Woah. Today we’re getting up close and personal (clearly). Let’s talk about skin. This is me in my bare skin. I hadn’t thought much about it until the last couple years. I don’t know what it was about turing 27 a couple years ago, but for some reason I began to realize that I was becoming old enough to start doing all of the things that “grown-up women” did. One such thing was taking better care of my skin. I began wearing sunscreen, sitting in the shade at the beach and pool, and wearing bronzer instead of actually being bronzed for the first time in my life. Honestly, I could probably count on two hands the number of times I had worn above a 30 SPF in my life before then! I also tuned into the subtle signs of aging brought about by my years of neglect: fine lines, under eye circles, and a couple little age spots that at this point can pass for freckles. I’ve seen a dermatologist for years to keep an eye on my many moles (three of which have been removed for pre-cancer testing) but I’d never had a candid conversation about basics of how to better care for my almost-thirty-year-old skin.
That’s why I was thrilled when an old friend from high school, emailed me a few months back. As we caught up, I discovered that she is now entering her dermatology residency this summer! I jokingly mentioned that I needed to pick her brain for tips and products to keep my skin healthy and young, and she generously wrote back with a list of professional recommendations. She mentioned that she has been to tons of conferences and tested a zillion products, and had definitely found a few gems. I’m starting to make my way down her list, and I am already so impressed! During my last mole-check (sounds glamorous, eh?) I asked my dermatologist for a prescription for the Tretenoin Gel that Whitney recommended, and after about three weeks of using it I noticed that my face looked more fresh and dewey, and a particularly bothersome age spot had all but disappeared!
*Tretinoin Gel (by prescription)– This is my favorite product! Tretinoin (aka retinoic acid aka retin-A) is a fantastic prescription product marketed to treat acne, photoaging, and wrinkles. Most importantly, in addition to treating signs of aging, it prevents the formation of wrinkles. Its active ingredient increases the rate of skin cell turnover which keeps skin looking new. Some over-the-counter versions of this product exist, but aren’t as strong.
1. La Roche-Pose Anthelios SPF 60– La Roche-Pose, a divine French skin care company, has some incredible products. My favorite is the anthelios sunblock. This amazing facial sunblock has such a unique, light and non-greasy formula that can be used as a daily moisturizer. Makeup is easily applied over the product, and it does not cause acne breakouts. Do yourself a favor and try this product. You will love it!!
2. Neutrogena Spray SPF 100– I use this easy-to-apply sunblock spray (along with a large sun hat) before I spend any time in the sun. Like the La Roche-Pose formula, it is light and non-greasy. As an added bonus, it is very easy to apply!
3. Neostrata Bionic Eyecream– This is a glorious under eye cream that reduces puffy eyes. It does not, however, take away the dark circles. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a cream with the magic ability to erase dark circles. I have found, however, that Bobby Brown’s Creamy Concealer does an excellent job of hiding the signs of tired eyes.
4. Aqua Veil Cucumber Lotion– This is my favorite moisturizer. I use this when my face needs an extra dose of moisture. It is so light and silky and will make your skin feel so luxurious.
5. CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion– This body lotion is remarkable. The CeraVe products contain molecules that comprise cell membranes. This technology helps to repair, to moisturize, and to soften the skin.
