Key to Eternal Youth?
For those unable to afford the pricier medical-type treatments, day spas all over Redondo offer facials, peels and treatments—many under $100.
At the Beauty Bird Lounge on Artesia Boulevard in North Redondo, Lorraine Rodriguez offers a litany of treatments: chemical peels, body scrubs, brow design, lash extensions/tints and full body waxing.
Once a commercial production coordinator, Rodriguez trained at the Aesthetics Training Institute of California, obtained her medical aesthetician’s certification, and later “went through Aveda’s complete training course … so I know 27 different facial massages,” she said. “That why I customize, depending on what (the client) needs.”
Patterned after practices in the Orient, the majority of her facials are accompanied by arm and foot massages, reflexology and aromatherapy: tangerine for oily skin, tea tree for acne, lavender to create calm.
“I do one facial that is an organic alternative to microdermabrasion,” Rodriguez said, explaining how she manipulates the skin with her fingers in a way that mimics a machine. “It helps to minimize wrinkles, smooth out the pores, and lighten up darker pigment spots.”
She first cleanses the face, using a “clarifonic brush” that oscillates and helps exfoliation, and then paints the skin with White China Clay and bamboo shoots, which dry like a mask. A facial massage removes the dead skin and is followed by oil and warm towels.
The manual microdermabrasion treatment—including a hydrating mask, firming toner, eye cream, sunscreen and moisturizer—is $85. (Rodriguez offered a 20 percent discount for any service to anyone who mentions this article.)
She also offers a variety of peels, including pumpkin and glycolic, all between $65 and $100.
“Most are sent home with samples of products used and a home-care routine,” said Rodriguez, who lives in the Holly Glen section of Hawthorne with her cinematographer husband. She opened her Beauty Bird Lounge just seven months ago.
![Stay Safe in the Sun
Excessive sun exposure can cause sunburn, skin damage, skin cancer (the most common form of cancer), cataracts, uneven pigmentation of skin and heat stroke. Take the right precautions to avoid these hazards and enjoy the sun safely.
Look for both UVA and UVB coverage. This means that the sunscreen will block both kinds of damaging ultraviolet light. Do your research into the brand though; a number of US brands, for example, do not have adequate UVA coverage when compared to European brands.
Be careful about what is in your sunscreen. Some chemicals are allergens, potential hormone disruptors or just plain unnecessary. Here are some key ones to watch for:
Look for a PABA-free sunscreen. Para-aminobenzoic acid, or PABA, was used in sunscreens for a long time, but it can stain clothing and cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Avoid sunscreens containing vitamin A (retinyl palmitate). The FDA has warned that this may make your skin photocarcinogenic, namely, skin covered in it is at greater risk of turning cancerous when exposed to sunlight.[1]
Avoid sunscreens with added insect repellent. Choose a sunscreen because it protects you from the sun; choose a different product for insect repelling.
Choose a water-resistant sunscreen, if you’re going to be swimming or sweating a lot. No sunscreen is truly waterproof, so you should reapply the sunscreen frequently, according to package instructions.
Be especially careful with sunscreens chosen for children and people with sensitive skins. Zinc and titanium sunscreens are considered safest and least likely to cause an allergic reaction in children and people with sensitive skin.[1]In general, sunscreen is unsuitable for babies under 6 months of age. Read the label for more advice.
Apply the sunscreen generously. If you’re using a cream, the amount of sunscreen you should use is about the size of a regular golf-ball, or 1 ounce.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4li9i3kjw1rn21nao1_250.jpg)
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