FAQ How are your products different? My products are designed to work on specific skin needs and to achieve maximum long-term results and in the shortest time possible. That is why I have carefully chosen specific ingredients to accomplish the necessary desired results, addressing each specific skin type and sub-condition. My delivery system or "vehicle" that carries these ingredients to the many layers within the skin provides better penetration with little to no irritation. Are your products "natural"? When people ask me this, I always ask them what "natural" means to them. To me, the term can be misleading. Yes, we use many natural ingredients; however, they are not used in its true "raw" state. As mentioned previously, aloe vera in its true raw state when applied to the face can topically burn and irritate the skin. When aloe vera is processed, it becomes an excellent foundation for many skin care products. What does the word "natural" really mean? I am personally very wary of skin care products that are described as "natural." To me, "natural" substances are unprocessed and have a short lifespan. On a chemical level, "natural" ingredients often consist of large molecules, which are hard to deliver to lower levels within the skin and which can easily burn and irritate the surface of the skin. "Natural" products can actually be very aggressive, causing allergic reactions and damaging capillaries. Aloe vera, in its raw state, is a good example. Applied directly to the face, it can burn, leaving the skin red and sensitive. When aloe vera is processed, however, it is an excellent base for skin care products and can help to alleviate irritation. Tea tree and other true essential oils in their "natural" state are extremely strong. Applied directly, they, too, can burn the skin, causing long-term discoloration and sensitivity. The "natural" ingredients in various muds - including, spring and sea mud, sea algae and seaweeds-are also very stimulating and may cause long-term capillary damage. Although often beneficial in body treatments, which help to rid the body of toxins, these natural products should be avoided if your skin is sensitive and fine in texture. When it comes to skin care, always exercise caution. Something "natural" may not always be the best solution. Have your skin diagnosed correctly for its type and sub-condition, and then understand the use and purpose of your products. Be sure to stick to your daily regimen. Can I be allergic to "natural" products? You can be allergic to anything, even to so-called "natural" products. In fact, some people are more allergic to natural ingredients than to processed or manufactured ones. Often, your reaction has a lot to do with the "vehicle" or type of delivery system that carries the ingredients to the various layers of your skin. Why is my skin oily underneath and yet dry on top? This condition is usually due to incorrect skin diagnosis resulting in the misuse of products. With a proper diagnosis and the correct daily skin care regime, this problem will disappear. If you have oily skin, always be careful to avoid products that are too strong or too drying. Moisturizers for oily skin types are healing and not nourishing and need to be applied daily. Why is it that when I squeeze my blackheads - they keep coming back? Closed blackheads (comedones) come from over active sebaceous glands. They constantly come back because the sebaceous glands are consistently active in an oily and combination oily skin types. You will always notice that in the summer months your oil glands (sebaceous glands) are more active; therefore, even your hair grows faster. In order to keep blackheads at bay and pores refined, your daily cleansing regime will require more attention along with frequent exfoliation. Should I squeeze my blackheads & pimples myself? This depends. I generally don't recommend picking yourself as it is so easy to scar the skin, spread infection and damage blood vessels on the face if you are too aggressive and don't really know what you are doing. Is it possible to actually minimize pores on the face? With thorough, regular cleansing and the use of specific ingredients in your daily home products that stimulate the dermal layers where you have live cells, you can actually stimulate elastin which can slightly shrink your pores.  Typically, you can never close them up completely. Why does the color of my skin look flat, dull and unhealthy? This could be the result of many factors. It generally has to do with the layers of the skin not being hydrated both topically and internally. Other factors could be poor circulation, ill health or smoking. Smoking depletes many nutrients from the body, therefore the affects are seen in our largest external organ - being the skin.