It goes without fail, every time I'm with a group of women talking "beauty" the conversation reverts to skincare. What are these dark spots on my face? Where did these lines around my lips come from? Why am I breaking out at 40? There comes a time in a person’s life, when you start to take notice of things on your face that, well, didn’t used to be there. Welcome to middle age! The good news for those of us who aren't ready to hang up our boogie shoes for a cruise to Alaska, is that there are many options out there to maintain a youthful appearance. But with so many serums, gadgets and goops on the market, how can you know what will work best for your skin and lifestyle? With the help of two of my esthetician friends, Christine Laguna of Healthy Skin Solutions and Leanne Wilmot with the Shaw Center for Plastic Surgery, Skin and Laser treatment, I’ve compiled a list of various ways to keep skin healthy and fight the signs of aging. Alaska will have to wait!
1. Sunscreen-All of us agreed staying out of the sun is key. If you are going to be in the sun for any extended period of time wear a hat or sunscreen. Make sure to reapply sunscreen at least every two hours. New FDA laws are cracking down on SPF standards and pulling waterproof products from the shelf entirely. Water resistant sunscreens will remain on the market with the highest form of protection at SPF 60.
2. Mineral Powders-Many mineral powders are also being revised from their original claim to contain SPF sunblock properties. A true mineral product free of chemicals does not block the full spectrum of the sun. However, a mineral powder will offer a physical block from the sun and allow the skin to breathe better than liquid and cream makeup. For day-to-day use I love mineral makeups for a more "natural" look, but if you have a photo shoot or an all day job in front of the camera, don’t be surprised if I bring out the “big guns” and airbrush you!
3. Keep Makeup Brushes Clean-Our makeup brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria and oil that we then proceed to brush all over our faces and neck every day. Yum! Most beauty supply stores sell brush cleansers that are basically alcohol with a hint of vanilla. For home use I recommend using a light wash of shampoo on the natural fiber brushes and for your synthetic brushes, anti-bacterial hand soap will work just great! Wash them at night and fluff them dry in the morning.
4. Create a dry area in your shower for Masks-This was a great recommendation from Christine. To a lot of us, masks are something we apply on a private night at home while listening to Enya, or we hold out for our once in a Blue Moon facial from our friendly esthetician. When we all know that masks should be done every day to brighten, exfoliate and hydrate the skin. To avoid moisture and bacteria keep a dry area in or near your shower and set a variety of masks there. Before you get wet, apply the mask and allow it to work while you take your shower. Rinse at the end before you get out. Switch up your masks depending on what your skin needs.
5. Retinols- Derived from Vitamin A, retinol is a very effective chemical when used properly. It will exfoliate dead damaged skin cells and even out skin tone and PH balance. It is most often used on skin with acne or oily t-zone areas. If you are using products with retinol it is especially important that you start them gradually and at night because they are aggressive and the skin is much more sensitive to UV rays.
6. Botox-While we are on the topic of chemicals, Botox is a popular option to reduce the deep lines and wrinkles that so lovingly grace us with time. Know that just because you receive Botox injections you still need to take care of the health of your skin. As a makeup artist, I often see a perfectly smooth skin on the forehead and around the eyes and then dry crepey skin under the eyes. Invest in a good eye cream, and be sure to “blot it all over the eye, not just underneath”, says Leanne. Also, to avoid the frozen “Spock Eyed” look, be sure to visit your doctor for touch-ups 7-10 days after the Botox has settled.
7. DIY-When it comes to skincare, do you prefer to “Do it yourself”? The FDA has now approved several new at home devices designed to encourage the anti-aging process. Some of them are so new they are not even on the market yet. ( I feel another blog coming on...) If you are looking to exfoliate, improve tone and texture, regenerate and renew skin cells, improve circulation, stimulate production of collagen and eliminate fine lines, one of these new devices might be just the one for you.
8. Exfoliate-Here is something we can all relate to, right? Exfoliation promotes cellular turnover. Used in conjunction with a toner to remove excess oil, the skin is prepped to absorb products more easily and to make the application of makeup smoother. The Clarisonic brush is great for exfoliation. The device is waterproof and can be used with the aforementioned masks in your shower!
9. Shave-Apparently the Gilette razor is not just for men anymore. In my research, I found most of the hair on our face is Vellus hair. Derived from the Latin word, “vellus” meaning fleece or wool. (Take that four years of Latin!) Vellus hair is differentiated from the more visible body hair which develops only during and after puberty. Vellus hair is soft and does not grow back thicker when shaven. In fact, if you look at a man’s face you will notice that the areas he does shave look smoother and younger, largely due to the fact that shaving daily exfoliates the dead skin! So if you do have a little unwanted peach fuzz around the neck, cheeks and chin, grab your razor and foam up your daily cleanser and shave! Go figure!!
10. Sleep and Water-I am quite certain that every “Balanced Beauty” blog will end with getting plenty of sleep and drinking as much water as your body needs. Sleep and water are truly the answer to most of life’s questions. In the case of your skin, it only takes a couple days of depriving yourself of either to see the adverse affects it has on your energy and appearance. So drink and rest up to maintain a fresh, youthful appearance and feel balanced and beautiful. And when that is not possible make sure you have a great moisturizer and an even better cream concealor!
Thanks for reading! A special shout out to the two fabulous contributing estheticians to this Blog. Much appreciated ladies!!
Alison Burmeister
For
Balanced Beauty
Contributing Estheticians:
Christine Laguna, Pacific Palisades, CA
Healthy Skin Solutions
Leanne Wilmot, Scottsdale, AZ
Shaw Center for Plastic Surgery, Skin and Laser treatment