2013 Spa Week: Unmasking the Latest Treatments that Combat Common Skincare Concerns

Mask mania begins! Not only do they reach their full appeal during Halloween party season, but they gain even more popularity when fall Spa Week arrives. 

Starting today, hundreds of spas across the country offer discounted services for the entire week. Participating facilities reduce the price of two to three full-service treatments, such as facials, massages and scrubs, to $50 each. The promotion ends on Sunday, October 20. 

Spa Week also allows guests to address specific skincare concerns. If you've got dry or aging dermal issues, for example, a hydrating and healing facial that utilizes lots of vitamins and natural oils would work best for you. For oily or acne-prone skin, look for treatments that purge toxins while still regenerating new cells. In other words, they should say buh-bye to blemishes without causing excessive dryness or peeling. 

Check out the latest ingredients that help treat common conditions:

Acne--Salicylic acid, zinc oxide, alpha-hydroxy acid, benzyl peroxide, glycolic acid, aloe vera, green tea extract and licorice root.

Dry/aging skin--Shea butter, vitamins A, C and E, and avocado, coconut and sunflower oils. 

Sensitive skin--Oatmeal, cucumber extract, almond and jojoba oils, and chamomile.

Millions of Americans struggle with skincare problems on a daily basis. So, in honor of Spa Week, we've assembled the latest products designed to treat acne-prone, sensitive and dry/aging skin. We've also included revitalizing products for your body. Be prepared for spaaah-tacular results!

ACNE-PRONE SKIN

SHINE: Murad Acne Body Wash and Clarifying Body Spray. BEAUTY: Keep pores clean, clear and unclogged with salicylic and glycolic acids, green tea and licorice root extracts, and vitamin E. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Pevonia Problematic Skin Care Cream, Purifying Skin Mask, Problematic Skin Lotion and Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser. BEAUTY: Salicylic and glycolic acids, aloe vera leaf gel and grapefruit peel oil help to purify and protect skin, as well as prevent breakouts and bacterial growth. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, mineral oil, artificial colors and sulfates. Supports the Beauty Bus Foundation.

SHINE: Prana SpaCeuticals Acne Complex. BEAUTY: This advanced liquid form of benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria and prevents future breakouts without drying your skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens and SLS.

SHINE: Skin Authority Calming Mask. BEAUTY: Hydrate inflamed skin caused by acne with aloe vera leaf juice, algae extract, sea kelp extract, peptides and eucalyptus leaf oil. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, dyes and added fragrances. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Soy Doctor Acne Treatment Serum. BEAUTY: Salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera leaf juice, and cherry bark and green tea leaf extracts help to reduce sebaceous glands and decrease the amount of sebum secreted. BEACON: Free of parabens, mineral oil and petrolatum.

DRY/AGING SKIN

SHINE: Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Facial Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 18 Sunscreen. BEAUTY: Shield and smooth your skin for a more supple looking appearance with avobenzone, aloe vera leaf juice, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of parabens, SLS/SLES and synthetic fragrances. 

SHINE: Coola Rose Essence Tint Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20. BEAUTY: Titanium dioxide, acai fruit oil, and cucumber fruit and sunflower seed extracts prevent sunburn and promote elasticity. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of paba, parabens, petroleum and phthalates. Supports Save Our Seas.

SHINE: NeemAura Naturals Concentrated Neem Cream. BEAUTY: Highly moisturizing, this face and body cream mends skin by replenishing and rejuvenating it with aloe vera leaf juice, cocoa seed butter, and neem and jojoba seed oils. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan.

SHINE: Refineé Firming Mineral Moisture Cream. BEAUTY: Hyaluronic acid, red marine algae, and vitamins A, C and E maximize moisture retention, and minimize fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SENSITIVE SKIN

SHINE: Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Lotion and Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion. BEAUTY: Calm redness and irritation, and soften and strengthen skin with sweet almond oil. BEACON: Contains no synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives or raw materials derived from mineral oils. Supports Conservation International.

BODY

SHINE: Eight Skincare Ginger Lime Créme Body Wash, Ginger Lime Body Moisture and Ginger Lime Sugar Body Scrub. BEAUTY: Sweet almond oil, vitamin E, and jojoba and avocado seed oils revitalize your skin to promote more smoothness and silkiness. BEACON: Contains no parabens.

SHINE: Sonoma Soap Company Citrus Medley Hand & Body Lotion and Citrus Medley Bath & Shower Gel. BEAUTY: Remove impurities and restore skin's natural moisture balance with vitamin E, aloe vera leaf juice, and orange and grapefruit fruit oils. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Contains no parabens, gluten or artificial colors. Supports Clean the World.

9 Soothing Ways to Treat Sensitive Skin

Photo by Jerry Friedman

Sensitive Plant

I'll admit it--I'm the sensitive sort. I'd rather solve someone else's problems than my own. I often get so engaged in conversations with other people that I finish their sentences--even if I'm not married to them. 


It's no surprise that I have sensitive skin as well. I'm super ticklish (pedicures can be problematic), and my body doesn't adapt well to extreme changes in temperature (no sauna for me at the spa). 


Occasionally, my face becomes slightly irritated after exercising and/or showering. During these times, I like to use moisturizers, serums, cleansers and masks that contain soothing ingredients such as honey, aloe vera or shea butter. 


April is National Stress Awareness Month. It gives us the opportunity to de-stress in all areas of our lives--including the facial products we use. The following formulations help restore calm to sensitive and delicate skin. They feel like yoga for your face--so relax and enjoy! 

 SHINE: VB Cosmetics Abrioné Honey Oatmeal Cleanser (for sensitive skin). BEAUTY: Oatmeal and honey not only moisturize and soften skin, but they also provide a comforting scent during the cleansing process. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Babor Baborganic Calm & Relax Cream. BEAUTY: Reduces redness and sensitivity with ingredients such as meadowfoam seed oil, which helps repair the skin, and Edelweiss extract, which protects and strengthens. BEACON: Supports Dolphin Aid. Contains no synthetic colorants/perfume substances, parabens or paraffins. 

SHINE: Ecco Bella Age Antidote Day Cream SPF 15 (preservative free for sensitive skin). BEAUTY: Aloe vera, jojoba oil, and vitamins E and C aid in minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of gluten, dyes, fragrances, emulsifiers and alcohol.

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Comforts skin, reduces redness/inflammation and promotes healing with chamomile tea, aloe vera and shea butter. BEACON: Supports the California Clean Energy Fund and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

SHINE: LATHER Honey Moisture Mask with Propolis Extract (a relief mask for environmentally stressed skin). BEAUTY: Soothes and moisturizes with honey extract, sweet almond oil and aloe vera extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no sulfates or parabens.

SHINE: Ren Clean Skincare Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk and Hydra-Calm Youth Defence Serum (for sensitive skin). BEAUTY: To protect and replenish skin, the cleanser contains chamomile flower extract, sesame seed oil and shea butter, while the serum utilizes lingonberry seed oil, orange flower water and milk protein. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no synthetic fragrances/colors, petrochemicals, sulfates or parabens.

SHINE: Skyn Iceland Antidote Quenching Daily Lotion and Pure Cloud Cream (for stressed skin). BEAUTY: To detoxify and stabilize congested skin, the lotion utilizes aloe vera leaf juice, shea butter and jojoba seed oil, while the cream contains sweet almond oil, aloe vera leaf juice and hyaluronic acid. BEACON: Cruelty free and vegan. Contains no parabens, petroleum, phthalates, mineral oil, sulfates or dyes. Supports Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Gilda’s Club New York City.