All Encompassing Beauty - LNE & Spa November 2014

ALL ENCOMPASSING

BEAUTY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

WHAT ARE NUTRICOSMETICS? Simply put, they are a fusion of nutrition and cosmetic care that support the structure and function of the skin. Taken orally, they are designed to improve skin health and appearance. While nutricosmetics have been popular in Europe and Asia for years, they are now transforming the North American beauty industry, as people are increasingly embracing more natural products to enhance their appearance.

Page 102 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

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By Corine Crysler

TARGETED BENEFITS TO THE SKIN What makes nutricosmetics entirely different from other cosmetic products—and what people are often surprised to learn—is that they are taken orally. People sometimes describe nutricosmetics as “supplements,” but unlike true supplements, they aren’t intended to supplement deficiencies in the body; rather, they are designed to have highly targeted benefits to the skin, improving its health and appearance.

There are nutricosmetic products to help treat acne and even out skin tone, and others to help hydrate the skin, targeting fine lines and wrinkles; they can also be formulated to complement esthetic treatments. Nutricosmetics are typically found in capsule and powder form, which allow them to begin working from within the body. This is also why they work so well when paired with topical esthetic products and medical esthetic treatments. Nutricosmetics provide a way for spas to help their clients achieve a comprehensive skin care program—one that begins internally.

GETTING TO KNOW NUTRICOSMETICS For esthetic professionals who are still new to nutricosmetics and their benefits, Kathryn Sawers, medical esthetician and principal at Collective Skin Care, Vancouver, Canada, suggests that “the best way to go about integrating nutricosmetics as a component of spa treatments is to discuss it during an in-depth consultation, whereby the client opts in for a course of treatment based on their goals and the skin concerns which have been identified—the pricing and quote for their customized treatments includes their nutricosmetics…therefore, both the intrinsic and extrinsic components of aging are being addressed.”

EDUCATING THE CLIENTS The key to successfully educating your clients on the value of a nutricosmetic product is incorporating the philosophy that the synergistic effect of treating both the internal (controlling free radicals, oxidative stress, inflammation and providing specific nutrients to feed the body’s processes) and external (sun protection, cleansing and exfoliation, as well as hydration) factors of aging will significantly improve the outcome of their treatments and the general maintenance of their skin health.

November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa

lneonline.com • Page 103

organic & wellness | all encompassing beauty

INTRODUCING IT INTO YOUR SPA Some of the simplest ways to introduce and incorporate a nutricosmetic line into your spa treatment programs are to ensure that you’ve selected a line that has been specifically formulated for targeted skin benefits, which complements your services; and one that offers educational support to your staff by providing them with the best possible training, as well as the tools they need to effectively sell the line.

Once you’ve found the right line for your practice, it’s beneficial to build it into your treatment protocols, and also make it a key component in your clients’ home-care beauty routine, along with their topical products.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR When searching for a nutricosmetic line, look for products that contain lycopene, coenzyme Q10, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) for photoprotection and photodamage. This type of nutricosmetic pairs well with facials and topical products to brighten the complexion and treat hyperpigmentation. Products containing omega oils such as krill oil or sea buckthorn berry oil are highly effective at providing moisture and hydration to the skin, and promoting a glowing complexion. They can be paired with any antiaging facials, or to help treat dry, dehydrated skin, or skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea and inflamed skin.Nutricosmetic formulations developed for detoxification and cleansing can be incorporated into acne programs, lymphatic treatments and body contouring services. It is key to look for products that do not contain laxatives, and that support healthy diet protocols.

As a final note, it’s often best to keep protocols simple and easy to follow in order to ensure compliance. It’s also important to explain to your clients that a full skin cycle averages 28 days, and with a nutricosmetic product it may take anywhere from one to three months to achieve noticeable results, as it treats the skin both inside and out.

Internal wellness is essential for healthy skin and aging. It’s the first step to combat accelerated aging. By incorporating a nutricosmetic product line into your practice, you’re offering your clients a way to connect internal and external treatments—specifically, to address all components of skin health and the aging process. n Corina Crysler is one of North America’s leading natural health products experts. As a project manager with a Canadian regulatory consulting firm, Crysler led the Natural Health Products division to new heights by implementing strategies to expedite Health Canada’s approval process. As the active co-founder, executive director and key formulator at GliSODin Skin Nutrients, Crysler knows that consumers are receiving top-of-the-line ingredients with proven results.

Page 104 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

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Take, for example, Cindy Merrill O’Brien, owner and esthetician at Cindy O’Brien Aesthetics in Napa Valley, Calif., who has been offering a nutricosmetic line to her clients for more than five years.

According to O’Brien, the key to successfully incorporating this concept is by starting with basic lifestyle components.

“I start with a good intake form asking my new clients what they want to achieve and how they are going about it currently. In doing so, we discuss skin care, lifestyle and supplements,” O’Brien says. “I honestly believe 70 percent of our skin’s health and appearance is based on home care and lifestyle. All my treatments are aimed at wound healing, and healing starts at the cellular level.”

O’Brien’s nutricosmetic protocol begins with cleansing the body. “Skin is the largest detox organ in the body,” she says. “Start your clients on the detox first, which will give them a jumpstart to full body health and wellness…

My clients find they have residual benefits to gorgeous skin, and a healthy, energized body!

Who wouldn’t want that?”

Dr. Cory S. Goldberg, a Canadian plastic and craniofacial surgeon, and medical director for Sanctuary Day Spas with varying locations in Toronto, Canada, implements a nutricosmetic regime into his patients’ cosmetic programs.

“By offering my patients nutraceuticals with their procedure or beauty program, I believe that I am providing them with the necessary tools for the best possible outcome—whether that be a reduction in downtime by decreasing bruising and swelling, or by improving general skin health. Targeting free radicals and minimizing oxidative stress is the key to assisting the aging process, therefore, there are many benefits to introducing a nutricosmetic line to a clinical practice.”