What’s in my products? A nifty ingredient glossary for commonly used skincare elements.

Are you often confused by the big words listed in the ingredient decks of your favorite products? Or maybe you recognize them but wonder what benefits they are to your skin. Over on the Cult of Reason website I made a whole page of the ingredients in CoR products so you can nerd out and learn a bit about what makes the products so effective. These ingredients were curated by me and are a culmination of my twenty-plus years of skincare experience and research. Some ingredients are tried and true, used in effective preparations for years, while others are cutting edge lab-made goodies designed to be stable within the formula. And while you’re there, navigate over to the blog for deep dives into the science of skincare. Happy nerding!

Stuggling with dry, dehydrated skin? I've got you!

You’re in luck because I’ve just posted my first blog entry over at my sister website for Cult of Reason Skincare. Get ready to learn how to repair your struggling skin barrier with layering and cycling products. Sign up for the newsletter to get more in depth information, 15% off, and free stuff!

Cult of Reason Skincare launches at Monarch

After four years of formulating and testing, Angela Hugghins launches Cult of Reason Skincare at Monarch featuring a three product collection.

Meet Cult of Reason Skincare. Skin’s new best friend.

Cult of Reason skincare cuts through the noise and hype of the skincare world to give people products that are uncomplicated and effective – no deciphering labels or ten-step routines. Cult of Reason is clean, simple and straightforward, with ingredients that are intentional and readable. Most importantly, they actually work. Plus, the products are non-gendered because skin is skin.

This esthetician-formulated line was born out of a love of the chemistry of skincare and a desire to create a line that challenges the status quo. With carefully selected suppliers, high quality ingredients and a true understanding of how skin works, this streamlined product line is transparent and thoughtfully crafted. Cult of Reason makes loving your skin easy.

The line features three powerhouse products: Grit, Quench and Shield.

Grit: an exfoliating sulfur cleanser that leaves skin soft, soothed and refined.

Quench: a snow mushroom serum that deeply hydrates thirsty skin.

Shield: Cloudberry + Rosehip Oil serum energizes the skin and fights signs of aging,

An esthetician with 20 years of experience, Angela Hugghins was born for the skincare world. Even as a child, she was concocting face masks and giving makeup tips. Her grandfathers would wait patiently as the 6-year-old spruced up their nails and hair, while giving them (totally made up) beauty information. In 2016, she opened her own brow and facial studio, Monarch Brow and Facials in Carrboro, NC. This thoughtful, refined skincare line is the manifestation of this long-held passion.

Join the newsletter for in depth skincare science and product nerdiness. Plus get 15% your first web order when you sign up! Or navigate over to the Cult of Reason blog for A’s to many common Q’s. Https://cultofreasonskin.com

Micropigmentation by Angela featured on Chapelboro's Glowing Review

Thanks again to Ali for this fantastic article on what to expect when coming for brow micropigmentation at Monarch. Follow the link to Chapelboro.com

The Monarch Signature Glo2 (formerly Oxygeneo) Facial featured on Chapelboro!

I’m so excited to share Chapelboro’s Glowing Review of the Monarch Signature OxyGeneo Facial! I had the pleasure of introducing this clinical level facial to Ali Evans of at WCHL/Chapelboro. Please pay a visit over to their website to read her review and check out her other Glowing Reviews, as well. She gave the Lash Lift and Tint a try last year, which you can also find in her blog archives.

Thanks, Ali!

Saline Tattoo Lightening for Brows

Feel like your brows turned out too dark, or maybe you’re ready to move on from tattooed brows altogether? We’ve got you covered! Lighten up existing brow micropigmentation to better suit your changing complexion and/or hair. Saline can help! Not a fan of the tattooed brows you paid for? Saline is here for you.

In two to five sessions, tattoo pigment can be lightened to near complete removal or ready for corrective pigment. Saline is often preferred to laser for removal as it will not turn the titanium found in many cosmetic ink formulas into a ashen color.

Angela is trained in the Li-FT® Lightening technique taught by renowned artist Teryn Darling of Girlz Ink in Las Vegas.

Li-FT® is an all natural, safe yet powerful and effective hypertonic saline lightening solution that contains no chemicals and no acids.

Li-FT® Saline Tattoo Lightening Solution is tattooed into the area of the unwanted permanent makeup, microblading or body tattoo procedure by using conventional tattoo methods. When Li-FT®  is soaked into the skin, the natural effect of Osmosis begins to take place. Li-FT® is a hypertonic solution, therefore it contains a higher amount of salt than the body contains…this enacts the process of Osmosis which starts to move the pigment upward to the outer surface of the skin…then removed by the skins natural healing process.

In addition to the natural power of salt and the Osmosis process, Li-FT® utilizes both lemon seed and orange seed extract for their powerful fading and exfoliation properties. With all this natural power, Li-FT® remains gentle to the skin and to ensure good healing and the integrity of the skin. Also included are Aloe Barbadensis and Calendula Extract.

Li-FT® lightens and in many cases completely lightens old pigment/ink that has been sitting in the skin for years and years.

TLDR: Micropigmenation Ultra Mega Basics

If you landed on the original micropigmentation basics page and saw many, many words and ran screaming, here’s the cliff’s notes version for you.

Micropigmentation is an umbrella term used to describe many techniques of brow tattooing, including microblading, powder brows, and hybrid brows. It’s all tattooing, but using different tools. I tend to use a hybrid of a few techniques and very rarely rely just on microblading as it doesn’t age well by itself.

We’re working fairly shallow with needles in the skin to better control the color as it ages over time. Too deep lasts longer, but changes to scary colors. You can expect fading over the years, but an annual(ish) refresh keeps you looking fly. If you’re lucky, meaning your skin is a golden child, you might get a couple of years between refreshes.

We do it in two sessions, very occasionally three for persnickety situations, spaced 8-12 weeks apart.

You’ll get an aftercare kit and instructions to take home with you on the day of your initial appointment. See below photo.

Consultations on a date prior to your initial appointment are encouraged, but not required UNLESS you have had previous microblading, shading, or any other tattoo work in your brows. Please be honest because I will know immediately if you’ve had work done before.

Please don’t consume any alcohol 24 hours prior to your tattoo appointments. Stop all blood thinners like aspirin, ,ibu, fish oil, prescription thinners, CBD, weed for three days prior. Refrain from cardio exercising the day of your appointment.

You won’t be able to sweat or swim for a week after your sessions so please get that cardio in before so your brows don’t heal with uneven results.

To book your free consultation, follow this link to the Monarch booking page.

stages of micropigmentation healing and aftercare instructions

Monarch Signature Facial: Glo2 (formerly OxyGeneo) Illuminate

Glo2 Illuminate: featuring Vitamin C and Kojic Acid

Go2 Illuminate unifies skin tone, improves pigmentation, and rejuvenates the skin.

This luxurious treatment is based on an innovative Glo2 OxyPod technology – combining breakthrough concepts in biology, chemistry, and technology within a single capsule.

The Glo2 Illuminate OxyPod includes Kojic Acid and Vitamin C for an even skin tone effect, as well as Opuntia fruit Extract and Carrot extract for moisturizing and smoothing the skin.

Utilizing the powerful vitamin C serum completes the treatment effect with powerful brightening ingredients such as Tree Bark extract and Amina acid derivatives, and moisturizing ingredients and nutrients like Triglycerides, Jojoba and Argan oil complex and Vanilla and Horsetail extract complex.

Book your Monarch Signature Glo2 Facial today!

Monarch Signature Facial: Glo2 (formerly OxyGeneo) Revive edition

Glo2 Revive: featuring Red Algae

Glo2 Revive refreshes dull skin, reduces fine lines and improves overall skin texture and appearance.

This exfoliating treatment is based on an innovative Glo2 OxyPod technology – combining breakthrough concepts in biology, chemistry, and technology within a single capsule.

The Glo2 Revive OxyPod includes Red Algae, a powerful antioxidant with an anti-aging effect, and Caffeic Acid and Retinol, known to treat the signs of aging and assist in skin cell turnover.

The Reviving Serum completes the treatment effect with additional ingredients that encourage collagen production and reduce signs of aging, like Peptides complex and Edelweiss, as well as nutrients and vitamins such as Jojoba and Argan Oil complex, vanilla and Horsetail extract complex.

Book your Monarch Signature Glo2 Facial today!