Facial Gym

- Hey Skin, I got us a new face cream!
- Hmm, why did you choose this one?
- Well, remember when we went to Inna’s hen party and she gave us some samples of this amazing face cream with shea butter?
- Oh, you can’t forget an experience like that.
- So I’ve been looking for a moisturiser with shea butter for ages now and finally found one that’s 5 times cheaper. Win-win!
- Thank you! Just letting you know that even products with similar ingredients don’t always work the same..
- But there’s shea butter in this and shea butter in that? Why pay more for fancier packaging?
- Not exactly. Here’s some facts: Karite trees, from which the shea butter is sourced, only grow in some regions of Africa. The trees only come to fruition around 20 years of age. There are no big plantations and each tree provides on average 20kg of fruit a year, from which only 4-5kg of butter is extracted.
- Wow that’s so little!
- Yes, they grow far apart and the harvest is done by hand. Only fallen fruit is collected as the unripe ones contain less butter. It is also important to process the fruit immediately as it begins to spoil in just a few hours.
- Oh wow! That’s so much work to be done in very little time!
- Exactly! So it makes sense that such a treasure can’t be cheap.
- But.. I managed to find this cream!
- Yeah, you did… See, you can also extract shea butter by cold pressing the fruit. There’s also technology that uses a powerful chemical dissolver to get the oils out (it gets evaporated, of course, however, a small amount of the chemical remains in the final product). This is exactly what you’ve just used on me. I won’t throw a tantrum now or break out, but if you use it long-term I can’t promise that I’ll stay nice.
- Bloody fraudsters!
- No, it’s correct that both products contain shea butter, but they’re of different quality. Also the amount of it can vary in different products. Some brands are more generous with it, while others use very little shea but the label will still state the same ingredient.
- So the cost of the product does say something then.
- Yes, it’s not always a guarantee of better quality though. But at least we’re on the same page about the shea butter now.

Facial Gym updated their business hours.

Facial Gym updated their address.

OIL AS A SUNSCREEN
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Oils are able to reflect sunrays, but we should not rely on them.
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1) Oils have a very low SPF. Additionally, it may differ not only among various oils, but also in one specific oil. For example, SPF of coconut and olive oils could be SPF 2 as well as SPF 8.
In any case, I think you can guess that even SPF 8 could not be considered a decent sunblock. And here are the approximately SPF of various oils:
* shea butter SPF 3-6;
* jojoba SPF 4;
* almond SPF 5;
* sesame oil SPF 5;
* macadamia SPF 6.
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2) Oils attract Sun- you will be surrounded by many more sunrays than you would having no protection at all. Your skin guards will be forced to work very hard. Most likely they will lose. You will get a sunburn. Skin will peel. Pigmentation will appear.
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Did you ever use oil to protect skin from Sun? Or maybe in order to get a better tan?

Want to know how to get great skin without expensive skincare products or treatments? Join us today at 1 PM for a Facebook LIVE tutorial with Facial Gym !

TMJ.

MUSCLES:
We have 4 muscles of mastication on each side of our face- masseter, temporalis, pterygoid (medial and lateral). All of them work to let us open and close our jaw (eat, chew, grind, etc.).

Temporalis. Pretend chewing the gum in front of the mirror- do you see it moving? I guess so.
Function: contraction results in elevation of the mandible (closing the mouth).

Masseter. Pretend chewing the gum and you will see it and feel it (by placing palm on it). This facial muscle plays a major role in the chewing of solid foods. The strongest muscle in body.

It is the first muscle we work on to relieve the tension and pain in the jaw.
Function: elevate the mandible, raising the lower jaw, closing mouth.

Pterygoid (medial and lateral). Just behind the masseter (it usually feels like a taut guitar string when we relax and stretch by inserting finger back behind the teeth, all the way into the joint). Each consist of 2 heads.

Lateral (light/pinky). Unlike the other three muscles of mastication, the lateral pterygoid is the only muscle of mastication that assists in depressing the mandible (opening the jaw).

Moves lower jaw forward and to the side. If it works on both sides at the same time, then jaw moves forward. If only one side works then lower jaw moves to the opposite side.

Medial (dark/purple). Elevation of the mandible (closes the jaw), helps in lateral movements.

READ MORE in the free e-book on the website: http://www.facialgym.co.uk/

TMJ.

BONES:
Skull consists of 2 parts:
facial bones (support the structures of the face) and
brain case (provides a protective cavity for the brain).

"TMJ" states for Temporomandibular joint. In simple words it is a connection (JOINT) of temple (TEMPORal bone) and lower jaw (MANDIBle).
Place where lower jaw connects to the skull (cranium).

Mandible- lower jaw. The only movable bone in the skull. Strongest and most massive in the face. Since its the only free-moving bone in the skull, it can easily become misaligned.
Maxilla- upper jaw.
Cranium- skull, except Mandible (lower jaw); immovable part of skull.

READ MORE in the free e-book on the website: http://www.facialgym.co.uk/

http://www.facialgym.co.uk/

Tension in the Jaw. Clenching and grinding.

In majority of cases clenching the teeth is a habit. And majority of people are unaware of it.
The best solution to get rid of tension and pain is to get rid of the habit. It is quite easy, quick, pleasant (no more pain!) and it gives a permanent result. There are few options.

1. Becoming aware of clenching the teeth.
Ask 1-2 person you see every day (colleague/friend/relative) to "hit" you every time they see you clenching (just show them once how your jaw/temporals area moves and looks like when you clench). Do this for at least one day.

a) If they really hit you each time you do it- you might become annoyed and try avoiding clenching again.
b) You will finally notice how OFTEN and how MUCH you do it!
c) You will finally notice in which SITUATION you do it.
d) You will finally realise how does it FEEL like when you clench. So in the future you can easily catch yourself doing it, then stop and relax.

This one day will make you really aware of what you do.

To read more download a free e-book!

http://www.facialgym.co.uk/

PART 2.

Mattress should not be just rigid and hard. We have to add some flexibility- add springs-, so it can easily bounce and return to its normal condition without breaking or tearing.
For that purpose Fibroblast takes just 1 stick and voila! Its Elastin!
Test. Since Elastin should be able to stretch by 50% more AND return to it's normal position (just like spring), Fibroblast stretches it. If test is passed, Fibroblast fills Derma with Elastin.

When finished- Collagen and Elastin interweave to create a strong and flexible net- solid frame of the Derma which gives- support, strength and flexibility.

P.S. So Collagen is a Strongman in our story, and Elastin is a flexible Acrobat!

Now, lets create a SOFT frame for Dermis..

We still did not use the box with tiny Hyaluronic acid pearls.
Before filling Mattress with them, Fibroblast tests it- takes 1 pearl and throws into water. Pearl should absorb water as a sponge, transform it into gel and grow up to 1000 times bigger.

If test is passed, Fibroblast throws all the little pearls on the floor of the Mattress and adds water. Gradually all pearls grow in size, become big, soft, gel-like pearls that fill all the space between Collagen and Elastin.

We have built our Mattress!
It is strong (capable to withstand a very heavy load), flexible (to unbounce any pressure) and very soft. With a SOLID (Collagen + Elastin) and SOFT (Hyaluronic acid) frame.
But there is something else in Dermis..

Please share if you found it interesting!

Dermis is the MAIN layer of the skin (second layer).
Strength of the skin depends on it.

Located just under the Epidermis.

Contains skin`s super stars: Collagen, Elastin and Hyaluronic acid.

Dermis is a "combination of spring and gel mattress". Springs: Collagen and Elastin fibers.
Gel: Hyaluronic acid.

There is the 4th important molecule in the Dermis. It is Fibroblast. It is a mini factory/daddy of Collagen, Elastin and Hyaluronic acid. Without Fibroblasts they would not exist.

P.S. For a simplier reading, let's use abbreviations.
CEH= Collagen + Elastin + Hyaluronic acid.
VIP= Collagen + Elastin + Hyaluronic acid + Fibroblast.
(because are not they “Very Important Persons” in our skin? They definitely are!)

To understand Dermis, let's build it from scratch!
Imagine an empty, deflated mattress. Inside of it you see:
1) Fibroblast (builder; he has all instructions and equipment to build a sturdy Dermis/mattress);
2) Pack of sticks (spares of Collagen and Elastin);
3) A box of little pearls- Hyaluronic acid.

First, we are going to create a SOLID frame for Dermis. Fibroblast takes an instruction and begins.
We have to put up the supportive poles. (to lift the ceiling, provide a shape and solid frame to our mattress). Dermis should become so strong to be able to withstand a large load. To build a supportive pole, Fibroblast takes 3 sticks and twists them (twisiting 3 sticks together provides our poles with extra strength, durability and resistance to stretching).
Voila! Fibroblast just created Collagen, which acts as a Strongman in our Dermis building story.

Test. To test Collagen`s durability, Fibroblast puts a 10kg kettlebell on the head of Collagen (because 1mm thick Collagen fiber should withstand a 10 kg load; 1g of Collagen is stronger than 1g of steel!).
If this 3-legged Strongman withstands it, it is used as a column to provide strength, structure and support to the mattress/Dermis.
Fibroblast continues to twist 3 sticks together, until it fills 80% of Dermis with strong Collagen. Collagen fibers interweave crosswise and form a dense net.

Why is it good to activate blood circulation?

The 3 most important things for any of us are:
1) Air to breath;
2) Water to drink;
3) Food to eat.
Our blood system provides our body (including skin) with exactly these 3 vital things. Blood carries oxygen, water and nutrients.

BLOOD:
Provides our skin with air, water and food, so skin looks healthy and happy.
Without blood skin (and any other organ/tissue) would be starving, gasping and be thirsty.

This is why “improving blood circulation” is so good (face massages, certain cosmetic products, etc.).

P.S. Blood is everywhere. It feeds bones, muscles, organs, but only reaches 2 layers of skin- Hypodermis and Dermis. Hypodermis- has big blood vessels. But Dermis, since it is closer to the surface, only gets “last bits” of blood system- small capillaries.

By the way..
Did you ever experience, that application of some cosmetic products leads to warm (maybe even tingling) sensations and turns skin pink/red? (not talking about allergic reactions, massage effects, sensitivity or other negative reactions right now).

It's a signal/proof that some ingredients of cosmetic products reached Dermis where our Collagen and Elastin live (pe*****ted into the skin, then overcame 5 floors of Epidermis!) and activated blood circulation (hence a pinky colour).

This is where we want our anti-aging cosmetic products to go- “cosmetic food” should reach Dermis, where Elastin and Collagen live.

"Professional facial at home" workshop at Facial Gym

A quick test to check how well you remember facts about Epidermis :)

1. Skin consists of _ layers.
2. Please name all skin layers from the top/surface of skin:
* top layer, constantly renews: ____;
* main skin layer: ____;
* fat layer: ____.
3. Epidermis consists of _ layers.
4. Whole journey from 1st to 5th level is done in
approximately _ weeks.
5. 1st thing we have to do to keep skin healthy and good-looking for as long as possible is ____.

Did you manage to answer all question?

Do you know what is Epidermis and why regular exfoliation is important?

Skin consist of 3 layers:
1. ⟳ epiDERMIS (top layer, consists of 5 layers, constantly renews);
2. ♛ DERMIS (main skin layer);
3. Ⓞ hypoDERMIS (fat layer, almost absent in eye and neck area).

Epidermis consist of 5 layers. But now, please, imagine a 5 floor building..

1st floor. Occupied by moms-to-be and very active, laughing newborn kids;
2nd floor. Full of school-goers and teens;
3rd floor. Welcomes graduates, young professionals who are full of energy to work;
4th floor. For mature people;
5th top floor. Occupied by cute grannies that spend time chatting to each other, having cups of tea with freshly baked scones, jam and cream.

This 5 floor house is Epidermis. Cells are born at the 1st floor, grow up moving upwards to the 2nd, then 3rd floor, work, mature and reach the last 5th floor.
Whole journey from 1st to 5th level is done in approximately 28 days (26-30).

Top layer of Epidermis.
5th floor is like an Afternoon Tea party for grannies after hard work in this cosy house. After the party grannies can finally retire! They just fly away like Mary Poppins with umbrella (we, people, call this retirement process- exfoliation).
Active nans leave while we are shopping, others when we are dancing, but if you travel to sunny places- be sure, majority of grans will leave (exfoliate) while you swim in Mediterranean or lay in the warm sand (sand works as an exfoliator, just like sugar/coffee/salt scrub).
But, as we age, grannies become lazier, prefer chatting to each other instead of travelling. This leads to:

1) The more time nans spend on the 5th floor, the older, lazier, grumpier they become, so Epidermis looks old, grey and rough;
2) 5th floor accommodates more grannies, their population greatly increases. This makes our skin much thicker;
3) Huge amount of inhabitants of the 5th floor won`t allow cosmetic product to pe*****te. Imagine, you just bought an expensive Super cream with a wonderful smell.. you apply it and wait for a miracle to happen. But poor cream has to get through the huge crowd of grannies before it can pe*****te any deeper (if at all).

1st GOAL to keep skin fresh, healthy and good-looking for as long as possible, is to make sure that grannies leave party on time and retire (exfoliate regularly, 1-2 times a week).
Otherwise skin looks thick, greyish, rough and dull.

Did you find it informative and interesting? If yes, please, share with your friends :)

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