My skin has been going through it in the last 6 months, and it was the first time I was dealing with such severe congestion on my cheeks, chin, and forehead. This set of treatments couldn’t have come at a better time and I’m super happy with how far my skin has come over the last 6 months!

Consultation

During my consultation, I told the skincare specialist that my main concerns were congestion, texture, and tone. Little did I know I would be getting intense hormonal congestion and acne a couple months later!

Treatment Plan

The specialist recommended me this treatment plan:

1 x Bella Glow Facial

3 x Skin Booster Treatments

1 x Bella Glow Facial (to wrap up the treatment)

A set of Skinceuticals products to maintain my healthy skin during and post treatments.

I documented the entire process on my YouTube channel so if you’d like to see how my skin was throughout this journey, the actual treatment processes themselves, as well as my thoughts on all the products, you can watch that here:

Products

Here are all the products I was recommended by the lovely Project Skin team.

Skinceuticals Glycolic Brightening Renew Overnight

A night serum used to promote cellular turnover and a refined radiance in aging skin.

Skinceuticals H.A. Intensifier

A multi-purpose corrective skin serum to help increase skin’s hyaluronic acid levels

Skinceuticals Silymarin CF

An oil-free vitamin C serum designed specifically to work as an acne treatment for oily and blemish-prone skin types.

Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Gel

A soothing & hydrating gel skin serum with botanical ingredients specifically formulated to calm and hydrate skin while reducing visual redness.

Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Repair 2:4:2

An anti-aging cream that contains the patented lipid ratio of 2% pure ceramides 1 and 3, 4% natural cholesterol, and 2% fatty acids, which is proven to nourish dry skin and reverse signs of aging.

Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator

A soothing & hydrating gel skin serum with botanical ingredients specifically formulated to calm and hydrate skin while reducing visual redness.

Have you tried any Skinceuticals products before? What was your favourite?

This time around, I went to Medical Rejuvenation Centre located at 1281 W Georgia St, unit 701. It’s a central location especially for anyone living in or close to downtown Vancouver.

Dr. Morrell is the founder and director of the clinic, and along with specializing in anti-aging treatments and using advanced techniques for Botox and Filler, he also founded the medical-grade skincare line Di Morelli (more on this later!)

Why I Chose Clear + Brilliant

Clear + Brilliant is a mini-fractal laser treatment that is safe, gentle, and requires no downtime. Some of the benefits include:

• Improvement in the look of fine lines
• Reduction in the appearance of pores
• Improvement to skin tone and texture
• Improvement in skin’s overall appearance

For me personally, since I’ve been suffering from a lot of congestion leading to inflammation and acne, I wanted to choose a treatment that would target the texture as well as the hyperpigmentation left behind. Having tighter, brighter skin is definitely also a plus!

Experience at the Medical Rejuvenation Centre

Medical Rejuvenation Centre is located on the 7th floor which you can access by elevator. Before you enter the space, they offer you hand sanitizer as well as some information regarding their covid policies. The clinic waiting room overlooks Downtown Vancouver towards the mountains and water and their staff is right there ready to greet you.

Although at first glance the space may seem small, once you enter into their hallways there are actually many different treatment rooms for all their different specialization and treatments. Some other treatments they specialize in are:

• lip fillers
• Coolsculpting
• non-surgical nose jobs
• Ultherapy
• and more!

The laser and skin specialist that helped me with my treatment was Joselyn. She first took me into the consultation room where we went over my skin concerns, how the Clear + Brilliant treatment was going to help me, and the process. Once that was finished, we took some before photos before entering the treatment room.

Customer Comfort at the Medical Rejuvenation Centre

What’s different about this experience of Clear + Brilliant and my last was the numbing. The first time I did Clear + Brilliant, we didn’t apply any numbing. Instead, I was given a cold air blower which I could hold myself, and aim where I felt I needed more comfort.

Joselyn made sure that I had ample numbing (nearly 40 minutes) before we started the treatment. I really appreciated their attention to customer care so definitely brownie points there!

The Treatment

Overall, the treatment took about 10-15 minutes overall. It was easy, mostly painless (due to the numbing), and quick. My face, post-treatment, was a little flushed, but nothing too dramatic. Overall a super easy experience and definitely something you could plan to do before a trip or a big event (given you left enough time before your next sun exposure).

Post-Treatment

After the treatment was finished, I met Joselyn back in the main waiting area where she had prepared for me a little aftercare sheet and some written notes about our treatment plan that we discussed in the consultation. I loved that they gave recommendations of products as well as printed aftercare instructions—thought this was a lovely detailed touch.

Overall, all the staff was super helpful and pleasant at the clinic and their client support is definitely notable.

Aftercare

The redness in my skin had pretty much settled by the end of the day and by the next day my skin was looking quite normal again. The only thing to note is that as your skin recovers over the next week, you’ll develop a coffee-grain-like texture across the entire treatment area. This can only be noticed by looking at your skin super close-up or touching the skin directly. But I definitely don’t consider this downtime as your skin still looks like your skin and makeup still is able to be applied with no issues.

The best thing to do for your skin while it recovers is to keep it hydrated. This means using a good moisturizer as well as using sheet masks if you have. I was also recommended to not take any hot showers or sweat for 24 hours after treatment and to make sure I wear SPF. I naturally wear SPF daily anyway so there wasn’t really too much difference between my regular skincare routine and my post-treatment routine.

The products I tried from their Di Morrelli line were their Vitamin C serum, Salicyclic acid + Glycolic acid, and their SPF 35. They informed me that I could use the Vitamin C right away but to save the Clear Skin solution for when my skin was recovered from the treatment. I did however use some of their Clear Skin solution on my chest and back as I’m also experiencing congestion there and I loved it!

All the products smelled really pleasant and overall felt really high quality. Definitely interested in trying them out longer to see what the results are!

Verdict of the Medical Rejuvenation Centre

Overall, I had an amazing experience at Medical Rejuvenation centre and I would definitely recommend it! I love that their location is super accessible downtown, and I didn’t have too much issue finding parking. The staff all seemed really knowledgeable and were amazing at making me feel welcomed and comfortable in their space. Joselyn, the skin specialist, was super thorough in letting me know what she recommends for my skin concerns and why.

I love that their founder is also a doctor which definitely gives me more trust in what they do and their training system for their staff.

If you’re in Vancouver and looking for any cosmetic or skin care treatments, I’d highly recommend checking them out!

Figuring out what skincare works for my skin has been one of my biggest struggles since I turned 19. All throughout high school, I was fortunately blessed with really forgiving skin that almost never broke out. But as I’ve gotten older, my skin started changing (from dry skin to super dry skin to combination skin) and needing different products to make it happy.

Although watching YouTube videos and reading blog posts helped a lot, it was still hard to figure out exactly what would work for my skin. Sometimes, I would try out products that SOUND like they would work for me but ended up making my skin worse. And the worst part? I’d waste a bunch of money trying the products!

Until magically, one day, HelloAva reached out to me.

A Personalized Skincare Routine

HelloAva is a personalized skincare service that’s powered by AI technology and supported by licensed aestheticians and dermatologists. They utilize AI to personally curate a skincare regimen for every client. All you have to do is take a quiz with Ava, and their platform and their in-house skin advisors will draw out your skin type and the best-suited products for it.

Although I am always slightly wary about companies promoting AI use (as then you’re depending on an algorithm/computer to discover your skincare routine), I love that HelloAva also has a team of licensed skin care experts who text you and review with you your concerns, and ensure you’re getting products that will work for you.

How To Start

To get started, all you have to do is navigate to their home page, and click Take The Quiz. You will be asked a series of question about your age, ethnicity, skin type, concerns, brands you want to try, and budget, which will all be taken into consideration when they are crafting your personalized skincare routine.

What Happens Then?

After you take the quiz, it will take you to a results page which will tell you all about your skin type, it’s strengths and weaknesses, and what it needs. Then, one of their skin experts will text you and confirm the details of the quiz, ask you a few more detailed questions, and give you a final list of recommendations. You can also just take the product recommendations from the quiz if you want. They will give you 4+ product options in each category of products (exfoliant, moisturizer, toner, serum, SPF, etc.) for you to choose from.

30% Off Luxury Skincare Brands

HelloAva partners with tons of popular skincare brands that you already know and love. Which means your skincare regimen can consist of products you already have researched or have heard people rave about. They work with brands like Caudalie, L’Oreal, Boscia, Origins, Kiehl’s, Sunday Riley, Tatcha, fresh, and more!

10% Discount For Refills

Once you’ve used up your products, they also offer a refill discount for 10% off. So you’ll be saving on your initial order of the products and on your second order if you decide you love your new skincare routine!

If you want to learn more about HelloAva and the quizzing process, feel free to check out my comprehensive video where I talk about my experience with them from start to finish.

Kiehl’s and the McMorris foundation co-developed this exclusive limited edition version of their new ultra facial cream. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the McMorris Foundation!

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is their #1 worldwide best-selling face cream, and is uniquely formulated for all skin types.

It has a lightweight texture and provides lasting hydration. It’s formulated with Glacial Glycoprotein and olive-drived Squalane, which creates the perfect, non-greasy moisturizer that even works with sensitive skin. This is the perfect product for all your winter dryness—especially when you’ve just come back from being on the mountain all day. But the lightweight feel allows you to wear it all year round.

The Ultra Facial Cream in a 50mL jar costs $37, and 100% of those proceeds will go to the foundation.

If you’re looking for a new moisturizer for the year, definitely give the Ultra Facial Cream a try. And feel good purchasing it knowing you’re supporting a great cause.

I’m making it a goal for 2019 to wear less make up and take better care of my skin. I started this mission in 2018 and I think I’ve come a long way since even just last year. I’m learning more and more about my skin and what it needs to stay clear and healthy.

With healthy skin as a focus, here are 7 new skincare products to keep your eyes on in Spring 2019!

FOREO UFO Advanced Mask Collection, $25

FOREO’s new collection of five UFO Activated Mask formulas target a variety of skin concerns. The collection combines a highly-concentrated face mask with an expert UFO treatment routine for total skin recovery.

1. Glow Addict – $25
   For Skin That Glows For Days
2. H2Overdose – $25
   The Ultimate Boost of Hydration
3. Youth Junkie – $25
   Age Renewal at Its Best
4. Matte Maniac – $25
   For a Clean Slate
5. Shimmer Freak – $25
   So You Can Say ‘Bye Bye’ to Tired Eyes

JUICE BEAUTY Prebiotix Hydrating Gel Moisturizer $65 / 50 ml

Quench and refresh skin with this ultra-absorbent, lightweight gel-cream that transforms the complexion revealing beautifully soft, smooth and luminous results. This patent-pending formula includes antioxidant-rich, certified organic ingredients and a bio-fermented complex that contains high-performance prebiotic ingredients selected to help balance the microbiome. Expertly balanced ingredients work in harmony to boost the appearance of health and vitality over time, soothing skin and locking in moisture.

KAT BURKI 5 Steps On-The-Go $125

The perfect travel/introductory kit featuring Kat’s five essential steps to radiant, healthy skin. The box includes: KB5 Calming Gel Cleanser, Super Nutrient Elixir, PH+ Enzyme Essence, Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream, and the Power Trio Radiance Oil.

STRIVECTIN Skin Reset 4-Week Intensive Rejuvenation System $149 / 9 ml

This system dramatically transforms and rejuvenates skin in just one month. Four laser-focused formulas work together with sequential synergy to “reset” skin, leaving it strong, resilient and youthful-looking.

TEAOLOGY Matcha Pore Cleansing Stick, $29

A practical new way to cleanse, smooth, and minimize pores. This soft stick gently exfoliates and perfects the skin, leaving behind a feeling of freshness and a delicate scent. The formula is infused with purifying green tea leaf extract and natural particles derived from bamboo stalks that help free the pores from impurities and dead cells. As it glides over the skin, the stick releases a thin layer of exfoliating particles that cleanse the skin deep down when massaged in, improving texture and minimizing pore size. The precious botanical complex has a
sebum-regulating effect while the rice starch makes the skin even, and the hyaluronic acid moisturizes and softens the skin. In just a few seconds skin looks visibly smoother, more compact and brighter.

TEAOLOGY Matcha Tea Ultra Firming Eye Cream $49 / 15 ml

The precious green infusion of Matcha Tea combined with the cooling effect of the ceramic applicator make this cream the ideal intensive booster to combat bags, wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness.

TEAOLOGY White Tea Miracle Drops $49 / 30 ml

A silky liquid that leaves the skin softer, tightened and more moisturized in seconds. The formula is an effective anti-aging concentrate, containing a precious White Tea infusion, full of powerful antioxidant polyphenols (Epigallocatechin EGCG), combined with a peptide complex that helps re-densify skin tissue. Stabilized Vitamin C enhances the complexion’s brightness and stimulates collagen production. When used every day, skin appears fresher, smoother and more radiant.

What other products do you have on your wish list?

Mint Smile Bar is inspired by the smile bar concept that has been prevalent in Europe for over a decade. The term originated from France, where they are colloquially labeled “Bars à Sourire” (smile bar). Smile Bars continue to cause a stir, as they disrupt the dental industry by offering an affordable alternative to in-office whitening done by dentist.

Mint Smile Bar offers power whitening which is a teeth whitening method where you can expect significant results in a SINGLE whitening session (without the need to whiten for several consecutive days).

If you have ever whitened your teeth at home, 1 power whitening session at Mint Smile Bar is equal to whitening your teeth for 7 days with your home whitening kit (depending on the peroxide content). This was definitely the case for me as usually it takes me at least 2-3 sessions with my teeth whitening kits for me to notice a difference. However, after my 60 minute session with Mint, I found that my teeth looked a lot cleaner and brighter already.

Power whitening is also the most effective way to whiten your teeth quickly and without shelling out an arm and a leg. Mint Smile Bar also carries some at home follow-up treatments for the longest lasting results and for maintenance.

I’ve included a before and after below so that you can see the results of the whitening. I did a 60 minute session and I jumped 5 shades brighter. Feels pretty weird to share photos of my teeth so up-close but I definitely want you to be able to see the difference! (And yes I know I have very uneven teeth ?)

Super glad I had the opportunity to try out Mint Smile Bar. They were super generous and provided me with a discount code to share with my readers! If you’re in the Vancouver area and would like to try power whitening, you can use the code ‘NEW50’ when you book your appointment on their website for 50% off your first session!

Regular sessions are:

$158 for 40 min sessions and $198 for 60 min sessions. But with the ‘NEW50‘ code, it’ll be $79 for 40 min sessions and $99 for 60 min sessions. 

If you want to see my entire whitening experience at Mint Smile Bar make sure you check out my video below!

Until next time,

Try A Beauty MOT

One trick is to invest in a few key beauty treatments before you jet off. These longer lasting beauty tricks can save you time and reduce the amount you need to take with you to keep you looking good. Look into things like microblading for six months of perfect brows, dark skin laser hair removal, semi-permanent lash extensions or gel pedicures for a longer lasting, chip free finish. Just choose the thing you are most bothered about maintaining and wing the rest.

Seek Out Multitasking Products

When space is at a premium, you need products that do double the duty and work hard to earn their place in your luggage. Find a base that does more for your skin – IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream combines full coverage with a serum containing a cocktail of skin goodies and SPF50, meaning you don’t need a separate host of skincare products.

Also look for things like Stila Convertible Colour, that can be used to add a flush to eyes, lips and cheeks or a brow pomade or pencil which can also work as a liner. Use bronzer and highlighter as eyeshadow and mix shimmer shadows in with plain body lotion for a gilded effect. Get creative and you’ll be surprised how little you can pare it down to.

Grab Some Coconut Oil

Speaking of multi-taskers, coconut oil has to be the ultimate, with uses ranging from a teeth whitener, deep conditioner for hair, mixed with sugar for a natural exfoliating treatment, as a shaving foam substitute for legs, makeup remover, face and body moisturizer—there is almost no job it can’t tackle. Yes To Coconuts comes in a twist up stick format ideal for travelling.

Travel With Baby Powder

Another indispensable product for the intrepid traveller, baby powder is also your friend! Use it as a deodorant for humid climes, as a dry shampoo to ward off greasy roots and to set your makeup in place. It can also be used to remove annoying wet sand from your skin. Definitely worth stashing in your beauty bag – and it won’t be part of your limited liquid allowance in flight.

DIY Your Face Treatments

You may not think you’d be able to give yourself a five star facial on your travels, but it can be done with a few basic ingredients you may already have or can pick up cheaply in a local shop. Aspirin is a great skin brightener – mixed with some of your coconut oil it can make a brilliant face mask. Or mix half a mashed avocado with a tablespoon of honey for a deep conditioning treat for your skin. Use a mix of eggs and oil to zap dry frizzy hair too (just make sure you rinse out with cool water to avoid making an omelette!). You’ll be surprised how effective these home remedies are – results definitely stack up against the shop bought treatments you have at home.

One of the biggest changes that I’ve noticed is has definitely got to be my overall skin type. I used to have really dry skin and I’ve also used products that are made for dry skin. This means a lot of thick creams, oils, and other heavier moisturizing products. My skin has since become normal/combination skin. There was a period where I couldn’t figure out, for the life of me, why my pores were getting clogged and I was getting so many sebum spots and whiteheads. I tried switching up my makeup, stopped wearing liquid foundation, washed my brushes more often—nothing seemed to help. 

It wasn’t until I tried changing my skincare, and paying attention to the changes in my skin that I really started to regain control of my situation. 

Now I feel like I’ve reached this stage where I am happy with where my skin is (minus the hormonal breakouts here and there) and the skincare that I’m using is working for me. Obviously whatever products I use may not necessarily work for your skin in the same way, I still wanted to share the products in my current skincare line up with you, in case it does. 

You can watch the video above, or read below for my in-depth skincare lineup list. 

1. Kiehls Calendula Toner

This toner was recommended to me by the Kiehls specialist when I asked for something that would soothe my skin, and wouldn’t feel harsh, but still would help with acne prone skin. 

Although I didn’t necessarily ever have heavy acne problems, I still wanted something that was going to give my skin the extra clean that it needed after my facewash, without stripping my skin of too much. 

I’ve loved how this feels on my skin, and would definitely purchase it again after I finish the bottle. 

2. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 

The Ordinary products have been kind of that magical thing that I’ve discovered and that has really worked for me. Not to mention the products are SO. AFFORDABLE.

I use the Hyaluronic Acid for moisture, and found that it works great in combination with a light moisturizer to bring my skin the quench that it needs without being too heavy and clogging up my pores. 

3. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Another epic The Ordinary product that has worked wonders for my skin. Niacinamide is known for being kind of that “all-encompassing magic ingredient” that is in a lot of expensive and high-end skincare products. 

It’s known for it’s properties that help with aging, dark spots, hyper-pigmentation, texture…The list goes on.

For me personally, I found that it has really helped me with texture, hyper-pigmentation from previous acne breakouts, and just overall look of my skin. It’s not a product that I swear by and that I will repurchase again and again and again until it stops working for me. 

4. The Ordinary Lactic Acid

Lactic Acid is a chemical peel that helps your skin with texture, unevenness, and can even aid with your clogged pores. And that’s exactly what I’ve used this product for. There is a 5% option and a 10% option. I started with the 5% as it was my first time trying any chemical exfoliants, and have still been making my way through the bottle. I will definitely move on to the 10% option once I’m done though, just to see if it makes a huge difference. 

But even with the milder version of this product, I’ve noticed overnight results every time I use it. I like to apply it after my serums, before my moisturizers, and I find that in the morning my skin always feel instantly smoother. 

5. Kiehls Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum

By now, you’ve probably noticed a trend in my products and their effects. A huge common denominator is definitely the “re-texturizing” properties that’s found in most of the products in my current skincare. My main concern was definitely the unevenness in my skin as well as all the clogged pores and sebum blockages that was appear all over my cheeks, forehead, and chin. 

This product, I haven’t necessarily found noticeably helped my texture, but it has been the perfect, light-weight moisturizer to use in the day time. 

6. Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer

Another wonder product in my books—this is the moisturizer that I now use after my serums at night time. This, in congruence with my The Ordinary products, are what I think are the main pieces of the puzzle when it came to bettering my skin. This is definitely a heavier moisturizer than the Kiehls one but is light enough that it didn’t mess with my pores whatsoever. I purchased this product at my spa, when it was recommended to me by my facial specialist. 

I’m so happy to find that you can purchase it online, which means I can share it with all of you!

7. Emani Perfect 10 Moisturizing Primer Serum

The last two items aren’t necessarily “skincare” products but are products I use on my face every single day so I thought I would share. 

Whenever I use makeup, I like to apply a primer on top of my Kiehls moisturizer. For one, I like that it gives my skin a smoother texture to work with. But on the other hand, this product also gives my skin an additional layer of moisture (without being too thick) that ensures I don’t have any flakiness or unevenness when my makeup goes on top. 

8. Heimish Artless Glow Base SPF 50

Whenever I use my lactic acid, I make sure to use this product the next day—whether or not I’m planning to get direct sun exposure. Chemical exfoliants increase the risks of sunburn and I really would rather not risk my face getting burnt! It also really gives you skin an even surface to apply make up on, and helps your makeup glide over your skin effortlessly. It’s also been my go-to sun protection for my face just in general. Definitely been a saviour this summer for all the times I went to the beach to tan. 

Hope you found this article helpful! Definitely try some of these items out if you’re dealing with some of the same issues that I was having. 

More soon.