My Article This Month in Dermascope Magazine - All About Serums

Exfoliation - Chemical vs. Physical

Exfoliation is essential for healthy cell turnover and a clear complexion! There are 2 types of exfoliators on the market - physical and chemical. I have put together a little bit of information which will help you decide what method will suit you best! 

The best modern methods for physical exfoliation are scrubs, but they are often too harsh for most women’s faces. Since scrubs contain beads (at times microbeads, that have been banned in some states) they can be irritating, and aggravate rosacea, and couperose.  This type of exfoliation is not recommended for someone with broken capillaries, rosacea, acne (especially cystic acne), eczema, and sunburned skin.

An enzymatic exfoliation is a safe and natural way to clean out the pores,  get rid of oils, slough off the dry and dead skin for a healthy cell turnover.  Fruit enzymes, such as Bromelain  (from pineapple) and Papain (from papaya) eat away at the oils and dry skin, to expose a refreshed, clear complexion. Enzyme masks are generally more gentle and safe than acids, and don’t thin the skin like Retin-A. SAIAN offers an amazing paraben-free Enzyme Mask which lightens the skin, activates cellular function, increases circulation, fades discoloration and leaves the skin feeling and looking fresh, smooth and healthy.

Cranberry-Pistachio Power Greens to the Rescue!

How wonderful would it be to have a heaping green plate if goodness for dinner tonight? Like most people, I wasn't always a big fan of broccoli and Brussel sprouts... but as years passed, I grew fond of these cruciferous greens, and now adore them! I promise, you only need 5 ingredients to make this 15-minute vegan alkaline-forming dish that even the kids will enjoy! My cranberry pistachio power greens will fill you up, and warm your heart! All you need is Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cranberries, pistachios, and some cold-pressed coconut oil. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup dried organic cranberries

1 cup organic broccoli florets

1 cup organic shaved Brussel sprouts

Sautée the Brussel sprouts in coconut oil on medium heat, turning with a wooden spatula to prevent burning. I always start with the vegetables that are the most tough, and take longer to caramelize. Add the cranberries and pistachios. The last step is to add the broccoli, because broccoli is tender, and tends to overcook quickly (do this when you see the cranberries get soft)! I don't like brown, soggy broccoli, so I literally just toss it in for a couple of minutes, and turn off the burner. That's it! Your dinner is served - healthy, delicious, and easy to make. I just added a garnish of micro greens, and voila!

Dasha's 15-Minute Sweet Vegan Quinoa Salad

I LOVE QUINOA

Now that we got that straight, here are some reasons why I love it, and why you will, too! 

• Quinoa is high in protein - 16%-20% high quality vegan protein.
• It's Alkaline-forming, which means quinoa doesn't support the spread of candida, yeast, and cancer in the body.
• Low glycemic index means that the amount of carbs supplied by quinoa are burned slowly and equally to avoid spikes and fat storage in the body.
• Low calories! A cup of cooked quinoa has only about 220 kcal. (yay!)
• Gluten-free for those with celiac. 

Quinoa was considered sacred by the Incas- they called it the “mother seed.” 

This is why I love magical, delicious, light and healthy quinoa! Oh... and did I mention that this dish only took me 15 minutes? Looks like you have no excuses now - give this recipe a try, and you will be delighted!

Ingredients:

1 cup organic quinoa (I used organic white quinoa, but you may also use the red variety)

1 large organic carrot

1/2 medium sweet organic onion

1 cup organic mushrooms (about 10 small)

1 teaspoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup organic unsulfured turkish apricots

1/4 cup organic raisins

cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

I like to be efficient and productive in everything I do, including business, and cooking, so 15 minutes to make a dish sounds just about right!

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, and put in a pot with 2.5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Quinoa is a bit different from rice, and it needs more water to plump up, but still remain flaky, not clumpy and lumpy. 

At the same time that the water with quinoa is taking to boil, heat up a skillet on low heat, and put in the coconut oil, with onions. Sweat the onions a bit, and then add the carrots and mushrooms. Once that mix has become caramelized, add the raisins and apricots. Keep mixing with a wooden spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Once the water with quinoa boils, take off the burner and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, you will see that the water has evaporated, and now you are left with just the ready boiled grain! Transfer to a bowl, mix in the rest of the ingredients from the skillet, and let cool. The finishing touch is the fresh cilantro - add it when the salad has cooled down, to keep it nice and fresh!

Sweet, isn't it? Absolutely delicious, healthy, and quick! Enjoy!

10 Facts About Acne

1. Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States - it affects nearly 50 million Americans. 
2. Some of the most common causes of acne are: genetics, stress, hormones, medication, oil-based cosmetics, environmental pollution, acidity and candida, intestinal infection, and allergies. 
3. 85% of all Americans have had acne at one point in their lives.
4. The most common age group that is affected by acne is 15-25 year-olds.
5. Active teenagers who play sports are likely to get blemishes from not washing their face after exercising, and from wearing the same helmet/baseball cap daily.
6. Acne treatment products containing Salicylic Acid, and Glycolic Acid are not recommended for use during the daytime, and should only be applied before bed, as to avoid skin hyperpigmentation.
7. At-home extractions are highly discouraged, because they produce permanent scarring. Acne scars are commonly categorized in three groups: Atrophic: shallow for the most part; Boxcar-shaped: scars are those which tend to be larger; Ice pick-shaped: scars are those which are both deep and narrow in appearance.
8. Every study conducted on the psychological impact of acne has shown that it causes a statistically significant increase in anxiety, depression and related mental health problems.
9. Acne may be caused by a deficiency in Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin A, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Omega 3.
10. Acne thrives on sugar and yeast, so the best way to keep those blemishes at bay is by avoiding sweets, dairy and bread.

Transform your appearance with this revolutionary new Eye Serum for dark circles and puffiness

Finally, a one-step serum that focuses on the problems of under-eye puffiness, dark circles, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, and poor skin circulation! A reduction of dark circles by 35% after 8 weeks,  a reduction of eye puffiness of 31% in 8 weeks, and improvement of skin texture of 42% in 8 weeks! Simply the best product for dark circles on the market!  SAIAN® Clinical Strength Eye Serum contains REGU®-AGE PF, as well as the highest quality Hyaluronic Acid available on the market today! REGU®-AGE PF is a unique, high-performing, paraben-free complex of specially purified natural rice and soy peptides which work daily to reduce dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, giving you a refreshed, youthful appearance!

SAIAN® Clinical Strength Eye Serum contains REGU®-AGE PF, as well as the highest quality Hyaluronic Acid available on the market today! REGU®-AGE PF is a unique, high-performing, paraben-free complex of specially purified natural rice and soy peptides which work daily to reduce dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, giving you a refreshed, youthful appearance!

Incredible news from DERMASCOPE Magazine

CONGRATULATIONS to us! Incredible news from DERMASCOPE Magazine - SAIAN Natural Clinical Skin Care was just nominated for BEST skincare products of the year! 3 of our professional items made the nomination - THREE! Can you imagine that? Quite amazing, and a tremendous honor for our brand. Please help us by voting here: http://www.dermascope.com/aia/ae-awards You have 3 products to choose from - Sunscreen Spray, Makeup Remover, and Neck Creme!

Thank you from the bottom of our heart! - Dasha Saian

My Trip to a Tijuana Orphanage and Info How You Can Help

Dear friends, I would like to share my experience visiting an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico, in hopes that it will inspire you to participate, donate, and show your love. I had the privilege of getting introduced to the Corazon de Vida Foundation by my friend, Veronica, who has been on many trips with them in the past, and came along with me and my friend Dana on our first visit! A bit of background - Corazon de Vida helps bridge the gap between orphaned children in Tijuana, Mexico and loving people who come to volunteer, sponsor children, and provide generous donations that make meals, clothing, and education available for these amazing kids. There are few things that can compare to the warmth, sincerity, and beauty of a child's smile, and when I saw these children's smiles, I could hardly believe how happy they were in that moment, surrounded by the rubble of Tijuana's houses. You will see the beautiful photos of the time we had bonding with the kids, but I'd like to start off by showing a couple of photos of Tijuana's landscape, and telling you about my journey.

I woke up at 4am, got dressed, packed my supplies into the trunk of my car, and drove to the arranged location to board a charter bus to Mexico at 5:30am. The bus makes 3 stops before the Mexican border - Los Angeles 5:30am, Irvine 6:15am, and San Diego 8:15am. My friend Gayane and her  sweet children made a shopping trip to help us with supplies that were much-needed at the Casa Hogar Sion orphanage. Some of the things we bought were shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, toilet paper and toothbrushes. Dana brought giant tubs of detergent, and what looked to be a life-time supply of toilet paper. Once we arrived at the border, we cleared the bus, it got x-rayed, and so did our posessions. We went through customs, and were in Tijuana by 10am. Corazon de Vida sponsors and visits 11 orphanages, but this day, we were at the Casa Hogar Sion - the largest, housing 90-100 children. There is a girl's and a boy's house, each has 2 floors with bunk beds. The children don't have personal possessions - there is one great big closet in each house - they wear whatever is clean and fits them. The dorm rooms may be poorly decorated and tight, but they are clean and bright, and so are the little inhabitants who dwell at Casa Sion.

I am a fluent Spanish-speaker, so communicating with the kids in their language was easy for me, but I can tell you without a doubt - there is no language barrier when it comes to love and care. The children are sweet, shy, and talented. Another volunteer brought a conga and you should have heard the great beats all of the kiddos were producing on that drum! Simply tremendous! The beauty in this photo is Rebecca -she's 9 years old and has 10 siblings, all of whom live at the orphanage... This was very hard for me to take in, and was very painful to hear. Some kids here are orphans, with deceased parents, some are left by parents who can't support them financially. Rebecca really touched my heart. She was playing board games with us, and got a fancy pink manicure and glittery makeup that day. I love her smile, I just adore it, she reminded me of myself at that age! There were little babies at the orphanage, barely 3 months old - Veronica held little Luis, who could barely hold his tiny head up, he was so small... It made me sad, but also made me grateful to know that there are good people out there who will adopt him. Hopefully... I met some young ladies who were academic stars! One just got accepted to Dental school, and the other to Veterinary school!  I respect their dedication and hard work on the way to triumph over poverty.

Dana and I didn't waste any time, and jumped in the kitchen at 11am, where we peeled and cut up fruit for a giant fruit salad until 1pm, and then served a mountain of hot rice, broccoli, and chicken to 150 people at lunch. It was a great experience, because we were able to physically help out where we were needed! 

We played, we made food, we ate, we talked, we drew and colored, we bonded, and at 2pm, we boarded the bus back to Los Angeles. It was hard saying goodbye, but I have already signed up for my next trip back to Casa Hogar Sion on December 6th - it's a Holiday trip, and you can sign up using this link

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/bus-2-december-6-2014-cdv-holiday-bus-to-the-casa-hogar-sion-orphanage-tickets-13102643359?aff=efbnen. 

Please donate to the cause using this link! I am hoping to raise at least $500 for the kids by Christmas! I am sure that we can raise that amount and much more if we all pitch in a little (or a lot)! The organizer of the trip, George, pointed out how ripped and destroyed the sofas in the boy's dorm were, and said they desperately needed some leather sofas. I couldn't resist but to offer a pair of mine from the office. They were enjoyed here by clients and staff, but now its time to do some good in Mexico :) I am glad to keep the giving spirit, and I know you will fall in love with these kids, as well. I hope to see you all on my next trip, and remember - open your heart - let love out, let love in :)

 CLICK HERE TO HELP ME RAISE FUNDS FOR THE KIDS
 https://www.crowdrise.com/DashasCasaSionFundraiser/fundraiser/dashasaian

Manifesting Positivity Blog is Now Live on Blogspot!

I'm so excited to announce that my Manifesting Positivity Inspirational Blog is now on Blogspot! Daily inspiration from the Facebook Group http://manifestingpositivity.blogspot.com/ can now be seen here http://manifestingpositivity.blogspot.com/

Thank you again for encouraging me to write daily! I am happy to know that you enjoy my posts and find my sincere advice useful!

Collagen Infusion Training Tutorial Excerpt

Post by SAIAN Natural Clinical Skin Care.