I am so delighted to tell you that we have several new, exciting treatments at Sharla Barrett Skin Care!

MicroPhototherapy
The Ultimate Facial Treatment ~ Safe, Quick and Effective

With age and exposure to the environment, skin texture roughens, spots appear and fine lines make their debut. MicroPhototherapy treatments gently reinvigorate your skin, and in just 8 sessions, can recapture yesterday’s glow.

With the healing power of LHE (light and heat energy) this treatment works deep beneath the surface of the skin giving it a younger, healthier appearance by addressing fine lines, pore size, pigmentation and complexion firmness. Soothing pulses of heat work together with light to remove sun spots, even out the skin tone and smooth the texture of your skin with virtually no down time and no discomfort.

Treat yourself to a complete series of MicroPhototherapy treatments, or add it to your regular facial program. Your skin will look and feel more revitalized and refreshed than ever before.

Some feedback from my clients:

“I don’t always notice big changes in my skin after my treatments but this morning , it hit me immediately when I looked in the mirror! What is the new treatment called again?” Mia, 37

“Come and see my amazing skin!!!! My chin is healed!” Laura, 48

“I am just LOVING how my skin looks.  Thank you, thank you!!” Trisha, 50

This feedback is after ONE initial trial treatment! Can you imagine after the whole series?!? I’m so excited about this new treatment. It was introduced to me by an esthetician mentor in San Francisco who has had a skin treatment center for 27 years. This is her favorite treatment ever and she has been using it on her clients for 4 years. I am certainly pleased with the results on my own skin, but THRILLED with the feedback from the clients who have tried it. Please inquire about this exciting new treatment.

The ClearTouch Lite
Finally ~ A Truly Effective Acne Treatment

Acne is a disorder of the sebaceous glands resulting in plugged pores and outbreak of lesions. Although commonly considered a teenage problem, many adults suffer from varying degrees of active acne.

Using a unique combination of Light and Heat Therapy (LHE), the ClearTouch Lite effectively clears acne lesions in a third of the time of standard topical and oral treatments.

Red and green light penetrate deep into the skin to start a chemical reaction that ultimately destroys the acne at its source. The heat intensifies the process and gently opens the pores to release the clog and soothe the inflammation.

A series of eight treatments over a four week period is all it takes to achieve dramatically clearer, smoother, acne-free skin. I’m currently using this on a 14 year old acne client, and we both think it’s a revolutionary treatment!

Permanent Hair Removal
Wax with Laser Like Results
No Machines and No Lasers

As excited as I am about the LHE machines for anti-aging and acne, I am equally excited about our new permanent hair removal system!!! Epilfree is a 3 step process that includes waxing and 2 different topicals applied in the treatment. It is unique, natural, patented, safe, simple, painless and effective. It is also a fraction of the cost of laser hair removal.

Unlike laser hair removal, Epilfree can be used on all hair and skin types, and is suitable for all ages and all parts of the body. It is free of side effects and you do not have to worry about sun exposure. The company suggests 8 – 12 treatments, but varies amongst individuals and body parts. We treated one client’s belly from bikini line to above the navel and the reduction in hair after ONE TREATMENT was very dramatic.

Lovely and talented Barbara Warner, a hair removal professional of many years, will perform this treatment at Sharla Barrett Skin Care. Please inquire for an appointment and pricing.

Finally, I have some new tools for your regular facial treatment, including my DermaFile ~ a manual system of micro-dermabrasion using the same finely crushed cosmetic diamonds typically found on the micro-dermabrasion machines. Also new to the treatment room is the Ultrasonic Negative Ion Spatula, an electrical tool used to stimulate skin cells to improve circulation and product absorption. Ultrasonic vibrations exfoliate superficial scaly layers of the skin, reviving skin tissue. It’s all very scientific, but the results are delicious!

Please let us know how we may serve you!

310.779.1306

“Health experts” tell us the 3 pillars of health are exercise, nutrition and sleep. I drink that Kool-Aid, but I also believe our relationships contribute tremendously to our well-being.  I’ve written about some of the relationships I enjoy in my life.  But I’ve not yet written about the four-legged variety.  “Here she goes” ~ I can hear my dad or maybe my friend Valerie.  “Here we go!” ~ my sister Lindsay for sure.  Some of us are Pet People and some of us are not ~ I belong to the former category by the way.

I have loved, lived and slept with 8 pounds of dog and, at a different time, 300 pounds of dog.  This weight doesn’t include my husband Nils who has passively participated in this menage of dog. This weight does not include our feline friends who also sleep on my bed if not my being.  Living with pets is one of the greatest joys of my life.  I would venture to say the same for my daughters, and though he would be loathe to admit it, I know Nils enjoys the animals as well.

Living with pets has daily highlights that are as rewarding as they are frustrating.  Rewarding:  watching our Lions Head bunny finally make a living companion out of our new Brussels Griffon puppy.  About the same size, they leapfrog and frolic for hours.  Our majestic Great Dane Lucy, laying strategically on the sofa so that my tiny girls at 2 and 3 years old could snuggle into her belly.  Frustrating:  where to begin?  Perhaps realizing our rescued fragile Caesar was using the Christmas tree as a fire hydrant the first few weeks we had him.  Or, watching the cat barf from the counter top onto the head of an adoring puppy on the floor below.

We’ve also had our share of animal heartbreak ~ an unsuccessful surgery to repair a bunny’s tiny leg, a cat in the hospital catheterized for a days with a toxic blockage, a Great Dane with such painful joints that he only wanted to get up once or twice a day in the last months of his life . . .

But most days the unconditional love and the absolute hilarity of our animals brings great joy and happiness.  Watching one of the cats drink water with a single paw, our puppy Juno sharing bits of your apple and running madly on the beach, a glance at the life-size portrait of our sweet giant angel Lucy still surveying the scene ~ all these animal behaviors are part of my family’s daily laughter and chatter, and I cannot imagine life without them.

My mom and dad returned to Texas today after spending a month with us in Malibu. I am in awe of their endless energy and enthusiasm for experiences. They are truly up for anything. Having an opportunity to be close to them for an extended bit of time, I realize that their day to day life is the secret of life.

My parents take a vigorous walk every morning. They meet and greet everyone in their path with a genuine sense of interest and kindness. They relish their newspapers, books, daily sudoku, emails, stock prices, barrage of grandchildren photos.

Lunchtime is exciting ~ my parents love good food and spend a decadent amount of time discussing the day’s fare. Back and forth on the options and benefits of kale salad, seared tuna, summer ripe tomatoes, my mom’s own tunafish salad, a perfect burger, fish tacos . . . at the end of the lively exchange it seems to always boil down to what my mother is “in the mood” for.

My teen queens and their friends and boyfriends were an endless source of entertainment and discussion. My parents, married for 47 years, dated from the age of 14! So, they take my teens seriously and make them and their peers feel as special as they are.

My dad approaches everyone he meets as if he is interviewing them. He wants to learn as much about what you are willing to share ~ he’s not being nosey ~ he is just so genuinely interested in every human being, and he also knows how much we all enjoy talking about ourselves. Everyone loves my dad after a good chat.

At the end of the day, my mom and dad relax, take a walk, have a cocktail. They talk a little about tomorrow, a lot about today. They laugh.

Aging is a fact of life. Embracing it like my parents is the secret of life.

Travel can wreak havoc on your skin. From the change in climate to the change in routine, my skin almost always breaks out or at least looks dehydrated when I leave home for a few days.

It’s important to stay on your regular skin care routine when you travel, even if that means traveling with more products than you would like. Crucial too is staying hydrated. I find when I’m away from home I never drink enough water. And, climate changes dehydrate your body and it is immediately reflected on your face.

By the way, though many hate the sticky feeling of humidity it is actually the best climate for your skin. It keeps your skin moist and plump, and though this feeling may make you want to eschew your moisturizer, it is still entirely necessary. Using a cleanser with salicylic acid can keep perspiration from clogging your pores. One of my best tools in the treatment room is the steamer. It creates humidity which boosts circulation, increasing oxygen and nutrients to the skin.

So, go forth people. Just be sure that skin care goes with you.

Recommended products: Ayur-Medic Salicylic Wash, Ayur-Medic Clearifying Cream, Gaelle Organic Ultra Sensitive Colostrum Creme

http://www.sharlabarrettskincare.com

A supplement I take daily is Evening Primrose Oil. It is excellent for the skin. Evening Primrose Oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that your body uses to rebuild skin cells and repair collagen – “and that is what keeps wrinkles at bay. Without GLA, your body is robbed of an essential tool for creating beautiful skin,” according to Gaelle of Gaelle Organic. It also provides essential nutrients for glossy hair and strong nails.

GLA is an omega 6 fatty acid that also relieves pain and inflammation, and helps prevent heart disease.

By working to dilute sebum, a thick oily substance that is a major contributor to acne, the essential fatty acids (EFAs) in Evening Primrose Oil can help with pores becoming clogged. The oil’s EFAs also help treat rosacea by reducing inflammation.

Finally, this powerful supplement is known to relieve premenstrual as well as menopausal symptoms. My daughters and I take this supplement daily and have absolutely no PMS ~ none. I like Barleans brand, available at Whole Foods and other markets, as well as at Vitacost.

http://www.vitacost.com

http://www.sharlabarrettskincare.com

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I recently had the GREAT pleasure of seeing Fleetwood Mac in concert here in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Though our seats weren’t front and center, the giant screens let you see Stevie, Lindsey, Mick and John as if you were standing right in front of them. It was a great show, but I was most amazed at Stevie Nicks’ beautiful, happy, serene, unlined face ~ singing her tunes that make me cry . . . “children get older, and I’m getting older too . . “ She twirled and bobbed, pranced and bowed. This lovely lady loves what she does ~ and has for a very long time. She is surrounded by fans, colleagues, band mates and loves. Creative, talented and generous, her passion is evident from head to toe. Let’s all do what we love . . . sing, walk, garden, cook, create, swim, read, pet your dog, play, laugh, love . . .

http://www.sharlabarrettskincare.com

I just read Gabrielle Reece’s My Foot Is Too Big For The Glass Slipper:  A Guide To The Less Than Perfect Life. This laugh out loud, brutally honest book is a delight. I especially loved what she says about exercise.

“Still, regular exercise is the secret to everything. There is nothing else we do about which we can make that claim. Unless you just rolled out of the operating room, there’s hardly ever a reason not to go out for a walk. We all know that exercise is necessary for weight loss, developing muscle tone, and cardiovascular health. But the benefits just keep on coming: regular workouts prevent low back pain and varicose veins, boosts your immune system, and wards off the common cold; it gives you the glowing complexion of a chick many years younger; and gets your digestive tract on track. Exercise reduces your chance of dying young, of suffering a stroke or heart attack. It’s not only a natural cure for depression, but also deals out all those great endorphins, the world’s best high, natural or otherwise.”

True dat! Now go take a walk!!

http://sharlabarrettskincare.com/

One of the best things that has happened to me , as an esthetician and as a woman, is meeting my friend Gaelle. In her sixties, Gaelle has developed one of the most beautiful skin care lines I have used. Searching for a colostrum cream that had been recommended to me, I met Gaelle. She saw the product in my hand and asked if I would mind trying her colostrum cream. “It will change your life,” she said matter-of-factly. The rest is history.

Gaelle lives and breathes her advice on skin care ~ nourish your body, exercise daily, laugh, engage, and use organic, natural products on your skin. Gaelle and I meet for tea, conversation, laughs and inspiration at her outdoor office in the beautiful hills of Ojai, California. She is my teacher and my friend.

You never know where and when you are going to meet someone who enlightens you, lifts you, and becomes your friend.

http://gaelleorganic.com

http://sharlabarrettskincare.com/