Q: Does anyone have any good eye cream that fight dark circle and aging?

A: Hello, this is Valentina Chistova - Skin Care Expert from NJ. To be honest with you there is no straight answer to this question because you need to understand the origin of this problem. And from my 28 years in the skincare industry my answer will not be helpful to some of you.

But it always a hope and I will be more than happy to recommend you Lierac ‘Diopticerne Cream for Dark Circles’ from France.

This double-action corrector treats the appearance of dark circles and fatigue under the eyes. Formulated with ingredients that treat the causes of both blue and brown dark circles, this treatment is highly in revitalizing the eye contour. Benefits: Suitable for all skin types. Lightweight formula is cosmetic friendly. Contains no parabens, phenoxyethanol or added fragrance. DIOPTICERNE Dark Circles Intensive Treatment & Concealer Cream contains arnica and ruscus to activate micro-circulation, vitamin E to help strengthen the capillary wall, together with the LIERAC depigmenting complex which contains stabilised vitamin C, mandresy extracts and micro algae to regulate the formation of melanin and lipofuscine.

The result? Brighter and fresher eyes. Directions of use:

• Using light patting motions, apply morning and night for a minimum of 1 month over dark under-eye circles.

I was working with this line for several years and my clients were very happy with this product.

I wish you a Happy New Year and hope it will work for you. I know that these days you can buy Lierac products at CVS Pharmacy.

If you have any further questions or any skin care concerns please email me at info@valentinachistova.com or visit my blog http://valentinachistova.com Read about Lierac- Europe's Anti-Aging Expert Cosmeceutical skin and body care http://www.lierac-usa.com

It’s a little secret us women don’t like to talk about…but the fact is most women develop chin hair at an early age.  As we get older, they become coarser, and more difficult to remove.  So many of you are asking me, what is the best way to remove unwanted chin hair?

Methods of hair removal are mainly based on preference and budget.  A female reader wrote in and wanted to know about laser hair removal to get rid of the unwanted hair on her chin.  Laser Hair removal is an excellent option for removing unwanted hair.  Results are excellent and long-term.  However, laser hair removal can be quite costly.  One session alone can costs upwards of $150 for small body parts like the chin. 

At home methods or course are the most efficient, but when it comes to precision, a shaky hand can do more harm than good. A few months ago a woman came to me who wanted to ask my opinion about the best way to remove the hair on her chin.  The hair was incredibly coarse, and grew very quickly.  She said she had to tweeze her chin hairs every other day, and I completely believed her.

She was trying for years to tweeze her own hairs and she was failing miserably. For starters, the hairs are difficult to see, so she wasn’t able to pull the hair from its root.  She was leaving herself with broken hairs that started to curl and become infected.  I challenged her to let me tweeze her chin hairs the right way, and she would see a visible difference in weeks.  She agreed.

I began by seeing her every other day to properly pull the hair from its root.  Within weeks, we were only seeing each other once a week.  Now, just a few months later, she only visits me once a month.  What I want you to learn is that tweezing or waxing can offer wonderful long term results, reduce hair growth and reduce hair volume.  However, if you aren’t doing it correctly, you are wasting your time and energy and further exacerbating the problem.

So, in my opinion, the best method for removing unwanted hair is….whichever method suits your lifestyle and your budget.  You can have excellent results from many different types of professional hair removal methods, if they are done properly and precisely.

If you have more specific questions, you can always email me at info@dayspaexpert.com

Follow more of Valentina’s advice at www.valentinachistova.com

About Valentina Chistova

Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession.

Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world's leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.

Valentina is the owner and director of skin care for Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch NJ.

Combination skin is a separate category of skin type. It's neither 100% dry or normal or oily. It's instead a combination that's characterized as normal and oily skin, or skin that's oily and dry. In other words, like the song, combination skin is 'a little bit of this, and a little bit of that'.

The common denominator in either type of combination skin is the presence of oily areas so care must be taken not to further aggravate these areas. Usually, it's the areas with the highest concentration of oil-producing glands – the face, chest, shoulders and the back – that are oily. Other body parts have fewer oil glands which is why they're either normal or have characteristics of dryness.

The cause of combination skin really has to do with oil-producing glands that produce more oil than normal. Dryness is primarily caused by the environment, age and the breakdown of the intracellular matrix.

Most people know whether they have combination skin just by looking at it. The areas that appear shiny likely will have some amount of pimples and/or blackheads. Makeup and other cosmetics usually won't last through an entire day without re-application. Dry areas flake and appear dull and may feel irritated.

Skin care for combination skin

Proper skin care for combination skin is best described as a delicate balancing act. You don't want to over-moisturize the oily areas, which mainly include the 'T-zone' or you risk waking up with an explosion of blemishes dotting your face. And likewise, you don't want to apply products formulated for oily skin to the areas that aren't oily or you risk waking up with skin that feels taut and scaly, especially around the eyes and mouth. So what's the proper way to care for combination skin?

Cleansing twice daily with warm water and a gentle gel cleanser is most important. This helps to remove dead skin cells, dirt and excess oil so they don't block pore openings. Follow with a toner after cleansing to help remove remaining residue. Periodic exfoliating is recommended to remove any remaining dead cells so new skin can take its place. It helps keep skin looking fresh and radiant. Be sure to look for skin care products that aim to balance the different skin types.

For oily-normal skin, you want to keep skin hydrated, but dry in the areas prone to excessive oil. Choose moisturizers that are water-based rather than oil-based, making sure to apply sparingly to oil-prone areas. Spot-treat blemishes as necessary. Benzoyl peroxide products are very effective. Apply cosmetics designed to absorb oils, like powders or dab with oil-absorbing tissues as necessary.

For oily-dry skin, moisturizing dry areas with emollient-based products is important to keep skin feeling fresh. The eyes may need an even heavier moisturizer and if so, just be sure to keep it away from the T-zone.

And never forget the importance of applying sunscreen. Fortunately, many foundations and powders now do double-duty as both make-up and sunscreen!

About Valentina Chistova

Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession.

Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world’s leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.

Valentina is the owner and director of skin care for Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch NJ.

Have a question? email info@valentinachistova.com

Q:

Good afternoon,

I recently had a bad experience when undergoing my first Brazilian wax at a spa

here in nyc. I am a straight male and would not subject myself to working with a

male  waxer, so I went with a female technician.

As you know Brazilian waxing requires almost complete nudity, and different

types of physical handling. Needless to say my body's reaction during the

experience left me embarrassed and my technician horribly offended. I will

probably not be allowed to return to that spa.

But now I want to know if this situation sounds familiar and if there is

anything that can be done to put both parties at ease prior to this type of

waxing?

A:

Valentina Chistova:

First let me start off by saying that I am sorry to hear of your experience.   More and more men are requesting the same waxing services as women, and why shouldn’t they?  Like women, you want to keep yourself clean, groomed and sanitary.  Unfortunately, it still hasn’t been accepted as ‘the norm’ yet..men receiving Brazilian waxes or even bikini waxes.

Your body’s response was normal.  The best thing to do if you want to have this procedure again is to call and ask a facility if they are experienced in male bikini waxing or male Brazilian waxing.  You can even request to speak with the technician whom you will be seeing.  Ask her questions and see if you are comfortable with her.  Ask her if she performs this service regularly or how many she has performed.  If they sound serious over the phone, your chances of having a more pleasant experience are better.

You may have to try a few places before you find a facility that truly caters to men.  Another good idea would be to seek out a spa just for men, there are many more today then there used to be.  These spas cater to an all male clientele but offer female therapists.  Make sure you go to a ‘reputable’ facility, and not one that is involved in illegal activity.  There are plenty male only spas.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Q:

Good afternoon,

I recently had a bad experience when undergoing my first Brazilian wax at a spa

here in nyc. I am a straight male and would not subject myself to working with a

male  waxer, so I went with a female technician.

As you know Brazilian waxing requires almost complete nudity, and different

types of physical handling. Needless to say my body's reaction during the

experience left me embarrassed and my technician horribly offended. I will

probably not be allowed to return to that spa.

But now I want to know if this situation sounds familiar and if there is

anything that can be done to put both parties at ease prior to this type of

waxing?

A:

Valentina Chistova:

First let me start off by saying that I am sorry to hear of your experience.   More and more men are requesting the same waxing services as women, and why shouldn’t they?  Like women, you want to keep yourself clean, groomed and sanitary.  Unfortunately, it still hasn’t been accepted as ‘the norm’ yet..men receiving Brazilian waxes or even bikini waxes.

Your body’s response was normal.  The best thing to do if you want to have this procedure again is to call and ask a facility if they are experienced in male bikini waxing or male Brazilian waxing.  You can even request to speak with the technician whom you will be seeing.  Ask her questions and see if you are comfortable with her.  Ask her if she performs this service regularly or how many she has performed.  If they sound serious over the phone, your chances of having a more pleasant experience are better.

You may have to try a few places before you find a facility that truly caters to men.  Another good idea would be to seek out a spa just for men, there are many more today then there used to be.  These spas cater to an all male clientele but offer female therapists.  Make sure you go to a ‘reputable’ facility, and not one that is involved in illegal activity.  There are plenty male only spas.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Seeing a professional for your eyebrow shaping needs is ideal, but due to changes in everyone’s economic status, many are trying to achieve the perfect arch at home.  If you are going to attempt to shape your own eyebrows, let me at least give you some helpful hints and tips to get you started in the right direction.

The Tools:

There a few necessary tools /products you will want to have by your side before you begun:

1. Eyebrow brush: before you begin, you’ll want to give your eyebrows a good brushing.  This will help you better define the current shape of your eyebrow.
2. White eyeliner pencil: In order to achieve a shape that’s right for your face, you’ll need to do a bit of measuring (don’t worry, no rulers needed, I’ll explain below how to measure). Once you finish measuring, you can use the white eyeliner pencil to color in the hairs that should be removed.  This way you have a guide to follow.
3. Tweezers: If you’re doing this on your own, tweeze, don’t wax.  The tweezers will help you stay accurate, so you can precisely choose which hair(s) should be removed. Remember, removing even just one hair can change your brow…so choose wisely!
4. Toner: Take a cotton ball and toner and cleanse your eyebrows first. This will remove any excess oil and make-up and allow you to have more control while you tweeze.
5. Aloe: you might be a little red afterwards, and Aloe is Mother Nature’s best remedy for sensitive skin.

How to Shape Your Eyebrows for Your Face:

1. To measure where your eyebrow should begin, imagine an invisible line running from the inside corner of your eye to the outermost point of your nose.  Hold your white eyeliner pencil up for a more precise look.  Any hairs that fall outside out of this line should be colored white so you know to remove them.
2. To measure where your arch should peak, hold your pencil so that it becomes a straight line running from the outermost point of your nose to the outermost part of your iris.  This is where your arch should peak.  Color any hairs white that you want to remove.
3. How thick should your eyebrows be?  This depends on the shape of your face.  There are a few rules of thumb to go by.   For a round face, generally a more dramatic arch can draw attention away from the roundness.  Long faces should stay away from high arches, which only make the face appear longer.  Instead, your eyebrows should be flatter with less of an arch to give the illusion of a shorter face.  If you have a very angular face with prominent jaws, stay away from eyebrows that are equally as angular.  Keep eyebrows more round to soften the sharp angles of your face.   Start by only removing a few hairs.  You will see that just removing a little bit already makes a difference.  After you remove a few, take a step back and look at your whole face in the mirror.  See how the shape and thickness suits your face. It’s always best to do less and wait a few days. If you still feel you want them thinner, remove a few more hairs again.

The first thing I do when I see a client for eyebrow shaping at my NJ spa is study their face straight on.  I observe their facial features and take a mental measurement of the structure of their face.  Remember, eyebrows do not come in a ‘one size fits all’ strategy.  That is why I do not recommend people bring in photos of eyebrows that they want.  So try to avoid cutting out pictures of your favorite celebrity’s eyebrows and duplicating them.  Chances are, these eyebrows will not look good on your face.

If you have more specific questions, you can always email me at info@dayspaexpert.com

Follow more of Valentina’s advice at www.valentinachistova.com

About Valentina Chistova

Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession.

Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world’s leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.

Valentina is the owner and director of skin care for Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch NJ.

Valentina Chistova, an internationally trained skin care expert, launches beauty blog for consumers.  The beauty blog provides information, advice and answers to consumers who send questions to Valentina.

Anti-Aging and acne skin care specialist puts information and beauty advice online.  Consumers can send in questions for Valentina to answer, get product reviews and general info about skin care treatments.

Information about facials, waxing, acne, and anti-aging available at dedicated beauty blog.  Valentina Chistova, a renowned skin care expert, created her blog to interact with consumers who need her advice.

Renowned acne and anti-aging skin care expert, Valentina Chistova, announces the launch of her dedicated beauty blog, ValentinaChistova.com.   The new blog connects directly with consumers looking for Valentina’s advice and education about their most important skin care concerns.  

The beauty and skin care blog site features Valentina’s articles about anti-aging and acne treatments, best practices and products, as well as real questions and answers from consumers who email Valentina for help.  A portion of the blog is also dedicated to facial and body waxing, another area of expertise for Chistova.  ValentinaChistova.com is also an excellent source of information for parents whose children are battling with teen acne.   There is information for both men and women on the site.

Anti-aging and acne skin care are the two most prominent concerns of men and women of all ages.  Valentina has focused her career on these two areas for the past 20 years, and now is putting her expertise online for consumers all over the country. 

Consumers can go to http://valentinachistova.com for more information.  Questions for Valentina can be sent to info@dayspaexpert.com

About Valentina Chistova

Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession.

Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world's leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.

Valentina is the owner and director of skin care for Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch NJ.

Follow Valentina’s blog at http://ValentinaChistova.com

Question: Hi Val, there has been so much talk about peptides and anti-aging skin care products. I wonder, what do peptides do and do they really work?

Valentina: You are right, anti aging Peptides are a popular subject, and for good reason.  Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins and many other different types of organic molecules. They are easily absorbed by our bloodstream, and for this reason, they have become very popular and effective in anti aging skin care products.

Anti Aging- How Do Peptides Work?

There are many different peptides, and each peptide works in a different way to provide an anti-aging effect on your body.  Some help relax facial wrinkles while others help increase collagen production which can plump up fine lines and wrinkles.  When we age collagen is destroyed and is not naturally replaced.  As a result skin becomes thin and wrinkled over time.

One strategy to improve winkles and to make you look younger is to replace lost collagen. When certain peptides are applied to the skin, they act as a signal to tell your skin it was damaged and to make new collagen.

The most popular single peptide for cosmetic use is palmitoyl pentapeptide (Matrixyl). It can be found in many peptide skin products and might be effective in improving the appearance of fine lines.

You can find this active ingredient in many common drug store/department store products like Strivectin and much less expensive products like Regenerist by Oil of Olay.

How to Get the Best Anti Aging Results From Peptides

Remember, peptides are easily absorbed, but not if you have a buildup of dead skin cells on your face.  This can block absorption of your most expensive beauty products.  Protect your investment.  Remember to exfoliate and have a professional microdermabrasion performed 1x every 3 months.  This way you can be sure that your products will perform as promised.

Follow more of Valentina’s advice at http://valentinachistova.com

Email your own question to Valentina: info@dayspaexpert.com

I want to thank Skin Inc Magazine for their beautiful article that was published in June.  I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with one of their talented writers, Abby Penning, during an interview which focused on my skin care background and expertise in aesthetics.  This is the second time Skin Inc interviewed me for a feature article and I want to thank them for their professionalism.

Skin care, eyebrow shaping and waxing are my biggest passions in this industry, and it’s been over 20 years already that I have had the pleasure of working in the spa business.   I enjoy starting every day reading emails from people all over the country, people who have questions about skin care, anti-aging, acne, eyebrow shaping and more.  I love reading your emails and I love having the ability to offer my knowledge to you via the Internet.  I have also had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people who visit my spa, Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch, NJ.

If you have a moment, I hope you will read the article that was published in the Skin Inc Magazine June issue.  It will give you a closer look at my background, how I got started and who were my greatest influencers.

The article is online at:

http://www.skininc.com/spabusiness/leaders/people/46742097.html

Thank you again for allowing me into your lives and entrusting me with your questions regarding health and beauty!

Sincerely ~

Valentina

www.valentinachistova.com

Q: Hello, my name is Silvia Klusova, I am about to graduate from Esti program here in Austin, Texas..I am interested in international licenceor diploma, if you can help navigate me to the international web site, where I can expend my Texas license. I'll be moving to Europe next year. You are well known, professional with alot of experience and I will appreciate if I can get any information from you, what should I do or where to upgrade or expend my license....I will be very thankful if you respond to me with a good news...Thank you  Silvia

A: If you are looking to obtain a diploma in Cosmetology that is recognized Internationally, CIDESCO is a great place to start.  The CIDESCO Diploma is the world's most reputable international qualification in the field of Esthetics. The Diploma is awarded to candidates who have passed practical and written examinations and have completed at least 600 hours salon experience. CIDESCO Diploma holders also receive a CIDESCO badge that is instantly recognized as a sign of excellence.

There are over 160 CIDESCO Schools around the world teaching to the internationally acclaimed CIDESCO standards leading to the CIDESCO Diploma.  In the Texas area, you can inquire with the Institute of Cosmetology and Esthetics located in Houston.  Here is their contact information:

Institute of Cosmetology & Esthetics
7011 Harwin, #100
Houston, TX 77036
Tel: 713.783.9988
Fax: 713.974.3129
margritaltenburg@aol.com

I also recommend that you become a member of the National Cosmetology Association (NCA).  As seen on their website, here are some of the benefits of becoming a member of the NCA:

Career Strength
Exclusive member resources to inspire your creativity and career development - plus educational events and trade shows to hone your professional skills and knowledge.

 Community Strength
NCA members have given hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours - and even more dollars - to help those in need.

 Industry Strength
NCA fights for legislation and regulation that protects the safety of our clients and the integrity and professionalism of the salon industry.

You can learn more about the benefits of becoming an NCA member by visiting http://www.ncacares.org/join/benefits.cfm

I hope this helps you achieve your goals of becoming the ‘best’ in this very rewarding field!

About Valentina Chistova

Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession.

Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world's leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a

Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.

Valentina is the owner and director of skin care for Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa in Long Branch NJ.

Follow Valentina’s blog at http://ValentinaChistova.com