One of the benefits of working with indie beauty brands is we have the opportunity to develop relationships with the brands’ founders. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Stephanie Duttenhaver and Cindy Edwards, the founders of Savannah, Georgia based Sapelo Skin Care.

Sapelo Skin Care is the wonder anti-aging line that you may not have heard of yet, but you will! We instantly fell in love with Sapelo’s spa grade, deliver on its promise, formulas and unique Southern heritage. It started with two Southern women who developed the skin care products they sought for themselves but could not find in the marketplace. They drew inspiration from the Southern marshes, tides, marine and plant botanicals as well as the legacy of beautiful Southern women.

3-Step, 28-Day Recovery System

This isn’t just a genius piece of marketing, though. All Sapelo Skin Care products are developed and manufactured at a high quality cosmetic laboratory in Savannah, GA. The impeccable packaging is evocative of a lush Southern garden —  these products would make a stunning addition to any vanity or shelf. Most importantly, however, these products WORK. Sapelo Skin Care merges state-of-the-art scientific breakthroughs with long passed-down knowledge of indigenous plants to understand the biological mechanisms of healthy skin rejuvenation. This is a 3-step, 28-day recovery system that gently hydrates, nourishes and improves skin quality at the cellular level.

You met each other in 2009 while serving as board members of the Savannah Book Festival. How did this meeting lead to the creation of Sapelo Skin Care?

SD: I had been thinking about developing a skin care line for years. Many of the anti-aging products on the market have harsh ingredients that actually strip aging skin of what it needs to protect itself. I wanted to create an effective line sans these harsh elements. Having worked with Cindy for three years to build brand awareness for the nationally acclaimed Savannah Book Festival, I realized that I had found my partner. We shook hands sitting in front of the great Pat Conroy and began our own story: Enter Sapelo Skin Care.

CE: I had spent the past two decades as a stay-at-home mom and though I had been active on charitable community boards, my true desire was to resurrect my career. After a twenty year absence from the workforce, finding employment proved to be challenging. In 2009 I joined the board of the Savannah Book Festival and met Stephanie Duttenhaver. We hit it off right away.

How did you develop Sapelo’s 3-Step System?

Living in coastal Savannah, we drew inspiration for our products from the twice-daily high tides that bring life-sustaining nutrients and water to our environment. Our complete and simple 3-step regimen mimics the rejuvenating effects of the tides with hydration, stimulation and revitalization of the skin. This regimen contains all the ingredients and molecular compounds needed to hydrate skin and renew collagen, elastin and skin cells.

Step 1

Our Renewing Serum creates a flood tide or open channel, deep within the basement layer of the skin. The serum is infused with gardenia stem cells and hyaluronic acid, the goddess of all humectants. The water-based ‘flood tide’ prepares the skin to inhale our star product, the Rejuvenating Cream.

Step 2

The Rejuvenating Cream unleashes peptides, humectants and micronutrients on the ‘flood tide’. Infused with 5 peptides, the platinum peptide targets inflammation caused by UV damage while the other 4 peptides work to boost collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production at the cellular level. It is oil based to enable the ingredients in the cream to easily penetrate the dermis and effortlessly deliver all the goodness needed to build up collagen and elastin.

Step 3

The Softening Emollient is infused with essential oils that bar the evaporation of the dermal saturation of peptides, stem cells, hyaluronic acid and micronutrients that are in Steps 1 and 2. In other words, it seals all the good stuff in! The essential oils also add an extra boost of hydration to the skin – particularly useful in winter or for drier skin types –  you will love how it moisturizes, especially the dry areas around your eyes and brow! Our emollient contains only natural and breathable oils and there are no silicones or ingredients that stop the skin from breathing.

What about an eye cream?

CE:  You can use all three products around the eyes. During development, our cosmetic chemist advised us that it would be all that we would need. There are no retinoids or harsh ingredients that can cause irritation to the sensitive eye area — which is the only reason to have a separate eye cream. That said, due to demand, we have since released our Restoring Eye Cream. Like the cornerstone products in our three step system, it contains a blend of powerful peptides, including anti-aging milk peptides that boost collagen production and skin cell count. It also contains antioxidants to increase circulation and strengthen capillaries in the tissue surrounding the eyes.

By: Travel Beauty Editors

While utilizing quality skin care products and establishing a consistent self care routine is the cornerstone of any effective skincare practice, seeking out professional guidance is a must as well. Just as many of us schedule routine teeth cleanings and check-ups twice a year to take inventory of our oral health, we need to do the same for our skin.

The skin is the largest organ of the body and is the body’s first line of defense against the elements. Like any organ, it is constantly in flux and affected by age, pollution, our nutritional intake, levels of anxiety, hormones, the season and many other factors. So in addition to cleansing, using a quality serum, moisturizer, face oil when necessary, eye cream and a weekly mask, I recommend having a routine facial. At a minimum shoot for 4 times a year. To that end, we sat down with Yasmine Djerradine, renowned skin care expert and founder of Yasmine Djerradine Institut de Beauté, to discuss her approach to skin care and why it is more important than ever to take good care of ourselves.

TB: What do you love most about what you do?

Yasmine: So many things…I love to take care of people. There is something intimate about caring for another’s skin. I like to customize each treatment.

People often call me and describe their skin over the phone and ask me to recommend a regimen for them. I always tell them that I need to see and touch their skin in order to understand their unique health and beauty needs.

TB: What is the single most important piece of skin care advice that you give your clients?

Yasmine: Please don’t overdo it! Your skin is an organ, and your body’s first line of defense against the elements. Many harsh procedures actually strip your skin of what it desperately needs to protect itself! Focus on cleansing and hydrating, and your skin will always be there to protect you.

Customization in skin care is also crucial. Everything has to be “sur mesure”, or made to order. Everyone ages differently and responds to the elements and pollution uniquely.

TB: If you had to recommend a few essential skin care products that you would encourage people to splurge on, what would they be?

Yasmine: Today people are living longer and so we need our youthful complexion to last indefinitely. It is more important than ever to take care of ourselves as we age. If you think about the adverse effects of collagen collapse, sun or wind damage, cancer, etc., all of these issues can be traced back to the various ways we have neglected our skin. We must utilize a serious moisturizer during the winter to protect ourselves from the cold and wind and the best sun protection when we are in the sun – basically all year round.

TB: What defining moment in your career had the strongest influence on you?

Yasmine: I have defining moments all the time! I am constantly discovering new products, working with new clients and experimenting with new treatment technologies. This is why, even after 30 years, I am still so passionate about skin care. It is my hope and vision for the future that each new experience will be insightful and exciting. I strive for every moment to be the next “aha” moment!

Read more about Yasmine on her Travel Beauty Expert Page.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

We’ve published a number of articles that discuss the latest trends in plastic surgery and how these procedures are not only becoming more mainstream but are no longer a shameful topic that one has to suffer through in secrecy praying that no one is the wiser.

It’s one thing to talk about a general trend of patients coming out of the plastic surgery closet and quite another to give a first hand account of a personal experience, so I thought I’d share my brush with plastic surgery.

In My Twenties

I was an actress and stand-up comedian. One day I was in my weekly meeting with my manager and she suddenly asked me, in a very matter of fact way, if I had a drinking problem.

Lots of Baggage

I was 22 and had bags under my eyes that were too much for even Louis Vuitton to carry. It looked like I was exhausted and routinely partied all night drinking and drugging. My manager was concerned that film directors would be hesitant to hire me to work on $50 million budget films (that was a lot of money 17 years ago) out of fear that I would not be able to make it to work in the morning. The truth was people always told me that I looked tired, so much so that I felt tired. My manager suggested that I consult a plastic surgeon to explore a lower lid procedure.

Ask Yasmine

That night I discussed the possibility of having the surgery with my mother. She thought I was completely nuts – I was only 22 and she had never heard of such a thing! She suggested that I consult Yasmine Djerradine, founder of Yasmine Djerradine Institut de Beauté in New York City. (Yes, I have known Yasmine for 17 years.) Yasmine suggested that I see an allergist. She felt that I was so young that surgery should only be considered as a last option.

Trip to The Allergist

I went to three sessions where I was poked and prodded with dust mites, mold and all types of god knows what. Bottom line: I was not allergic to any of it.

Remodeling Facials

In tandem, I also had some microcurrent facial sessions that solely focused attention on my under eye area. While it delivered minor results the day of, it really didn’t make a dent.

I’ll Try Anything

I was so desperate, I started applying Preparation H (yes the hemorrhoid cream) under my eyes, after all, it shrinks tissue! Right?! And even began taking juniper berry supplements that rid the body of any natural water retention. Oh and did I mention that I also iced my under eye in the morning for 10 minutes prior to showering? Nothing worked. There was also not enough concealer on earth to hide my puffy lower lids.

Time For a Consultation

I returned for a visit to Yasmine and gave her a full report. She gave me a look that I was not prepared for. Alyssa, you should go for a consultation with Dr. David Hidalgo – he specializes in face and breast procedures and is pioneering a new method that requires no incisions or stitches, so you won’t have any scarring. Unlike most MDs, he also believes in homeopathic remedies and you won’t have any bruising.

My mother hesitantly agreed for me to go for a consultation…

Meet Dr. Hidalgo

I walked into the waiting room and was the youngest person by at least 20 years. The receptionist asked if I was looking for my mother. I was finally called in to meet Dr. Hidalgo. He asked me what he could do for me and I told him that I had serious bags under my eyes and that I was an actress and having a hard time booking jobs with all this baggage. The truth was I was just tired of people telling me how tired I looked. It was wearing on me mentally and physically.

The Verdict

Dr. Hidalgo told me that I had lipid deposits under my eyes and that it is a genetic disposition. In fact, I was a perfect candidate for the surgery. REALLY! I’m not too young? I was shocked. Will the fat cells come back? (maybe in 15 years on my rear end?) No, he said, in fact you will heal much faster because you are young and resilient and the longer you wait, the worse it will get. If you wait, the skin around the lower lid will stretch out and I’ll have to tighten and remodel that skin as well. It’s much like a liposuction, I make a small incision, above your lower lash line, stick a tiny vacuum in, suck out the lipid and voila (he didn’t really say voila.) No stitches, no scaring and he even had a private operating room – I could have the surgery on Friday, go home that day and be back to work on Monday.

My mother was floored but the rationale did make sense to both of us and she saw how much it meant to me. Acting or no acting career, the bags were getting in my way physically and now mentally.

Surgery Prep

Not only did Dr. Hidalgo have a kind demeanor but I was very impressed with his recommended pre surgery prep. Starting a week before the procedure I was to take Arnica Montana 30 ml (cute little sugar flavored pellets that dissolve under the tongue) and Bromelain 500 mg every day and continue it for two weeks after the surgery.

I grew up eating a macrobiotic diet and taking homeopathic remedies long before they were trendy and mainstream and was always mortified by the fact that this was the regimen my mother subjected my brother and I to. This prep felt familiar to me and in fact a little like home.

A Life Changing Difference

I went through with the procedure and have recommended Dr. Hidalgo to many friends and acquaintances over the years. 17 years later, I think I may still be the youngest patient to have had the surgery and my before and after pictures are still on the coffee table. (which I secretly take pride in) And, you would never know that I have had the procedure. Best of all, the effect that it has had on my self-esteem is remarkable.

Which Eye Cream Do You Recommend For the Bags Under My Eyes?

To this day when people ask what eye cream they should use to get rid of the bags under their eyes I am always a little sad to relay the news, but the truth is that there is no eye cream that will. Much of the time people have the same lipid deposits that I had to lesser or greater degrees (you can see my before and after pictures up top) and when I tell them my story, I can see the “oh no, I don’t have that issue” brewing in their eyes. In the society we live in where no one can be thin enough, the thought of having liposuction, even if it’s under your eyes, is a horrific thought. Concealer will only cover darkness under the eyes, but if you are not willing to carry those bags around forever, you just may need to go under the knife.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

Having been based in Scottsdale, Arizona as a make up artist, esthetician and spa owner for many years, I specialize in working with dry, dehydrated and sun-damaged skin. When I started out as a make up artist over 20 years ago, I struggled with the fact that no matter how great I could make someone look with make up, if they had major crow’s feet, dark circles, and/or under-eye puffiness, it didn’t seem to matter. All you would notice was the eye area problem(s). Often, the concealer and/or powder and/or foundation would make the problem(s) worse. Noticing that almost every woman that walked in my spa had this issue, I set about creating a solution.

Is Your Concealer and Powder too Cakey?

These issues affect women everywhere. I have done make up for women in LA, New York, Orlando, Dallas, Vegas and many cities in between, and I have heard (and seen) how powder and concealer cakes into fine lines and makes them look worse. Even young girls in their late teens and early twenties seem to have crows feet and “feathering” under the eyes. Whether a woman has a small issue or a large issue with dry skin and dark circles, she wants help. Our confidence is increased when we look in the mirror and like what we see.

Step I: Pump It Up, Leave It On!

My Beauty Ammo Kit started with the first step, the “Pump it up, Leave it on” Collagen Eye Mask. Most eye creams just absorb and then disappear into the skin. There is a dearth of rich enough, hydrating enough products available for this area. I created my eye mask to be richer than anything else on the market, using collagen and shea butter to create a buttery, primer-type look and feel. The trick is to apply the eye mask in a thick white layer that stays on all day. There is no other leave-on eye mask available. It not only makes the skin look instantly younger, but also gives the added benefit of continually hydrating skin. A lot of lines and wrinkles are dehydration lines, and these are virtually eliminated with my Collagen Eye Mask.

Step II: Line Putty

The next step is my Line Putty. For years, I tried to create the perfect line filler product, but had a hard time getting the product to adhere to the skin properly. When I finally created my Line Putty, then pressed it into the skin with a sponge over my Collagen Eye Mask, the result was instantly smooth and wrinkle-free skin. The chamomile I added to the Line Putty is very soothing, and the witch hazel helps relieve puffiness. Another benefit of steps 1 and 2: my clients say applying these prodtcs feels like a mini-spa treatment…very calming and soothing. Any concern they had of it feeling too heavy is replaced with surprise at how good it feels. Then they look in the mirror and are amazed with the results.

Step III: Camouflage Eye Disguise

Now that the skin is totally hydrated and prepped, I add step 3, my best selling concealer, Camouflage Eye Disguise. After steps 1 & 2, you can now use a lot more concealer than you normally would, sweeping it across under the eyes and on the lid as a base for eye shadow. You get far better, natural-looking coverage without worrying about accentuating fine lines. My Camouflage Eye Disguise concealer works on all skin types, colors, and tones. For best results, it is really important to use a sponge to blend it in, so I included sponges in the Beauty Ammo Kit for foolproof application.

Heather Mills & Kelly Ripa

Since launching the Beauty Ammo Kit, I have sold tens of thousands in spas and salons around the US. I’ve sold Beauty Ammo on HSN, Ideal Vitality TV in London and in Henri Bendel. While doing an event at Henri Bendel, I met Heather Mills, who was shopping with her make up artist. He was so impressed with my Beauty Ammo Kit that he immediately called Kelly Rippa’s make up artist to share the dramatic results.

Celebrities Using M.B. York’s Beauty Ammo Kit

I often get called onto sets to apply Beauty Ammo on celebrities such as Jane Lynch, Jamie Lee Curtis, Martin Sheen, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Kevin Bacon before the make up team does their make up. I was also recently asked for Beauty Ammo for Valerie Bertinelli, Betty White, Jane Leeves and Wendy Malick on the set of Hot in Cleveland. Actors love Beauty Ammo because it makes them look great for hours and allows them to avoid the constant touching up of powder throughout the day, which usually leads to the accentuation of fine lines.

After training the Dancing With the Stars make up team on how to use Beauty Ammo, they said it made Chloris Lechman look 30 years younger. The makeup team said it is “definitely one of our beauty secrets that the entire cast and crew loves.” Even the judges, Carrie Ann, Leni and Bruno love Beauty Ammo!

Beauty Ammo Kit is Easy to Use at Home

Another great benefit of my Beauty Ammo Kit is that you can apply it by itself in less than one minute. Even if you don’t like to wear foundation or make up elsewhere on your face, your entire eye area will be hydrated, fresher and brighter all day long.