5 Tips for Keeping Perfect Eyelash Extensions

Eyelash Extensions are here to stay. They offer the flexibility to get ready easily and quickly each morning! You won't have to worry about crying in public, raccoon eyes from mascara, or removing it all off after a long hard day of work.

You will however, want to keep note of these fantastic tips for keeping your eyelashes in tip top condition in between fills.

1) Be strict about not getting them wet for 24 hours.

The adhesive needs time to cure, so it's important to keep them dry, Wash your hair the day you come in. Steam is another no-no because it's really water vapor. The less you mess with them for the first 24 hours, the better off you'll be.

2) Remember, heat is your enemy.

If you cook or barbecue, be sure to protect your lashes. Eyelash extensions are made to be heat resistant, but they will bend, crimp, or singe if you stand over a pot of boiling water, get your face right in when you open the oven, or being the master BBQ chef at a family get together!

3) Mascara is always a NO.

You are wearing lash extensions so you do not need to wear mascara. The main ingredients in mascara include oil and wax products, which break down the bond of the eyelash extension and adhesive. You can use mascara on the bottom lashes, but add mascara to your tops and you will notice more and more eyelash extensions will fall off.

4) No touching.

They look gorgeous and you can't help but touch them with your dainty fingers. Just like the exhibits in the museum say, Please do not touch, your lash artist will ask you to do the same thing. Natural oils on your hands do just what mascara does... break down the adhesive bond. Look, use your mascara spoolie as needed to keep them going in the right directions, but never touch!

5) Wash these babies too.

Yes, you are not supposed to get them wet at first. But you do want to make sure that you wash them to remove dirt, oils, and the rest of your daily makeup after those first 24 hours have past. Use eyelash cleanser for extensions (no oil, glycol, etc.) or baby shampoo diluted to give them a cleanse daily.

These tips are sure to help you keep the perfect eyelash extensions all year round!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

How Often Should I...? Part II Treatments

While home skin care should always be number 1 over coming to see a professional, treatments done with your Esthetician can be very effective and boost what you are doing on your own. If you were to hold up a mirror and look back at the image that you see, what would you change? Some of us would like to work on fine lines and wrinkles, some acne scarring would be gone first, and others really would like to see the age spots disappear like a magic trick. Whatever you would like to work on, make sure that you team up with a professional so that we can get the job done together!

When working with me, the first things that we address are hydration of the skin and sensitivity. It doesn't make sense to start on the 2nd level of the house, when the ground floor issues are hydration and sensitivity. Starting there, once these have corrected as best we can (usually 1-2 months), we can move on. We could then work on the above issues of anti-aging, hyperpigmentation, and acne (active or old scarring.)

I offer many tools to get the job done and depending on how your skin responds to the treatments, your open time to spend with me, and your budget, we put together a plan of "How often you should see your esthetician." In general, once a month for maintenance is amazing. If this is not possible, it is VITAL that you come in every quarter for a deep cleanse, exfoliation, and nourishment of the skin as the seasons change. Yes, it's Idaho and we have 4 seasons! So about every 3 months. Microneedling, Specialty Facials, and Chemical Peels excel in a series treatment. They are designed to build upon each other! But the more regularly you come, the greater the results you will see down the road as your skin begins to age.

Currently, I offer the following treatments to address your concerns: Microneedling, Microdermabrasion, Signature Facials (both in 90 or 60 minutes), Specialty Facials (Algomask and Hydrolifting), Chemical Peels, and Dermaplaning. All of these have value and most of the time, mixing and matching is ideal as you want to keep your skin guessing and using all of the great options to help your skin heal, glow, and revitalize to it's optimal blueprint.

I love making custom plans, so please contact me and we'll come up with something that will work well for you, your skin, and your skin care goals.

You'll spend $XXX on a purse you'll use for 2 years. How much will you spend on your face that you will have for a lifetime? $XXX It's worth your investment!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

How Often Should I ...? Part I Home Care

One of the questions I get asked the most is often often clients should be using certain products and when to come back to see me for another treatment.

Skin care is very important at home because 90% of changes that can be made to the skin or preventives done to the skin are done at home. So it makes sense to start with home care. Just like when you hire a personal trainer, and Esthetician will meet with you and "work out" your skin in the treatment room every so often. But it's up to you, the client to do the homework in between our sessions.

Your homework should include at a minimum 4 steps. These steps are cleansing the skin, using appropriate treating mist, apply moisturizer (yes - even oily skin needs moisturizer) and finally using SPF. This is also the order that I suggest clients add in products as well. So, if you aren't using anything now, start with cleanser and go from there. (If you'd like a summary, scroll down to the bottom and then refer up when in question and needing more specifics.)

So, let's break down How Often Should I...

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin?

The answer here is different for everyone, but at least morning and night. So twice a day. If you are a heavy makeup wearer OR have very oily/acenic prone skin, the answer will be up to four times a day. Twice in the morning and twice at night. I like to use two different cleansers for these clients. So product one would be the first cleanse. And product two would be the second cleanse for both morning and night cleanses.

How Often Should I Mist the Skin?

The short answer: use a treating mist or toner immediately after cleansing the skin. Which would be twice a day. (Don't mist in between cleanses if you are cleansing twice in a row.)

Using a treating mist or toner is great to help balance the skin and lay a perfect foundation for more anti-aging products afterwards. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, you have stripped off the natural acid mantle (the barrier for the skin protecting it so that other organisms, etc. cannot enter our shield). The skin then goes into hyperdrive to produce more oil (which serves as a protectant). Repeatedly doing this causes much harm to your defensive layer. An astringent (super tingly product with alcohol) is NOT a toner or mist. Stay away from these products.

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin?

Differing beliefs on this are across the board, but my personal opinion remains that adding moisture, especially in our dry climate is good and reduces excess oil production. It is important to work with your skin trainer (aka Esthetician) to find the right moisturizer for your skin. Also, some clients prefer to have a daytime (lighter) moisturizer and a night time cream that is heavier weight and/or with more anti-aging benefits. Twice a day after you mist, you will moisturize.

How Often Should I Reapply SPF?

Every SPF is different, but my generic response is every 2 hours when going outside. I hear all the time that your makeup has SPF... which is awesome, but it DOES NOT REPLACE applying SPF every morning and before leaving work with another product besides your makeup. For SPF to be most beneficial, you need to reapply throughout the day. When wearing makeup, you can reapply by adding setting spray with SPF as well. By and large, look for ways to be compliant with this step instead of finding excuses of why you can't!

My favorite analogy for sun protection is a new vehicle. You wouldn't drive off the car lot without having car insurance. SPF IS your car insurance. Have it, use it, and don't leave home without it!

Those are your 4 minimum steps. Want to step up your game at the gym? Here are a couple of ideas and general suggestions.

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? This depends highly on what type of exfoliant. Consult your skin trainer, but most often I suggest one to two times per week.

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

You don't need good luck in your bathroom. Consistency is key and where you will see long term results. Starting at a healthier skin type means that you will focus more on prevention (which is always easier than reversing the skin damage that happens over time.) You can do this! Make sure to consult your Esthetician for exactly what YOUR skin needs, as we are all different.

SUMMARY: (Refer to longer paragraphs for more information)

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin? Twice a day for normal/dry skin; Twice morning and twice night for oily/acenic skin

How Often Should I Mist the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Reapply SPF? Every 2 hours or what's recommended on you tube of sunscreen

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? Once a week

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

Stay tuned for Part II of How Often Should I?

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

Favorite Things

This blog post is just to share 3 favorite products in my spa treatment room. Is there something that you love? I'm sure that you if you love it enough, you scream it from the rooftop or write about it on FaceBook or Instagram. Today, you get to hear my testimonials. If you had to pick just one, which one would you choose? (And really, how do you pick?)

1) GM Collins Hydramucine Optimal Serum

GM Collins has really outdone themselves with this product. When placing this refreshing product on your skin, you can smell the watermelon and fruit extracts coming through. Offering serum features a high and low weight of hyaluronic acid, a moisturizing complex that minicks the natural moisturizing factor of the skin, Plankton extract which affects the mainwater storage of the dermis, and many more. What does this mean for you? It means that when you put on this velvet serum, your skin will have immediate and long lasting hydration AND your skin will feel smooth and look healthy! Because this product is great for all skin types and because I live in the mountain desert climate (Idaho), I use this product in EVERY facial treatment I perform and recommend it to ALL my clients. It really is the best!

2) Supracor Spa Cell Facial Mitt

This versatile product is loved by so many of my clients for so many reasons! This product can be used on the face and body. It is a great exfoliator (that you can use on it's own or with other recommendations from your Esthetician.)

This is definitely a must have for any teenager or body waxer. Teenagers are less likely to spend the necessary time to wash appropriately, so this boosts what little they will do. Use it in the shower or out. Body waxers will love this product to help with ingrowns and to get a smoother wax at your next appointment. Check out this review from a client of Essential Esthetics by Zoey.

"If I had to pick my favorite beauty product... it would definitely be the SpaCell! This baby is pure magic. Before the SpaCell, I would have horrible issues post waxing. The SpaCell was the answer.There are two sides with varying roughnesses which makes this product perfect for all your exfoliation needs. It leaves the skin feeling smooth and rejuvenated. And who doesn't love feeling that way? I'm definitely a fan for life."

3) Crazy Online Toothpaste

I used to think it was funny that I was so excited about this product. I'm not crazy. So many people love and swear by it... and I am one of the believers. This toothpaste contains fluoride as well as a patent for polishing and whitening your teeth to their natural levels. Do you know how your teeth feel after coming home from the dentist? Get this feeling EVERY.SINGLE.TIME you brush your teeth. This light vanilla mint paste repels food and plaque from sticking to your teeth. I absolutely love what it has done for me and know you will too! (P.S. My kids love it! You can use it on children 2 and up, pregnant and breastfeeding moms, and everyone else!)

If I were to attend on of those Favorite Things parties, I would definitely choose to bring on of these products above as my gift. Virtually anyone could use these. Are you sold? Head on over to my store or shoot me a text. We can get these products into your hands today!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

How to Choose between Eyelash Extensions and Lash Lifting

For those of you who want a little fleck of fun and pop on your eyes, you may be considering coming to the spa and your favorite Esthetician. But how do you really choose between Eyelash Extensions and the Lash Lift? I'm here to break down the pros and cons of each service so that you can decide which one is right for you!

Eyelash Extensions

I consider this the big sister of the family. Eyelash Extensions have been used for a long time (1902 and 1903 in the UK and London, as well as in 1911 in the United States.) But they have been overshadowed by the easy false lashes until approximately 2000. Eyelash Extensions have made a statement and look like they are here to stay for the long haul.

There are 2 main variations - Classic Eyelash Extensions and Volume Eyelash Extensions. Classic Eyelash Extensions are applied one to one (one synthetic to one natural lash). This service can give a bold or soft look and generally range using eyelash weights of .20 mm or .15 mm. Volume Eyelash Extensions include making a handmade fan of lashes (2 to 6), with weights significantly lower (.10 mm, .07 mm, .05 mm and now even .03 mm.) Theses handmade fans are placed on individual eyelashes.

Pros of Eyelash Extensions

• Can receive a look similar to mascara or bolder

• Appointments every 2-3 weeks

• May be able to bridge a small gap if you are missing a section of eyelashes

• Easy to take care of and maintain

Cons of Eyelash Extensions

• Consistent appointments are necessary (up to 3 hours per fill every 2-3 weeks)

• Can get twisted and tangled if sleeping on your side or face

• No touching and rubbing of the eyes

• Possible reaction (or developed overtime reaction) to the adhesive

Lash Lift

Welcome the new baby! This "new" process is based off of a lash perm. The lash perms of even a few years ago were still not showing significant results and therefore not used by many estheticians. As technology has progressed, however, the latest lash lifts are producing the wow factor that so many clients seek after. I am impressed and a believer in this service and excited to see additional boosts to what is already offered.

Don’t forget to Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

David and Goliath - The Little Guy and Amazon

Recently, I read an article in the Idaho State Journal about a local business Element Outfitters. The small city of Pocatello, ID had two retail venues, but recently had to make the difficult decision to close one location. Fortunately, they were able to keep jobs for everyone currently employed there. While the retail stores were doing okay, the online shop is doing amazing.

Element Outfitters is not alone. Many local retailers also feel the pinch of the convenience that Amazon and websites bring. For big retailers, the quantity purchased for multiple locations or for online is enough to get a break on the price from the supplier. Benefits from online purchasing include shopping in your pajamas with Ben & Jerrys, delivery coming straight to your door, and the plethora of colors, options, and features of the desired items. The local owners purchase product up front, display on shelves, and share their first hand knowledge with each client that walks in the door. Benefits from local purchasing include receiving answers of questions by a real person in front of you, having the item immediately, and keeping money local to support families that live in your community.

Have you been guilty of going into a local store, talking to the store employee to glean information on the coveted item, and then driving to the safety of your home, turning on the computer, and clicking purchase? The next time that you are tempted to click that buy button, here's a couple of things to think about when it comes to skin care.

When you purchase products from me

1) I am making sure that the products that we pick are right for you skin and the goals that we have set together.

2) You are able to see, smell, and feel the product before you buy.

3) I continue to go to education across the country to learn more about products and treatments for you. I order frequently so I do not have an overstock of product that 'sits' on my shelf.

4) You are helping support a local family.

When you purchase products online

1) Skin care from GM Collins is never sold on Amazon. Most of the time, products you see from Amazon have been sold from a spa that went under. If a spa closed, it is very likely that the product was sitting on their shelves for years.

2) Efficacy of product cannot be guaranteed. Is it expired, something wrong with it, or been sitting in a hot car in Texas for a couple months? This cleanser, cream, or mask will not be able to do what it claims to do.

3) You are helping support the big retailer.

I would love to help discuss with you your skin concerns and then recommend products that can help you achieve your goals and change your skin. Whether it's anti-aging, clearing your skin, or calming redness, let's get together and make your dreams a reality. When you come see me, you are making my dreams a reality.

Goliath is here to stay. I'll admit that I love Amazon for books and random items. But when it comes to something I ingest or put on my face, I'll stick with my local grocery store and esthetician! David for the win!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

Learning about Acne

I am passionate about skin and everything skin. But acne does hold a special place in my heart. This disease can not only scar the skin, but it can also scar the soul and change how others believe they are being perceived. It can change you. I have recently had a "few" stubborn pimples. If you are frustrated and ready to say goodbye like I have, read below for 3 basic tips.

Schedule regular treatments and use professional products. Treatments with your esthetician can be very effective in deep cleansing, exfoliation, and extractions of blackheads. These are things that your skincare professional will do for you. These treatments boost what you are doing at home! 90% of what can change with your skin is done at home. That means that YOU play a very big role in how quickly your skin recovers (or worsens). I always will give you recommendations that work for you personally.

Ice, ice baby! No, not the song, but go ahead and sing it if it helps you remember. If you are suffering from larger pimples that are red, raised, and sore, ice will be your best friend. Just twice a day for a couple minutes. This removes the inflammation and helps for the acne to go away quicker. We all want that right?

Don't pick and scratch! This is a hard one for many. The easiest way to stop is to throw away all those mirrors and to write down and acknowledge when you pick. Do you pick because you are bored, watching TV, or just resting your hands on your chin? Recognize your triggers and then do something different instead.

Through my research, I've learned many things and would love to share them with those who many have a "few" or "many" pimples that they are interested in taking care of. Each appointment will have a new handout to help my client heal more quickly and identify triggers that may be causing the acne. Can't wait to see you!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

After the Skin Treatment

Facial Treatments are not only fun and pampering, but also quite effective in helping keep that youthful glow and encouraging skin cells to turn over at an optimal rate. I offer several Facial Treatments, but a couple of my favorites are the MicroNeedling, Microdermabrasion (or Microderm for short), and the 90 minute Signature Facial. Everytime you have a skin treatment, be sure to follow your esthetician's post care advice. Here's what I recommend:

Wear SPF. I cannot say this enough. Environmental factors are the #1 cause of aging. Yes, that's right (not genetic factors.) Your skin may be more suspectible to rays for a couple days post treatment, so SPF is a must! I recommend the GM Collins Dry Touch 50 SPF. Easy to reapply and compliments any skin care that you are currently using.

Drink extra water. Hydration is key to our skin, though our other vitals organs take the majority first before they get to the largest organ (the skin). I add a very relaxing facial massage to my treatment, so bump up your intake the day you come to see me.

Change your pillowcase. We've exfoliated your skin and put some incredible serums on your skin to work on your targeted concerns. The last thing that you want to do is put your face on a dirty pillowcase. Simply to do, right?

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician