Frequently Asked Questions

Spa Essentials

What are the basic steps for good skin care?
How do I use all this stuff?
When will I start seeing results?
Why are the product sizes so small... How long do they last?
What are hair serums and how do you use them?

Mineral Makeup

Why don't your minerals have an SPF rating? Does that mean there is no sun protection?

What are the basic steps for good skin care?

The basic steps are the same for any skin type. First and foremost, maintain a healthy diet, get plenty of rest, and drink plenty of water. A good daily skin care regimen should follow these 3 basic steps:

Cleanse. Cleanse your face of makeup, dirt, and oils twice daily
Tone. This is an important step that many unfortunately skip. Toning the skin after cleansing will remove excess makeup, soap, and tap water residue (such as chlorine) that regular cleansing leaves behind. The gradual buildup will eventually leave your skin dull and dehydrated - or worse.
Moisturize. It is always a good idea to have two moisturizers - one for the day and one for night. For your daytime moisturizer, you want to select one that is oil-free and provides at least SPF 15 sun protection, but still nourishes and moisturizes. Our SPF 30+ Sheer Moisturizer is a perfect choice for any skin type. For your nighttime moisturizer, select a heaver or deeper moisturizer appropriate for your skin type and/or condition.

Other product types to consider:

Daily eye treatments
Exfoliators (1-2 times per week) to get rid of dead skin cells and allow new skin to breathe and grow.
Serum Intensives (3-5 times per week, depending on skin condition) for anti-aging, treatment, and conditioning
Masks (weekly) to detoxify and nourish

How do I use all of this stuff?

The first thing is to pay attention to your labels. Don't use everything all at once. Determine if you have a sensitivity to each product. Once you've done that, here's a basic routine:

Cleanse
Exfoliate
Tone
Serum
Eye Care
Moisturizer

It's OK if you want to do serum, eye care and moisturizers in a different order - just start with a clean palate! Also remember that we don't recommend some products after exfoliating, like glycolics. Exfoliating then using a glycolic formula can cause irritation to occur.

Our products are highly concentrated, and only a drop or two is needed to do the job. No more than a dime-sized dose of cleansers, and a drop or two of serum intensives will do the trick!

When will I start seeing results?

It would be a lie to claim "instant results" or even "results within a week". The truth is that NO skin care product works that way, and it is a disservice to you to tell you otherwise. The length of time before you (and everyone else) begin to notice REAL results will vary from one product to another. Providing you are following your regimen as directed, you should start seeing real improvement with our anti-aging products and treatment creams in about 6-8 weeks, and even more improvement as time passes. Of course, cleansers, toners, eye treatments and exfoliants work more quickly. We can certainly say your skin will feel softer, smoother, and generally healthier after a week, though!

Why are the product sizes so small? How long do they last?

Our Spa Essentials products are highly concentrated and extremely potent. There's a lot of concentrated power in each one. With about 90% of these products, only a SMALL DROP or two is needed to more than adequately cover the treatment area. This is especially true with our serum intensives and eye treatments. You don't even need a full pump for eye treatments! For cleansers and exfoliants, you will only need about a dime-sized amount.

Why don't your minerals have an SPF Rating? Does that mean there is no sun protection?

SPF ratings are only able to be obtained through very expensive lab testing and strict FDA regulations. At this point, the cosmetic becomes an over-the-counter drug, subject to very different rules and regulations. Just because a product doesn't have a rating does not mean is lacks adequate sun protection. Until testing is completed and the FDA issues an official SPF for a product, no claims can be made as to an SPF factor, nor can protection of a product be implied. The expense of this testing and FDA maintenance also drives up the cost to the consumer.

If you want to see how any non-rated cosmetic measures up to an SPF-rated cosmetic, compare the percentage of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide between the products and be your own judge as to whether the product will give you the protection you want. We cannot advise you one way or another. All we can do is disclose the percentages of each of these ingredients.

What are hair serums and how do they work?

Whether you want to avoid frizzy hair, have super-glossy shine, or just want to protect your hair from heated styling tools, hair serum is a great way to do it. Serums coat the hair shaft with a very thin layer of silicones, which smooth and seals the cuticle against moisture, helping to reduce frizz. Other ingredients such as UV filters help protect your hair's condition and color from harmful UV rays. Serums brighten dull hair left by coloring, perms, heat tools and blow driers - all of which damage and dull your hair by drying it out.

Tips for using hair serums:

Use sparingly! Our hair serums are extremely concentrated and you only need to use 2-3 drops (depending on the amount of hair you have). This is one of those times when less is definitely more. Over-indulgence can leave your hair greasy and weighted down.
For optimum results, apply serums to wet hair and distribute as evenly as possible.
Hair serums can also be used to protect your hair from heat. Use a very small amount on damp hair before blow-drying, and before flat ironing your hair.
Don't add serum to your scalp or the roots of your hair - just to the mid-lengths and ends. Applying to the scalp and roots will also weigh down your hair and will give you a greasy look.
If you have really fine hair, these types of serums may not be suitable for you. Even used sparingly, they may weigh the hair down, making it look greasy and flat.