Cortina Health brings an exciting teledermatology subscription model to the world of skincare!
When it comes to getting a facial, it’s an experience that can either be totally worth it or backfire in the days post-treatment. I love a facial as much as the next gal, but my skin is a bit pickier than I am—often times resulting in purging skin and acne blemishes running rampant.
A new line of K-Beauty products is always a reason to get excited! MIZON just released their Phyto Plump series, which helps encourage youthful, hydrated skin using collagen. The line is vegan, and heals skin irritation and decreased elasticity using “Tremellan-MC Extract (known for suppressing free radicals, increasing the synthesis of collagen and moisturizing deep within the skin), Brown Algae Complex (known for retaining moisture, being high in proteins and suppressing inflammation) and D-panthenol (a provitamin of D-pantothenic acid that provides deep and long lasting moisturization, heals irritation and abrasions and improves luster and shine).”
I tried out five products in the range, the Toner, Serum, Day Cream, Night Cream, and Eye Gel patches, over the last month to see how they reacted to my skin.
First, I applied the Phyto Plump Collagen Toner right after cleansing my skin. While it was still a bit damp after drying, I poured a few drops of the toner into my hands and patted it into the skin. This toner feels almost like an essence, with a slightly thicker than water consistency. It feels luxurious and locks in the moisture, definitely leaving my skin looking plumped up and hydrated. Since I have normal skin and it’s not quite the dry winter season yet where I live, this toner was all I needed to quench my skin in the morning before I put on my sunscreen and makeup to head out the door.
Sometimes, when I wanted more dewy plumpness, I reached for the Phyto Plum Collagen Serum. It’s designed to “provide a dewy finish without the stickiness” and is lightweight enough to use during the daytime – it sinks right into your skin and feels like a more concentrated, thicker version of the toner. I noticed that my skin stayed hydrated and dewy all day when I used this product, and provided the perfect base for more “harsh” skincare treatments like retinol in the evening.
The next set of products in the line are the Phyto Plump Day Cream and the Phyto Plump Night Cream. Both incredibly hydrating, these products are well suited for dry skin or for winter routines. The day cream was unique because of its gel texture, yet it’s not a lightweight cream. Most gel moisturizers aren’t hydrating enough for dry skin, but this one will give you the cooling, non-tacky benefits of a gel cream while still providing the ample hydration for dry skin. The night cream is incredibly emollient, and almost feels like an overnight mask. I love using this to seal in my skincare treatments and make sure they’re at their maximal effectiveness, and then waking up with baby-soft, hydrated skin.
The final product in their Phyto Plump line is the Phyto Plump Gel Eye Patches. This was a new product for me in the rotation, since I’ve only used the single packets before for special occasions. The cooling slice of silicone sits comfortable under your eyes whether you sit back and relax or go about your other tasks, which is incredibly convenient for those on the go. I loved using these before heading out for the evening to meet friends for dinner or to an event. They leave your under eyes brightened, refreshed, and of course: plump. The patches left a nice layer of product even after I took them off, which left the perfect canvas for blending concealer seamlessly for a night out. I found these patches so fun to use, since they were outside my daily routine before I tried these products, and I might have to add them back in!
MIZON’s new Phyto Plump line is available on Amazon as of November 1st, and they also have lightning Black Friday deals:
Following Skinney Medspa’s Wellness Launch Party at their NYC Flagship location, Skinney Medspa announced they would officially partner with IVDrips to offer IV drip Therapy services!
It is no secret that Skinney Medspa is one of The Knockturnals (and my personnel) favorite places to go for some of the best facials in NYC. Since the opening of their flagship location in 2014, Skinney Medspa has consistently been the one NYC’s Medispa’s that are lightyears ahead when it comes to the products they use, the technology behind many of the skincare and body contouring treatments they offer, and the genuine focus on providing all of their clients on a well-rounded beauty and wellness experience. Adding IVDrips therapy services is just one of many ways Skinney Medspa stands out from other Medispas and elevates the idea of what it means to look and feel good.
I recently had the opportunity to try an IVDrips, IV drip at Skinney’s flagship located in Flatiron. If that wasn’t exciting enough, I could get a Hyrdrafacial AT THE SAME TIME! For a beauty and wellness fanatic like myself, one of the significant reasons this partnership is so exciting is that the IV drip services can be combined with almost all the services offered at Skinney Medspa. Now, I will admit that I was under the impression that just going out and getting an IV drip was something that celebs do to combat a hangover instead of washing down a Tylenol with a Gatorade like the rest of us. Still, I am now on the IV drip bandwagon. Before starting my simultaneous IV drip and Hydrafacial treatments, I got to pick the brain of Nutridrips Director of Medical Operations, Rob McAdams, RN, about all the benefits of IV Nutrient Therapy. McAdams explained that Nutridrip makes there own “IV drip protocols” made of vitamins, minerals, and electrolyte fluids that can be customizable depending on what each client needs regarding their nutrition goals.
I chose their new “Beautydrip” protocol with biotin, zinc, b-complex, and glutathione, which are all great for hair, skin, and nails. Additionally, b12 and vitamin C help with energy and immunity. While all of that was exciting, I had to ask the obvious question: why can’t I take those vitamins? That’s when McAdams broke down all the benefits of Nutridrip IV therapy. “Oral vitamins are on average absorbed anywhere between 15%-30%, depending on our gut health. Because of this, it’s not the best way to absorb nutrients. When these nutrients are put directly into our veins, we can absorb 100% of them, meaning they are 100% bio-available. We are also able to give mega doses of certain vitamins. For example, we can get the equivalent of 300 oranges worth of vitamin C after a single treatment.” After taking in all this information, I felt I might never waste my time taking oral vitamins again. Of course, like many New Yorkers, I don’t have the time or patience to sit down for an IV drip every day, but McAdams put all those concerns to rest. ” For most treatments, we suggest an IV drip once a week for six weeks to start seeing results. Because most people who start with us are nutritionally deficient, we may suggest 1-2 a week for a month, but then as they progress, we can come down to once every other week and then down again to once a month.”
Truthfully, I could go on about this all day but what made all of this so exciting is that I could lay back and get Hydrafacial. The Hydrafacial, also known as the lunch break facial, only takes approximately 30mins and so does the Nutridrip therapy! For less than an hour, this could easily be anyone’s quick self-care treat for the week. While I am most excited about to Hydrafacial and IVDrips combo, IVDrips can be combined with most of the Skinney Medspa treatments, like IVDrips can be combined with most of our services, including EON, cool sculpting, Botox, filler, and facials. Currently, the IVDrips services are only offered at Skinney’s flagship location in Flatiron (125 5th Ave Floor 2, New York, NY 10003), but fortunately, all Skinney clients have access to Skinney partnerships by booking services through their website. According to Skinney Medspa’s Operations Manager, Revana Rahman, it is possible that we could see these wellness services offered at other locations soon!
I have terrible skin. Left to its own devices, it would be an oily yet dry, pimply, scarred hellscape. However, after a decade of facials and all natural products, I have beat it into submission. Mostly. I still breakout. And now that I am getting older, I want to make sure what I do have does not droop and wrinkle.
Summer is here full throttle and we’re all excited to finally be outside with fewer restrictions. With all that excitement surrounding brunch dates, vacations, and summer looks it can be easy to forget the value of self-care, sustainably of course. Here are some of my new favorite self-care must-haves!