ASK TIFFANY tiffany St. John answers your

beauty
meet this mom
ask
tiffany
Your skin works hard
to protect you. Why not
thank it with good care?
Luminate contains retinol, so be sure to also wear an SPF
during the day. My favorite concealer for covering dark spots
on the face and/or dark circles under the eyes is Jane Iredale’s
Enlighten concealer. Enlighten 1 is made for someone with a
light to medium/medium skin depth, and Enlighten 2 is for
someone with a medium dark/dark skin depth.
Her World
Most of my days start pretty early, when I get up to work on
posts for my website, NW Healthy Mama. With three kids ages
three, five, and seven, there isn’t much time for me to work
during the day, so I try to get my writing done in the morning
before everyone wakes up. After the kids are up, I’m busy getting everyone ready for the
day and then we take our oldest to school. For the rest of the
morning, we go to the gym, sometimes MOPS, do chores or
have playdates. Afternoons are filled with naps (although my
three-year-old is starting to not nap anymore) and, before we
know it, we’re in the car again going to pick up my son from
school. Evenings are filled with homework, baseball practice,
and dance class; sometimes I sneak out to my favorite yoga
class, if I can get away. The skin on my hands is prone to chapping. What
would you recommend to keep my hands soft during
the spring gardening season?
q
First, be sure to wear gloves while you are gardening
to protect the natural oils in your hands. To add more
moisture to your skin, one of my favorite hand treatments
is to dip your hands in a warm paraffin wax and then slide
them into heated gloves to penetrate the warm oils from the
paraffin into your skin. Not only is this treatment amazing for
hydration, it is also used to relax muscles, increase blood flow,
and relieve joint stiffness. Ahhhh …Paradise! But if you can’t
get to a salon or spa, get a really nice hydrating hand cream
and apply it often—like 5-6 times a day. The key is to hydrate
your hands before they become dry. After washing your hands,
apply hand cream again immediately. For chapped hands I
would recommend more of a therapeutic hand cream such as
Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment.
a
My 11-year-old
has started having
pimple outbreaks on her
forehead and chin. Is
there a cleansing routine
you could recommend for
clearing up her skin and for
getting her on a good track
to maintaining a pretty
complexion?
q
Eleven years old is
the perfect age for
“tweens” to learn more about their skin and to start a good
skin care regimen. This is the age where you will start to see
your teen’s skin change a bit from their raging hormones, such
as getting bumpier and oilier, and having acne breakouts. If
you are noticing their skin starting to break out, I believe it’s
best to take them to a skin care professional (an esthetician)
you trust for a deep pore cleansing facial. Not only will it help
with their self confidence, but it will teach them the correct
way to cleanse and which products to use (or not to use) on
their skin. My favorite product to help with acne is the Teen
Clean kit by Jan Marini. This three-step program includes a 2.5
percent benzoyl peroxide wash, a 5 percent leave-on benzoyl
peroxide (use 10 percent benzoyl for boys), and a light SPF 33
lotion with micro sponges to help absorb excessive oil without
clogging the skin.
a
q
I hardly sit down all day and I feel like we’re constantly on the
go, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My life is very full
and a little chaotic, but this is what I always wanted. I have
three amazing kids and a supportive husband, and I live in a
wonderful community. I am so thankful!
Unwinding
Hike or kayak with my girlfriends! I love exercising and
enjoying this wonderful area with fun, positive, and inspiring
women. There’s nothing better than challenging yourself while
having a conversation about things that matter. After some
time away, I always come home feeling renewed, energized,
and thankful for the people in my life.
Her Ideals
Mostly, I just want to be who God created me to be, and I want
to try every day to live to my full potential. I believe we were
all created to be capable of so much—to love our lives and
make the most of what we’ve been given. I am not always kind
and patient, but I strive to be. At the end of each day, I want to
know I did my best and that I was the best version of me.
I’ve been hearing about skin primers. Can you explain
what they are and what the benefit of using them is?
Think of painting a wall—you always prime the wall first
to hide little blemishes. Primer seals the surface so the
paint adheres to the surface and will go on more smoothly.
Skin primers make the surface of your skin smoother so your
makeup will go on more evenly and last longer. There are
different makeup primers for different skin types. A couple of
my favorites are Jane Iredale’s Absence Oil Control Primer—
weightless and transparent, this unique formula uses hydrated
silica to absorb excess oil. It also soothes and reduces redness.
Jane Iredale’s Smooth Affair Facial Primer and Brightener is
great for all skin types. This primer helps diminish the look of
fine lines and pores, and helps brighten your complexion with
grapefruit extract. nwm
a
Her Dreams
I have short-term dreams, which include building a house on
the two acres we recently bought, as well as long-term dreams,
such as writing a book, maybe fostering/adopting, and raising
my kids to be kind and adventurous people. I would love
to have a big garden on our land and continue to grow my
website, NW Healthy Mama.
Her Inspiration
So many things inspire me! Good books, a quiet moment in
which I pause and see the beauty all around me, a talk with
a friend, or a great podcast while pounding away on the
treadmill. I’m inspired by people who are kind, friendly, and
shine in who they are, and I am inspired by positive, hardworking
people who go after the desires in their hearts. nwm
I’m 39 and already have a couple of darker age spots
on my face. Is there a good way to lighten them? Are
there good products available to cover them up so they
don’t look heavy?
q
The fastest way to get rid of dark pigmentation spots on
your face is to have an IPL photo facial. This is a laser
treatment that targets pigmentation within the skin and brings
it to the surface to slough off. Depending on how stubborn
your spots are will determine how many treatments you will
need, but most everyone will at least need a series of three
treatments to achieve great results. Also, it is very important
to get on a medical skin care product made specifically to
help lighten hyperpigmentation, such as Jan Marini’s Luminate.
NW Healthy Mama Blog
NW Healthy Mama was born when my love for the beautiful
Pacific Northwest was paired with a passion for all things
healthy and active.
a
Tiffany St. John is a Northwest mom of two. As a medical aesthetician, she is passionate about great skin care
and has had a successful skincare practice in downtown Kirkland for almost 20 years.
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N W M O M M a g a zin e . c om
Summer 2016
Angela Strand
Wife and mother of three and NWM cover model!
Glowing, healthy, engaging
On NW Healthy Mama, we believe health is not a specific diet
but rather a frame of mind, a meal that helps our families
thrive, and an adventure outside with good friends. We
believe in enjoying motherhood and loving our people well. You’ll regularly find posts on the site about local activities,
hike ideas, and simple and healthy recipes, and you’ll also
read a lot of great guest posts from women around the area
who are doing amazing things. NW Healthy Mama also has
a wonderful Facebook community and a fun and interactive
Instagram page. Join us and share your adventures using
#nwhealthymama.
Summer 2016
N W M O M M a g a zi ne .c o m
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