Get the look of polished, younger skin and significantly smaller pores with:

Mary Kay TimeWise Microdermabrasion Plus Set - $60 - the same great formula with new packaging which includes:

TimeWise Microdermabrasion Refine - 70g - an advanced fragrance and oil-free exfoliator that immediately energizes skin by effectively removing dead skin cells from inside and around the edges of pores; and

The Pore Minimizer - 29ml - a nourishing serum that helps calm and comfort skin, reducing any appearance of redness and soothing delicate skin.

Just use 2 to 3 times a week and together, the duo significantly reduces the visible number of pores and dramatically improves skin texture for close-up-confident skin that just gets better over time.

Available through your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant - if you don't have one you can locate one at - www.marykay.ca or 1-866-455-5454.

Mary Kay Timewise Microdermabrasion Plus Set - $60 - includes a 70g Microdermabrasion Refine and 29ml Pore Minimizer - a high-definition power duo suitable for all skin types and tones that dramatically improves skin’s texture and visibly transforms the look of skin, creating a flawless-looking complexion. Together they significantly shrinks to look of pores and immediately smooth the look of fine lines. 

It's easy to use - just apply a little bit of the Microdermabrasion Refine to a wet face after cleansing, lightly rub in, rise and then apply the Pore Minimizer before moisturizing - you will be impressed how smooth and radiant skin looks right away - and how much easier foundation goes on afterwards and how much better it looks!
 
Available now through your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant - if you don't have one you can locate one at - www.marykay.ca or 1-866-455-5454.

Olay Pro-X Microdermabrasion + Advanced Cleansing System - $46.99 - get professional results at home without the high spa cost or the hassle of having to put on pants!

The system offers two professional treatments in one system: microdermabrasion and daily cleansing with one 3-speed gentle cleansing device.
The three speed device has Stay Speed™ Technology, which allows the system to deliver just the right amount of power when applied to the face to keep a constant speed, ensuring a consistent and professional cleansing and microdermabrasion experience.

Advanced Cleansing Treatment – The device’s first two speeds allow for daily gentle cleansing (speed 1) or daily deep cleansing (speed 2), and can be used two times daily with the Facial Cleansing Brush and Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser to renew skin’s texture for a more even and a gentle cleanse.

Advanced Microdermabrasion Treatment – The rotating tool’s new third speed (speed 3), Microdermabrasion Foam Head and Thermal Crystal Polisher exfoliate to remove discolouration, a root cause of uneven skin tone. For best results, use the Microdermabrasion speed no more than once every three days or every 72 hours with the Microdermabrasion foam head and thermal micro crystal cleanser.

If you are familiar with the original Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System and already a fan you'll be happy to know that the addition of the Microdermabrasion option makes it that much better! And if you hadn't tried it yet, this is the perfect excuse - double the skin care options for only a few bucks more then what the first sytem cost!

I've had great results following the microdermabrasion session with a mask - getting rid of all the dead skin and crap first helps the mask absorb so much better and you'll be amazed at how soft and smooth your skin will feel afterwards!
The kit contains: One 3-Speed Rotating Facial Cleansing Tool; Olay Pro-X Thermal Crystal Polisher (20mL); One replaceable Microdermabrasion Foam Head; Olay Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser (20mL); One replaceable Facial Cleansing Brush; and two AA batteries.

Also available to supplement when needed:

Olay Pro-X Microdermabrasion Refill Kit - $23.99 - includes a 50 mL bottle of Thermal Crystal Polish and one replaceable Microdermabrasion Foam Head.

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System Refill Kit - $13.49 - includes two replaceable Facial Cleansing Brushes.

Olay Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser - 177ml - $19.99

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

You know how they say that you learn something new everyday? Well last week I found out that Visage does facials - I knew that they sold makeup and did eye brow shaping but for some reason I was totally unaware of the extensive amount of facial services they offer - including the latest and greatest - The Ultimate Facial - which is a 60 minute treatment that combines the use of deeply hydrating collagen and cell boosting pure oxygen for a facial that will have your skin looking and feeling soft and rejuvenated.

My Ultimate Facial was performed by the lovely Zarina at the Scarborough Town Centre location. She started me off with Phase One Microdermabrasion - ($35) - an exfoliation treatment that you can get prior to any facial service that acts as a skin-smoothing treatment to remove dead skin cells and to allow treatment products to better penetrate the skin.

This was followed by the usual cleansing and massaging and then a Collagen Mask - which is a sheet mask and if you haven't tried once of these before they can make you feel a little mummy-ish! The mask helps to promote collagen production, skin firmness and elasticity as well as helps diminish fine line and rehydrate the skin to keep it looking soft, smooth and more youthful.

The mask is followed by the oxygen treatment where they basically blow pure oxygen into your skin - it's a little chilly and smells weird but it's doing lots of great things for your skin so I sucked it up. As Zarina explained it to me, the oxygen helps stimulate collagen and elastin growth, lighten and brighten the appearance of the skin and fade pigmentation naturally, improves rosacea, acne, all forms of dermatitis, maintains moisture and nutrient levels resulting in a supple, youthful appearance - keeping the skin naturally hydrated and as an added benefit, helped the ingredients from the collagen mask absorb deeper. Whatever is did my skin looked plump and glowing by the end of my session!

With any facial Visage offers a complimentary makeup application which is great if you are going out or back to work but I was just going home and I love the perfectly clean skin feeling you get right after a facial so I left au natural.

If you think The Ultimate Facial sounds wonderful too, this is the time to try it - until February 24 it's being offered at the special price of $79.50 (regular price: $150). As well there is the option of specially priced pre-paid packages.

Check out www.carylbakervisage.com for a location near you.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away is there something that will keep the dermatologist at bay? Why yes there is, AHA, Vitamin C and Retinol! - and just to make things easy for you, here are 3 products from La Roche Posay that each have one of these important ingredients!

Derm AHA Intensive Resurfacing Serum - 30ml - $49.50 - contains a triple-action complex for complete skin renewal for wrinkles that appear reduced, refined skin texture and a less dull complexion.

 Cell turnover slows down as you age so exfoliation is especially important because it stimulates the regeneration of new cells to improve the skin's appearance and texture making it look younger and more radiant.

Redermic [+] Intensive Daily Anti-Wrinkle Firming Fill-In Care - 40ml - $51 - an intensive anti-wrinkle and firmness treatment that helps reduce the signs of skin aging with Madecassoside - known for its skin repairing abilities and 5% pure Vitamin C.

With age and daily UV exposure, collagen and elastin fibers break down causing lack of firmness and deep wrinkles in the skin. Vitamin C intensifies fiber synthesis and strengthens the structure.

Redermic [R] Dermatological Anti-Aging Treatment - 30ml - $51 - for a deeply transformed and clarified complexion with 0.1% Pure Retinol which stimulates collagen and elastin creating firmer, smoother skin. It also contains a Retinol booster complex which enhances the Retinol's efficacy while speeding penetration to reduce irritation and LHA for intense exfoliation.

Retinol is widely recognized as one of the most effective ingredients to intensively target skin aging - fine lines and deep wrinkles are diminished and premature dark spots faded - skin texture is resurfaced, leaving it visibly smoothed and even toned.

Photo by Jag Photography

The whole apple thing seems a little shady to me so just to make sure I had my facts straight on important anti-aging ingredients, I looked to Dr. Davindra Singh of AvantDerm to see if he agreed. I was happy to hear that Dr. Singh is on board with AHA, Vitamin C and Retinol being  the power ingredients for skin and that a combination of all of these ingredients would leave you smoother and younger looking. He also reminded me that the very best thing you can do to prevent aging  is to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen everyday!

He was also kind enough to give me a tour of his new AvantDerm facility located in Toronto's Distillery District. Not only is it a very funky looking space full of open space and reclaimed wood, but it's also quite innovative as far as the practice of dermatology goes.

See if this sounds familiar, you need to see a dermatologist to get a mole checked out or to deal with bad acne or whatever so you get a referral from your doctor and from there wait weeks to actually see a derm. AvantDerm is more like a walk-in clinic, not that you actually just walk in, you still need a doctor's referral, but rather than waiting weeks or months, it's a matter of days and possibly as little as 24 hours to get in to see someone!

AvantDerm is also Canada's very first Ethnic Skin Institute - great news since Toronto has such a wide range of ethnicities - which offers the techniques, technologies and the knowledge to provide dermatology services to everyone, which is long overdue!

And not only are they a full-service dermatology clinic but they also offer a wide variety of cosmetic dermatology options such as Laser, Botox, Fillers, Peels and Microdermabrasion.

AvantDerm is located at 45 Mill Street in Toronto - 416-869-3376 and you can find them online at www.avantderm.com.

I have a secret weapon in my war against dull, flaky skin, which I guess won't be so secret after I post this.  Neostrata - Skin Resurfacing Duo
Different people call it by different names - home microdermabrasion, scrub, exfoliant but really, whatever you want to call it, I call it amazing!  Now I have tried a lot of different kinds of exfoliants over the years and I have found some great ones and some crappy ones and I proclaim this product to be the BEST exfoliant I have ever used!  Now I know my U.S. friends are going to complain that they don't have NeoStrata and that it's not fair but don't despair, you can indeed have NeoStrata too - here.  Don't say I never did anything for you!

So here's how it works:  Step 1 is the crystals - you scoop up a little bit of this and rub it all over you face for 1 minute.  They feel something like what I imagine fine grade sandpaper would feel like if I were a piece of wood (strangely yes, I do occasionally imagine myself to be inanimate objects).  The best part, it smells just like delicious oranges!  So I really should add this to my Things I love that are Orange post.  Step 2 is the activator, you take a little bit of this and rub it all over your crystally face.  It does this really awesome foaming thing and you keep rubbing for 2 minutes.  Then you just wash the whole thing off. 

What do you get for your 3 minutes you may ask?  Baby butt soft skin.  Skin so soft your husband won't stop touching you (so don't use this right before Gossip Girl, I learnt the hard way). Skin that is radiant, clear and makes you look years younger (not after the first 3 minutes, mind you but with repeated use).  I was amazed the first time I used this and believe me, at $73 it's not cheap so my expectations were sky high.  It has lived up to every one of those expectations and then some.  Not to say I won't keep trying different scrubs, I'm a beauty junkie, I can't help myself, but I will be very surprised if anything else can ever top this one!