Do You Have a Skin Care Regimen? Part II

In Part I of this series, we looked at the importance of protecting your skin and what to do each morning. Taking care of your skin before bed is just as essential as your skin care in the morning, and help lead your skin in the right direction of healthy, age-deifying skin. 

Before Bed

1. Cleanse your face. Use your cleanser again just as you did in the morning.  If you wear contact lenses, remove them before cleansing, and try to get the hang of taking each lens out directly from your eye rather than pulling the skin around your eye taut, unless otherwise instructed by your eye doctor.  Repeated rubbing or pulling day after day is not good for the delicate, easily wrinkled skin in that area.


2. Moisturize! Apply a rich moisturizer designed for use on the face.  Unless the oily areas of your face are very oily, you should use a creamier moisturizer at night than in the morning.  Your skin loses more water while you sleep than while you're awake.  You can skip moisturizing your nose since it is generally oily.  Apply the moisturizer about half an hour before putting your face on the pillow.  This gives the moisturizer time to be absorbed so it won't end up on your pillowcase.

Do You Have a Skin Care Regimen? Part I

I'm sad to say that many women do not know what to do to their skin to protect and prevent from sun damage. Prevention and protection are essential to great looking skin, even as you get older. There are just a few simple things you can do for your skin to help keep it looking healthy and youthful. 

First Thing in the Morning

1. Cleanse your face. Use a gentle cleaners or mild soap - that is, one with little or no added surfactants.  Apply with circular motions of your hands.  Rinse or wipe off with a washcloth wrung out in warm water.  Pat dry with a clean towel.  Do not use bar-shaped cleansers that are made from detergents rather than soaps.  These have been dubbed "syndet bars," which stands for synthetic detergent bars.  They are made from chemicals that are usually much more irritating to the skin than soap.  Actual soap is made from oils such as olive, palm, or coconut oil and is gentler for use on the skin.   Depending on the type of oil used, the soap can be more or less creamy.  Also, glycerin is a humectant commonly used in soaps.  The more glycerin in the soap, the more relatively moisturizing the soap is.  

Sometimes color and fragrance are added to the soap to make it more appealing to the user.  Ideally the scents in soaps should come only from the essential oils since the fragrance and color add nothing to the actual cleansing process and serve only to increase the potential for irritation and allergic reactions.

2. Moisturize! Apply a light moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15.  Use upward strokes on your neck and forehead, and outward strokes on your cheeks, the area around your eyes, and between your brows.  Never pull or press hard and never pull down.

3. Apply your makeup. Apply Colorscience micronized mineral makeup. This makeup is recommended by Dermatologists and backed by the Skin Cancer Foundation. It Colors, Camouflages,  Protects (30 SPF), Corrects and Soothes. It is completely waterproof and made from pharmaceutical grade mineral compositions and expressly excludes talcs, dyes, fragrances and preservatives. Colorescience makeup is a continuation of good skin care. It is non-irritating, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and non-comedogenic.  


This is an extra layer of protection over the moisturizer with SPF.  Again, stroke gently upward and outward, not down.  If you are prone to acne, look for products that say noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic on the label.  These products are least likely to clog your pores and contribute to your breakouts.  If areas of your skin tend to be especially dry, use creams rather than lotions, since these are more moisturizing.  I use the cream on most of my face, but I don't put it on my forehead, since that area is oilier.

10 Tips to Maintaining Gorgeous Looking Skin...Even After the Age of 40!

As many of you ladies know, we women will not look 20 year-old forever! Are you seeing more and more fine lines and wrinkles? Sun-spots? Dry, lifeless looking skin? Here are a few simple tips that can help revive your skin—giving it a healthier, more vibrant glow!


1. Wear sunscreen. Even after age 40, sun damage can accelerate the formation of dark spots and fine lines. Wear sunscreen with at least SPF 15 every day.


2. Cleanse gently. Deep-cleaning facial cleansers with ingredients that wash away oil can be too harsh for older skin that is becoming dry. Switch to a creamy cleanser instead.


3. Tune in to hormonal changes. The ones we associate with menopause can make your skin behave differently, or cause dark spots and sudden acne where there once were none. See a dermatologist if you notice any changes.


4. Watch moles. All the sunning you did in your younger years can show up now as precancerous moles. Start seeing a board-certified dermatologist for a yearly mole check.


5. Avoid product overload. Anti-aging products can work wonders, but if you pile an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) over a retinoid over a Vitamin C, for example, you could be left with irritated, inflamed skin. Figure out which anti-aging product works best for you and stick to it.


6. Ask for professional help. A good cosmetic dermatologist can tell you which products will work best for your skin, and offer prescription medications for conditions such as rosacea, eczema, and hyperpigmentation.



7. Add moisture. Hormonal changes can also cause skin to lose its natural moisture. Replenish with a thicker, richer moisturizer.


8. Don't fear oil. While it may have caused you to break out earlier in your life, your skin produces less oil as you age, so foundations and moisturizers containing oil may not cause pimples anymore.


9. Exfoliate. Since skin cells don't slough off as quickly after age 40, help them along by exfoliating. You can exfoliate physically, with a gentle scrub, or chemically, with an AHA face cream.


10. Don't be afraid of dermatological procedures—but don't rush into them, either. Botox, chemical peels, and micro-dermabrasion can add life and vitality to your skin. But before you jump in, be sure you understand them and their possible side effects fully.

What is Your Skin Type?

Your skin type, which depends on the amount of natural protection your skin provides you, is a key factor when determining your risk of developing skin cancer. Here are the different types of skin. Which one are you? What is your risk for skin cancer?


Skin Type I

You always burn and never tan in the sun. You are extremely susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at very high risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Generally follow The Skin Cancer Foundation’s prevention tips but use a sunscreen with a SPF of 30+ and clothing with a UPF rating of 30 or higher. Seek the shade whenever you are out in the sun. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.


Skin Type II

You almost always burn and rarely tan in the sun. You are highly susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at high risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Generally follow The Skin Cancer Foundation’s prevention tips but also consider using a sunscreen with a SPF of 30+ and clothing with a UPF rating of 30 or higher. Seek the shade whenever you are out in the sun. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.


Skin Type III

You sometimes burn and sometimes tan in the sun. You are susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Be sure to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day, wear sun-protective clothing, and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM, when the sun is strongest. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.


Skin Type IV

You tend to tan easily and are less likely to burn. But you are still at risk; use sunscreen with an SPF of 15+ outside and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Follow all other Prevention Tips from The Skin Cancer Foundation as well. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.


Skin Type V

You tan easily and rarely burn, but you are still at risk. Use sunscreen with an SPF of 15+ and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Acral lentiginous melanoma, a very virulent form of the disease, is more common among darker-skinned people. These melanomas tend to appear on parts of the body not often exposed to the sun, and often remain undetected until after the cancer has spread. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup. Keep an eye out for any suspicious growths, especially on the palms, soles of the feet and mucous membranes.


Skin Type VI

Although you do not burn, dark-skinned people are still at risk for skin cancers, and should wear sunscreen with a SPF of 15+ and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Acral lentiginous melanoma, a very virulent form of the disease, is more common among darker-skinned people. These melanomas tend to appear on parts of the body not often exposed to the sun, and often remain undetected until after the cancer has spread. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup. Keep an eye out for any suspicious growths, especially on the palms, soles of the feet and mucous membranes.