I believe in keeping a home skincare routine effective yet simple. I know you have plenty to do already and there are gazillions of products you can waste your time and money on. Products are only as effective as their active ingredients. I only recommend products I believe in.
Every effective skincare routine should start with the required basics which I call the ACBs of skincare.
I believe in keeping a home skincare routine effective yet simple. I know you have plenty to do already and there are gazillions of products you can waste your time and money on. Products are only as effective as their active ingredients. I only recommend products I believe in.
Every effective skincare routine should start with the required basics which I call the ACBs of skincare.
Retinoids, such as Retinol and Retinoic Acid (RetinA, Tretinoin) are clinically proven to reduce lines and wrinkles, minimize dark spots, and smooth, tighten and tone your complexion. Retinol is my retinoid of choice – modern formulations are as effective as retinoic acid yet easier for the skin to tolerate and therefore less irritating.
Retinol works by speeding up your skin’s cellular turnover which keeps your skin cells younger, healthier, smoother. It also stimulates collagen and elastin which thickens your dermis and keeps your skin tighter. It helps regulate the reproduction of skin cells to prevent irregular cell development (think bumps and barnacles…skin pre-cancers) to keep your skin smoother and healthier.
There is more clinical research on Retinoids than any other skin care ingredient – proof that it works! It is still the number 1, most effective anti-aging ingredient in skin care. Trends come and go but Retinoids are here to stay! Use only at night when your body is in its natural rest and repair cycle.
Skin needs daytime protection from pollution and the sun’s harmful rays. Free radical damage from sun and pollution accelerates the aging process giving us dark spots, wrinkles, irritation and increased potential for skin cancer.
I recommend a Vitamin C based antioxidant blend be applied every day to protect your skin - A properly formulated vitamin C serum will boost the efficacy of your sunscreen, brighten your skin by minimizing dark spots and aid in the production of collagen.
Vitamin C is a very unstable molecule. Most C serums out there are ineffective and a waste of money. Unstable C serums are usually water-based serums which start to oxidize as soon as they are opened and lose efficacy from day one. They start off a nice straw color and start to turn deeper yellow to amber over a short amount of time. I recommend a stable Vitamin C formulated without water so that it is as effective from the first application to the last.
I already mentioned the need for daytime protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Sun accelerates the aging process and damages (mutates) the natural development cycle of skin cells over time. Sun protection should be part of a daily routine for all skin types and conditions. There is no point in trying to correct (anti-age) your skin if you are not protecting it daily from sun exposure and environmental damage.
Both UVA and UVB rays are known causes of skin cancer, and although UVB rays may be more prominent during the peak sun hours, UVA rays remain constant year-round, throughout the day and penetrate glass and clothing. Only a Broad-spectrum SPF will protect you for all types of the sun’s harmful rays.