1. Wash your hands.  You don’t want to transfer all the dirt, grime and bacteria from your hands to your face.
2. Wash your hair first because most shampoos and conditioners have parabens and waxes in them.
3. Remove any make-up you have on before cleansing your face with SKIN1 clarifying toner..
4. Wet face with warm water to open up pores.  Not too hot because you can burst capillaries and shock your skin which can result in those sensitive red marks usually found around the nose and cheeks.
5. Choose either SKIN1 by Dr Gram daily or clarifying cleanser depending on what your skin needs.
6. Use a nickel to quarter size amount of cleanser on your choice of cleansing tool and rub in small and gentle circular motions.  This will help prevent breaking the collagen and elastin down which leads to fine lines and wrinkles.
   1. Micro-fiber wash cloth
   2. Clarisonic Facial Brush
   3. Fingers
7. Rinse with cool water to close the pores but not cold water because you can shock your skin.
8. After rinsing you want to pat your face dry with a clean dry soft towel.
9. Most important is to moisturize after cleansing no matter what type of skin you have.  Moisturizers lock in the moisture and can help keep fine lines and wrinkle away.

Use SKIN1 daily or clarifying cleanser up to twice a day because you need to train your skin to produce oil evenly.  SKIN1 cleansers are mild, non drying formulas that will help train your skin to not over produce oil in the dry areas and under produce oil in the oily areas.

One step that most people neglect or just skip is the toner.  Both men and women should follow the 3 basic rules to skincare.  CLEANSE.TONE.MOISTURIZER.  The function of a non-drying toner is to get the dirt that the cleanser could not get.  SKIN1 clarifying toner is a non-drying formula that will clean the skin but not strip the skin of the essential oils that it need to stay healthy and looking young which is what we are all after.

Use SKIN1 daily moisturizer.  Moisturizers have a couple of  functions they control the rate of water evaporation from your skin and moisturizers add nutrients to the skin to help maintain the elasticity of the skin.

When wearing make-up use oil- absorbing make-up on oily areas to control shine.

Always use a sun protection product with a minimum of SPF 15.  Keep your eye out in late January or early February SKIN1 moisturizer with SPF will be available in an SPF 25 with both traditional  and mineral sunscreens.  Now you’re getting the best of both worlds of SPF.

Protect your skin from UV ray exposure!  This means using a moisturizer, SPF products,  and reapplying as needed throughout the day.  Remember that great skin comes from more than just using SKIN1 products, you can also help your skin by eating healthy and staying hydrated.  Eat lots of fish, fruits, vegetables that are rich in omega 3’s, vitamins and minerals that fight the development of free radicals in the body.   Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water and try to avoid drinks with tons of sugar and caffeine but they can increase the fine lines and wrinkles.  That means stay away from coffee, black teas and cola.

Another key that is normally not associated with healthy skin is sleep…8 hours a day decreases your stress because stress can increase the aging of the skin.  Let’s not forget exercise I know that to most of us that is an ugly word but a little exercise will go a long way in keep you and your skin healthy

So use SKIN1, use SPF, eat healthy, drink water, exercise and sleep will keep you and your skin looking younger longer.

Drinking Alcohol—Alcohol dehydrates the skin!  This is a direct cause of fine line and wrinkles. A huge misconception is that drinking tons of water the day after drinking and partying will rehydrate skin. Well I hate to burst your bubble, but sorry, that is simply not the case.

Eating Junk Food—Now there is no scientific proof that eating more green leafy veggies will result in better looking skin, but limiting the amount of simple sugars and greasy food will save the waist line and help you feel better. However, the good news is that small amounts of caffeine and chocolate will help the skin because of the antioxidant benefits they provide.

Lack of Sleep—During the holiday season we tend to stay up later preparing for the next party or spending time with family and friends. Not getting enough sleep limits the body’s ability to release the toxins that are stored up during the day. Sleeping allows the body to cleanse itself of the toxins, therefore sleep is a skin-saving technique.

Late Nights—Partying into the wee hours are fun but at what cost to your skin? You get home late from the party and the five minutes you normally take to cleanse and moisturize your face before bed is typically lost. The problem with not removing the days grime, dirt and makeup is that it can clog pores which leads to irritation and inflammation, which is enemy number one to healthy skin.

So during the holiday season remember these simple tips to keep skin looking healthy so you can look great for the next event you’re going to.

Patti’s Prattles

The Ultimate Guide to Luxury Travel, Beauty, Great Gifts and whatever I want to write

Testing 1-2-3SKIN1 by Dr. Gram is next on my to be tried list. It’s touted as the first professional skin care line to focus on fighting inflammation that is also paraben, sulfate and fragrance free.  Research shows that chronic cutaneous inflammation is at the root of all common skin issues from acne to premature aging to even cancer.  SKIN1 by Dr. Gram utilizes the synergies between organic, natural and pharmaceutical grade ingredients to control inflammation. He also uses stem cell technology in his Eye Rescue to be the only skin care company to use the ingredient Rutin that significantly reduces puffiness and dark circles. (www.drgram.com). I started using this and I love it.

Better Skin Care – - Skin1 by Dr. Gram

I’m in love with this skin care program right now. Skin1 by Dr. Gram is an oily faced girls dream come true.

First up the Clarifying Cleanser, It definitely deep cleanses without giving your face that super shiny tight feeling. It also removes blackheads, and stop more from coming back. Which is awesome since my nose is constantly breaking out with them.

Next we clear off any missed dirt and excess oil using Clarifying Toner, it’s such a pleasant smelling toner. There is no strong smell of alcohol and it moisturizes as it cleans. The toner is made with natural witch hazel (which my father swears by) tones without stripping the skin. Chamomile soothes, and Vitamin E restores and protects skin’s natural moisture barrier. All the good stuff in one bottle.

I also received the Clarifying Mask to try out, but honestly the cleanser and toner work so well there hasn’t been a need to try out. Best believe I’ll update you guys the moment I try it out.

Check out dBeauty Junkie at http://dbeautyjunkie.blogspot.com/2009/09/better-skin-care-skin1-by-dr-gram.html