Author: Jules Stringer

"Our friends in the UK at S5 skin care have some wonderful tips on sun-stressed skin. The amazing range of organic serums help skin of all types and have extraordinary results, we are so happy to stock this beautiful range at Shen"

Hyperpigmentation is a sign that the skin has suffered UV stress.

Hyperpigmentation is created when the UV rays activate tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for the production of the pigment melanin. UV rays also cause long term skin damage by causing chronic inflammation that causes accelerating ageing and disruption of cellular DNA.

What is needed is a way to reduce both the short-term visible effects of sun damage and also the inflammation that leads to longer-term sun damage.

The S5 range has been specifically formulated for stressed skin with powerful bioactives from the most extreme ecosystems on the planet. Plants sourced from these regions have been forced to adapt to volatile conditions and are supremely equipped to protect against and reverse the effects of skin stress. Our Illuminate Serum (£44.00) has been specifically formulated to deal with the effects of sun stress in 3 specific ways:

1.    REPAIRING THE VISIBLE EFFECTS OF SUN DAMAGE

The Alpine region has high levels of UV radiation and plants from this region are well adapted to dealing with sun stress. 7 alpine herbs were selected from 100’s tested for their ability to reduce pigmentation. This 7 herb bioactive blend has been proven to reduce the colour intensity of age spots by 28.4% and even the skin’s tone.

Sustainably derived marine enzymes also smooth the skin to porcelain perfection reducing the appearance of skin imperfections by 61% and pore size, whilst Alpine Kombuchka decreases olive skin tones by 23% and improves radiance by 15%. 

2.    BREAKING THE INFLAMMATION CYCLE AND 3. BOOSTING THE PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS IN THE SKIN

The Marine ecosystem is one of the most stressful on the planet. Seaweeds are often left parched in the baking sun whilst at other times they are submerged in aggressive, saline conditions. The seaweed Laminaria is equipped to deal with this stress and this makes it a potent anti inflammatory that has been shown to decrease inflammation biomarkers such as IL1, IL6 and TNF by improving the hydro lipidic barrier that protects the skin. It limits keratinocyte and Langerhans cells activation and DNA damage, therefore neutralising the biological consequences of sun stress.

Author: J Stinger

Super excitement in Britain right now with the birth of a new Prince into the Royal Family, and under heat wave conditions too!  Whilst basking in new mother glory some can be surprised by hormonal surges that cause an outbreak of spots.  Being a spotty teenager is the norm but let’s face it a spotty adult can be an embarrassing matter and can arise from all sorts of reasons.  It could be your child-bearing years, hormones raging all the wrong way on a monthly cycle, menopausal moments and even antibiotics, oral contraception, HRT, stress and steroids.  All these reasons have seen a real increase over the past years of the number of women seeking advice for the treatment of acne, apparently one in five women suffer with the changing balance of hormones as the most likely culprit by causing the sebaceous glands to overact.

So what to do?  Many dermatologists recommend a well-cleansed face, sticking to a balanced diet and trying to avoid picking on any sensitive areas, however tempting and somewhat revolting to do!  We love treating symptoms the natural way and love Kate Logan’s cherished tincture, SOS Blemish Remedy.  Using anti-inflammatory Lavender, Myrrh as an anti-microbial and calming Calendula all helps to treat spots and soothe redness.  A simple way is using nature’s most wonderful antiseptic, Tea Tree, and try use it on a stick or rollerball applicator, dab it on and leave it to work its wonder.

A Glycolic Peel has now become a regular buzz word in beauty, which you can have the gentle method with at home products, or safer practised at the dermatologists under experienced hands.  The Glycolic Acid works by accelerating the skin’s natural exfoliation process, thereby giving a deep cleanse.  Not to be done on a regular basis as it will start causing other skin issues as it can be sensitive on some people and leave skin a little red.  Cane + Austin’s Acne Treatment Pads work in the same method using Salicylic Acid as its base to remove dead skin cells that can so easily block pores.  Shen has a huge fan base for Amanda Lacey’s Miracle Tonic, again using Salicylic Acid along with soothing Camphor, Mint Leaf and Rosemary, which needs to be applied topically with a cotton bud.

A beauty myth that we can throw away now is that chocolate does not cause acne, although some people who are truly dairy intolerant might see some spots as a side effect, but if you’re a chocolate lover always try to stick to dark chocolate instead.  However, one myth that is true is that old and out of date make up can result in angry spots and there is something we can all fix easily.  Cosmetics, especially when past their sell by date lead to bacteria-laden pores and out pops a spot!  If you have any queries about how long you should keep your cosmetics, skin care generally has guidelines now on the packaging as to how long to keep, then do pop into Shen and we will gladly help you out as to what to keep and what to chuck from your make up bag.

Author: Julia Stringer

The summer is well and truly upon us but behaving badly, veering wildly from stormy outbursts to utter heavenly sunny days, which certainly makes our hair do bizarre things but means we have to be ready for everything when we head out.

Summer is never that simple when it comes to beauty, buying that new bikini or some new flats seems relatively easy in comparison, but choosing between which sun screen is right for you and the whole family can be confusing, or which bronzer to avoid looking like an extra on a daytime soap, even hair care in the these sunny months is less straight forward than you would imagine.  The key thing is to lighten up, on the products not in attitude.  You can wear less make up, buy multipurpose products when travelling and if your hair is long enough plenty of hair ties to pull it back or otherwise the scarf has made an incredible return so do as the festival goers are doing this summer and wrap one around your head to disguise frizzy hair.

A few tips to help you through your summer holidays;

-       Always, always wear sunscreen, and please resist going lower than an SPF30.  We are super keen on the natural sun screen using a mineral base made with Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide rather than those ingredients that may potentially be carcinogenic, and make sure they are broad spectrum, meaning you are protected from UVA and UVB rays

-       Tinted sun creams are great for holiday and we love them at Shen.  We sell loads on the Suntegrity in two shades, the MD Solar Sciences in just one shade leaving a lovely velvety finish, and of course Bobbi Brown’s fabulous BB Cream, what else do you need?

-       A face spritz is the easiest way to cool down and hydrate skin. Suti’s fabulous Peppermint Spray will give your skin an immediate zing and so refreshing, try decanting some into a small plastic spray bottle to have in your handbag.  Evian water spray is a quick and fun way to hydrate kids and easily found in drug stores.

-       Multi-task your make up, RMS and Kjaer Weis, which are organic brands, both have great textures so easy to use on lips, cheeks and even eyelids to stretch just one colour.

-       Bronzers are a brilliant way to perk up the skin tone and make you look healthier but can look horribly wrong if overdone or the wrong shade.  King of bronzers is Derek at Shen who gives a little subtlety in application, so if you’re not sure what shade to go for or how to apply pop in and Derek will show you the dos and don’ts to bronzers.

-       As with bronzers a little shimmery highlighter does wonders to a complexion, looks amazing on a tanned body and can be used on cheek bones to shoulders and even run through hair lightly.

-       Talking of hair keep it well moisturised and add a little extra conditioner.  One product that seems to have done a storm of late is newly launched Electric from England and their Preparation Spray.  When sprayed on just washed hair will ensure however you blow dry your hair it will set as good as, but also it can be used on dry hair as a leave in conditioner giving hair an extra sheen and protection.

-       Simple step to take but do use a lip balm with a sunscreen.  An area often missed when it comes to sunscreen but can be potentially dangerous so take note.

-       Keep up the water intake in the heat as it’s all too easy to lose fluids and not replace.

Enjoy your summer, happy holidays and did we say don’t forget the sun screen!!

Author: Shen Beauty

No one needs to be told how brutal the heat and humidity have been this summer. Exhibit A: last week’s three consecutive days over 90 degrees. But just because you feel like you’re melting doesn’t mean you have to look it. Shen’s Neil Gogoi shares his top picks to keep you looking cool, protected from the sun, and frizz free. We’ve even got something to keep the bugs away on that up-coming camping trip at the lake. Throw it all in your overnight bag, skip town, and stay fabulous!

First and foremost, everybody needs a good sunblock to protect their skin. Elta MD’s UV Aero is my top pick. It’s got a high SPF (45) and broad spectrum protection, it’s oil free and water resistant, and it’s the first aerosol sunblock with 10% zinc. Bonus: It sprays at all angles, so it’s great for kids.

I also love Suntegrity’s BB Cream, which is a great 5-in-1 makeup. It’s SPF 30, broad spectrum. It’s great for evening out skin tone while hydrating, and its blending technology means that it looks really natural on your skin.

If you’re looking for a little color on your face, By Terry’s Soleil Terrybly Hydra-Bronzing Tinted Serum provides a gradual sunny glow -- without DHA. It intensifies your skin’s own tanning process while smoothing, hydrating, and lightening dark spots. We don’t know how they do it, but we love it!

For those ultra-humid days that make your hair stand on end, I love using a little Argan oil from Kahina. It’s a wonderful all-purpose oil with great healing properties for the skin, but it’s especially great for calming frizzies.

After you come off the beach, Tangle Teaser is the best all around brush for getting tangles out. It’s super compact, and gentle on hair—no tugging or yanking. I always recommend it for my clients. And it’s great for kids’ knotty hair after they come out of the water.

When you need something more intense than your daily conditioner after the beach, the sun, or whatever, I use Percy and Reed’s Totally TLC Hydrating mask. It’ll bring stressed hair back to life.

Similarly, if your lips are feeling chapped or flaky, grab some of Sara Happ’s sugar lip scrub. It’ll exfoliate and soften your lips.

I also love Ilia for their lip products. They’re all natural and organic, and contain shea butter for soft lips. Even better, their multi sticks are an all in one makeup for lips, cheeks, and eyes. Go straight from the beach to dinner with one makeup item.

And last but not least, summer wouldn’t be complete without bug spray. Skip the DEET and go all natural with Mrs. White’s Unstung Hero—it keeps bugs off with citronella oil and smells like refreshing lemon tea. It’s great for the whole family, including kids over 3.

Be sure to visit Neil’s site to see some of his amazing work! www.neilgogoi.com

Author: Harriet Baskas, NBC News Contributor

New fragrance line offers whiff of a city in a bottle

I smell London, I smell France. And, if I shell out $45 per bottle, I can get a whiff of Miami, Munich, Tokyo and 14 other cities.

A new line of city-centric scents, identified by their airport city codes — CDG (Paris), LHR (London), DXB (Dubai) — and packaged in slender bottles with labels that look like checked baggage tags, are available at some duty free shops in international airports and a few beyond-the-airport-boutiques.

Scent of Departure is advertised as “the essence of a city in a bottle.” Each 50-milliliter bottle (about 1.7 ounces, which means it won't be confiscated by TSA) is collectible, offbeat and wearable by men and women.

“The packaging is great and they each smell like that city in a weird way,” said Jessica Richards, co-owner of Shen Beauty, a boutique cosmetic and beauty shop in Brooklyn. Richards prefers the DPS scent (Bali), a city she’s not yet visited. Tourists are coming in to buy multiple bottles of the NYC fragrance as mementos of their trips, she said. The scent is designed to “recreate a walk in the middle of Central Park” and smell “crisp ... with sparkling and sourish notes of apple,” according promotional materials.

“You’re like, ‘Ew, New York City. What comes to mind are rats and the smell of nuts, hot dog stands and other street meat,” Richards said. “But the NYC scent doesn’t smell like trash at all. In fact, you’d never imagine that New York City smelled that good.”

Scent of Departure isn’t the first company to link scents to a city. “I definitely think of fragrances when I think of a place,” said David Klass, co-owner of Archipelago Botanicals which has an Excursion candles collection bearing the names and evocative scents of destinations such as Havana, Kashmir, Istanbul and Charleston.

“I like the association of the name of the airport with a fragrance,” he said. “I see CDG and I don’t think of just the airport. In my mind I’m in Paris, France. And that evokes very specific meanings in terms of what I will feel like when walking around that city. I think Scent of Departure will be successful, especially if the fragrances are true.”

Original article here.

Scent of Departure available here.