Exfoliate, Exfoliate and Exfoliate Again!

As if I wasn't repetitive enough already, exfoliating is an essential step for overall healthy, glowing skin- especially in the heart of winter. 

But what does it mean to exfoliate? Exfoliation uses a scrub or a peel to remove dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin's surface. Its purpose is to prevent clogged pores, stimulate cell regeneration and circulation, and provide immediate brightening and smoothing of the skin's surface. 

Exfoliation can improve all aspects of your skin's health including clogged pores, brown spots, dry skin, aging skin, etc. Exfoliation in the winter is especially important because our dry skin builds up on the top layer of our skin. Instead of layering moisturizers on top of the dry, flaking skin, remove the dry skin altogether by exfoliating. This will keep your skin's naturally soft and bright skin tone. 

To find the right exfoliator for you, search for DIY exfoliators that are inexpensive and easily made. OR visit Enza's Website and see which of our exfoliators matches your skin and your lifestyle.

Merry Christmas!

As the hustle and bustle of the holidays begins to come to a close, don't forget what this season is all about. Even though the packed malls may make us crazy, the gift-giving seems impossible and the holiday party planning only stresses us out, now is the best time to forget your stresses and enjoy the time with your family, friends and loved ones.  

From all of us at Enza Essentials, Merry Christmas!

A Few of our Favorite Things

This winter season, we have a few beauty items that we're obsessed with. Whether it's for a holiday party, a night out, or a day in the office, here are a few make-up items that we love, and we hope you will too!

• BB Creams: A moisturizer, SPF and a "cover" all in one. A BB cream can truly brighten up your skin while minimizing pores, covering blemishes and wrinkles. 
• Lip & Cheek Stain: Apply to lips and/or cheeks with a color rich enough to give your lips and cheeks a healthy- looking glow. This product also has moisturizing properties. 
• Eye Shadow- And not just any eye shadow- but the dazzling, glimmering colors that will make your look unique. Try a glimmer gold, silver, or red. 
• Eye-Brightener- For reducing under-eye bags when you need it most. Whether its tired, aging, or stressed eyes, this will reduce, rather than cover up, the worst of your under-eye bags. 
• Finishing Powder- Put on after applying all your makeup to keep your look longer. It also helps in absorbing any extra oil your makeup may have caused. 

Try these makeup items for whenever and where ever. But whatever you do, prepare to stand out. 

Stressing Your Skin

Now that it's hitting the peak of the holiday season, this may indicate that the holiday stress is in full strength. Our hope is that you have not been caught stressing your way though the holidays, but in case have been-- stop-- and think about what your most wonderful time of the year-stress is doing to your skin. 

Because stress affects your entire body, including your skin, the most crucial part of your current stress is how you decide to handle it. Affects of stress on the skin can include: 

• Making your skin more sensitive and reactive
• An increased difficulty to heal skin problems
• Increased production of cortisol- leading to oily skin and breakouts
• Worsened skin conditions including psorasis, rosacea, and rashes
• A duller, worn-out appearance

While these effects are not permanent, they may be uncomfortable, irritating, or embarrassing. However, with a little planning ahead, mental preparation, and time for yourself, you can beat the stress and be able to show off your gorgeous skin all season long. 

Confidence in a Bottle

December 20, 2012, 9:25 AM--

My Enza's skin care is simply routine now. But surprisingly, it's not that annoying routine- like having to do the dishes after dinner. As weird as it sounds, I have come to enjoy using all my products before bed and especially when I wake up in the morning. It gives me visual proof, everyday, that it is working and my skin is improving. That's something to wake up to. With now smoother skin and a brighter complexion, I feel much more confidence in my skin's appearance.

And that, of course, helps a little bit with the rest of my confidence.

With Christmas just around the corner, it also means Winter break is within sight. I'm heading to my home in Minnesota to celebrate Christmas with my family. I have to say, getting Christmas presents for my sisters was easy after taking a peek at in the Enza Essentials shopping room. I'm excited to see how my sister's and mom like them after they've heard me talk about it, probably way too much.


We'd love to hear your stories too! Share your experience with Enza Essentials and you can be featured in our blog! Contact heather@enza.com.

It's About More than just the Looks

Whether you get your products at the drugstore, department store, online, or at your physicians's office, you can be sure that every potion and lotion is promising youth in a bottle. 

But how do they back up these promises? Should we listen to them? Dr. Rucker, MD gives a few tips on what the pretty bottles won't tell you about your products.

"Keep in mind that the amount of money spent on marketing a product often eclipses the cost of the ingredients. There is a distinct difference between highly promoted products that rely upon packaging and national campaigns vs. those born of clinical testing and analysis of proven results. All products should be tested to the highest standards to ensure their effectiveness and safety prior to release to the public. Ingredients are not all created equal. Pharmaceutical grade skin care offers ingredients in strengths not available on the mass market."  

Therefore, the best advertised, most expensive, or most recognized brand most likely is not the best product line for your skin. For products that are right for you  and your skin type, visit Enza Essential's  website and go beyond just the pretty bottle. 

Don't Want to Look Like Santa this Winter...

Whether it's the whipping winds, the frigid air, or the snow that seems never ending this time of year, don't let the weather get the best of your glowing appearance.

The first step in avoiding winter redness and signs of rosacea is to keep your skin covered up. Wearing hats, gloves, scarves, etc. will be your first line of defense from harsh winter weather. It's also important to apply sunscreen to your face and other exposed areas daily and limit sun exposure in order to minimize redness.

While redness and rosacea symptoms are annoying and often irritating, they are usually harmless. Nevertheless, your appearance may still affect self-esteem, confidence, etc. So to rid yourself of any redness that may already be making you look like a rosy-cheeked Santa Clause-- try using a Serum to reduce the appearance of red and rosacea- prone skin. 

So no matter what the weather, how cold it is, how brutal the winds are, you can flaunt your natural glowing complexion all year round.

Those Years that aren't Behind Us

Just when you think you've escaped those awkward teen years, sometimes the most annoying part of being a teen creeps back up to you: acne. While many believe acne to be a result of a poor diet or poor hygiene, the direct cause of acne is unknown. However, some of the major culprits that fuel adult acne are:

• Undefined Stress: Practitioners link adult acne with the stress hormone, cortisone, which flows through the body when it is over stimulated.
• Hormonal Fluctuations: For women especially-- acne appears during times of ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. 
• Environmental Influences: This is where diet may become relevant-- eating hormone-injected meat and dairy, environmental pollutants may increase inflammatory conditions. 
• Metabolism: The older we get, the slower our skin's metabolism gets, this means cellular turnover decreases and our skin begins to lose it's moisture and age. 

To beat these acne culprits, some suggested steps to take in order to relive adult acne include: 

• Microdermabrasion: To gently slough off dead cells and increase cell turnover
• Alpha and Bega Hydroxy Acids: Are gentle options for aging and acnetic skin
• Exfoliate: Use jojoba beads to gently exfoliate the skin and prevent clogging of pores
• Deep Cleansing Facial: Natural exfoliating enzymes will help clear the pores and reduce inflammation
• Retinol Products: Can help balance your skin's pH and clear pores of excess oils
• Laser Therapy: BBL will help reduce bacteria and is effective when combined with Light Chemical Peels. 

For more information or to try any of these acne-reducing treatments, contact the Enza Mediaspa. 

An Elephant Never forgets...

But sometimes we humans do. Between the lists, the cards, and the gift exchanges, it is easy to forget someone on your shopping list. Did you remember your kid's bus driver? Teacher? Your boss? Or what about that awkward situation when you receive a gift from someone you didn't think to get a gift for. In these cases, it is essential to have a few "universal gifts" to have on hand as a back-up plan. Here are a few gifts to keep around for those "just in case" moments!

• Gift Cards- Always appreciated and will never go to waste.
• Homemade jam/jelly- From the heart & made with love.
• Lotion/ Scented candles- With the dry, cold weather, these types of gifts are always appreciated.
• Winter Wear- Hat, gloves, scarves- Bundle up fashionably and creatively. 
• Accessories- For women: headbands, scarves, necklace, earrings. For men: tie, cuff links, sunglasses, headphones. 
• Baked Goods- A staple for the holiday season.

Try out any of these gift ideas, and no one will ever know you forgot!

Fireplace Drinks

What better way to relax after a long day than curling up by the fireplace with a warm drink in hand. There's always the traditional fall-back drinks: hot cocoa, hot cider, tea- but why not give yourself a little bit of a treat by jazzing up the basics. Here are some of our favorite warm drinks for winter!

1. Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate: Pour 1 cup of coca mix into a slow cooker and stir in 8 cups of hot water. Mix. Stir in 3/4 cup of chocolate syrup. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours. Wisk in 1/4 cup of peanut butter and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until smooth. Serve warm and enjoy!
2. Eggnog Latte: Pour together 1/3 cup of 2%milk and 2/3 cup of eggnog into a steaming pitcher. Heat between 145-165 degrees. Brew one shot of espresso and pour into your mug. Pour steamed milk and eggnog mix over the espresso. Sprinkle nutmeg on top for garnish and flavor!
3. Cranberry-Orange Tea Sipper: Combine 3 cups of cranberry-raspberry drink  and one cup of water into a medium saucepan. Once water is boiling, add 4 bags of orange spice flavor tea and remove from heat. Let stand for 4 minutes. Then, remove tea bags and stir in 1/2 cup of orange juice and heat through. Serve warm and with a cinnamon stick, if desired!

Treat yourself and let off some steam with these delicious winter drinks! 

Make an Entrance

Here's the situation: You've been so busy at work, planning your party, finishing your Christmas shopping, and writing out your Christmas cards that you've left no time to find a dress, do your hair or makeup for the party you're invited to tonight. What do you do? Well you can cross panicking right off the list and begin your deciding after reading these few tips.

• Choose a Dress for your shape: For a fuller figure, try emphasizing the details on the dress- pleats ruffles, or fringe (not all together) can show off your shape without adding volume. And for a more petite shape, try a fitted dress that will stand out and show off your frame. 
• Skip the Traditional: The easy out is always the little black dress. Or for holiday parties, a simple red dress to match the season. But drop the dress you've worn every other year- challenge fashion rules and try something new!
• Don't forget Accessories: You can really add a splash of personality with the right jewelry  handbags, or shoes.
• Makeup: Try a bright read lipstick, smokey eyes, fine eyeliner, shimmer, etc. Find what fits you and your outfit of choice!
• Liquid Gold: For a bit of extra shimmer, try Enza's Liquid gold on your face, neck and any skin exposed on your chest. This silky smooth liquid will make your skin shine and your makeup really stand out!

Look your best this holiday season, and don't be afraid to make an entrance!

One Less Thing to Worry About

After seeing the major improvements in my face, I convinced my roommates to also use my Enza products. One of my roommates, Lauren, just had a breakout on her chin that morning and was ecstatic to try something to get rid of it. She used my Sustaining Cleanser and the Spot Extractor. She commented how her face felt really tight after the cleanser, but after using the Sustaining Glow Creme, she commented how much better her skin felt- much more hydrated and smooth. Since, my other roommates have been really excited to try the products. All of them have raved about the Glow Creme, especially with the cold winter and snow this weekend! We're all feeling a little stressed with this being our last week of classes and letting Enza take care of our skin care is one less thing to worry about. 

After month one of using Enza Products, my complexion is unbelievably brighter. I feel much more confident in my skin and I can't even find any blemishes on my face! 

You May Not be Getting a Tan, But....

With the cold and snowy weather just around the corner mixed with the short days that are already too apparently here, it gets pretty hard to be outside for more than the time it takes to get to and from our car. But this can be a real disadvantage to both our mind and body in more ways than you think.

Contrary to what may be ingrained in our minds, sun exposure in moderation has shown to have a positive effect on the body. For example, it is a good source of Vitamin D which has been linked to higher bone density and decreased risk for some cancers. 

Moreover, when you lack seeing sunshine, you are indeed, negatively affecting your mood. It's harder to feel happy and positive when you are stuck in an office all day- in fact there is an entire disorder describing this. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression, usually in the winter, due to lack of sunlight. Experts say at least 30 minutes of time outside in the sunlight is the perfect way to prevent (and cure) this disorder.

So avoid the depression altogether. Take a walk on your lunch break, play in the snow with your kids, or go for a morning jog. These easy ways to enjoy the outdoors will allow you to get the sunshine you need!

Look Alive!

Jump in the shower, brush, style, makeup, and coffee to go? A typical morning? If this sounds like your routine, try shaking it up and make the most of your morning! By using one or more of the following tips, you will be more positive, happier, and look and feel more awake.

• Don't Skim on Breakfast- Even if you are trying to cut back on calories, don't do it during breakfast! By starting out with a solid, healthy breakfast, you jump-start your metabolism, avoid the later cravings and energize your mind and body for the day. 
• An Apple a Day- Did you know that eating an apple in the morning might give you just as much energy as a cup of coffee? It also works as the perfect start to your breakfast!
• Move!- If you're not up for a full morning workout, even something as small as a sunrise stretch is a good way to relieve stress and pump you up with energy for the day. 
• Your Morning Soundtrack- Music can make your waking up process a little easier and relaxed. Listening to music you enjoy makes the body produce a chemical that can instantly improve your mood.
• Lighten up!- Don't forget make yourself look more awake with your favorite makeup and an under-eye bag reducer to give yourself a bright tone to greet the day with.

Whether you're a morning person or not, start making the most of your morning!

Light Up Your Life!

This holiday season, don't forget to add some visual cheer to your home, desk, or room with some of your favorite decorations! Putting up lights may take a little work, but did you know that bright lights can improve your mood? By hanging up a few decorative lights around your home or work, you can make actually make yourself happier.

Or try setting up the tree and decorating it with family, friends, or loved ones. This can make it a fun, stress-free activity. Not only will you be getting yourself into the holiday spirit, but you will also be forcing yourself to make time for the people you care about.

You could even make your own decorations and ornaments. By allowing yourself some crafty time, you exercise the "right-side" of your brain which may be neglected in all the planning and preparing over the holiday season. Don't forget to take some time to surround yourself with holiday beauty this season!

Beyond the Products

Have you ever wondered why your "promised-results" products just aren't working?  It may be because your overall lifestyle isn't supporting a healthy mind and body. Dr. Rucker emphasizes the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. "You can use the best products in the world, but if your habits are unhealthy, your skincare probably won't work." Dr. Rucker goes on to describe examples of the worst ways to treat your skin. These include getting too little sleep, smoking cigarettes, excessive alcohol intake, poor nutrition, skipping sunscreen, sunbathing, or tanning indoors. 

The following tips will ensure you are supporting a healthy mind and body: 

• Hydrate- Dr. Rucker recommends 8-10 glasses per day to hydrate and brighten your skin while making it healthier and younger.
• Diet-  Hidden in those brightly colored fruits and veggies are tools your body needs to repair the skin.
• Sleep- The skin's prime time to repair itself is while you are asleep, don't stop your body from doing that!
• Quit- Bad habits such as smoking and drinking make your body and skin vulnerable to bacteria and infections, while also encouraging aging of your skin.

Nailing Down Holiday Trends

While you're looking to accessorize an outfit, don't forget about your nails! Pick a color that complements your outfit, a pattern that matches your mood, or a design that fits the season. Any of these can be a perfect way to complete an outfit. Here are some nail trends you might see this holiday season.

• Bedazzled Nails- Look for some sparkle, glitter, or shine on top of your nail color of choice.
• Reversed French Manicure- A darker color at the bottom with a lighter color on top.
• Luxurious Colors- Gold and Silver are popping up on decorations, so why not our nails too?
• Edgy Designs- Adding flare and a unique aspect to your nail art.
• Metallic Finishes- Using certain shades to give a chic finish-- look for it in purples, charcoal gray, and gold. 

Can You Imagine BOTOX Results without the Needles?

Anti-wrinkle procedure, needle injections —these daunting phrases associated with using Botox as a wrinkle reducer may be no more. New preliminary research suggests that a gel based topical Botox called RT001, could help reduce facial wrinkles—without the pain of needles.  

A few facts on RT001- Topical Botox:

• Has been shown to produce significant improvement in the crow’s feet wrinkles in 89 percent of the 553 patients already treated
• Similar to the injectiable form, the gel relaxes the muscles responsible for causing skin wrinkles beneath the skin
•  Is not yet FDA approved and therefore will not be available until 2013 or 2014
• Preliminary results are significant and exciting, but not quite as successful as traditional injectable Botox
•  Results of topical Botox have proved to last up to three months

After reviewing the results of the studies on RT001, Dr. Rucker is hopeful it will deliver as promised. He has many patients that want the results of Botox, but refrain from it due to needle phobia. In the meantime, he strongly recommends Tri-Peptide Cell Activator as an effective alternative. Where Botox relaxes the muscles that cause wrinkles, the Tri-Peptide Cell Activator stimulates collagen production to plump the fine lines and creases. So if you are wary of needles, the Tri-Peptide CellActivator just might be your new best friend.