Ask Gayle

It totally depends upon your oil production and skin sensitivity. Generally speaking, the dryer your skin, the thinner it is, and therefore its best to exfoliate/mask no more than 2 times a week. If you have sensitive skin, prone to redness and inflammation (even if somewhat oily, or oily t-zone) again 2 times a week or less. For an oily skin type, or much thicker skin, 3 to 4 times a week is great.

For the summer months, anyone with an oily t-zone can opt for using a mask on the t-zone only 3 to 4 times a week to help control oil production, and you would not need to exfoliate first to see the benefits.

Yes, there are. First, make sure you are taking the time to cleanse and tone twice a day as it will help to keep unwanted dirt and oils from building up and possibly making a blemish worse. I recommend exfoliating at least twice during the week you feel a blemish coming on to insure the pores are open and getting oxygen. (Acne bacteria cannot live in the presence of oxygen) After using the face scrub, apply the Moisturizing Soothing Mask as either a spot treatment or all over, to heal and nourish your skin. The white & green clay, rosemary and menthol will help to draw the blemish out, while calendula and vitamins A&E help in the healing process and keep inflammation to a minimum.

It is important to cleanse the skin after exercise to help eliminate the buildup of bacteria, oils and sweat on the skin that may clog pores and possibly increase breakouts. How the skin reacts to multiple cleansing is dependent upon the type of products used. Semeli's Mild cleansing milk which is soap free, gently cleanses the skin without stripping it, delivering antiseptic and soothing action. Antioxidants green tea and wheat protein firm and fight oiliness. Another important step is using the Face Tonic lotion after cleansing. This product works well to firm, tone and cool the skin, while removing any possible residue from the cleansing milk. Most importantly however, it helps to restore your skin to its more natural Ph balance. This keeps your skin from having to work as hard to restore itself after repeated cleansing. In addition, if you are pressed for time, only feel your skin needs "refreshed" after a workout, or have dry/sensitive skin you may use the Face Tonic lotion on its own to gently clear away impurities between normal cleansing. Lastly, the travel De-makeup Wipes can be used as your quick, single use cleansing system, acting as a cleanser, toner and light moisturizer all-in-one. Perfect for at the gym, on the go or a weekend away, these wipes remove make-up and environmental impurities. Enjoy your workout!

Semeli offers a range of products with SPF protection. For your daily incidental sun exposure both the Mild moisturizing day cream for combination to oily skin and Moisturizing Anti-aging day cream for dry and sensitive skin are complete with a naturally occurring UV filter of SPF 8. In addition, the Natural Sun Care in SPF 15 and 25 (for all skin types) are ideal for the summer sun and sport enthusiast. 100% natural filters give you broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. However, these products are meant for active use, so please remember to cleanse skin after your sport or activity.

I would recommend the Moisturizing Anti-Aging day cream for dry skin. It is formulated to nourish, hydrate and firm your skin, without being overwhelming. It does have a stronger scent due to the essential oils which are essential to the formulation, however because it does not have any additional fragrances, the scent absorbs quickly and does not compete with cologne or other personal care products. Also, because this product is extremely effective, a little goes a long way. As far as a body moisturizer is concerned, the Moisturizing Firming Body Lotion is fantastic. It has a light scent due to essential oils (primarily geranium), and hydrates well without leaving a greasy feeling. Perfect for all skin types, it is rich in antioxidants and stimulates collagen formation. Although it has not been designed for use on the face, I am sure it would be an effective lightweight moisturizer if needed.

Using a toner is not only an important step in skincare, it has many uses as well. The true importance of a toner is to remove any residual product, be that your daily cleanser or your weekly mask, and to restore your skin to its PH balance. Restoring your skin's PH is super important, because this way your body does not have to work as hard to find its equilibrium and can concentrate on more important issues. Toner is also good to have on hand if you need a quick skin pick me up... mid-day if you experience more oil production, work in an environment where masks are often used (hospital, dentist office), or after a strong workout and there is not enough time to wash your face. It will help to cleanse away oil, debris and bacteria gently, helping to keep breakouts at bay and without over drying. The Semeli Face Tonic Lotion is also specially formulated to tighten and firm the skin, and most importantly, is alcohol free.

Taking the time to use an eye cream is super important in maintaining the delicate nature of the eye area. Being the thinnest skin on the body, it needs a lot of help! Semeli's Anti-wrinkle eye cream is specially formulated for this tender area to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, smooth signs of fatigue, and increase micro-circulation, while Vitamin K1 specifically targets dark circles and sagging. You can use this both AM and PM, just remember a little goes a long way! And don't forget, drinking plenty of water and a good night's sleep goes a long way in helping the body work to repair the eye area from the inside out.

Pore size has a direct link to skin type and typically, you cannot shrink them, as much as we would love to be able to! However, you can minimize their appearance by making sure the products you are using help to keep the pores clear of congestion, and focus on maintaining your skins elasticity. I recommend exfoliation two times a week with the Face Peeling Scrub to clear away congestion and dead skin cells that may be weighing down the pore walls. Additionally, using the Lifting Serum daily will tighten and firm immediately, as well as increase collagen and elastin production with extended use. Just remember to apply the Flash Face Lifting serum before your moisturizer!

Mildly dry and flaky scalp can be attributed to over-washing your hair. Often clients who complain that their hair shaft is oily but scalp is dry, tight, itchy or flaky have two issues going on; an over stripping of the natural oils in the scalp due to daily hair washing, and the use of heavy styling products, often wax derived, that are not water soluble and cause buildup on both the scalp and hair shaft. I recommend choosing your Semeli shampoo based on skin type. Is your face normal to dry with mild to no t-zone shine? Use Shampoo for Dry & Normal hair. If you are a more combination to oily type, use Shampoo for Oily hair. Try only shampooing every other day for at least two weeks, making sure to use conditioner on the mid-to-end of the hair shaft only. This will help to "reprogram" your oil glands, and that takes some time. I would also look at the ingredients of your styling products to insure they are water soluble, and use small amounts to keep your hair from being weighed down.

First things first: You need to take into account what stresses your hands are being placed under during the winter months. The degree to which your hands are damaged directly effects the amount of time you need to spend on your reparative work.

When working or spending long periods of time outdoors make sure you wear well insulated gloves. If you wash your hands frequently, try to use a moisturizing hand wash, and shy away from harsher detergents or alkaline cleansers if possible because they further reduce the moisture in your skin.Also, although it is cold and flu season, shy away from using alcohol-based waterless cleansers/hand sanitizers as alcohol is extremely drying to the skin. (Studies have also proven that there is no distinct difference between hand washing with general soap and water and sanitizers when trying to fend off germs and bacteria.)

Now when treating the dry, cracking, delicate hands, start off slowly. Damaged tissue will not repair itself from just one treatment; it will have to become a regimen. I would suggest starting a few times a week, before bed, using a gentle scrub. Our Exfoliating Body Polish is perfect for use not only on the body, but hands as well. Exfoliating the hands makes sure that the dead skin cells are gently removed for a deeper, more lasting penetration of your moisturizer and all active ingredients, while delivering a strong dose of antioxidants and oils to strengthen and heal the skin. Not much pressure is needed to complete this task, just a gentle circular motion for no longer than the time it takes to wash your hands will do the trick. Rinse, dry and follow immediately with the Moisturizing Protecting Hand Cream to protect against free radical damage and age spots while smoothing, strengthening and nourishing.

Just remember, a little bit goes a long way so use sparingly and reapply often!

Exfoliation is crucial to having radiant skin. The key is to not over-or-under do it. To over exfoliate causes undue stress on the skin, can increase fissures or micro-tears in delicate tissue and create an overall "ruddy" complexion. Under exfoliation will lead to more dull, lifeless looking skin. Issues often associated with this are sallow or pale skin, flakiness and an increase in milia (those pesky white bumps that seem to come from nowhere and take forever to go away). So what's the right way to exfoliate? I'm glad you asked. For most skin types, gentle exfoliation 2 to 3 times a week is great. Definitely no more, and hopefully no less. Use little to no pressure and let the face scrub do the work for you. Remember, you are not trying to resurface your skin; you just need to gently lift the dead layer off so it can be rinsed away. This opens the pores to more oxygen, breaks down bacteria and dead skin cells, and stimulates the cell renewal cycle. Stimulating cell renewal is key since you will have newer, fresher cells moving to the surface faster, and the natural byproduct of that process is an increase in collagen and elastin production! You just can't beat that! After you exfoliate, making sure the products you apply are rich in antioxidants to prevent tissue breakdown and free radical damage is key. Also taking care to use sunscreen to help prevent the new skin from sun damage greatly impacts the future of your skin.

Finally, I swear by The Bedtime Beauty Trio: the Face Peeling Scrub, Moisturizing Soothing Mask, and Anti-Aging Nourishing Night Cream. I have found this particular combination, hands down, to be a one way ticket to more radiant skin.

Definitely start by turning the water temperature down a little. At first it will seem strange, but after a few days you should notice a big difference. The water should be just above lukewarm, and your skin should not turn pink upon contact. Test the temperature on the inside of your wrist as well, just as you would for a baby. Another good guide is how fast your bathroom fills with steam. The reason for this is hot water, pulsing down upon your body depletes your skin of its natural oils. Simultaneously, if you are using bar soaps that are high alkaline on the PH scale, a double stripping will occur. This is usually to blame for super itchy skin that is rarely soothed even after applying moisturizer, or the feeling that your moisturizer isn't lasting all day.

Switching your body cleanser to less alkaline and more nourishing, filled with essential oils and healing botanicals will make a marked improvement. Both Semeli shower gels have the same basic ingredients for creating smooth, soft and supple skin through Organic Olive oil, Vitamin E and Panthenol. The determining factor would be the difference in essential oils chosen to encourage either relaxation with the Relaxing and Soothing Shower Gel, or revitalization through the Revitalizing Shower Gel (my personal favorite, since I have a very hard time waking up in the morning!)

Exfoliating in winter months is another important part of the equation; helping to slough off dead skin cells and encourage cell renewal, just remember not to go overboard. Two to three times a week for exfoliation is plenty. (Again, our Exfoliating Body Polish is great for both hands and body!) Dont forget to complete your defense layer by following with moisturizer to help to lock in your skin's own natural oils, add another layer of moisture and protection against harsh environmental aggressors and dry air. The Moisturizing Firming Body Lotion will not only handle all your moisture needs, but supports collagen formation, tightens, firms and is chock full of antioxidants!