A Fabulous Facial

Without a doubt, most mothers consider quiet time a rare treasure. As a mom, there are very few days of the year when you can justifiably stake your claim on “me time”…your birthday and Mother’s Day being among those fleeting days. Trust us, we’re mothers and we know! Whether you are a mom chasing after little ones or a mom keeping up with your grown children’s busy lives, the gift of relaxation and pampering is always, always appreciated. And, oh, does a really good facial fit that bill!  Our 5-star rated Essential and Ultimate Facials are like mini-vacations from your busy life.

To make our facials even sweeter, Jessa Skin is offering a FREE eyebrow sugaring with any facial.  This offer is only good through May 31st, so book your mom’s appointment today!

The Best 100% Natural & Organic Skincare Line

Uniquely developed by Jessa Skin founder, Jessica Roberts, our all natural skincare line was created using the world’s best labs and chemists. Our products are free from toxic chemicals and fillers.  Every ingredient in a Jessa Skin product has been cross-checked with the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database to assure its low toxicity rating.  Most importantly, our products are 100% mom approved!

From skincare solutions to mineral makeup, Jessa Skin can customize a gift package that is just right for your mom’s unique needs.  Our products were created by a mom who lives everyday by a simple credo “Be the brightest clearest version of yourself, start with what is around you, inside of you and on your skin! Your body, our planet and the children thank you.”

As a busy working mom of three young children, Jessica knew from first-hand experience that women needed organic and natural products that were easy, effective and affordably priced.   Our medically proven formulas get maximum results for acne, anti-aging, pigment lightening, dry and sensitive skins at a fraction of the cost of other all natural lines.

All Jessa Skin products labeled “Family Friendly” can be used on babies and children, too!  Jessica’s babies were all washed in Jessa Skin from the day they were born. (Always check with your doctor before you begin using any products on children.)

Gift Certificates

If you still aren’t sure what to choose for your mom, the simplest solution is a gift certificate. Available in any amount, a Jessa Skin gift certificate can be used for any service or product in our spa.  Your mom can choose what she likes, when she likes and you can be assured that when she comes to Jessa Skin, she will be treated with all the love and pampering that she deserves!

Happy Mother’s Day to all our beloved moms!

With Earth Day today, April 22nd, it is a great time to try out the Jessa Skin skincare difference.

What is truly Earth-friendly?

When you choose a skincare product, is important to be mindful that what you are putting on your face will also wash down the drain into our waterways. The ingredients in our Jessa Skin products are biodegradable and clean.  They contain no harmful ingredients to the user or the environment.

We encourage our clients to recycle their Jessa Skin product bottles and containers when they are empty.  The majority of our products are in glass containers which are easily recycled along with other items in the home.  In the near future, our clients can expect to find our entire line in glass bottles or containers.

All “Natural” Products Are Not Created Equal

For years, the only natural and organic skincare products available to women were extremely expensive.  If those products were out of your budget then you were out of luck.  Today, you can walk into a drug store and find big brands advertising “natural” or even “green” on their skincare labels.  Those words are becoming marketing catchphrases with little regard to what they truly mean.  Unsuspecting or hurried shoppers may throw them in their carts thinking they are choosing a healthy product.  But, what are you really getting? To find out, turn the bottle over and read the actual ingredients!  You may be surprised to see that mixed in with the few natural ingredients are also a series of chemicals and fillers. If you aren’t sure what is a good ingredient or not, bring your skin care products into Jessa Skin and talk to our estheticians.  We’d be more than happy to decipher the labels for you.

What’s Inside (and What’s Not) The Jessa Skin Line

At Jessa Skin, you can be assured when you buy our products you are getting the best natural and organic skincare line using only the most pure, green and biodegradable ingredients.  We spent over six years developing our own skincare line because we were so disappointed with what was on the market.  Our skincare line is the best natural product available that is also medically proven to drastically change your skin.  It is also affordable; costing half the amount of popular department store products.

When building our product line, we took great care in choosing each and every ingredient.  We studied findings by hundreds of scientists who did multiple factual studies on the toxic levels of ingredients in beauty products.  Originally created for breast cancer awareness, Skin Deep is a fantastic website and database that ranks the level of harmful ingredients in beauty products.  We highly recommend this site to check the personal products you use for yourself and family. All of the ingredients in Jessa Skin products, have a rating of 3 or less on the toxicity scale.

Our skilled staff is committed to being updated on the latest developments in truly clean, natural and environmentally friendly ingredients. For this reason, we often adjust our products and techniques for what is best for people and the environment.

We welcome you to come into Jessa Skin to learn more about which of our skincare products are best for your skin type.  At this time, our products can only be purchased at our Marin County spa, but we are looking forward to launching our online store this year. Call us today at 415-342-3413  or click here to book an appointment.

We look forward to seeing you!

There is nothing like a healthy, tan glow to kick off your vacation or Spring season. We all know about the damage caused by the sun’s harmful rays  and sun tanning booths?  With studies showing that using a tanning booth even just 10 times in the course of a lifetime will increase skin cancer risks by 50-75% ….well, no thanks!!

So, what’s a girl or guy to do for a natural, healthy alternative to sun-kissed color?  Jessa Skin has you covered (literally) with our Natural Spray Tanning/Airbrush Tans.   To make it even sweeter, our April special makes it the perfect time to get a healthy glow at a fantastic price!

For the entire month of April, enjoy a 10 minute, full body Natural Spray Tan for only $29 per session (that’s a savings of $13 each time!).  Come in as many times as you want in April and only pay $29 each time.

If you are new to spray tanning or you’ve have tried it before someplace else, it’s important that you know that not all spray tans are created equal.  Like every other service you’ve come to expect from Jessa Skin, our natural spray tans are non-toxic and ‘made with organic ingredients’. Quite simply, a Jessa Skin spray tan has no perfume, no fragrance, no alcohol, no parabens.

Our formula is properly balanced with active ingredients DHA + Erythrulose which create a bronze glow.  Bronze – healthy, vibrant, natural bronze – not that funky orange that you see with other spray tans!  The key to that fabulous  natural tan color is all in the balance of ingredients which is what makes our spray tans so fantastic. Our spray tans do not stain the skin with dye. It works with your own natural skin pigment (melanin) to give you a natural shade to your skin tone. You can expect each spray tan to last approximately 7-10 days.

The other difference you will experience at Jessa Skin is that our Natural Spray Tans are sprayed on by hand.  Our technicians cover tan lines, evenly distribute the spray so no parts are missed and highlight your body in an appealing way.  There is no way that a booth can achieve that!

Call today 415-342-3413 or click here  to book your Natural Spray Tan appointment.  Here are a few important things you should know before you come in that will help maximize your spray tan:

1. Exfoliate your skin to clear away the dead skin cells
2. Clean your skin so it is free from oils, moisturizer, make up, deodorant, perfume and soap. These things can create an invisible barrier that will prevent you from tanning.
3. Wax or shave your legs before tanning (make sure to wash after waxing to remove any left over wax).

Take advantage of our special Natural Tanning offer throughout the  month of April!  We can’t wait to see your gorgeous, bronze, healthy, sun-kissed glow!

Good through March 30, 2012

With any Brazilian Waxing or Sugaring, receive

$10 OFF

one hair removal area on the face (eyebrows, lip, chin, cheek)

*both services must be performed at the same time

Whether you are getting ready for a vacation or simply want the convenience of clean, even, lasting hair removal from your bikini area, our Brazilian Wax and Sugaring services offer many advantages over shaving unwanted hair.  Not only does shaving leave irritating bumps and painful razor nicks, it is also time-consuming in your daily routine. Plus, there is nothing more annoying than realizing after shaving that you have missed an area that you couldn’t see on your own.  Waxing and sugaring makes the chore of getting rid of unwanted bikini area hair so much easier.

If you’ve thought about Brazilian waxing or sugaring, but have been skeptical to try it, here are a few things to know about Jessa Skin’s unique process that will help ease your mind:

Less Irritation

It pained us to see the industry norm using strip wax on the sensitive bikini area.  Women were experiencing harsh treatments with unnecessary discomfort.  Also, the prep and finishing products used were very aggravating to the skin. This inspired Jessa Skin to develop our own, cutting-edge formula and process so the skin reacts less painfully to the hair removal process.  Additionally, we do not use powder to prep the skin because powder makes dry skin even drier.

All Natural Choices

Jessa Skin offers both waxing and sugaring services for hair removal.  Sugaring is an all-natural hair removal remedy that is applied either as a gel or a paste.  For women with especially sensitive skin, sugaring is preferred over waxing because you only remove the hair in the natural direction of the hair growth. Through the sugaring application technique, the sugar paste seeps into the hair follicle. This helps lubricate the hair root allowing the root to remove completely without breaking and with less pain.  Click here to learn more about the differences between waxing and sugaring.

Experience Makes All the Difference

Our talented team of estheticians have many years of experience in Brazilian Waxing and sugaring techniques. We continually study the most updated natural, organic techniques and processes to provide the best products and services to the Bay area. We understand that Brazilian waxing and sugaring can seem intimidating to some so, we are happy to answer any questions and make you as comfortable as we possibly can. We believe in educating and preparing our clients for hair removal service.  Please take time to read our recommendations for ensuring a better prep and post waxing experience.

March at Jessa Skin is the ideal time to take care of your hair removal needs from top to bottom so, grab the deal while you still can!  Call today or click here to book your Brazilian waxing or sugaring and facial waxing appointment.

Do you need Acne Help? Start with what causes acne see our natural acne remedies & tips here.  Our Esthetician’s have 10yrs of knowledge in the cause of acne, acne treatment and acne scar reduction.  See the importance of natural acne treatment. Our acne tips will give you a chance to get your skin acne free.

1. Toxic Products: any product containing fragrance, perfum, alcohol, parabens and much more must be avoided with acne. Allowing toxic ingredients into your household cleaning products and skincare products are sure to cause a breakout. A toxic body does not mix with people who are prone to acne they detox through their skin which causes breakouts.
   

2. Hormone Overload: make sure your body is not on a hormone overload too many hormones create acne.  Things that can release lots of hormones that can cause acne: lack of sleep, stress, teen years, menstral cycle, birth control and what you eat.
   

3. Diet: Meat, soy, flaxseed, dairy & eating from plastic containers or bottles all load up your body with hormones that is bad for acne.  Also eating highly processed food or food that aggravates your body or digestive system to can cause mild to severe inflammation which will cause acne foods like: coffee, sugar, wheat, soy, dairy, nuts & shell fish are common offenders.   Take your vitamins make sure you are not deficient in anything.  DRINK WATER without water your body becomes toxic.
   

4. Hormone Balance: every seven to ten years (or if you have a baby) your body’s hormone balance will change.  Sometimes this can create more or less acne just be prepared! Work with an Esthetician to help you manage the changes in your skin.
   

5. Extractions: Book regular extractions from an Esthetician or Doctor while you are neutralizing your acne or if you have a bad breakout.  Never extract your acne at home unless you have professional training.  You will cause scarring and damage to your pores causing more acne.  When your acne is under control you can get extractions less often.
   

6. Professional Exfoliation: Regular peels and microdermabrasion can greatly improve pitted scarring and active breakouts.  At home you cannot get the same percentages or depths of peel that a professional can for you. If you can’t afford treatments, get a free consult from an Esthetician and medical strength home care always try to budget in extractions with exfoliation four times a year.

7. Home Care: Wash twice a day, missing washing your skin once in a day can cause a breakout.  Use exfoliation if you have acne your body needs help killing bacteria and turning its skin cells over.  You will need to moisturize with exfoliants and bacteria killing products.
   

8. Sunscreen: It is a common belief that the sun dries up acne and helps clear up the skin.  This belief is false the sun puts radiation into the skin causing more cells to mutate, more redness and long healing times.  The sun aggravates acne causing breakouts make sure to choose a good zinc / titanium based sunscreen or apply a thick even layer of mineral makeup everyday to avoid the suns damaging rays.

9. Sweat: if you do sports, excercise or just get hot and sweaty watch out! This creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow encouraging a breakout.  You need to wash or tone your face right after your workout if you do a long workout and leave sweat on the face for 30min-1hour you may have some unwelcome visitors on your face.

10. Pillow Case: change your pillow case daily, sleeping on sweat and oil from the night before is the perfect environment to clog up your skin.  Tip: Flip your pillow over to get two nights out of one pillow case, if you have acne stock up on pillow cases you will need three a week.

Natural spray tanning / airbrush tans are ‘IN’ no more sun damage just a perfect sun-kissed glow.

We are very excited it introduce our cutting edge spray tanning services in the San Francisco Bay Area at affordable prices.  Full Body spray tanning is a wildly popular alternative to tanning booths or sun exposure.  Studies show that 10 exposures to a tanning booth in one LIFETIME increase your skin cancer risks by 50-75%! 

Not all spray tans are created equal Jessa Bronze is Non-Toxic ‘made with organic ingredients’ that means (We Say NO TO: alcohol, fragrance, perfum, parabens & more). Our formula is properly balanced with active ingredients: DHA + Erythrulose they create your color a bronzed glow, when the balance is off you turn orange yuck!  You can count on us for long lasting beautiful sun-kissed color.

Also you should always have your tan hand sprayed on, a booth just does not do you justice.  Our technicians can cover tan lines and highlight your body in an appealing way.  We also make sure that every nook and cranny is covered.

Finally, after care is your friend if you want your tan to fade evenly and last as long a possible you have to nurture it: moisturize, scrub and re-apply in 5-10 days.  We have the Jessa Bronze Spray Tan in a Can that you can take home for touch ups or a full body at home treatment $29 retail.

Why you should come back before 3 weeks is up.

1. Enjoy 20% OFF coupon on any sugaring hair removal service by returning before 3 weeks is up.  You must re-book at time of first service. Sugaring will remove hair at 1/16th of an inch, waxing must be 1/4th inch.  We do offer maintenance brows for waxing but cannot properly wax more course hair.

5 Best Anti-Aging Ingredients, Top 5 Anti-Aging Tips Natural Ingredients you want in your Face (serums, creams, moisurizers & eye cream)

by Jessica Roberts

Have you ever wondered which anti-aging ingredients are not only safe but also deliver the best results?  Remember what we put on our skin washes down the drain back into our environment.

When you get high percentages of the ingredients below or a mix of these ingredients you are in excellent shape to get firm radiant skin.

When you use formulas with these ingredients there are a few things to consider.  Different Names for the ingredient (check ingredient label), Percentages that produce results (if they are not listed, call the company), Store Price (Spa Price) & Results you get?

Top 5 of the Best Anti-Aging Ingredients:

1)      Vitamin C – Different Names: ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid OR ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin c ester) Percentages: 10% or higher, you must buy l-ascorbic or ascorbyl palmitate  Do Not Buy: ascorbic acid it is not as effective due to its large size the skin cannot absorb it and then use it. Results you get: Brighter skin less pigment / blocks melanin from forming, collagen and elastin growth equals less wrinkles / deep lines, scar healing, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory great for acne, exfoliating, studies have shown vitamin c to act as an additional 3-10spf.  The sun leaches vitamin c from our skin when too much vitamin c is leached the skin begins to burn, burns lead to cancer and premature aging.  The sun will go for your topical vitamin C first if you wear it blocking harmful rays and age spots from forming. Store Prices: $30-$150 (Spa Prices: $75-$200) *Remember most vitamin c formulas last 3 months, after that they are toxic!  Some formulas are stable and have a longer shelf life up to 2yrs.

2)      Peptides – Different Names: ARGIRELINE (Acetyl Hexapeptide) – is a wrinkle inhibitor reduces pre-existing wrinkle depth and relax facial tension. LEUPHASYL (Pentapeptide-3) – Compliments Argireline by modulating muscle contraction, reduces depth of wrinkles around the eye and forehead areas.  OCTAPEPTIDE (Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-1) – Extends and lengthens the muscle under tension reduces wrinkle depth. Matrixyl 3000 (Palmitoyl Oligopeptide & Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) – Helps stimulate new Collagen I, III & IV and Elastin. TRIPEPTIDE (Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate) – temporarily relaxes the muscle, keeping it from contracting and thereby smoothing wrinkles, Copper Peptide.  Percentages: 5% or more, some over the counter formulas such as Olay Regenerist are low percentages of peptides don’t be fooled by a cheap price tag!  Results you get: Peptides have been shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by 50-70% over 3 months of use. Muscle Toning & Collagen and Elastin growth. Store Prices: $20-$200 (Spa Prices: $75-$200+)

3)      Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Natural Peels) – Different Names: glycolic acid – from sugar cane, lactic acid -from dairy products or honey , tartaric acid or pyruvic acid – from grapes, malic acid- from fruit, citric acid from citrus fruits, kojic acid from mushrooms. Percentages: home care: 1-5%mild-medium, 5-15%medium-strong, it is best to start your skin slowly with a lower percentages. (15%-70% clinical strength-recommended 1-4x a month) Results you get: clearer skin, less acne, less pigment, smaller pores, firmer collagen and elastin growth, scar reductio, increase in spf by 2-4, deeper product penetration with a breakdown of the skins natural barrier, fast skin cell turn over more like it was when you were a baby, the faster your skin cells shed the younger you look, with more new cells are on the surface making your skin glow!  When studied fruit acids work best as a mixture each one works differently.  Choose a 2-4 acid blend for the best results! (example: glycolic, lactic, malic & kojic) also get kojic or pigment fighting acids in everything this will combat melanin which makes uneven skin tone & age spots. Price: $25-$200

4)      DMAE Different Names: DMAE Bitartrate, Dimethlaminoethanol  Percentages: At least 3%-10% to be effective. Results you get: You will see less sagging and tighter skin.  This will tone your muscles each time you use it like a mini work out for your face.  This makes the results cumulative, they will not fade quickly.  When your face is in good shape it stays lifted! It is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies and is also present in fish, especially salmon.  Price: $20-$200, it is best to combine with other ingredients.

5)      Hyaluronic Different Names: Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyauronate Percentages: There are no specific percentages to follow with this ingredient, it is a good thing to have in your products at whatever percentage is used. Results you get: Balanced moisture levels, Independent studies have shown that hyaluronic helps the skin to hold 1000 times its weight in water, this makes the skin look plump.  A large factor in older looking skin is inadequate moisture, wrinkles and lines look deeper when they are dry, think dry lips and you will get the idea. Price: $45-$100

• 15% Vita-C Hyaluronic Serum (1oz) $65 – three L-Ascorbic derivatives, creating a stable serum with a two year shelf life.
• 25% Vita-C L-Ascorbic Treatment (1/2oz) $35 – this is a powerful treatment, brightening,firming, exfoliating with our highest concentration of C, and a 3 month shelf life.
• 100% Pure Vita-C Ester Powder (1oz) $35 – this remarkable mask can be used to boost the effects of your serum used 1-3 times a week.

Firming, Reduces Fine Lines & Wrinkles: Vitamin C stimulates collagen & elastin production, results are dramatic after 2-3 months of use.

Sun Protection & Reversal of Sun Damage: Vitamin C protects the cells of the skin. As a reducing agent, vitamin C can scavenge and destroy aggressive oxidizing agents and radicals in the skin: hydroperoxides and lipoperoxides, aggressors that are formed in the skin as a result of a wide range of environmental influences in everyday life, but particularly, intensive exposure to sunlight.

Sunlight goes after Vitamin C in our skin, when you wear a topical Vitamin C you not only reverse sun damage but Vita-C protects you from the sun, the rays of the sun go after Vita-C in your skincare product, preventing sunburns.

Brightens: Vitamin C capable of suppressing the pigmentation of the skin and decomposing melanin. In this way, it reduces the brown coloration of the skin, prevents the formation of freckles, birthmarks and senile keratosis, and can be used with good effect to whiten dark skin, or areas of dark skin.

by Jessica Roberts

NEW PRODUCT: ‘Jessa Sonic Skin Scrubber’ $98

There is a lot of buzz surrounding at home Sonic exfoliation products in the last couple of years. They have been used in professional settings such as doctors offices and spas for many years now at costly prices! They are a gentle alternative or addition to microdermabrasion and at home facial scrubs. Improving: Acne, Blackheads, Wrinkles, Aging, Pigment, Glow, Product Penetration & Health of Skin.

Sonic Brush like the ‘Clarisonic Brush’

The most popular sonic product on the market is the ‘clarisonic brush’. Price:($150-$200). The brush vibrates on a rechargeable base, by wetting the brush with your choice of cleanser to exfoliate and sonic clean your pores.

PROS: removes stuck on makeup, loosens blackheads, loosens dead skin cells, deeper clean than a scrub.

CONS: over dries skin, irritates sensitive-normal skin if used more than once a week, expensive, brushes must be replaced when worn out (pricey $50), the brush stays wet in between treatments which will grow bacteria and mold. (The clarisonic forums advise customers to do a bleach mixture soak to clean the brushes. YIKES: bleach = very toxic it is on the breast cancer no no list. Scrubbing bleach remnants, mold and bacteria into the skin is a bad idea)

Sonic Scrubber Blade like the ‘Jessa Sonic’

A more recent product to go main stream popular brands: Ezzi-Peel, Bliss Pore-Fector. Price:($200-$300). Vibrating at 28,000 times per second kind of like a sonic toothbrush. The tip of the tool is a stainless steel blade. The scrubber has two functions: 1-Exfoliation 2-Product Penetration

PROS: two separate and equally valuable functions, easy to clean, daily use increases results without side effects or irritation, no expensive parts to replace, extracts more blackheads, improves collagen/elastin/skin firmness, massages/vaporizes product for deep penetration.

CONS: takes a few tries to get the hang of it, if used incorrectly it may appear to not be working, takes a little longer to perform two functions, if you choose the rechargeable battery option you may encounter these issues: stops charging or does not vibrate with as much power within months of use or if it is low on charge.

The Best Option: Get the ‘Sonic Scrubber Blade’ if you can find an off market brand with no rechargeable battery. That you can plug into the wall during use it will assure that it always has full power and battery will not stop working. Price: $150 or less.

How To Use A Skin Scrubber Blade:

Step 1: Exfoliate – spray on organic toner or serum while skin is moist apply tip at 45 degree angle, in a downward motion move slowly all over face, you will see blackheads and skin cells blast off of face as well as collect on tip of device.  Tip: lift the skin in blackhead areas with thumb and index finger ‘pinching’ the section to put more pressure under the blackheads.

Step 2: Penetration/Muscle Toning: apply thin layer of serum or moisturizer flip the tip over hold flat on skin, move in an upward motion all over face it will vaporize your moisturizer creating tiny molecules easy for the skin to absorb. This action will heat and massage the skin stimulating more collagen and elastin growth, shown in independent studies.

Ezzi-Peel Example Videos:

Scrubber:

http://ping.fm/mXWmX

Penetration:

http://ping.fm/TWKgB