Real Before-and-After Photos - E Experiments: SkinMedica's HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

It's no secret around the office that I am totally obsessed with SkinMedica's blend of five different forms of HA. Why The obsession, you ask? 1. While other hyaluronic acid serums will deliver a superficial plumping effect by binding water in the skin, they are short lived. Typical HA's only have a lifespan of 2 to 4 hours. SkinMedica's R+D geniuses took care to stabilize these HA's, which means all-day and long-term hydration for you.

2. Key Words: "Rejuvenating Hydrator": yes, applying this magical photoshop-in-a-bottle will create a visible, instant gratification perfection-increase. But aside from the right-now smoothing/plumping effect, this powerhouse serum features a brand new antioxidant, peptides, and polysaccharides which will actually stimulate your skin to produce its own HA after continued use.

3. These photos: the below photos are the result of simply tapping HA5 on top of existing makeup, in the office.

Elapsed time: 40 minutes for one set, 4 hours for the other (whoops, we had a pretty crazy clinic day). Anyway, I'll think you'll agree that these results are remarkable!

*no retouching was performed and no filters were used in any way.

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Here's what happens almost instantly when we restore the hydration with HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator: 

Here's the background on HA: Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is our skin's natural moisture. We started out making tons of it, but as damage accumulates with age and our cellular turnover process slows down, we make less and less of it. In fact, it's said that between the ages of 40-50, your skin has lost 50% of the HA it had at age 20!

Known as a "Fountain Of Youth" molecule, HA is super important in the skin to bind water, holding moisture in. HA is also naturally present in our joints for lubrication, and found in many injectable fillers, too. Thanks to the awesome new antioxidants and 5 different kinds of HA in HA5, short-lived temporary gratification from basic/other Hydrating serums is becoming obsolete. ...WELCOME TO THIS!

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If you add my fave HA5 to your regimen, you'll get awesome instant gratification with the added benefit of long-term improvement... and I think you'll be obsessed with it, too!

Click here for more on the long-and-short of the results from HA5 and the technology that sets this product-hero apart from other HA serums.

And until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

If you need to look REALLY good for something, you need to put THIS on 15 minutes before...

Ok, I'll admit it: I have a smidge of an obsession going on with my favorite product for hydrating: SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator. This photoshop-in-a-bottle might just be your new best friend, too.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA): The Fountain Of Youth Molecule

HA is a naturally-occurring, water-loving, water-binding element. The presence of HA, and the ability to create our skin's own HA, is depleted over time with age and skin damage. When we have more HA, fine lines are smoothed, dryness is relieved, and loss of moisture is prevented. The right HA is not only essential to your skin looking fabulous, it's also essential to long-term skin health.

Imagine there's a sponge underneath the top layer of your skin. Imagine that it shrinks as we get older, reducing our ability to hold water in the skin. No matter what moisturizer you use, the amount of water your skin can hold on to is not what it was. We need to restore and replenish that sponge, it's been getting dry and crispy over time.

HA5: What will it do for me?

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When you add a concentrated, stabilized HA Serum to your routine, it will amplify skin’s water content and prevent loss of hydration, reducing the look of crow’s feet, folds, laugh lines, marionette lines, and other 'textures of life'. The result? You have smoother, firmer skin, and you look Ah-mazing. Check out some before and after pictures on real people here.

...But when that HA Serum is SkinMedica's HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator, the improvement is not just temporary. Remember that above-referenced 'sponge' (above)? After several weeks of use, you will notice a change in your skin each day: your 'sponge' is healthier, holding onto more water than before, and making its own HA! Because, while instant gratification is awesome, who doesn't want to look really good every day??

This amazing product boasts five different forms of HA, all with different tasks:

Time Release HA: A SkinMedica® proprietary, sustained release of HA (HA all day!)

Sodium Hyaluronate: For immediate hydration (instant gratification)

Uncross-linked HA: For smoothness and hydration

Nano HA: Soothes skin (great for those with sensitive skin)

Cross-Linked HA: Provides long-lasting hydration for up to 8 hours (most HA serums zonk out at 2-4 hours)

^Translation:

Soothing, calming, smoothing, an instant smoothing effect AND long-lasting hydration.

Instant Gratification

Really: if you put this on at least 15-20 minutes before you have to look really fabulous, you will notice a visible improvement in fine lines and textures. When we demonstrate it in the office, I'll apply it to one side of a patient's face. By the time they leave the office, there is a very noticeable difference between the two sides. 

HA All Day (and beyond!) 

Here's the best part: HA5 features VITISCENCE™ antioxidant technology, (this is exclusive to SkinMedica). These new and potent antioxidants will actually support long-term skin health and your skin’s ability to replenish its own HA.‬

Who Is It Good For?

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All skin types: including normal, dry, mature, oily, acne-prone, sensitive and fragile.

How Do I Use It?

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Apply 2 pumps of SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator as the last step of your skin care regimen before a moisturizer both AM and PM.

• If you use a moisturizer/sunscreen combo: it would go on just under that.
• If you are a serum-user, apply your serum first, then your HA5, followed by your moisturizer and/or sunscreen.

Real Patient Comments from our office:

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“You feel like you’re doing your skin a favor… and as time goes on, the more favors you can do for it, the better!”

“It’s a treat for myself every day”
..."it feels ‘soft’, ‘smooth’ and feels so light, while still ‘feeling moisturized".

After using it for a while, many patients remark that they don’t have that tight-feeling after cleansing, and don't feel that immediate need to throw something on fast to alleviate tightness.

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Looking to join the #nofilter-selfie-HA5-fanclub (<get one for yourself)?

Authentic HA5 is only available through authorized physician's offices:  you can find a physician near you by clicking here.

And if you're around the Chicagoland area, give us a call at our office! Skincare consultations and Shipping on products are both complimentary... we would love to help you get started on HA5:

DMG Aesthetics - Dr. Daniel G. Danahey GLEN ELLYN, IL 630-545-7840

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Learn more about HA5 on SkinMedica's site by clicking here. 

...And in the meantime: stay fabulous (and hydrated!) my friends!

My friends are going to Vegas... Here is the product they NEED to be using

In honor of my friends' upcoming trip to Vegas, I thought I would share my recommendation for anti-aging during the summer in a hot climate... And what product I loaded them up with to make their trip as skin-safe as possible.

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It turns out that infrared radiation will absolutely zap your collagen and put your skin into a free-radical frenzy, creating damage. Read about that in another post I wrote, here.

A new, important factor in everyday skin protection, IR-protection is *of course* especially important when you're planning a vacay. Infrared manifests itself as heat on the skin, so you could imagine the havoc that hanging out poolside in Vegas could create.

Here's what I loaded them up with for their suitcases (also in mine when I was there in May for the Vegas Cosmetic Surgery meetings!):

SkinMedica’s Total Defense + Repair SPF 34 Tinted (also available without tint)

...is my absolute summer go-to superscreen.  It features:

• A cosmetically-elegant, easy-to use and wear consistency: creamy, but not greasy
• A semi-matte finish offers light, complexion-flattering coverage
• Tons of specially-formulated antioxidants for both UV and IR protection

Remember, it's important to protect from UV and IR on a daily basis, not just when you're sitting poolside. 

So give it a try this summer, don't forget to reapply, and until next time: stay fabulous, my friends!

Anti-Aging: A new reason why you need more than just UV protection

Fact: UV isn't the only cause of skin aging from the sun... You need protection from IR, too.

That's right: Just when you thought you had it the whole anti-aging thing down, science is showing we have more than UV radiation to worry about: infrared radiation (IR or IRA)

What is infrared?

IR makes up more than half of the solar spectrum. IR penetrates deeper into the skin than UV rays. -This is a scary thought, because  well, deeper in the skin means more damage to the skin. 

"Infrared radiation lies between the visible and microwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared waves have wavelengths longer than (the) visible ... the primary source of infrared radiation is heat or thermal radiation... The higher the temperature, the more the atoms and molecules move and the more infrared radiation they produce."

...According to California Institute of Technology's CoolCosmos.com Read the whole article here 

IR manifests itself as heat on the skin, so when you're outside and you're feeling the heat, IR is doing it's evil work on your subcutaneous layers.

So, what does this mean for your skin??

Basically, THIS: (see pic)

IR causes free-radical production deep in the skin, essentially cooking the skin, causing free radicals to form, creating damage, hyperpigmentation, and of course: wrinkles. See my post on Free Radicals here.

What can you do?

It takes anti-oxidants to neutralize damage, along with broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect. A couple of my fave go-to "superscreens" combine the two for you:

SkinMedica's Total Defense + Repair line features cosmetically-elegant superscreens in both tinted and not-tinted versions. I love this one.

Another newer and fabulous superscreen is Obagi's Sun Shield TINT SPF 50, providing a matte finish and two shades to choose from: Cool and Light.

These easy-to use IR-defense products are making it easy to protect from UV and IR on a daily basis.

Check them out, give them a try this summer, and until next time: stay fabulous, my friends!

Omg Omg Omg: This Neck Product is the stuff dreams are made of

I'm so totally head over heels for the brand new Micro-Firm product by Neocutis.  This winner product just launched, I have been using it for about two weeks... and from my personal experience, let's just say: I'm drinking the kool-aid. The way my skin feels makes me want to absolutely shower in it!! 

The ingredients are rad; not only does it feature the new MPC technology (stimulates collagen one, three, and seven, plus Hylauronic acid and elastin production) but also: - contains 7% glycolic acid to refine tone and texture

-this concentrated treatment product contains as many peptides as a serum to make it more intensive and see results sooner

- improvement can be seen in as little as two weeks (and even sooner for less mature skin types)

- free of fragrance, dyes and parabens

- the packaging rocks - it's a pretty airless pump jar (prevents oxidation and contamination)

- the micro essential peptides stimulate elastin which is ideal for the sagging skin in the neck and sun-damaged chests

- contains nourishing argan and jojoba oil

- I'm loving the silky texture - not too thick and not sticky (think of a gel, cream, and serum hybrid), it's fun to use because it's super cosmetically elegant.

    Find it at a doctors office near you, and your neck and décolleté will be singing its praises, too!

Until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

The Skincare Ingredient You Didn't Know You Were Missing

Neocutis has long been known as a skin care leader for their innovations in growth factor technology. (Read more about that here)  The newest NEOCUTIS skin care line, MICRO•ESSENTIALS, is now available - and after weeks of experimentation, I can confidently say: I'm nuts about it. This brand new class of anti-aging brings a new addition ingredient to skin care - So what IS the newest thing, you ask?

The short answer: A brand new blend of peptides.

The short answer, explained: Inspired by matrikine technology, MPC™ (Micro Protein Complex) uses a new blend of peptides to help defend against and correct the visible signs of skin aging.

What will these fancy peptides actually do for me, you ask?

• They stimulate Collagen 1, 3, and 7 (7 is the kind way deep down there, helping with "foundational" support of the skin. Think firm!)
•  They stimulate your own production of Hylauronic Acid (HA). HA might sound familiar, it's a popular ingredient in moisturizers, hydrating serums, and fillers like Juvederm and Restylane. It'll keep your skin plump and hydrated.
• They stimulate elastin synthesis. This is exciting, there's not many products/ingredients out there that'll do this.

The NEOCUTIS MICRO•ESSENTIALS line includes five products to help you kick butt in the anti-aging department:

MICRO•DAY™ Rejuvenating Cream:

• Broad-spectrum Sunscreen with SPF 30
• An all-in-one for the girl on the go, this moisturizing product also delivers anti-oxidant protection
• Tinted and creamy, yet sheer and satiny consistency is lovely to apply and great for most all skin types

MICRO•NIGHT™ Rejuvenating Cream 

• Finally... A great anti-aging product that isn't too heavy, but still restores moisture. It's about time we had a new product in this category.
• Smooths skin and improves firmness while you sleep.

MICRO•EYES™ Rejuvenating Cream 

• If you like Lumiere, you'll LOVE this
• alleviates the signs of fatigue
• Light consistency, noticeable results
• helps make the delicate skin around the eyes resistant to the signs of aging.
• Safe to use on upper lids too! Woot!

MICRO•SERUM Intensive Treatment 

• The Cadillac of the line, this glorious serum is the highest concentration of our new found peptide friends.
• Absolutely lovely upon application, not sticky or goopy... Just elegant and enjoyable as it smoothed over skin.
• goes beyond fine lines and wrinkles to address additional signs of aging, including elasticity, tone and texture.

MICRO•FIRM: Check out my post about this 5-star product here. I am head-over-heels for this awesome serum-meets-cream rejuvenating and firming intensive treatment!!

If you're interested in adding this new cutting-edge peptide to your regimen, find it at a doctors office near you! And in the meantime, stay fabulous, my friends!

Anti-Aging: We've been missing something

As a skin care professional, I'll admit that the first (and sometimes only) anti-aging recommendations I default to are the usual suspects: Retinoids, sunscreen, growth factors, antioxidants, and a smorgasbord of treatments to prevent and treat wrinkles. But with so much focus (from me, from like, everyone) on anti-aging of the skin, what about the hair?? Perhaps it's that hair anti-aging hasn't been a focus from a technology standpoint until recently. But technology IS catching up in this category, as I recently learned in a lecture featuring speaker Brian Hendricks, VP of Global Education for DS Laboratories. By the way, "DS" stands for Divine Skin. This organization is certainly speaking my language.

“The future expectation of hair care will not be to simply clean, condition, and style the hair.  Rather, products will be designed to protect, stimulate, and manipulate actual hair growth to achieve the best hair of your life.  DS Laboratories has already set this standard with stunning results.” says Hendricks.

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Here's what I learned:

As we age, the hair follicles shrink, harden, and weaken -Oh GREAT. We have the best hair of our lives at our follicular peak around the age of 19. Stop and think about it: have you seen a elderly woman with flowing, long locks lately? Well, I haven't. And while weekly roller sets might also be a convenience when you're 90, it's true that the potential for mermaid hair at that age is little to none.

So, is there potential for keeping the hair at its peak, restoring, or even maintaining where it is presently? There is, with recent developments in technology. And, with the help of stimulants, anti-inflammatories, and nutrient delivery, says Hendricks. The unique line of products from DS Laboratories, including Revita Shampoo and Revita COR Conditioner give the follicles a fighting chance.

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Here are some of the benefits: •Stimulants: No, we're not talking Rogaine here. Multiple stimulants including caffeine in DS Laboratories' Revita line can stimulate the follicles into action for length and volume!

•Anti-inflammatories: Anti-inflammatories rescue the follicles from arguably the Number 1 cause of aging: Inflammation.

•Antioxidants: Antioxidants like Spin Traps, one of the most potent (and expensive!) antioxidant molecules available on the market neutralize free radical damage, a serious offender in the aging process for hair AND skin. •Nutrient Delivery: One word: Biospheres. Just like skincare, once we've identified beneficial ingredients, the challenge lies in how to get them where they need to go. Biospheres magnetically attach the active ingredients to the skin on the scalp so they keep working. Rest assured these powerful products are not just rinsing down the drain - they're even working while swimming or working out!

•Beauty AND Brains: Aside from all the great science, these products make your hair look and feel glorious starting from the first time you use them. I speak from experience.

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Says Jessica Taylor, Regional Brand Manager for DS Laboratories, "We are all on the pursuit of perfection, and a fusion of hair and skin care is what will get us there. (With products) filled with antioxidants, amino acids & anti-aging components, science can be sexy too."

And who doesn't love that??

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous My Friends!

These Villains are the Cause of Skin Damage, Part 3

If we want to look at our anti-aging practices from an informed and discerning perspective, it’s good to know what’s going on in there that causes wrinkles (and other not-so-fun manifestations of skin aging). So far, we know about three main things that happen in the skin when damage is caused. Click HERE for the 1st Villain I wrote about, Click HERE for the 2nd in the series. Read on for the 3rd biochemical phenomenon in my series:

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Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs)

AGE is a a conveniently-coincidental acronym for Advanced Glycation End-products, which are the evil little products of a reaction between glucose (sugar) and proteins... Specifically collagen and elastin in this case (glycation).

Yes, it tastes good, but excess sugar in your diet screws up more than just your waistline.

How does it cause aging? 

Glucose is good, of course, in the way of providing energy. But when there's extra glucose, it rumbles with our collagen and elastin. This process produces AGEs, which make these fibers crispy and easily breakable. This reaction contributes to inflammation, slowed/inhibited growth of cells, and wrinkles (oh my!).

To simplify, think of it as turning your normal, elastic rubber band-like fibers into an old, dried out and crumbly rubber band. When AGE's wreak havoc, your rubber bands are in an accelerated aging state, causing that loss of elasticity, sagging, and wrinkles.

In an article for Prevention, dermatologist Dr Frederic Brandt (well-known for his research in AGE's) breaks it down further: "Besides damaging collagen, a high-sugar diet also affects what type of collagen you have—another factor in how resistant skin is to wrinkling... The most abundant collagens in the skin are types I, II, and III, with type III being the most stable and longest lasting. Glycation transforms type III collagen into type I, which is more fragile.

The article goes on to describe that "AGEs deactivate your body's natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving you more vulnerable to sun damage—still the main cause of skin aging."

(Read even more about it from a dermatologic perspective in this white paper.) 

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yikes! What Now?

1) It's time to build some new Collagen. If you're not already, start using a Retinol or Retinoid.

My favorites for sensitive or dry types:

RX Renova (super-gentle Tretinoin .02)

Or this SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol Complex

My favorites for resistant or oily skin types:

Rx Tretinoin .05 or Tretinoin .1 creams

or SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol Complex 1.0

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2) Diet:

Cut down on simple sugars in your diet. From a dietary perspective, refined sugar seems to impact glycation about 10 times more than glucose.

Yup, just another reason... Sorry.

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3) Use topical antioxidants.

These guys are ONCE AGAIN a great way to cut down on all the domino effects of damage. . Click HERE to read more about them. 

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4) Try a Targeted Treatment Cream: One of my fave go-to's is Skinceuticals AGE Interrupter. Give it a Go if you're in the market for a rich, cosmetically-elegant treatment cream.

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And Until Next time, Stay Fabulous My Friends!

These Villains are the cause of skin damage, Part 2

If we want to look at our anti-aging practices from an informed and discerning perspective, it's good to know what's going on in there that causes wrinkles (and other not-so-fun manifestations of skin aging). So far, we know about three main things that happen in the skin when damage is caused. Click HERE for the 1st Villain I wrote about. Here's the 2nd biochemical phenomenon in my series: •    The Villains: MMP's

Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes -envision Pac-Man!- activated by inflammation.  Inflammation can be caused by elements like UV exposure and infrared radiation. MMPs are not cool because they contribute to the breakdown of collagen. And as if that wasn't bad enough... they also work to inhibit new collagen formation.

For a scholarly article type of resource, check out this white paper on The National Center for Biotechnology Information website. They say Matrix-degrading metalloproteinases are key mediators of collagen degradation that is observed in photoaged skin. Key mediators? Oh man!!

Yikes! What to do now???

Don't freak out, its just one of the biochemical phenomena that results from CHRONIC damage and UV exposure. Let's be proactive about this...  Since we know MMPs are expressed as a result of UV and IR, we have a shot at preventing by using great SPF and using antioxidants. Click here to read more about some of my fave go-to antioxidants. And stay tuned for another edition of Skin Damage Villains, coming soon!

Until Next Time, Stay Fabulous (and Informed!) my friends!

These Villains are damaging your skin: Part 1

If we want to look at our anti-aging practices from an informed and discerning perspective, it's good to know what's going on in there that causes wrinkles (and other not-so-fun manifestations of skin aging). So far, we know about three main things that happen in the skin when damage is caused...here's one:

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The Production of Evil Villain #1: ROS, aka Reactive Oxygen Species

ROS: These little oxidative destructors are also known as free radicals. When they're produced by damage, they are missing an electron - so they'll tazmanian-devil through otherwise stable molecules wreaking all kinds of havoc.

Throughout this mission of destruction, they are looking to steal an electron for themselves, causing those other normal cells to become free-radicals, too. This chain reaction of destruction and theft leads to inflammation, damage, and the cross-linking of collagen and elastin (wrinkles!!)

Eeek! What should I do, you ask? The best product-related helpers are antioxidants and sunscreens, which both help prevent the formation in the first place, and help neutralize the offenders. (Picture a knight in shining armor, swinging a sword at an evil free radical... and read more about those here!)

More on those villains later, and until next time, Stay Fabulous My Friends!

Vitamin C: it's not just for breakfast... Products that Prevent

The best product-related helpers to prevent damage to the skin are arguably antioxidants and sunscreens, which both help prevent the formation of free radicals in the first place, and also help neutralize these offenders.

Picture a knight in shining armor, swinging a sword at an evil free radical, he'd be considered the antioxidant.

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My go-to, long-standing favorite antioxidants are topical Vitamin C's.

 Topical vitamin C's are known to have many benefits, including:

•  Neutralizing free radicals, preventing skin aging
•  Helping to maintain normal cellular turnover
•  Helping to build collagen
•  Lightening and brightening the skin
•  Reducing inflammation
•  Decreasing transepidermal water loss (your skin won't leak moisture so much)

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Here are just a few I love:

• Skinmedica C & E Complex This creamy, silky formulation has a satin-like consistency... Just like those makeup primers we all love. I tend to like it because of its cosmetic elegance and the lipid-soluble Vitamin C feature. Also, if you are as clumsy as I can be, the pump is very helpful. No spills! Read more about this one in my post, 3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica C and E Complex

• Skinceuticals CE Ferulic This L-ascorbic classic has been often imitated, never duplicated! Read More about it in my post, 3 Fast Facts: Skinceuticals CE Ferulic

• Skinmedica TNS Essential Serum My clients know that I refer to this one as 'the Mercedes Benz of anti-aging products'. Because, not only is there C, but lots of other potent goodies, too. Namely, growth factors, antioxidants, peptides, and alpha arbutin. Read more about it in my post, 3 Fast Facts: SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum

• Obagi C-clarifying Serum This little powerhouse is the first and the only of its kind on the market. It's really under-rated, in my opinion. Read more about it in my post, 3 Fast Facts: Obagi C-Clarifying Serum

• Obagi Professional-C Serums

• Environ C-Quence Eye

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The Need-To-Know:

How to Use Vitamin C: Use Vitamin C in the mornings after toner and before moisturizers and sunscreens to help defend skin from the onslaught of pollutants, sun, and all kinds of other threats that you'll meet out there during your busy day.

Think: I'm drinking my OJ in the morning, My skin needs its Vitamin C in the morning, too!

Oh, and don't forget the neck, chest, and the backs of the hands... they need protection, too.

Buyer Beware: Even though Vitamin C is a sort of 'knight in shining armor', it's also really unstable... always about to oxidize and die. Be sure that you don't go with just ANY vitamin C. Those that have published research or from reputable companies are the best bet.

Oxidation: If you've got a water-based C (L-ascorbic) like CE Ferulic, for example, be sure you toss it when it starts to turn orange/amber in color.  This assures that your product isn't weakened or *GASP* causing oxidation. This is an ANTI-OXIDANT, for goodness sake.

Acne Patients Beware: Vitamin C's are great for many people, but acne patients should avoid: even though Vitamin C's are great to lighten acne marks from old breakouts, they are not the best choice for those currently breaking out. If you currently have active acne, get your breakouts under control first, and then consider choosing a formula meant for all or oily skin types.

Stay safe in the sun out there - and Until Next Time, Stay Fabulous My Friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinceuticals CE Ferulic

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: Skinceuticals CE Ferulic

➢ Fact 1

This fantastic product is a topical antioxidant used to protect the skin from future damage, promote cell renewal, and increase the build of collagen. Distinguished Duke professor, faculty-member, chemist, and Dermatologist, Dr Sheldon Pinnell published more than 200 articles and studies on topical antioxidants.

Known (by me, at least!) as the grandfather of topical antioxidants, Dr Pinnell developed this product based on much of his research. This serum has gone on to become and remain the cornerstone of Skinceuticals collection. Dr Pinnell had formulated the perfect C Serum: the right PH, the right percentage of C, and the perfect C-stabilizers: Vitamin E and Ferulic acid.

This emollient-like serum can be perfect for normal-to-dry skin types. Side note: Most reviews on the product describe it as 'featherweight', but I find that most oily- types find it too heavy, likely because of the Vitamin E.

➢ Fact 2

I love this formulation in particular because of its reservoir effect: once it is in the skin, it stays there for about 3 days- which makes it great for sweating runners and outdoor-lovers. This also says to me: "It really gets in there!"

(Keep things consistent and apply every day though).

➢ Fact 3

It also reduces inflammation in UV-irradiated cells. Slather this on afterwards if you happen to get a sunburn on vacay in Barbados. (But I know you won't get a sunburn, right?!)

Here's a link to learn more about it (the science!)

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Love Lobster?? Read On! The Top Ten Anti-Aging Foods

It's (of course) not just the products we use ON our skin that helps us fight the good fight, it's what we put iN our bodies that can help our skin, too. Make sure you're eating the right ones! Health.com brings us the top ten antiaging foods:

• Coffee (bio-actives can help fend off melanoma)
• Watermelon
• Pomegranate 
• Blueberries
• Lobster (woohoo! Did we even need another reason to love lobster? It's anti-inflammatory effects can have a beneficial effect on the skin)
• Kale
• Eggs
• Walnuts
• Avocado
• Cantaloupe (this one was a surprise to me, but beta carotene makes this one a win!)

Read the whole article here: Health.com

   And until next time, stay fabulous my friends! 

Before and After: my Halo Laser Treatment Results!

While it's a little embarrassing to reveal what my complexion looked like before, the results are TOO GOOD to not to share. Here are the before-and-after Visia Imager photos from my Halo Resurfacing. (no foundation/concealer, moisturizer, or anything on the skin in either pic). I've been meaning to share these for a while, I am SO happy with my results! What is Halo? Halo laser is the first of it's kind: a hybrid (ablative and non-ablative) fractionated laser. Translation: 2 different wavelengths of laser fire off at the exact same time. Down-time is a fraction of any other fractionated laser out there-  (you can wear makeup out the door) - and the results are exponentially better from my perspective. It's almost like having double the treatment with amazingly little social downtime, if any.

If you are on the fence about this procedure, I would urge you to go for it.

My Results: a reduction of pore size, almost no breakouts anymore, reduction in discoloration and hyperpigmentation, a tightening of the skin, improvement in texture and a noticeable glow or luminosity... probably why they called it Halo.

My Plan: Moving forward, I plan to get a Halo once a year to maintain- now that my skin is so improved, I'm spoiled!

Check out Halo at Erickson Dermatology here

and click here to see more Halo Before and After's

Until Next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

E Experiments: BOTOX in the Bands, aka The Nefertiti Lift

It's about time I share my experience with 'Botox in the bands', aka the Nefertiti lift. My boss, Board certified dermatologist Dr. Quenby Erickson performed the procedure for me, which I love, love, love.

Side note: this use of Botox Cosmetic Is considered off-label, like many of the ways offices use it these days. But not every office offers this treatment. From my perspective, it's more of an advanced technique, (so do your homework on your provider before trying)

Here's the scoop:

What is it? The Nefertiti lift is a non-surgical technique used to make the Neck, chin and "Gobbler" area look smoother and younger by injecting Botox into the platysmal bands. As it turns out, these bands are partly responsible for the downward pull on the lower face (Either side of the chin) and the development of the dreaded 'turkey neck'.

The Treatment: this simple procedure was done in less than maybe five minutes. It didn't hurt, and after it was done I went on with my day, not giving it another thought. Dr. Erickson used 30 units of Botox to treat me, but everyone will be different. As the Botox kicked in during the next week /10 days, I started to notice that the treatment made a surprising difference to me.

My Results: I originally tried this for experience/learning and preventative purposes, But as the effect set in, I noticed a really nice change that I'm really excited about! To me, it looks like there is less tendency for any 'pulling down' by the corners of my mouth and chin, in addition to improvement in my neck, "gobbler" area ((technical term?? Ha)). My jawline is more defined in an elegant, pretty way. I'm liking that!

My Favorite Part: I love the jawline definition I have now, (even though I would not have necessarily listed that as an area for improvement on myself before). Keep in mind, everyone is different, so depending on how many units (I had 30, but I regularly see 50 plus in the office) and how much lift you need, results will always vary. BUT if you have an open mind and would be satisfied with a nice, subtle improvement, this is worth a go!!

Until next time, Stay fabulous, my friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica TNS Essential Serum

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum

➢ Fact 1

All-in-one-awesome:

TNS Essential serum is product is used to correct, protect from future damage, promote cell renewal, smooth, lighten and increase collagen.

I personally call this fantastic product 'The Mercedes of anti-aging products'. Not only is there Vitamin C in here, but lots of other potent goodies, too. Users will benefit from ultra-high concentrations of growth factors, 7 antioxidants, peptides, and super-potent  alpha-arbutin for lightening and brightening.

➢ Fact 2

Antioxidants both ways:

The antioxidants found in Essential Serum include ergothionine, green tea extract, blackberry leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, coenzyme Q-10, tocopheryl acetate (E) and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (lipid-soluble C), which are all free-radical fighters.

Just like SkinMedica's C & E Complex, there's a combo of water- and lipid-soluble antioxidants here.  This is good because the water-soluble antioxidants can weave down between skin cells. The lipid-soluble's are meant to actually enter the cell through its membrane. The two types of action here means that you're covering your bases and in for a better result.

➢ Fact 3

In a hurry?

Essential serum is essential for the gal (or guy) on the go. A combination of both the beloved TNS Recovery Complex and APS corrective complex in one. This super-covenient dual chamber packaging is like those toothpaste/gel combo pumps that pump out both products simultaneously. One pump and both the APS serum and the Recovery Complex are dispensed.

Oh, and for the instant-gratification lovers out there: hyalauronic acid plumping spheres are present in this all-in-one serum. Buh-bye, fine lines!

Check it out here

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica TNS Recovery Complex

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex

➢ Fact 1

Growth factors are not something that come naturally to aging skin. Thankfully, SkinMedica has provided us with the #1 growth factor on the market, NouriCel-MD, which is a naturally secreted , physiologically-balanced combo of over 110 human growth factors that are both active and stable. TNS Recovery complex is made up of 93.6% NouriCel-MD (this means it's potent).

Growth Factors like TNS Recovery complex basically play a game of telephone with the skin to unlock it's ability to heal and repair itself. Since age and inflammation basically wound the skin, TNS helps 'heal', improving skin texture, smoothing fine lines, and reducing photo damage.

➢ Fact 2

This nifty red gel is quickly absorbed by the skin. In fact, you've got to be pretty quick about it! This has been a patient favorite for years. I would say that there's almost a cult-like following of TNS among many clients/patients. Many of our patients insist that it almost instantly tightens upon application and won't go without it. Great for all skin types, use AM/PM before all of your other serums and moisturizers.

➢ Fact 3

Since procedures like chemical peels and laser treatments are also a sort of wound, TNS Recovery complex is often times appropriate to use after your peel or laser treatment to help the skin heal quickly and predictably. That's one reason it was called Recovery Complex! (Always check with your doctors office to see what their specific post care instructions are for your procedure). We love it after HALO laser, MicrolaserPeel, pro-fractional laser, chemical peels, after the incisions seal up post-surgical procedures, and all the time!

Here's a link to learn more about it:

http://www.skinmedica.com/skin-care-products/tns-recovery-complex

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica Vitamin C & E Complex

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica C & E Complex

➢ Fact 1

This fantastic product is a topical antioxidant used to protect the skin from future damage, promotes cell renewal, and increases the build of collagen. Topical vitamin C's have been known to reduce inflammation (think rosacea and post-sun exposure) and brighten the skin. These are usually great for everybody with the exception of super oily skin types, and some very sensitive or fragile types.

➢ Fact 2

Usually Vitamin C is really unstable... always about to oxidize and bite the dust. In this case, the vitamins are suspended in a silicone (dimethicone suspension) base so they are gradually released throughout the day and won't oxidize. This assures that your product isn't weakened or *GASP* causing oxidation. This is an ANTI-OXIDANT, for goodness sake. But don't become oxidation paranoid, you're safe with this formula.

There are 2 forms of beneficial C in there, too... lipid soluble and water soluble. Covering our bases here.

➢ Fact 3

The above-mentioned dimethicone suspension is not just a great delivery system, it feels like an awesome makeup primer! This super-satin finish will make you look forward to applying it. Use it in the AM's to protect against the onslaught of free-radical threats that you'll meet in your day. Your skin will thank you for it!

Here's a link to learn more about it:

http://www.skinmedica.com/skin-care-products/vitamin-ce-complex

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Nuts about it Now: Neocutis

I will admit: I was hesitant to experiment with Neocutis a few years back because I am SUCH a SkinMedica TNS fan. Like, an Ultra-Fan. But of course I have to keep my eyes and ears open for different and new ways to use products and new technology etc... so I dove in.

I loved the way the Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream felt, and really enjoyed the brightness it seemed to provide my eye area. I really enjoyed using the Exfoliating Skin Cleanser (featuring 10% Glycolic acid) which did not make my skin feel stripped. I also really loved the convenience of the Journee, a one-stop-shop anti-aging product featuring a sunscreen, a slight tint, and PSP, Neocutis' growth factor. By far, my favorite of the group was the Bio-Serum: a concentrated growth-factor intensive that helped the clarity of my skin and the texture simultaneously.

I recently became re-familiarized with the line when my good friend Jill took on the Chicago Neocutis territory and dropped in to school me on the swiss technology ...and let me play around with the products again. I am pretty excited about the line again, it's just as good as I remember and I even had the chance to do a couple split-face comparisons with other products. (More about that in another post).  In the meantime, here is a another post I wrote about Neocutis and their approach to skin care technology: to check that out, Click Here

And until next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Neocutis to the Skin: 'I'm gonna need you to start the healing process, ok?'

I wanted to share a bit about my recent look into Neocutis Skin Care products, their technology,  and how their growth factor 'PSP' works. Here's the scoop.

Neocutis offers a number of products that feature technology that was developed by leading Swiss researchers out of the University Hospital of Lausanne, a leading international research facility. Their claim-to-fame/ proprietary ingredient is called PSP, which they have termed the "Cadillac of Peptides".

Here are some interesting facts about PSP and how it works:

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The Healing Power of Peptides

Inspired by the phenomenon of the scarless healing of fetal skin, medical researchers in Switzerland created a biotechnology process to obtain the super power proteins involved in wound healing from cultured fibroblasts.  A dedicated cell bank was established for developing new wound healing and burn treatments with these amazing proteins.  That same cell bank is the source of the fibroblasts that produce PSP, which is Neocutis' secret weapon. By the way, fibroblasts are the collagen producing cell found in skin.

PSP

PSP stands for Processed Skin Proteins. PSP is a mixture of Human Growth Factors, interleukins, and the other cytokines that were discovered by those Swiss scientist smarty-pants.

Ok, so it heals wounds (that's pretty cool). But what does it do for the skin's appearance?

Let's face it: aging skin is damaged.  No matter what you want to primarily blame for the inflammation, damaged/aged skin is basically wounded skin.  The free-radical damage (reactive oxidative species) that causes the wound (aging/ skin damage) is caused by stuff like

• glycation
• injuries to the skin
• pollution
• chronic skin conditions
• sun damage: the tanning bed you hit in high school, the baby oil/iodine days of the past, or even just daily daylight-exposure

The scientists found that even though the skin does not actually absorb the growth factors, they are proven to play what I like to think of as a game of 'telephone' with the skin when applied topically.  They are able to stimulate the healing process, actually acting to 'heal' the 'wound' of the aging/damaged skin.

The result is smoothed, brightened and firmed skin, all with no color or fragrance additives. Give it a try and see what you think! Check it out here: www.neocutis.com 

Until next time, stay fabulous, my friends!