Matching up your skin type.

I don't believe that one skin system can work perfectly for all skin types. Skin is very fickle, and picky, and varies greatly person to person. The needs are different and dymanic, and as the (arguably) most important organ of your body, it's only natural to take care of it and keep it looking it's best. Even if you know you need cleansing, moisturizing, and replenishment, where to start is sometimes a daunting task. We'll help make it as easy as referring to this post.

Aiken's line of skin care has a wide variety of products, interchangable as well, making the customization of your beauty routine a personal thing. The downside to choices, though, is sometimes there's an uncertainty of which product does the job you want it to do. We put together a chart and recommendation list to refer to.

Feel free to comment, e-mail, or call to ask what recommendations we can make for your skin type and condition. We get requests in for recommendations all the time, but this list is our handiest tool and we're going to publish it here for your viewing and referring pleasure.

Keep in mind www.aikenskincare.us is the place to get all of the below mentioned products.

Basic Skin Types

Here is the basic list of skin types and the regimes attached to them. We recommend and encourage Solar Defender SPF 28 sunscreen as a finishing touch to any beauty routine.

Acne Prone:

Skin showing white heads, black heads, sensitivity and irritation triggered by acne

Solution: Pore-Clearing cleanser, Pore-Purifying toner, Rescue gel blended with Instant calm Ultra complex, Shine-free solution (day moisturizer), Oil-free Hydrating fluid (night moisturizer), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: Gentle Enzyme Peeling Creme, and Zinc and Sulphur Masque.

Oily:

Shiny, oil-prone skin, or mild oil-triggered acne

Solution: Pore-Clearing cleanser, Oil Neutralizing Astringent, Shine-Free Solution blended with Rescue Gel, Oil-free Hydrating Fluid (day&night moisturizer), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: Foaming Facial Refiner, and Zinc and Sulphur Masque.

Combination:

Shiny, oily skin (especially in T-zone) and dry skin elsewhere

Solution: Pure & Simple Cleansing Lotion, Activating Liposome Complex, Moisture Replenishing Creme (day&night moisturizer), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: The Ultimate Scrub, and Vitaplus Masque. We also recommend Soothing Mist.

Normal:

Skin that is not badly inbalanced, but needs to be maintained and nourished

Solution: Pathenol Cleanser, Activating Liposome Complex, Oil-Free Hydrating Fluid (day moisturizer), Hydrating Vitamin Creme (night moisturizer), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: Foaming Facial Refiner, Vitaplus Masque

Slightly Dry:

Skin prone to feeling dry, tight, with occasional flaking

Solution: Pathenol Cleanser, Visibly Moist toner, Moisture Boost Hydragel blended with Nutriment Blue Oil, Moisture Perfecting Creme (day moisture), Continuous Moisture Creme (night solution), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: The Ultimate Scrub, and Moisture Infusion Creme Masque. Avocado Q10 Hand & Body Lotion is also recommended.

Extremely Dry:

Skin that flakes, shows irritation, over-produces oil to try and compensate for lack of moisture

Solution: Moisture Protecting Cleansing Lotion, Visibly Moist toner, Moisture Boost Hydragel mixed with Nutriment Blue Oil, Continuous Moisture Creme (day&Night moisturizer), AHA/Vitamin C Eye Cremegel.

Exfoliant and Masque: The Ultimate Scrub, Moisture Infusion Creme Masque. Avocado Q10 Hand & Body Lotion is also recommended.

Keep in mind these product lines are suggestions based on the average skin type. The only way to tell what works best for you is trying and finding what is best.

We'll keep updating, talking about sensitive skin suggestions, special line ups designed for men, make-up, and more, as well as other solutions for skin problems.

I'm still working on creating a post that explains Powerplexes and their variety of uses and how using these small, powerful doses compliments your skin.

We're also working on posts dedicated to further detailing and showcasing different products so more information is out there to use.

Also, keep an eye out for freebie postings for the site.

Our first Blogbie!

We've been thinking about how this blog can better serve ya'll, and what better way to begin than with a freebie? Our way of saying thank you for coming to the blog, checking us out, and being loyal customers. Between now and April 3rd just put this coupon code in the check out for 10% off your entire order! Coupon code: myblog

Keep checking back, we're working on compiling different powerplex combination recipes to show you how to maximize your skin routine with just a few simple pumps.

Soy Showcase

While I was doing my amateur photo taking to finally post some pictures of our awesome simple soy line I thought I'd post this lovely picture. Soy Candles, Sensitive Hand Soap, Linen Mist, Shampoo, and Conditioner, I don't think a day goes by where I don't use something from this line. The scents are fantastic, and soy shampoos and conditioners give your hair a break from all those harsh chemicals.

These products are available at aikenskincare.us but now we have lovely pictures to accompany all the products!

Why Soy Candles are the New Black

When you're shopping candles, price and quality never seemed to go hand in hand until soy hit the scene. It's the biggest rage for everything and there's good reason: it's not expensive, it holds fragrance and distributes it evenly, has a low-smoke burn and I'd be here all day listing the benefits. I promised a pic-by-pic reflection on our candles, so despite the busy schedule lately here you are!

Now here we have a large, one wick candle on clearance for $1.00 at Wal-mart, a $2.00 clearance mainstay's three-wick candle, and our beautiful soy candle. Immediately, I draw attention to the large fat labels on both of the jars! Stickers that are hard to peel off, cover, or hide. A simple label and a small flavor on the soy candle says 2 things: clear elegance so you can display the jar or put it in a more decorative container, and you can re-use this jar easily!

The size of the other two candles outweighs the soy by a good bit, so how did they all do? Three days of burning these candles as much as I could reveal the results.

The first common mistake with candles is that they don't burn evenly. I couldn't keep the green 3-wick jar's wicks lit!! One or two wicks would sputter out, leaving uneven burning. The two smaller jars were accent candles that came with a large 5-candle-for-10-dollar set but as you can see even though they were both burn at the same times, one is running down faster than the next! The unreliability of these candles is pretty obvious.

And our chutney? The cranberries smelled less like cranberry and more like chut. The smell was strong, but it was too strong! The 3-wick candles could be smelled within a smaller space, but in the living room I was sad to see that I could hardly tell I had lit anything. More importantly, look at the fact that HALF of the jar is missing! 3 days later, that dollar did not stretch very far at all!

It even seems that I wouldn't mind a dollar a week for candle fragrance, but unfortunately the smell was not fresh and enjoyable... but funky and overwhelming.

Another thing I want to call attention to is this ghastly thing I called a candle. Leather scented, I was so excited! Fragrance rocks built right into it, so I could be guaranteed a wonderful comfortable scent. Expensive, but it did offer the quality of scent I was looking for. So why am I upset? I paid for a whole candle, but the candle only burned half of itself! It cored itself down right in the center, leaving a lot of work for myself to do if I want to burn the other half sometime. And I didn't pay nearly 10 dollars to buy a do-it-myself project!

And our wonderful soy candle! An even burn, a lovely jar and you can see hardly any residue is left behind clinging onto the sides of the jar! A quick clean, and this jar is certainly available for whatever you need a jar for. The lovely smell was softly distributed throughout the entire living room on it's own, and with 5 dogs that's really saying something.

I want to really call attention to the one we use in the office. If you're a smoker, even with the window cracked open, smoke clings to paint, fabric, and anything it can get itself attached to.. but the soy candles do a wonderful job of neutralizing the smokey air and making the area more comfortable for those of us who don't appreciate the fragrant smell of nicotine.

And with fragrances as yummy as chocolate kisses, you can enjoy yourself in the tub, while working, or relaxing while knowing that your candle is delivering exactly what you paid for, and you'll be able to enjoy it longer.. The key word being enjoying!

Candles can come a dime a dozen, and it's sometimes more convenient to buy a cheap jar and toss it... but you get what you pay for, and there aren't many candles that beat Pure, Lovely Soy Candles.