Parisian's Pure Indulgence

5 Important tips for healthy, youthful looking skin after 50

Have you wondered why the products you used in your 30's and 40's aren't giving you the results you desire in your 50's? Simply put, we have different skin care needs as we mature.

Loss of elasticity and skin dullness are common complaints. Hyperpigmentation--usually sun related, Rosacea--redness, broken capillaries, under eye puffiness (bags!), and adult acne--hormonal, are all issues women over 50 can struggle with.

Here are 5 important tips to keep your skin at its best after 50.

1. Read your product labels - Be sure you are using skin care treatments that contain organic, high performance (plant based)botanicals.  We all know organic foods are better for us. It's the same with our skin care.

If the first ingredient on your skin care label is water--change products.  Do you really want to spend your hard earned dollars on a product containing mostly water?

The ingredients on cosmetic labels have to be listed in descending order of weight.  That means the first ingredient on the list generally makes up about 30%-90% of the product.

You should know--The first ingredient in most Parisian's Pure Indulgence skin care treatments is Organic Aloe Juice.

2. Cleanse and Exfoliate -  After 50 our skin can be dry and dull.   To perk your skin up, use a gentle botanical cleanser daily, and a exfoliating polish, 2-3 times a week.  Polishes are essentially used to get rid of the dead skin cells from our skin. If not cleansed from time to time, these cells can clog pores leading to problems like acne. They also age the skin faster by blocking proper blood circulation. 

*Important* -Please check the exfoliates you use for "Micro beads."  The beads from exfoliating personal care products and toothpastes, are washed down the drain after use, pass unfiltered through the sewage treatment plants and make their way into rivers and canals, resulting in plastic particle water pollution. Read which companies use them and why the Great Lakes are threatened.

3. For the most bang for your buck-Use a Serum -The molecular structure of a serum is designed for better penetration and absorption, and better efficiency in delivering the active (anti-aging) ingredients.  Look for anti-agers Retinol, Peptides, DMAE, MSM, Hyalauronic Acids, Alpha-hyroxy acid, Alpha Lipoic, and high concentrations of Vitamin C in your serums.  Remember, serums work best the longer you use them!

4. Moisturize Twice Daily- Always follow a serum with a good moisturizer.  Moisturizers are thicker and seal serums into your skin.  A good moisturizer will protect your skin from damage, especially if it contains SPF30.  Choose a moisturizer according to your own skin type. If your skin is dry, look for hydrating ingredients like Hyalauronic Acid--water binder, with the ability to attract 100 times its weight in water.  If your skin is sensitive, avoid parfums and fragrances in your moisturizer.

5.  Yes, you need a Eye Creme too!- Here's why:  The under eye area is the first to show your age. The skin is more delicate and drier than the rest of your face. It's also more sensitive. Have you ever used a product that caused your eyes to itch, get red, or tear up?  What the eyes really need are antioxidants, and skin-repairing ingredients, in soothing fragrance-free formulas.

Indulge your skin in Pure, Organic treatments and prepare to have youthful, healthy skin for decades to come!

 

 

 

 

This blog is sure to be my most controversial!

When did we begin to believe being suntan was somehow healthy looking? Seriously, when did SUNTAN=HEALTHY GLOW get programed into our brains?  

Here's what I see, when I look at someone tan:  Skin Cancer, shoe leather skin, wrinkles, someone who will be nipping, tucking, and laser resurfacing their sun worn skin, over and over.

I realize I'm a lone ranger here, why, because we HAVE been programmed to associate a suntan with healthy.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Sun is the greatest threat to your skin’s health and youth”

As a teen, I slapped the baby oil on, spritzed the "Sun in" into my hair and baked with the best of them.  I thought I looked great all golden and blonde!  Little did I know what I was setting myself up for years of sun damage that eventually caught up to me.

When did the Sun Craze begin?

The sun became associated with health when Arnold Rikli, the “sun doctor,” first used light therapy to treat consumption (tuberculosis).  He used light therapy to treat depression and "Madness" as well (madness- interesting huh?).  In the 1920s, many Europeans and Americans considered pale skin a mark of wealth and leisure until the early 20th century.

If there was a single person responsible for popularizing the tan, it was Coco Chanel, who bronzed herself on a yacht in the Mediterranean and declared in 1929, “A girl simply has to be tanned.” 

Historically though, pale skin has indicated high status. A tan signified that you had to work outdoors as a manual laborer, while pale skin announced that you could afford to stay out of the sun and spend time cultivating your mind.

Why are we no longer bursting with praise for our pale white skin?  Why not love and protect our own natural hue.

As Sarah Brown, Vogue’s Beauty Director, commented: “A healthy glow does not mean a tan, and I think that’s what we have to clear up. A healthy glow is your skin tone, glowing.” In 2008, The Skin Cancer Foundation appealed to people to stop tanning with the launch of Go With Your Own Glow, a PSA ad campaign, developed to encourage women to love — and protect — their skin, whatever its natural hue.

On the flip side of the coin, African American and Asian women are flocking to purchase skin lighteners!  UK-based scientist and consultant Dwain Neil proclaims, “Melanin which gives us our darker color protects us from dangerous UV rays. When you damage or remove that protection, you are leaving your skin more vulnerable to developing cancers." 

Ladies, we have to stop!

Stop trying to change what we're born with.

Does this skin look unhealthy to you? What would happen if we actually embraced the hue of the skin we're born into?

 

Is there anyone who doesn't love the show Shark Tank?

I don't know about you, but Shark Tank is one of my favorite television shows!  It appeals to my entrepreneurial spirit.

Time after time, you see these business start ups lay their hearts, finances, and efforts on the line, for that one chance of super success with a Shark.  

Entrepreneurs are risk takers!

All entrepreneurs have passion for what we do, that's a given.  We all think our product is what someone else needs, wants, and has to have...and may just be the next best idea since Spanks!    

Chris Oakley, former chairman of web design company Chapter Eight states, "An entrepreneur sees an opportunity which others do not fully recognize to meet an unsatisfied demand or to radically improve the performance of an existing business. They have unquenchable self-belief that this opportunity can be made real through hard work, commitment and the adaptability to learn the lessons of the market along the way."

Entrepreneurs must also be clear in conveying the message of their brand.

I know a thing or two about the lessons along the way.   My first unpleasant lesson was early on in my business.  I hired a man to do my first product brochure.  No, this isn't man bashing.  My first brochure ended up being straight forward, factual, gray and not feminine at all.  Very man like, and not at all what I hoped it would be.  I take responsibility for this, though.  I obviously did not enlist him in my vision for our brochure.  

I wasn't clear about the message the brochure needed to convey.   That's on me.

What is the message behind the Parisian's Pure Indulgence brand you ask?  First of all, Indulgence means,

"the act of doing something that you enjoy but that is usually thought of as wrong or unhealthy"

Women using my products must feel like they've indulged themselves.  They should know the scents, product textures, and the way their skin feels when they use our treatments, is indulgent. Yes, you've splurged, and done something nice for yourself.  The difference is...

...you've done it with pure, organic and natural products, so you know your skin is going to be healthier too.

You've done something for yourself, both, Indulgent and healthy!  

As I work on our rebranding, I've learned my message must be first and foremost in everything I do! The logo, web site, packaging and product photo's, must all tell the story of my brand.  I believe I've done a better job, this time around, enlisting my vision with everyone I'm working with.  I told my Graphic Artist early on, she may hate me at the end of this project, because I will not settle for anything less than my vision for, and message behind, Parisian's Pure Indulgence.  I've learned what happens when you don't.

Enlisting others in your vision and the message of your brand, is what entrepreneurs who find themselves in front of the sharks do, and if they do it well, they'll even get a shark or two to jump on board!

My 4th of July Fail!

Every year, we spend the 4th of July with our dear friends, Jamie and Joy Farr. Like most 4th of July celebrations, it's a fun filled day of family, friends, food, and...Croquet!  

Today, I'm sharing my story, I'll call...Fail at the Farr's.  

I found this centerpiece idea on Pinterest, and thought, I can do that!  Naturally, I decided to elaborate on it--mistake #1. I've never been much good at craft type projects, --mistake #2.  But, off to Michaels Craft Store I went to purchase the styrofoam, the red, white and blue stars, etc.

I skewered the strawberries and blueberries with little white marshmallows (my idea), so far, so good.

I worked for hours on my project...gluing stars, skewering fruit, etc.  Sadly, what I crafted together, looked more like a 3rd grade solar system project, than a Independence Day centerpiece!  

The Rice Krispie stars were my undoing--they were too big and too gooey! - mistake #3. The centerpiece seemed to go together fairly easily, but by the time we got it to the car, a star had fallen off. Okay, no big deal right?  I can put it back on.  But, by the time we drove 10 minutes to their home, 75% of the stars had fallen off!  

When we pulled up in their driveway, I quickly put them all back on.  We walked in the door, everyone ooh'd and ahh'd at my creativity, I set the centerpiece on the table and took a quick, I mean very quick, photo.  

Plop, plop, plop, one by one the stars fell off!  They were all on the table in less than 5 minutes, leaving my centerpiece looking, well, less than stellar!  Jamie, Joy, and family, were the most gracious art critics though.  They didn't laugh...they applauded my effort.  I laughed though, and we're still laughing! Every year when we get together, I say, remember the beautiful centerpiece I made for you? We all chuckle, and they continue to applaud my effort.  

Don't believe me?  Here's my work of art! 

Isn't it funny how you remember the events, vacations, etc., where something goes wrong, forever? Yet, when everything goes smoothly, it's not as memorable?!  

We are on our way to the Farr's today....I'm bringing a salad ;-)

 

 

This kind of deceit gets my blood boiling!

We've all seen these type of photos, with headlines like, "Grandma loses wrinkles with this unknown trick" or "Hollywood secrets revealed."  They lure you in with a photo like one of these. They begin to weave their scary tales about Botox, injectable fillers, and plastic surgery, reminding you of the products you've purchased in the past, that didn't do what they claimed, then......they try to sell you their products, and if you use two together, better still, you will look 20 years younger! Just look at the pictures!

Then there are the Snakeoil Salesmen...MLM's. Multi-level marketing reps. posting before and after photos on facebook....I just want to scream, seriously, do you think we're stupid and haven't heard of photoshop or lighting tricks!!  Ask an Actor what can be done with the right lighting.

There is not a product on the market that can remove skin and deep, deep wrinkles, like the ones in the before photo's shown here.

To make claims like this is so dishonest.  These women have had plastic surgery!  While, plastic surgery is not something I would do, I know many people who have, some look great and others look, well, not so great.  The women in these photos have most likely had surgery, followed by laser treatments, and injectable fillers. 

When women ask me, "Do you have anything that can help with these lines around my mouth?"  I tell them, "Yes, we do. We have a Retinol Serum, our Jeunesse, that will help reduce the lines. Retinol has a proven track record,"  I don't tell them the lines will be gone... only, that they can expect improvement.  If they want them gone entirely, injectable fillers are their best bet. But, they must be prepared for the upkeep.

At Parisian's Pure Indulgence we promote the health of your skin.  Our products are made with Organics whenever possible.  Healthy skin looks better, has more clarity and tone!  When your skin is being indulged with pure ingredients in Luxurious treatments, it can look younger, but not 20 years younger!  As women, we must have realistic expectations, and not buy into the latest and greatest, scams. 

Wear sun protection, take care of the health of your skin, and focus on the beauty that comes from within; this is how you achieve timeless beauty! 

My rant for the day is over.

 

 

 

 

#IBN30- 8 ways to be Brain Fit after 50

A healthy heart over 50, ensures that our cells gets life-sustaining nutrients and oxygen by pumping blood throughout the body, but the brain is the control tower over our bodies.

According to Be Brain Fit, "Science has proven that being surrounded by clutter interferes with the brain’s ability to process information and is a continual source of stress."  

I just looked around at my desk, and thought, "Well, that explains it!!"  

Is this why I'm easily distracted?!

Research shows cognitive decline may begin in our early 40s--cheery news, eh? While decline may occur, there are many things we can do to challenge our brain, and give it a good workout. I'll be trying a few of these myself.

 

1. Learn to play a musical instrument or speak a new language. Both provide great brain stimulation. Learning a second language can develop new areas of your mind and strengthen your brain's natural ability to focus, entertain multiple possibilities, and process information.

2. If you’ve ever had the urge to embrace your artistic side, why not do it now? Creating art is a wonderful way to stimulate your brain and improve your well-being, 

Dr. Arnold Bresky is a physician who has created a program he calls the “Brain Tune Up” that utilizes art therapy for patients that have Alzheimer’s and dementia.

He has seen a 70% success rate in improvement of his patients’ memories. 

He believes by drawing and painting, they are connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain and growing new brain cells. 

3. Check out the latest Brain game apps for Baby Boomers- Lumosity Brain Training App is actually great fun!  I went to their site while writing this blog and signed up. I started to take some tests, when I realized --once again--I was getting distracted!!  Okay, back to writing.

4. Learn to Dance! - My fav!  Researchers say dancing opens up new pathways in the brain that improve mental capabilities. Keepings pathways active and generating new pathways, help maintain brain health and fitness. 

Dietary Brain fitness 

5. Coconut Oil -  the medium chain triglycerides found in coconut oil are being intensively studied as potential therapeutic agents in treating Alzheimer’s disease.  Be sure to use organic, virgin coconut oil.

6. Omega-3 fatty acids - Wild-caught salmon is a top notch brain food due to its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, one of the most important nutrients for your brain. Grass-fed beef, grass-fed bison, pasture-raised pork, and free-range poultry and eggs are also good sources of brain-essential omega-3s.

7. Watermelon - Watermelon was recently found to have high concentrations of antioxidants, including lycopene, which may help prevent cognitive decline. It also offers significant beta-carotene.

8. Dark Chocolate! - dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids. Flavonoids are particularly effective at increasing blood flow, which is a key element when it comes to brain power. The better the blood flow to the brain, the more oxygen and nutrients it receives.

I think it's time to go eat some chocolate and clean my desk ;-)  

 

 

 

#IBN30 We're rebranding...and here's why!

 

A brand is a promise. It is the feeling that consumers get when they use your products and services.

My husband and I just bought a Certified Pre-owned Lexus RX 350.  After spending 2-3 months looking and test driving many different cars, we bought the very first brand we test drove.  Why did we look at so many cars?  Most likely because my husband wasn't as familiar as I, with the Lexus brand.

This is the second Lexus, I've owned.  Why?  Because I trust the brand.  I've experienced the brand.  I drove my last Lexus 13 years.  Owning a Lexus makes me feel like...

I'm driving a distinctive car, top in it's field for reliability. The staff in the service department is knowledgeable, doesn't try to up sell me, and they stand fully behind their brand. My last Lexus was the best and most reliable car I've ever owned. 

There were other good cars we could have purchased, certainly less expensive,

but the Lexus brand sold us!

*****

Here, at Parisian's Pure Indulgence we are in the middle of re-branding.  Why, you ask?  It's more than a new look to differentiate ourselves from the competition, although that is one reason. The key reason for rebranding is our Niche customer has changed.

Interestingly, we didn't find our Niche...our Niche found us!

When I first started PPI (Parisian's Pure Indulgence), our Niche market was the savvy customer who was looking for pure and natural skin care products. She was 30+. 

Today, our Niche PPI customer is:

 A Savvy, 50ish Woman, looking for Pure, Luxurious treatments to assist her in achieving Timeless Beauty!

When I say savvy, I mean someone, "In the know."  The woman who knows the importance of purity in the skin care line they use.  Often, I'm approached by women, telling me...

"Kelli, I have Rosacea, or Eczema, or I can't use anything scented, I'll have a reaction"  

Our customer desires distinctive timeless beauty treatments. Products that won't cause their skin to go into reaction. I've learned, most 50ish women have skin sensitivities.

 I'm convinced it's from years of using big brand names that contain petrochemicals, perfumes, harmful preservatives, etc.  But, that's for another blog.

We love hearing you tell us, "Your scents are clean, not overpowering and the new Island Bouquet scent makes me feel like I'm on vacation!"  Just today, a client shared with me, using our Sugared Butter Whip twice a week, has helped with the eczema on her hands!  

We may be rebranding, but our mission remains the same.  Our desire to deliver on our promises, keeping you; our customer, and your skin care needs, our top priority.  There are certainly cheaper brands on the market, but we hope you'll agree, that our customer service, and our commitment to excellence, make you feel as I do about Lexus...Parisian's Pure Indulgence is a brand you Believe in and Trust!

 

 

#IBN30 We-will-fight-on!

"We will fight on," was playing 5 minutes into my Tricep lifts, this morning in BodyPump class. It got me thinking about why I exercise, and why you should too...

    ...especially if you're over 50.

I began exercising regularly in my 20's. I think I've participated in nearly every style of exercise (remember Tae bo?), at least once.  I discovered BodyPump class, 8 years ago; loved it, and have been going 1-2 times a week; ever since. I also power walk (up hills), with my girlfriend Pat, once a week. Don and I try to take a dance class, once a week too. I shoot for a total of 4 times a week of exercise, but it's usually 3.

Exercise isn't about vanity for me, it's about staying healthy!  I shared in an earlier blog, that my mother had a major stroke at 45 yrs. old; forever changing the remainder of her short life--she died at 67. Her Mom, my Grandmother, died even younger, from heart disease.  My Grandmother on my father's side had osteoporosis, and breast cancer.  My Dad died of Lung cancer at 79 yrs., and he quit smoking in his 30's!

Needless to say, my gene pool is pretty sucky!

Even if your gene pool is better than mine, I'm sure you'll agree, staying active contributes to our overall Wellness.  

You've probably read, after 50, it's important we do resistance or strength-training exercises, but do you know why? 

From the age of 25 on, all of us suffer from sarcopenia — a gradual loss in muscle mass.  We lose an average; one fifth of a pound of muscle, a year.

Beyond the age of 50, the process speeds up, causing a loss of up to 1 lb of muscle a year. Studies suggest sarcopenia is a risk factor for osteoporosis and postural problems such as a curved spine. Do you know:

 Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined?

By the time you hit 50-55, nearly everyone has what I'll call,  a weak spot; an area of your body that just plain hurts!  Usually, it's from a previous injury.  Mine, is my lower back.  It has plagued me for years.  The best way for me to manage the pain, is with exercise.  Strengthening my core, strengthens the muscles around my spine, and my pain is greatly reduced.  Chiropractic care helps too, but exercise is cheaper!

Another benefit from exercise is the endorphin factor--the happy chemicals.  

Mentally, I feel so much better, when I'm exercising regularly.  The unpleasant truth is— as we get older, our brains get a little... hazy. As aging and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s kill off brain cells,

the noggin actually shrinks,

losing many important brain functions in the process. While exercise and a healthy diet can’t “cure” Alzheimer’s, they can help shore up the brain against the cognitive decline, that begins after 45 yrs.

So, now you know why I fight on!  How about you, why do you fight on, and how do you fight?

  

How do you handle the Migraines of life?

This morning I woke up with a whopping Migraine headache.  I get them occasionally and they suck!  I'm sitting here with an icepack on the back of my neck, and everything inside of me is screaming,

"Take your Imitrex, and go back to bed!!"

A Migraine headache is one thing...it's painful, for sure. I'm sharing my pain here, to remind myself of the payoff ; knowing I can keep going--in spite of the pain.

But what about the BIG challenges in life; those times when life feels like it's closing in on you.  What then?  

Cancer strikes

You've lost your job

Addiction hits your family

You can't pay your bills

Your hearts been broken

Death has knocked on your door

I learned an expression once...Feel, Dump, Heal.  It's become more than an expression to me, it's a life preserver in an ocean of despair. It's a way of coping with the curve balls of life.

Feel -

Allow yourself to feel shock, panic, anger, sadness, rage, feeling alone, lost, and overwhelmed by the situation. In order to heal, it is vital to face, feel, and process all of your feelings. Running away from, or avoiding your feelings only prolongs the grieving process. I know, I've done this.

Dump - 

Vocalize your feelings to someone else.  Prayer is one way.  Talking to someone you can trust with your feelings, is another.  When you're in crisis, look for the friend that will lend an ear and give support without passing judgment. A support group is a safe place to share with others going through the same experience. Journaling your feelings releases them to paper.

Heal - 

The definition of Faith is: being certain of something you can not see. At times, we can't see past the circumstances we are in. Trusting in something bigger than we are, brings hope, and hope brings healing. Hope never disappoints (Romans 5:5). 

Your beliefs aid in the healing process; especially your belief about yourself.  Do you see yourself as God sees you?  

He sees you as worthy.  

Worthy of conquering cancer treatment, worthy of facing addiction, worthy of getting through the loss of a loved one.  Yes, you are Worthy.  

It's our own self-worth that causes us to doubt. But, ponder this...

What's the payoff if you just keep going?  

 

“There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet.”
~ William F. Halsey

 

 

 

#IBN30-Part 3-The Great Recession hits!

The recession in 2008/09 didn't actually hit the beauty industry until 2010, in Southern CA.  Typically the beauty industry doesn't feel a recession much at all, but, this one was different!

In the salon business, we found, women changed their habits.  

They were coming in less often to get their hair done. Make-up artists, aestheticians, and manicurists, were feeling the pinch of the economy the most.  I get it--when you lose your job--happening in alarming numbers, here in Southern, CA--you have to cut back. Nails, facials, and make up; are not necessities.

PPI (Parisian's Pure Indulgence) felt it too.  Our wholesale accounts were dwindling.  Spa's and gift boutiques were closing daily.  It was the trickle down effect.  Our web business was affected too. Women who purchased faithfully, every 1-2 months, purchased less frequently, in smaller quantities.

We held on for the ride, but it was not easy!  

I observed many artisan businesses, like mine, close down. I feel blessed to have the loyal customers we do, and for the new ones who are now finding us, thanks in part, to our existing loyal customers. The recovery has been slow, with many opportunities for learning, for instance, we learned--

As an Artisan businesses, you must market differently today!  

"You see, an artisan doesn’t have to be good Just at what they make, they have to also be good at social media, marketing, advertising and packaging. Large corporations have *departments* of experts that handle that, but your local artisan doesn’t.

--That’s where you come in--

We live in a new economy where you, the consumer has much more power than ever before; comments on social media have a lot more value than an advertisement, but you have to exercise your viewpoint. We artisans live or die by opinions, votes, testimonials and recommendations.

In the vast universe of advertising, usually the one who has the most money (biggest budget) wins, Period.

If you love your indies, SHARE AND RECOMMEND THEM OFTEN. Your votes (recommendations) go out to the Universe and multiply. Your voice has the ability to propel a virtual unknown into the big leagues (or, at the very least, keep them in business). We can’t succeed without your support, it’s a delicate symbiotic relationship, and one we usually don’t feel comfortable with," writes Jennifer Waller, Fellow Indie, and founder of Celtic Complexion.

Jennifer is SPOT ON.  Today, more than ever, artisan businesses need YOU, and no, we don't feel comfortable asking for your social media support, constantly.  We simply recognize, we have too.

Our Recovery News...

...Parisian's Pure Indulgence is re-branding!  What does this mean?  It means we are listening to you, our customer, and changing things up.  

You will see changes in everything from our packaging, to our website; and everything in-between. We are discontinuing our Men's line (Men are buying the Women's line anyway!).   Our informal facebook surveys, have uncovered how women like their skin care products to be packaged--We listened--Watch for foaming cleansers, and other changes in how we package our treatments; to better serve YOU!

Over the years, we have observed our Niche market to be:

Professional 50-ish Women, with sensitive skin.

So, the MOST exciting news is we are adding exciting timeless beauty treatments, and will be focusing on products for skin issues, such as Rosacea and Eczema.  I will also be blogging more on--Being Your Beautiful Best over 50!

What is the the biggest skin care issue you are dealing with?  Is your skin care line addressing these issues?