First thing’s first…my Anti Pollutant masque with Aliangé is back in stock!
This unique masque is both hydrating and purifying, designed to protect your skin from environmental stressors. It’s ideal for city dwellers and frequent travelers, and perfect to utilize before and after flights.
Thank you to everyone placing their orders, whether you’re already a fan of the formula or this is your first time trying it. I appreciate all of your support during this relaunch, and I can’t wait to see it back on your shelfies. It’s been two years since we debuted the masque, and I’m happy to report the product is truly better than ever.
One thing you’ll notice is a new scent. We’ve swapped the water lily essence for gardenia, which imparts the same light, floral freshness but smells even better. We’re obsessed!
What hasn’t changed is the incredible bottle architecture! The signature Aliangé silhouette is here to stay. I love that it has a pump, which makes it easy to control the amount of product you dispense. It’s easier, cleaner and the product stays fresh for longer periods of time! This bottle is an incredible value because a little goes a long way! We suggest 2-3 pump MAXIMUM. That should be enough for you to apply down your neck and across your décolleté. For a spa moment at home (or on the go!), I recommend exfoliating with a yummy physical exfoliant to rid the skin of topical dead skin cells and then applying a nice layer of our masque. Moisturize after you wash it off and enjoy calmer, more hydrated, and more radiant skin. Perfect for all skin types!
See how thin this application is? You only need a little for it to be effective! I love to throw a light layer on in the morning, let it sit for ten minutes, then jump in the shower and head to work.
These are some of my favorite ingredients in the masque:
PRORENEW COMPLEX
Derived from lactococcus lactic, a bacteria that stimulates skin renewal. This is one of the good bacterias that help balance your biome and optimize your barrier function. Good bacteria is what we need for a balanced biome! If you need a refresher on everything bacteria, biome, and barrier, check out Ámezing News #20.
ECOSKIN
A prebiotic and probiotic derived from lactobacillus that balances the microbiome of the skin, stabilizes flora, strengthens the skin barrier and guarantees radiance.
Ecoskin is integral! It was a non-negotiable for this formula as lactobacillus is also fractured in Aliangé’s Baby Blue probiotic masque (which we also love). If you overdo it with your skincare or are prone to rosacea flare-ups (like me), using this masque 2-3x per week will help repair your compromised barrier.
Due to the masque's ability to reduce inflammation, it also works as a wonderful spot treatment for blemishes.
GREEN TEA EXTRACT
I’m a green tea lover and work with many products that contain green tea on my clients. The antioxidant power helps defend your skin from free radicals. It wouldn't be a top tier mask without it!
We hope you enjoy! Available for purchase on amezskin.com and in studio with me! Please send us pictures of you enjoying the masque if you feel inspired! It’s also the perfect green base for Halloween makeup looks! So easy (and actually good for your skin, something face paint can’t really offer!)
IT’S EXFOLIATION, RETINOL, ACIDS SEASON!
It’s the perfect time to focus on these aspects of your skincare routine! Here’s why:
Summer has passed! The sun is nowhere near as powerful as it was in the summer, and we’re probably spending less time at the beach and pool. Cozy season is actually corrective skin care season! No shade if you were using some light acids or retinols during the summer (I do too), but now we can up the frequency of such products. Below is a refresher on all things retinol and acids. Remember, all of the products I mention are included in my Shopmy for you to check out!
Retinoids
I’m sure a lot of you have your retinol routines on lock, but I always find that fall and winter are the best times for a little refresher. If you know me, you know that I’m generally conservative with retinols and acids. I like the long game not the short win when it comes to achieving skin results. I recommend starting at .01% or .025% to begin with and slowly introduce one or two nights a week.
Alternating your treatments is what we know as skin cycling. For example, one night you may use your retinol and another night you may swap that and do an exfoliating treatment like an exfoliating toner or mask treatment. For highly sensitive skin, I suggest using a Retinal (yes with an A) or even considering natural alternatives that contain bakuchiol (like Marie Veronique’s Multi Retinol Night Emulsion). Allies of Skin just launched a new strength of their Retinal 0.1% Peptides Advanced Repair Night Cream, which features Ally-R a unique retinal great for even sensitive skin types.
One of my favorite skin care lines, Medik8 offers a range of .01% to 0.24% of retinal serums for those who are just starting out to total expert retinal users. (I find their infographics on their website to be a great visual aid for recommended uses and strengths I also recommend Stellar Restoration by Klur ( both personal favorites of mine) and SkinBetter AlphaRet Overnight Cream as both formulations combine a retinoid and acid.
This is the retinoid I’m using right now! (Always using Naturium body wash too!)
Acids
Acid-based products come in many forms, so have fun exploring what feels best for you. Maybe you like using an acid-based toner daily, or maybe you prefer using an AHA mask twice a week. I would stick to trying one product at a time and giving your skin at least two weeks to get used to it. These are some of the acids I love:
Mandelic: Great for all skin tones, including melanated skin. This is a nice daily exfoliating treatment that can be used every day. Great for reducing breakouts and inflamed pustules. I love Sofie Pavitt’s mandelic clearing serum. It can be used on a daily basis morning and night.
Transanemic: A very effective skin brightener that is safe for all skin types. I really like the formula by Naturium. It’s safe for sensitive skin types and also contains niacinamide and licorice root.
Salicylic: My tried and true! My skin personally adores this oil-soluble BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) which reaches the pores and cuts through oil to deliver skin calming benefits. The classic is Paula's Choice 2% BHA exfoliating toner, you know the grey bottle. I like to use this on my t-zone as my skin type is combo/oily. Consistent use of BHAs help to reveal smoother skin and texture.
Lactic: This is another old friend of mine! This is a mild AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) that works to improve skin texture and pore appearance. Lactic and glycolic acid are often in formulations together such as the Naturium 10% AHA exfoliating mask. Again, if you are newer to acids, aim for lower percentages. And of course, do a test patch on the neck/lower jaw to see how the skin reacts before fully applying.
Glycolic: Another clinically tested, efficacious AHA.I don't recommend glycolic based products too often as I find this acid to be very time-sensitive, but I love the Dr. Loretta peel pads with glycolic acid. These can act as your toner for the evening, giving you a thorough yet gentle application with glycolic and peptides. You’ll often see glycolic and lactic acid paired together. What’s amazing about glycolic specifically is that it works to loosen the glue-like substance that binds dead skin cells together at the top layer of the skin.
Kojic: Found in many brightening formulas and often derived from mushrooms! Look our for brightening serums that contain this ingredient. It's gentle, works on all skin tones and works well over periods of time.
Remember, even if summer is over, it’s not time to abandon your SPF! Especially while using acids and retinoids. Apply in the morning and reapply at least once during the day if you can!
For super sensitive skin, or those of you who are playing it majorly safe with your skin barrier, consider reaching for washes and masques with enzymes instead of acids! This will help manage your cell turnover in an even gentler way. All of the products discussed above, as well as a couple of enzymatic favorites, are included in my Shopmy for you to check out!
I was featured in the L.A. Times last week! As a native Angeleno, this was a big deal for me! Perhaps the biggest deal! Like wow, I made the local newspaper. A total dream. My mom immediately texted me and was like “I get so happy and excited for you and us.” It was a moment for my folks too, which means everything to me.
Being a licensed esthetician for almost ten years and working in beauty for eleven and a half years, it was nice to have the opportunity to share a bit about how I got here. It’s been amazing, but also really really challenging. At some points, I’ve worked myself sick to get here, and yet I wouldn’t change a damn thing.
I’ve kept my facial practice quite private, so when writer Julissa Jamesand the team at L.A. Times Image reached out to me, I was thrilled. I felt very honored to be included amongst friends like Sebastian Hernandez. The issue was all about individuals and their beauty rituals – literally idyllic.
When Julissa and the photographer Bishop Elegino came over to my studio, it was just pure synergy. Pure flow. No production or glam, just my sacred space. I’m beyond grateful! This one just really hits differently than a one line shout out in other publications, ha. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I do.
I want to thank my Los Angeles community, my clients, friends and of course my family. I’m still going because you all inspire me. Thank you so much for the supportive messages and all the shares and re- posts. If we haven’t worked together, I hope to care for you soon. You can read the full story here.
GO DODGERS!!!
SEE YOU AT THE WORLD SERIES BABY. GO DODGERS! SUP YANKEES!!!!!
If you know me, you know I love the Dodgers! We have season tickets and go to games all season long. I can’t wait for the first game of the World Series this Friday night at 5 p.m. PST (or 5:08 or whatever…) Baseball fan or not, this is an iconic world series already. LAD vs. NYY…baseball doesn’t get any better!!
Seeing the Dodgers win the National League Championship last week was everything!
Also, I wish you all a festive and safe halloween 🕸🍬⚰️🔮 PLEASE comment with some costume ideas for those of us needing last-minute inspiration! Especially if they’re beauty related!
The co-writer and editor of Ámezing News is Tierney Finster. Follow her on Substack here and Instagram here. Listen to Tierney interview Andrea on her podcast here!
Come on, LA Times feature! Well deserved, Andrea 🩷