Skincare 101

As an upcoming bride, making sure my skin is flawless on my wedding day is super important. But skincare has always been important to me! Thank God I haven't suffered any constant major acne issues but Ive definitely had the occassional "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON WITH MY FACE" moments as Im sure we all have! For example, in high school my bottom lip turned black... and I mean black!
It started off as a tiny spot and just spread! After going to the derm and getting some bleaching cream, it turned back to normal but she never really gave me a real explanation to what caused it other than a possible allergic reaction. In my early 20's, my face just broke out on one side ....completely out the blue....which was devastating to me because I had never experienced that before. The derm told me that alot of adults who didn't go through teen acne, get adult acne. But after using Retin-A, it went away. Although, as some of you know, when using prescription creams, your face gets worst before it gets better. The meds pretty much bring everything to the surface, then clears it out. So its definitely a little nerve wrecking waiting for it to clear. Not to mention, most of those topical creams are NOT covered by insurance and usually run around $100 or more alot of time! So hopefully, you don't ever have to experience any of that! lol

Ive touched on some skincare tips in another post, but here are a few more! I will be doing regular skincare posts...so stay tuned for more! :)
1) Now this tip was totally new to me when my dermatologist told me. She said that people of color should NOT use exfoliating scrubs on our face. Why?? Well she says that overtime they cause tiny holes in our skin. After thinking about it, it definitely made sense although it seems to go against everything else Ive read on the internet. Needless to say, Ive cut exfoliating scrubs from my beauty regimen! So the choice is yours.

2) Wear sunglasses! Those haute new shades you just bought for the summer should not stay on top of your head. Wearing sunglasses protects the delicate eye-area skin which ages faster than other areas of our bodies.

3) Eat fruits & veggies! Leafy greens, cantaloupe, berries, grapes, watermelon, peaches, plums, and even corn are all great for the skin.

4) Shower after sweating! Our bodies produce more pore-clogging sebum when we sweat. And when pores get blocked by sweat and fail to excrete waste liquids, skin trouble like freckles and acne can arise.

5) Minimize sugar and alcohol! Here's the ugly truth about sugar.....there is recent evidence that suggests consuming excessive amounts of sugar over a long period of time can cause skin to look dull and wrinkled. When blood sugar goes up rapidly, sugar can attach itself to collagen in a process called "glycation," making the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give you deep wrinkles and make you look old. The same is true when you consume high-fat foods cooked at or in high temperatures, like fried chicken.
Im a sugar feene so you know hearing this makes me sad :(

The ugly truth about alcohol: Too much alcohol can dehydrate skin and even cause broken capillaries. Alcohol also depletes the body of vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant.

And here are a few skincare products Ive used and love!
Murad Age Diffusing Serum
This stuff is awesome!! I tried a sample from Sephora one day and absolutely loved it! But its pricey! If you have a little extra to try it out...definitely do so!
Price: $72 for 1 oz bottle!!!! YIKES

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum
This is what Im currently using right now. I like it ... but its not as good as the Murad. Its a bit more oily but it gets the job done. So if you want a less expensive alternative to Murad, try out this one.
Price: about $20 for 1.7 oz bottle


Palmers Cocoa Butter Moisterizing Gel Oil SPF 15
Ive always been a fan of Palmers Cocoa Butter products. I use the regular cocoa butter stick on all my scars and it always help them fade. This is a new product I ran across. In case you didnt know, Im a sucker for trying new products. I really like this stuff though. Its very moisterizing and its thick.... if you are wearing a dress and want your legs to look great...this is a must! And it has SPF 15
Price: from $6 to 9 depending on where you go



References: http://www.health.discovery.com/, Shape Magazine 2006, Good Housekeeping 2009