Start with gently exfoliated skin – products cant penetrate skin if they sit on dead skin cells – we’re die hard fans of Image Skin Care Vital C Enzyme mask – apply the mask as you would a moisturizer and go to bed – you’ll wake up to soft, glowing skin. Your face will be product worthy!

2. A must in your repertoire is a gentle cleanser – don’t buy into cleansers that strip skin.

3. Have your esthetician select a serum best suited for your skin type – serums are the heavy hitters in your regime and provide the most concentrated form of any product.

4. Moisturizer – hands down Skinceuticals Triple Lipid is a game changer – there’s a reason we cant keep it on the shelf- plain and simple it works and works miracles! You’ll never go back to another moisturizer again.

5. Lastly SUNSCREEN!! every day 365 days a year.

Once you’ve committed to these simple steps you can add a retinol to your evening regime twice a week. Your skin cells will turn over faster forcing the plumper hydrated skin cells to the surface

A series of microdermabrasion or dermaplaning along with a gentle peel will turn your skin around with noticeable results – the days of not leaving the house for 5 days after a peel are long gone so dont be afraid to take the next steps in antiaging.

The sun is shining and it’s time for some serious stratosphere intervention.

Did you know that 90% of visible signs of aging are due to sun damage?

Up to 20% of the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate your skin, leaving it exposed to injury from ultraviolet light. Even on a cloudy day, the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10:00am and 2:00pm and can cause significant damage if skin isn’t protected from UVA and UVB exposure.

According to the American Cancer Society, people who get a lot of direct sun on their skin are at greatest risk for developing skin cancer. Regular application of properly applied sunscreen (about 1 ounce should be used to cover arms, legs, neck and face and should be reapplied at least every 2 hours to maintain effectiveness) is a simple way to protect your skin from the sun. Pay extra special attention to your face and neck and don’t forget that your lips need sunscreen, too.

You need extra protection whenever you are near or around water, snow, and sand because they reflect damaging rays which can increase your chance of burning.

Sunburned skin is painful and can cause permanent damage overtime (including skin cancer) so be sure to apply every day, regardless of the weather outside.

Protect the skin you’re in – apply sunscreen 365 days a year!

Here are a few favorite sunscreen brands (all available at Tryst in downtown Hingham) specially formulated to not only protect your skin but, nourish & hydrate skin as well: Coola and Image Skincare and SkinCeuticals have all created your first line of defense in sun protection.

We all want smoother, more radiant skin. Right? So what our number one way to get there? Exfoliate.

As we age, the rate of skin cell turnover slows, meaning the body takes longer to shed old skin cells and generate new ones. It takes 40-60 days for skin cells to be completely regenerated in older adults, while it takes only 28 days for younger individuals (and half that for babies!). And to make matters more drastic, the production of collagen — a protein crucial to skin’s firmness and elasticity — also decreases with age, resulting in progressively-thinning, weakened skin.
So, what can you do to slow this process? Exfoliate. Sloughing away dirt and dead skin cells helps eliminate dullness, roughness and dryness—conditions that amplify the appearance of lines, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation leaving you with a smooth, radiant complexion.
Radiance is achieved when skin is smooth enough to reflect light (hence, the incredible trend on highlighters – more on that later). However as we age, radiance diminishes as skin shows signs of aging. That’s because, over time, cell turnover rate slows down and dead skin cells build up, which creates the appearance of rough, dry skin and enlarged pores.
Exfoliation can help reverse these conditions, as it stimulates cell turnover, resulting in a more polished and smooth skin surface—all the better to reflect the light. Sloughing away dead cells, dirt and leftover makeup evens out skin tone and improves its texture, rendering skin softer, brighter and fresher looking. So, in short: exfoliation is a must for revealing and preserving radiance.
Removing old skin cells is vital in making your skincare products work better. How? Your cleansers, moisturizers and hydrating serums are able to penetrate more deeply and do their jobs more effectively when skin is freshly exfoliated.
As with most things in life, moderation is key when it comes to exfoliation. Whatever form of exfoliation you use—physical, chemical or both—don’t fall into the “if it’s hurting, it must be working” trap.
Too-vigorous, frequent or harsh scrubbing, scraping or peeling can irritate the skin; overzealous exfoliation is likely to damage the protective skin barrier, which can lead to more damage..
In fact, any assault on the protective skin barrier, such as excessive scrubbing or a sunburn, can lead to sensitized and dehydrated skin that is susceptible to redness, breakouts, flakiness, roughness, and wrinkles and other markers of aging so – exfoliate – bu, don’t over do it.

We’re often asked “How many times a year should I get a facial?” Our response is – at a bare minimum, once a season – BUT, monthly TLC for your skin is really where it’s at. With the dry, cold winter weather coming at your face in full-force, sneaking in an hour of self-care truly will protect your skin from Old Man Winter and you will see significant changes in your outward glow (you already have the glow inside – it’s time to radiate!).

To put things in perspective, think about only going to the gym or yoga studio once every season. Your body would take months to get to where you want it to be, right? Consistency is key to seeing real changes and improvement in your body and in your skin as well.

Lets look at the befits of monthly facials:

New dewy, glowy, plumped skin skin!
Skin cells take an average of 28 days to turn over. With monthly facials your esthetician can work with each cycle and if If you have conditions like melasma or hormonal acne its a great way to dive in to putting a fix and get you glowing.

Life moves pretty fast.
Coming in for monthly, facials give your esthetician knowledge of whats going on with your world. Skin evolves daily and with lifestyle changes, weather changes, diet and medication changes, stress, and travel all can leave your skin crying for more attention.

Stick with the Pro’s.
All products used in facials are designated for professional use meaning they pack a much bigger punch with the potency of their ingredients. You’ll see faster results with monthly professional treatment than any “do it home” peel or mask.

You deserve it.
And lastly, and the very most important, you deserve it. At a minimum, give yourself the gift of just one hour every month to take care of YOU. You could spend an hour doing laundry but, a facial feeds the mind, body and soul (and so much more).

Cocokind: clean, conscious, and accessible skincare that empowers women.

When a skincare company in San Francisco, founded by strong women FOR strong women, talks about affordable, clean, vegan, certified organic products, we listen.
Safe for acne-prone skin and completely free of artificial fragrance, Cocokind is quickly gaining traction in the plant-based beauty world.

With a product lineup that includes moisturizers, cleansers, face masks, baby products, skin highlighter sticks, spot treatments and makeup, Cocokind is educating consumers about how to get glowing skin at home. With a blog that addresses how issues such as dehydration, sleep, and exercise all affect skin clarity and health, Cocokind seeks to educate consumers on how to truly care for the largest organ in the body: the skin.

Bonus: not only is Cocokind creating clean, cruelty-free beauty and skincare products but, with the Cocokind Impact Foundation, they are also providing grants to female entrepreneurs in health and wellness.

Our current favorite Cocokind products are the chlorophyll face mask (pictured below) and mymatcha all-over moisture stick. Loaded with natural antioxidants to protect and heal the skin, these products have won their way onto our list of wellness favs.

CK 12 Days of Wellness gift #1 is tinted sunscreen from Skinceuticals (winner: Allure Best of Beauty award)! 8 lucky CK Holiday Wellness Club home meal delivery clients will find this inside their delivery bag this week.

Daily sunscreen is an essential step for every skin care regimen. We love the Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 because it not only provides broad-spectrum sun protection from both burning and aging sun rays but it also provides a universal tint that enhances your skin tone and boosts radiance.

This tinted sunscreen glides on smooth and doesn’t leave behind any oily or white residue. Water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, the lightweight formula melts into skin, boosting radiance and increasing your skin’s defenses to keep you protected from premature signs of aging and damaging sun rays. An $85 value!

Key Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide: provide broad-spectrum sun protection to prevent skin from burning and prematurely aging
Translucent Color Spheres: provides a universal tint that blends to match all skin tones and repels oil to maintain a shine-free complexion
Artemia Salina: boosts your skin’s natural defenses to protect collagen from UV damage
Allure Best of Beauty 2013 Winner: Best Facial Sunscreen

Available at Tryst in Hingham!

We’re die hard believers that consuming 80-120 ounces of water a day is an absolute necessity to keep skin fresh and glowing. It’s no easy task but hydrating your body with a gallon of water per day is a must in any beauty regime. Water flushes toxins from the body, purifying the liver and kidneys, and hydrates cells. When all of your systems are running clean, your body functions to the best of its ability. Proper water intake reduces cravings for sugary treats and, overall, curbs overeating while increasing energy.

Splurging on a cocktail every now and then (everything in moderation!) is great but, alcohol dehydrates skin, leaving it to look sluggish and the eyes to look glassy. Combat that “skin care walk of shame” and drink an 8 ounce glass of water for every 1 cocktail consumed. Consuming water while out on the town will reduce puffy eyes and leave your skin with a beautiful glow.

Water is not the cure-all for every beauty angst but, it should be a staple in your everyday beauty regime. Your skin WILL thank you.