Monday, September 17, 2012

Prepare Your Skin for Fall

As the leaves begin to turn and temperatures begin to cool, we look forward to a break from the heat of summer and forward to scarves, boots, and sweaters. While we welcome the change in climate, it can wreak havoc on our skin. A seasonal switch means dryer weather--and dryer skin--is just around the corner and it's time to adjust our skincare routines. Take a look at Dr. Beer’s recommendations to prepare your skin for fall.

Moisturize
We can’t stress enough the importance of moisturizing during the dryer months. Whereas your skin may have been oilier during the heat and humidity of summer, it will tend to dry out during fall and winter. If you have oily skin to begin with, use an oil-free or gel moisturizer. If you have dry skin, use both a serum with hyaluronic acid and a heavy moisturizer to keep skin soft and dewy. We love Scientific by Kenneth Beer MD’s Intensive Repair Serum and Daily Hydrating Cream.

Makeup
So you’ve been blotting your face like crazy with that translucent powder in an effort to dry up all of that oil? As the season begins to change, so should your foundation. Opt for a foundation with added moisture to keep skin looking dewy and not caked with powdery makeup. Love your foundation and simply can’t make the switch? Try mixing a moisturizer into liquid foundation. For the lips, make sure to keep lip balm on hand. Our favorite way to quench dry lips is by using Aquaphor Healing Balm.

Allergies
Allergies, rosacea, and eczema tend to act up during seasonal transitions, so keep your skin soothed with calendula extract or other anti-inflammatory foods such as green tea, papaya, wild salmon and shitake mushrooms. Eating fresh, less processed foods will help with allergies as well, so skip the chip aisle and head to the produce section as much as possible.

Sunscreen
We've said it before, but we'll say it again, with Dr. Beer backing us up: sunscreen is a daily must, regardless of the season. You need a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 (we use 60 for our face) year round. If you can’t stand the pallor that comes with colder weather, use a self tanner. We love Saint Tropez because it never streaks and it gives us a natural sun-kissed brown hue instead of an orangey copper.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Secrets to Beautiful Skin

Throughout all of human history man has endeavored to make himself appear more attractive. The ancient Romans used ingredients such as lentels, barley, lupine, honey, and oregano seeds to make their creams and lotions. The ancient Egyptians used many ingredients we still use today, including clay, salt, and olive oil.

So what has a few thousand years and a lot of science told us? Read on for today’s secrets for beautiful skin.

Don’t Smoke
It seems pretty simple right? You’d think with all of the education out there on how damaging cigarette smoke is to our bodies that people would simply not start smoking to begin with, right? Tell that to the billion dollar tobacco industry and you’ll probably get an arched brow to accompany a smug smile. According to the Mayo Clinic, Smoking can speed up the normal aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles.

And smoking doesn't cause wrinkles only on your face. Smoking also is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on other parts of your body, including your inner arms. While the skin wrinkles may not be reversible, you can prevent worsening of wrinkling by quitting smoking now.

Wear Sunscreen
Imagine identical twins at birth, both starting off with the same DNA. One sibling stays out of the sun and always applies sunscreen, the other frequents tanning salons and never applies sunscreen. Care to wager which sibling will look older, sooner?

Exposure to the sun causes:
  • Pre-cancerous (actinic keratosis) and cancerous (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma) skin lesions - caused by loss of the skin's immune function
  • Benign tumors
  • Fine and coarse wrinkles
  • Freckles
  • Discolored areas of the skin, called mottled pigmentation
  • Sallowness -- a yellow discoloration of the skin
  • Telangiectasias -- the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin
  • Elastosis -- the destruction of the elastic and collagen tissue (causing lines and wrinkles)

So slather on the sunscreen, and save your skin from a host of unsavory characteristics later in life.

Use Retinoids
The term describes vitamin A derivatives that unclog pores, boost collagen to reduce fine lines, and speed cell turnover to even out discoloration and smooth the skin—sometimes in as little as four weeks. The first retinoid—tretinoin—was FDA approved (under the brand name Retin-A) almost 40 years ago as a prescription acne treatment. Dermatologists soon noticed that patients on Retin-A experienced not just clearer but softer, brighter, less-lined skin. Today there are three prescription-strength retinoids: tretinoin (brands include Atralin, Avita, Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, Renova), tazarotene (Avage, Tazorac), and adapalene (Differin). Many dermatologists find tazarotene stronger (and potentially more irritating) than tretinoin; adapalene is the gentlest but may be less effective. Ask your dermatologist which formula is right for you.

Keep Skincare Simple
Don’t overuse products and don’t use too many different products on your skin. If you’re a novice to skincare, find a line you like and try to stick with products from that line only. Most skincare lines have been tested to make sure the products don’t interact in a negative way. Bombarding your skin with a ton of new products be irritating. And of course, the simpler your skin care routine the more likely you are to stick to it.

Give Products Time to Work
Don’t be too hasty. While products can start to effect an immediate change in your skin, you might not see the results for a few weeks. Choose your products wisely. Read reviews before you make the big purchase. Did these products work on others with similar skin issues? If you’ve done your homework and the products you are using have positive reviews, stick with it. You will be glad you did!