Working up a sweat with some intense yoga, Pilates, running, or other exercise is good for all of us… but maybe not always so great for our skin.
It’s the problem local esthetician Meghan Mae Ellis came across over her years of practicing hot yoga – and it was a problem she had to find a solution for.
“My hot yoga practice was causing me a lot of breakouts and skin irritation,” says Ellis, founder of Skintologist Skincare in Newport Beach. “I searched the marketplace for a facial wipe that would calm and rehydrate my skin after yoga but couldn’t find anything. I decided to put my skincare knowledge to use and founded Yogi Wipe.”
Individually wrapped and infused with skin-boosting ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber, green tea extract, and hyaluronic acid, Yogi Wipes promise to soothe irritated skin, increase moisture, protect against breakouts, and restore the skin’s natural defenses against free-radical damage. The wipes are alcohol-, paraben-, oil-, and sulfate-free, hypoallergenic, and remove makeup. They are manufactured by three California vendors, two of which are based in Orange County.
Ellis took some time from skincare to talk to us about Yogi Wipe and to offer advice on keeping skin healthy.
What’s your beauty background?
My background in skincare has primarily been focused on the medical side, working with plastic surgeons and medical spas. The corrective and results-oriented part of skincare is the most intriguing to me – being able to help someone through achieving better skin and giving them confidence is very rewarding.
What did you learn from working on the medical side that you now use in your studio?
The main thing that has stuck with me is the importance of maintenance and prevention. I have seen what can happen if you don’t protect your skin from the sun and it’s not pretty. Also, the plastic surgeons that I worked with were big on results and clinical studies with skincare products and treatments, and this has definitely carried on with me. Some products out there are just a lot of hype. I only use and represent products with ingredients that have been studied and proven to work.
What lines do you carry at Skintologist?
I have been using Benev for about two years now on my clients and have seen amazing changes in their skin with this product. Benev has something for everyone and every skin type/condition. The fact that they were founded and based in Orange County and I get to visit their manufacturing facilities is definitely an added plus. Intraceuticals has great products and even better treatments. Once you have tried the oxygen infusion treatment (skinLUXE at Skintologist), you are hooked. Perfect for any skin type and a must before an event or special occasion to give you beautiful, glowing skin.
When and why did you found Skintologist?
Skintologist actually first started as a skincare blog that I was doing in my free time, believe it or not. I worked on it every free second that I had for about a year until I got to the point of wanting to open a skincare studio. Helping and educating people about their skin and skincare is really what it’s all about. Our location was established in 2012 and our blog is still active.
How do Yogi Wipes help skin after exercise?
We infused our wipes with aloe, cucumber and hyaluronic acid. Aloe and cucumber are both well-known ingredients that soothe irritated skin and help hydration. Hyaluronic acid is an amazing ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. In fact, hyaluronic acid attracts moisture to the skin at a rate of 1,000 times its own molecular weight. We also wanted to fight breakouts, so we added green tea extract and spearmint, which have natural anti-microbial and decongesting properties. Lastly, vitamins C, D and E help repair damage to the skin while assisting in collagen production.
What are some examples of a good home skincare regimen to keep skin healthy?
There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a good skincare regimen for someone, such as skin type, time of year, lifestyle, etc. A foundation for a good skincare regimen would be cleansing morning and night, SPF throughout the day, antioxidants such as vitamin C, drinking plenty of water, and wearing a mineral makeup that lets your skin breathe – Jane Iredale is a favorite of mine. Once the basics are covered, then I would start to add in products geared more toward someone’s specific skincare goals.
What should people look for in sunscreen?
I prefer a physical SPF that includes titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Currently I am working on my own skincare line that will feature an SPF, but for now I have lots of favorites including SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion SPF 50, a light physical sunscreen with a little bit of tint. It’s great to wear as is or under makeup.
Save Your Skin
Purchase Yogi Wipe online for $20 (10 count),
$40 (20 count) or $100 (50 count). To get
more tips from Meghan Mae Ellis, visit the
Skintologist website blog or post your own
questions on the Skintologist’s Facebook page.
yogiwipressenterprise.com :: theskintologist.com
:: facebook.com/skintologist
