Want Better Looking Skin and Tips That Get Results?   Welcome to the esenté newsletter. We enjoy keeping you in touch with the world of skin care and beauty. May 5th, 2009 - In this issue: Keys to a more radiant and healthy-looking skin Antioxidants... your skin is craving for them Home Remedies for a Glowing Complexion Protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays Keys to a more radiant and healthy-looking skin Do you feel as though you’ve tried everything to improve your complexion and your results have been nominal, if any? Maybe the source of the problem lies deeper than the skin's surface... READ ON... Skincare Beyond the Surface Ever heard of the saying, "Real beauty comes from deep within?" Sure you have and when it comes to the quality and appearance of our skin’s complexion, going beyond topical treatments is a necessity. A healthy and well balanced diet is ideal, however; often even then our bodies may still lack essential nutrients to nourish, hydrate and protect our skin. The solution can be found in skin supplements.  Skin supplements have become prominent in the last couple years, with more and more skin care lines coming out with their own supplements. These supplements are often tailored to specific needs such as hydration, firming, age defense, environmental protection, or wrinkle reduction, for example. While key ingredients found in the supplements can often include; Vitamin A - a potent antioxidant, increases collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. Vitamin C - stimulates collagen and protects against environmental damage. Vitamin E - a key antioxidant that reduces inflammation and helps maintain hydrated skin. Biotin - prevents dryness in the skin and dry/brittle nails. Coenzyme Q10 - encourages antioxidants to work better. Green Tea - thickens the epidermis and protects against photo-damage. Lycopene - normalizes cell function. Omega-3 Fatty Acids - help reduce inflammation and hydrate the skin. Grape Seed Extract - helps protect cells from free radical damage and promotes healthy circulation. As important astopical treatments are, they only go so far. Topical treatments only effect 20% of our skin, or the epidermis, the remaining 80%, or the dermis (the foundation of the epidermis) remains unaffected by topicals. Hence, taking supplements addresses the skin issues internally. Addressing skin issues inside and out, will likely produce better results. One thing to remember is that there are different regulations administered by The Food and Drug Administration for supplements, than there are for pharmaceuticals or other medicines and many do not have the same series of studies performed. Not to say that they won’t work, but one should run them by your doctor and make sure they’re safe. ^ Back to top Antioxidants... your skin is craving for them A missing link to achieving your desired complexion... Astaxanthin, a topical remedy. Astaxanthin is a microalgae-derived product that can be found in physioceuticals, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. This extremely powerful biological antioxidant is made by algae and is "the most abundant carotenoid in the marine world" (Alga Technologies). Furthermore, this red carotenoid pigment is ten times stronger than Beta-Carotene. Due to its unique structure, Astaxanthin provides a wide range of antioxidant benefits. Its phenomenal properties sweep up free radicals in your body, enhance your immune system and prevent oxidative stress. Other benefits that Astaxanthin provides are protection from sun radiation damage. As a supplement, this supercharged antioxidant gets into the fluid of the eye and reduces retinal injury. It can help with cataracts, macular degeneration and can even prevent blindness. It is 500 times stronger than Vitamin E and offers potent oxidative protection for the nervous system.  With all this in mind, what can this powerful wonder do for your skin? Marvels... Astaxanthin, as a physioceutical ingredient, "Provides cellular energy, expedites tissue regeneration and growth processes, combats oxidation and free radical damage (esenté, Victoria Nash)." The super antioxidant also helps to relieve swelling and acts as a great anti-inflammatory agent. Wow, pretty potent stuff! Considering all, Astaxanthin is a fantastic ingredient to look for in your skin care regimen. Nevertheless, not all Astaxanthin is equal. This natural concentrate of marine algae, cultivated in the warm waters of Hawaii, is seldom derived from its natural habitats. According Dr. Ray Sahelian, "Most Astaxanthin found in skin care lines in not extracted from the marine plants but is chemically produced" (raysahelian.com). Clearly, Astaxanthin derived and extracted from its natural source of seaweed is the best choice to look for, as found in the esenté Rejuvadermisé Series of products. ^ Back to top Home Remedies for a Glowing Complexion Money tight? You don't need to spend a lot of money for beauty regimens... Instead, try these home-made remedies for a healthy complexion. Thrifty Skin-Care Remedies Considering today's economic conditions, as we know, many consumers are experiencing expense concerns. This is driving people to analyze their expenditures and cut back on many purchases. In looking for ways to save money on skin care, consider homemade beauty enhancing rituals. From hydrating to toning, homemade facials will give the benefits you are looking for, on a budget. You may already have the essential products in your kitchen or consider purchasing them on your next grocery trip. Sugar is an excellent natural exfoliant. Rub a handful of sugar on your face, while wet, and gently scrub. Cucumbers will depuff bags in the morning and help with dark circles. They essentially share the same water content as our bodies, 90%, so they are wonderfully absorbed by our skin and are excellent at hydration. Cut up a few slices and leave them in your fridge overnight. In the morning, press them gently against your eye lids. While caffeinated tea bags will reduce discoloration around the eyes and also help with the swelling. Prepare damp tea bags and let them completely cool off before applying to your eye lids. You can also place the wet tea bags in your fridge the night before. Apples are found to have a great anti-bacterial effect and can be used as a mask to fight bacteria and tone the skin. Especially beneficial to those with break-out prone skin. Use a grinder to shred up a medium size apple and apply to your face as you lie down and allow the apple shreds to absorb for about 10 minutes. Lemons will do wonders to illuminate your skin and give you an instant glow. Cut up a few slices and squeeze the juice as you run the slice over your face (avoiding eyes). The acidity in the lemon may cause your face to sting. This is a normal reaction and should only last for the first couple of minutes. Leave the lemon juice on for at least 5 to 7 minutes or as long as you can tolerate the stinging sensation. Wash off before the juice dries out. Use fresh avocados to hydrate your skin. Apply one half of a mashed, fresh avocado over your face. Wash off as soon as it starts to dry, avoiding the mask to dry off completely. You can also mix the avocado with a tablespoon of olive oil for an even more hydrating effect. ^ Back to top Protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays No matter what skin care procedure you follow, there’s one you can’t ignore... Sun Care No matter what you use on your face, the crucial step to a healthy, young looking skin is sunscreen protection.  This golden rule is often overlooked and forgotten. Yet the unforgiving Ultraviolet A & B rays (UVA and UVB) have lasting, damaging effects. These effects vary from wrinkles, skin discoloration to moles, some of which can be cancerous. The sun's rays, UVA & UVB are both harmful, of which the UVA rays "take longer than UVB rays to damage the skin," but "they go deeper into the skin than UVB rays" (familydoctor.org). It is crucial to protect your skin, especially your face (which is primarily always exposed). Wearing a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, if not more, should be a daily regimen. This is a preventative step that cannot be ignored. The aging of your skin is directly linked to the UVA ray penetration, with side effects of wrinkles and sagging skin. A "broad spectrum" sunscreen is what you should always be using, as it protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, such as the esenté Physiodermisé Derma-Defense, SPF 30 – with a moisturizing base of Vitamins A, C and E as well as the healing properties of Zinc. Sunscreen can't give you complete protection, since some UV rays will ultimately come through, but an SPF of at least 15 will give you a 90 percent or more protection. ^ Back to top Go to esenté.com and check out the "Specials" link for great pricing on many favorite products.