Exfoliation is the process of removing dead cells on the skin’s surface to make room for newer cells. Our skin cells turn over anywhere from every few days (in babies) to every 40 days (in older adults); for the average adult it’s about 28 days. This is the reason babies have such soft smooth skin while some adults struggle with dull looking skin. As we get older exfoliation becomes important to help offset this significant slow down in the cell turn over process.

Hydrated skin looks plump, healthy, and youthful. Dehydrated skin on the other hand exaggerates the look of fine lines and wrinkles and makes the skin appear dull and flaky. Although drinking water is great for your overall health and keeps your body performing at an optimal level, it does not directly hydrate the skin. So you unfortunately cannot drink your way to hydrated skin. The best way to hydrate the skin is by using moisturizers with ingredients that help attract and lock in moisture.

Breakouts happen to the best of us. Its frequency and severity vary from person to person or even month to month, but it is an almost universal problem. Here are a few reasons why that new pimple on your face may have appeared:

Purging refers to the type of breakout that sometimes occurs after you introduce a new product into your routine. When used for the first time, ingredients that promote cell turnover such as retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, prompt cells to turnover - a process that speeds up new cell formation.

The type of dark spot that is left behind after a pimple is gone is called post inflammation hyperpigmentation. It occurs after an inflammation like acne heals, but can also result from any injury to the surface of the skin.  The skin responds to inflammation on its surface by generating new skin cells to heal the damaged skin. Dark spots occur when the cells that are sent to restore the surface of your skin contain too much melanin. 

“Fungal” is just not a friendly word. It sounds worse than it actually is. Fungal acne is different from the more prevalent bacterial acne and technically not even acne; it occurs when there is an overgrowth of yeast in hair follicles. This type of “acne” is characterized by small, itchy, follicular papules scattered across the skin.

Whether you have a routine with 10 products or just 3, using the products in the right order will ensure your skin gets the full benefits of each product. Also important, is how much time you allow between the application of products; the rule of thumb is 30 to 60 seconds. There is no need for a timer, just a mental count that ensures each product is absorbed before you apply the next one.

When asked what my favorite Bolden product is, I wholeheartedly scream the GLOW Hydrating Mask! All our products are very special to me, but I particularly love to use the glow mask because of the instant result I get. I call it a “facial in a jar”. It essentially gives me the same after-facial-glow I get after a facial, but in our case, it only takes 13 minutes and the glow lasts for days!

You have a glam event to attend on Saturday night. You’ve prepared for it for weeks; you have your gorgeous gown hanging in the closet, a complimentary 4 inch heels and clutch bag sitting next to it. You have a plan for your hair where it will be laid for all the gods to see come Saturday morning...but then a few days before this, a big and painful zit pops up in the middle of your forehead. What to do??

Turns out a lot of us are missing a crucial detail when washing, not washing for long enough. For one, the cleanser should be left on long enough for the actives in them to do their job, ideally about 60 secs, but most of us only average between 10 to 20 seconds. 

Lactic Acid is a skincare ingredient that exfoliates and one of the most popular Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs). It is naturally occurring and found primarily in milk. it may very well be the reason milk is considered the fountain of youth. Cleopatra supposedly bathed in milk and was known to have beautiful skin. 

When it comes to beauty, the only way to see success is to use products formulated for your specific skin type. Skincare products aren’t one-size-fits-all and it’s impossible to treat your skin properly if you don’t even know what you’re working with to start off.