Levisagewellness Blog

Sensitive skin or no, razor burn can happen to you! OUCH!!! In it’s most benign state, razor burn, razor bumps, razor-burn folliculitis is most common on men’s faces due to daily shaving. It is not unusual for women to have razor burn either! Left untreated, razor-burn can become infected, requiring medical attention. If you suffer from razor-burn, Mukilteo Makeup Shop can ease the pain and embarassment of this affliction with Murad Razor Burn Rescue©.

What is Razor Burn?

Razor burn is the inflammation of the hair follicles from shaving. Usually, tiny cuts from the razor leave openings that can allow bacteria to migrate below the skin’s surface. Also, extremely close shaving can cause ingrown hairs by trapping smaller hairs below the surface. Both cases cause unsightly inflammation of the affected area.

Have you Heard of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae?

Psuedofolliculitis barbae is limited to the neck and face area (get it — barber?) — that appears as red dots in groups of 5 – 40 each. Repeated shaving will make the condition worse; the first step to eliminating existing pseudofolliculitis barbae is to refrain from shaving. This condition is more prevalent in darker complexions and is usually not caused by infection. Switching to either an electric razor or a ‘no bumps’ blade has shown significant improvement. For extreme cases, you may consider laser hair removal, waxing or depilatories.

What to Do to Prevent Razor Burn

Razor burn can be alleviated by:

• Using sharp ‘no bump’ razor blades
• Changing blades often
• Not sharing blades with others
• Using a high quality shave cream
• Following shave with Murad Razor Burn Rescue©

While there are numerous ingredients in the product, a listing of a portion to give you an understanding how Razor Burn Rescue© alleviates the pain and embarrassment of folliculitis:

There is no shame in a man wanting to improve his everyday appearance with cosmetics. Research indicates that the cosmetic industry for men has grown beyond $100 billion! So, apparently, the products are being flourished without embarrassment. The fact of the matter is, quality cosmetics properly applied are virtually indistinguishable to your peers. With the best cover-ups and professional training, any man can increase his confidence by looking his absolute best. Don’t limit yourself to men’s cosmetics either, for, as you can imagine, women’s lines have had quite a head start with regards to development. Mukilteo Makeup products and professionals are fully certified to assist with an questions or concerns you may have as a man new (or not) to the artistry of cosmetics.

Rosacea

A chronic skin condition akin to acne, rosacea is a chronic skin condition characterized by erythema (redness) on the cheeks, nose, chin and around the eyes. Sometimes called adult acne, rosacea’s cause is unknown. Although most common in women, men do suffer from the characteristic blush of rosacea as well.

The best way to conceal any redness in your skin is with yellow or golden concealers. Intuitively, one would think that green would be the best tone to ‘cancel’ the redness; however, green concealers will leave you with a pasty, sickly appearance. Jane Iredale has a line of yellow based mineral  concealers that are especially effective at neutralizing the erythema of rosacea; with Warm Sienna being the most popular and Warm Silk, Amber and Golden Glow working quite well also.

Bruising/Dark Under Eye Circles/Birthmarks

Long, hard hours of work and stress-filled, sleepless nights show all over your face, especially with dark circles and bags under the eyes. Short of taking the time to rest appropriately; or taking the time needed to use a cold compress to reduce swelling, the next best way to improve your appearance is with make-up and/or concealer.

With intense bruising or significantly dark circles and birthmarks, some color may show through even the best concealers. Using a product by Jane Iredale that is specifically made to reduce the appearance of that ‘hung-over’ look include:

• Disappear
• Circle/Delete in peach tones
• Enlighten

The same products are highly effective in concealing birthmarks as well. With proper Mukilteo Makeup Application Training, you can learn how to diminish the appearance of facial birthmarks, if desired.

Keeping in mind that a woman, fully versed in the application of cosmetics — including the full ride; concealer, base/foundation, eye shadow, eye liner and mascara — can finish everything in 10-15 minutes; your morning ablutions should take no more than 5-10 minutes. The extra time could well be worth it!

As you are applying the finishing touches to your makeup, do you ever consider how much easier we have it today than when eye makeup — especially mascara — was first introduced? Admittedly, mascara can still be about the most annoying part of any makeup routine; with Jane Iredale products, available online from LeVisage Wellness Center and Spa, however, the inconsistencies you may have experienced are a thing of the past! Did you know that crocodile stool was a staple ingredient in the earliest mascaras? Thankfully, we need not worry about putting poo on our eyes today! But then, the early Egyptians used mascara to hide their eyes in an effort to ward off evil spirits — we modern women wear mascara as an adornment to attract evil of a completely different nature…

Messy, Messy Mascara

The Victorian Era ushered in acceptance of makeup as something more than uncouth and unsightly — after which women were said to have spent the greater part of each day to extensive beauty regimens. The very first “modern” mascara was a mixture of lampblack or ash, heated with elderberry juice and applied (still warm) to the eyelashes.

Using a new petroleum jelly, chemist Eugene Rimmel invented the predecessor to today’s mascara in the early 1900′s. In fact, ‘Rimmel’ translates as mascara in several languages: Persian, Spanish, Dutch, Turkish, Romanian, Italian and Portuguese. In 1913, T.L. Williams created a very similar product in America for his sister, Maybel — and so the birth of the mega-cosmetic company Maybelline! Both horribly messy products were a combination of coal and petroleum jelly. It wasn’t too long before the cake form of mascara was developed, made of equal parts of soap and black dye; a dampened brush rubbed on the cake, then applied to the lashes was slightly less messy than Rimmel and William’s creations. No significant advances were made until 1957.

Advancements in Mascara

Closely following the fashion industry in Paris through the 1900′s led both Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden to eventually develop the first modern form of mascara after World War I. Through years of development and competition, American women finally accepted mascara as a staple in their makeup trousseaus.

Beyond the fashion industry, motion pictures further increased the popularity of mascara as women desired to emulate the glamorous appearance of cinema beauties such as; Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Greta Garbo and Pola Negri.

Finally, in 1957, Rubinstein developed mascara in a lotion form; packaged in a tube and sold with a brush for application, the lotion was still a bit messy. The lotion was squeezed from the tube onto the brush and applied to lashes — this product was the forerunner to mascara today.

The ingenious invention of a grooved rod that picked up the mascara from its tube, soon led to the brush that helped mascara reach its current popularity. Generally, all mascara uses the same ingredients:

• Pigmentation
• Oils
• Waxes

While the exact ingredients vary according to desired affects, rest assured that Mukilteo Makeup‘s Jane Iredale’s PureLash Lengthening Mascara is manufactured with all natural ingredients.