Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It helps give structure to your hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments and tendons. It is even present in your vagina yes your vagina. Our bodies produce collagen on a regular basis but as we begin to age that production slows down, lifestyle habits like smoking, sun exposure and an unhealthy diet all slow down collagen production. Certain health conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can also slow down collagen production. Wrinkles, sagging skin, thinning or flat hair are all a few of the tale-tell signs that your body needs more collagen. Maintaining your skins strength and structure is vital in keeping it firm and in maintaining its elasticity. Even though our collagen production will naturally decline with age you can still protect it and slow down its loss. If you’re curious about collagen and its role in your skin health keep reading this week’s article for more details.

The Role of Melanin

Melanin in darker skin tones helps it to delay skin aging. Melanin provides a protective barrier against the effects of ageing, however over time melanin rich skin WILL experience collagen and elastin break down. Smoking, advanced glycation end products from sugary foods, genetics, hormone depletion which may result in estrogen decline during menopause all break down collagen. So, while initially your melanin provides protection from skin aging over time without proper skin support collagen and elastin production will decline.

Should I Drink It, Eat It or Mix It?

Collagen pills, powders and supplements are everywhere, most claim to boost the body’s natural production of collagen and restore its tone, texture and skin suppleness. But do they really work? While individual results vary our YELLE Skincare Team thinks it would be difficult for the collagen you’re eating and drinking to get to your skin. In her insights featured on self.com Zhaoping Li, M.D. director and division chief at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition explains when you ingest collagen, it is broken down into amino acids which have to then make it into your bloodstream. If they do make it into your bloodstream they then have to be in a form that can be broken down and absorbed by your body. After that they are distributed throughout the body and go to the areas that need it the most….. usually your major muscles. So the chances of a collagen supplement making it to the skin are not that high.

Prevention is Key

When it comes to stimulating collagen prevention is EVERYTHING. In addition to wearing sunscreen, using retinoids and getting plenty of rest. Be sure to moisturize the skin and engage in a complete skincare routine every day. Our YELLE Skincare Awakening Daily Moisturizer along with our YELLE Awakening Skincare Systems protect the skin against free radical damage by keeping it hydrated and clear of oxidative stress.

Are you protecting your collagen? You don’t have to be afraid to age gracefully with YELLE Skincare. Choose anyone of our Awakening Skincare Systems and start your journey to better skin health today.

Written By Regina Tucker

Strolling the aisles of your favorite department store in search of the latest and greatest products to take care of your skin is fun. If you have serious goals for your skin it is more than just pretty packaging that appeals to you. Your product choices are about ingredients and their ability to change your skin. How can you tell if a product is actually working for your skin? How much time does it take to see a difference? Or is it time to toss your existing regimen for a new one? This week we get to the bottom of these questions and help you decide if your current skincare routine and products is really getting you the best results possible.

Give it Time

When reviewing your current product choices and their effectiveness it is important to consider the length of time you have been using them. It takes time for products to make a difference the time period could be anywhere from 3-6 months. Problems like hyperpigmentation and acne require a change on a cellular level and usually respond to consistent treatments performed over time as opposed to a single effort. Of course that does not mean that you cannot see an immediate difference with some products. Many folks using our YELLE Skincare Awakening Milk & Honey Cleanser for example experience immediately softer and smoother skin. On the other hand we do suggest using one of our YELLE Awakening Skin Care Systems for a full three months to experience the most promising results.

Consider Your Routine

Skin care generally falls into three categories: Maintenance, preventive, or corrective care. Maintenance products and preventative products like those in our YELLE Essential System help maintain the skin. Preventative products feature ingredients that protect the skin from environmental stressors and free radical damage such as antioxidants, peptides or AHA’s for controlled exfoliation. Corrective products specifically address certain skin conditions and concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles and oxidative stress. Each of the YELLE Skincare Awakening serums provides important preventative and corrective skin care ingredients. As you assess your current regimen evaluate and re-evaluate why you made the original investment in a certain skincare product in the first place was it to prevent, correct or maintain? As you observe your skin and the purpose of your purchase you will be able to determine if a particular product still has a place in your routine.

Look At Your Skin

If a products is irritating and causing problems for you consistently when you use it, it might be one to toss. The skin has ways of communicating with you when it is reacting negatively to problematic ingredients. Make sure to check in with a professional if you are unsure of what is normal for your skin some things such as peeling, slight tingling and other side effects could be normal for the skin, while other side effects like burning, itching, and rash are less common and could indicate a problem. It is always best to play it safe and speak with a professional about what skin care products you are using and how it is working for you.

Have you recently decided to discontinue your skincare products and want to try a new brilliant skincare line with brilliant ingredients? Explore the entire YELLE Skincare collection with specialized serums for your skin type and concerns.

Written By Regina Tucker

One of the best ways to learn what your skin needs is by developing a relationship with it. By having a meaningful connection with your skin you are able to tune into its cues and respond to it appropriately. Your relationship with your skin starts the day you are born and matures as you become independent and start to take care of it on your own. So what does it really mean to build a relationship with your skin? Some of the habits that support building a healthy relationship with your skin include: building a foundation of daily habits and routines that support healthy growth and development such as removing make up at night before you go to bed, engaging in long-term efforts that support your skin health such as yearly screenings from a dermatologist for skin cancer, and establishing responsible patterns of behavior day in and day out such as committing to wearing SPF every day. When you really start developing a relationship with your skin, it becomes harder to engage in behaviors that will hurt and impact your bond with it such as ignoring its dietary needs and using anything you can find from dish liquid to vegetable oil to care for it. The sooner you begin to nourish and develop a healthy relationship with your skin the better off it will be. Are you curious about how to develop a healthy relationship with your skin? Keep reading to learn some of the steps you can take to start building a healthy relationship with your skin today.

Understand your Past

What is your background with your skin? Did you grow up in a home where haircare was emphasized and skin was not? All of this could play a role in your ideas about how to care for your skin today. Consider the messages you were given about your skin growing up and how you were taught to care for it. A lot of the messages and ideas we put into practice regarding our skin come from our families. And while we may have received well-intentioned advice and ideas about our skin growing up everything from “Black don’t crack” to old fashioned cupboard remedies that do more harm than good. It might help to take a step back and think about the messages you received and decide if you really agree with them and if they are serving your skin well.

Getting to Know You

How well do you really know your skin? You can start to get to know it by determining its skin type. You should also consider hereditary factors that may influence your skin and its appearance. In the early stages of building a relationship with your skin try exploring products that support building a healthy foundation. The YELLE Essential System is a great place to start your skin care journey. You can easily establish a responsible relationship with your skin by getting started on a skincare regimen that matches its needs. If you are unsure of your skin type head over to our home page and take our skin quiz to determine your skin type and the skin products that are best suited for your skin.

Listen

Your skin is communicating with you every day, the question is are you paying attention to what it has to say? Are you breaking out every month right before your menstrual cycle? Are certain foods causing flare ups on your skin? These not so subtle cues are your skins way of communicating with you? Become a good listener to your skin by watching for its cues, focusing on one clear goal at a time such as controlling acne breakouts, restraining from habits that hurt your skin like picking, and being patient and gentle as your skin communicates its message.

Make Adjustments

Your relationship with your skin will change. Changes in age, hormones, and life all impact what your skin needs and wants. It is important to recognize these changes and make adjustments. Try not to get frustrated when you have to switch things up and swap things out in your routine, welcome it as an opportunity to enhance your skins appearance. Life changes like pregnancy and menopause all require that we change direction in our skincare routines to compensate for the changes that are happening within the body. Remember it will take effort to keep your relationship going with your skin, you won’t be able to simply hit cruise control and not do any work to keep things healthy even the best relationships need maintenance.

Are you ready to build a relationship with your skin? Does your current routine need maintenance? Make your relationship with your skin a top priority and visit the shop section of the page to find out which YELLE Skincare System is right for you.

Written by Regina Tucker

Have you tried everything from toothpaste to turmeric to treat your acne? Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in the United States and is often one of the most frustrating to deal with. Our YELLE Skincare Team has been working hard to identify new treatment ideas to help you deal with your acne and we’re covering everything from peptides to psychodermatology in this article. Read on to find out what’s new in keeping your oil production normal and your skin clear in the fight against acne.

Peptides  

If your skin gets red and inflamed from acne, peptides can help fade marks left behind by blemishes and help plump the skin. Consider adding YELLE Skincare Awakening Peptide Boosting Serum to your acne regimen to address mild acne scars.

Mandelic Acid

A recent study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology that examined the side effects of chemical peels in darker skin found that fewer side effects were noted when mandelic acid was used for treating acne, photo-aging and pigmentary dyschromia’s. Mandelic acid has been shown to suppress acne causing bacteria and is especially good for melanin rich skin.

Talk to Your Dermatologist about Antibiotics

According to the American Academy of Dermatology individuals can reduce P-acnes bacteria and decrease inflammation by taking antibiotics. For the antibiotics to be most effective they should be taken for the shortest time possible and used alongside a gentle skin care regimen. Ask your dermatologist or skincare professional about using one of our gentle YELLE skincare systems in conjunction with your antibiotic.

Consider Your Emotional Health

In addition to physical side effects, acne can also lead to emotional distress such as low self-esteem and depression. A study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that men and women that had acne saw an increased risk for developing depression. A psychodermatologist practitioner treats skin the way a psychotherapist treats behavior, they use psychological and psychiatric techniques to address dermatological problems. They consider how stress and other feelings may cause and contribute to skin problems. Psychodermatology may be a last resort for some acne sufferers but it has been beneficial in helping some individuals cope with their skin condition.

Check Your Gut Health

You have probably heard a lot about gut health and its impacts on the skin. Leaky gut occurs when your gastrointestinal tract is inflamed i.e. food that is not completely digested enters your bloodstream; the results is inflamed and broken out skin. Some data suggests oral probiotics, fiber rich veggies, and healthy fats as vital components to improving gut health. Speak to your health care professional before changing your diet and to learn more about the effects of gut health on the skin.

Want to learn more about your melanin rich skin? Subscribe to our newsletter, visit our blog each week, and shop our entire collection of YELLE skincare products.

Written by Regina Tucker 

The dangers of smoking tobacco are widely known. Grisly warnings about smoking are sprinkled everywhere from cigarette packs to the FDA’s award-winning youth tobacco prevention campaign, “The Real Cost”. In recent years a growing perception has emerged that e-cigarettes i.e. Vaping products and hookah are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes have become a replacement for more traditional and successful cessation programs and hookah lounges are a form of recreation. The truth is these products come with risks and while the research is still on-going there is enough evidence suggesting the potential harms of them on the skin. Our YELLE Beauty Team wants to keep your skin looking good and we feel hookah and vaping should be avoided. Here’s what you need to know about how e-cigarettes and hookah harm the skin:

E-Cigarettes and Hookah DO Contain Nicotine

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hookah cafes are gaining popularity in the US. Hookah also called narghile, shisha, and goza has many of the same health risks as cigarette smoking. Hookah is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes its water pipes delivers nicotine and deprive the skin of oxygen. E-cigarettes also contain nicotine, the same drug found in cigarettes.

Impedes Collagen and Elastin Production

Any form of smoking will prematurely age the skin hookah and vaping are no different. Both hookah and vaping starve the skin of oxygen and limit blood flow to the skin which in turn impedes collagen and elastin production. It ages the skin by creating a dull and dehydrated environment, promoting premature aging, and deep wrinkles.

Impedes Wound Healing

While e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco or tar they DO contain nicotine. Nicotine is harmful to the skin and has been shown to delay wound healing by reducing anti inflammatory responses and reparative cell functions in the skin. This leads to delayed healing and complications. Think about acne scars for example, by smoking you slow down the healing process and impair the skins ability to properly repair itself.

Accelerates Skin Aging and Other Harms

Smoking shisha seriously affects the skin and will likely increase wrinkle production just like smoking an actual cigarette would. In fact because of the way the hookah is used, smokers may absorb more of the toxic substances also found in cigarette smoke than cigarette smokers do and the sweetened and flavored variations don’t make any difference on its effects. In fact the FDA does not regulate flavoring substances, so we really don’t know what is in e-cigarettes ingredients can vary between brands. Dull skin due to the lack of oxygen, decreased response to collagen stimulation, and accelerated aging are all a reality with e-cigarettes and hookah. The lack of nutrients and oxygen destroy the skin.

Reversing the Effects

We all have our vices, if you have been able to put down the e-cigarettes and steer clear of the hookah lounge scene CONGRATULATIONS! While it is difficult to reverse the long term effects of smoking a peptide rich antioxidant serum like our YELLE Awakening Peptide Boosting Serum can help counteract free radical damage caused from smoking. A touch of our A Dream Brightening Eye Cream with hyaluronic acid applied around the mouth can help soothe smoker’s lines.

Want more awesome skin care tips and news like this? YELLE Skincare is obsessed with sharing easy and healthy ways to keep your skin looking great. Sign up for our newsletter, follow us on Instagram and start on one of our YELLE Skincare routines.

Written by Regina Tucker