Skincare Q&A: Eye Creams

As an online esthetician, I spend a great deal of my time answering questions about adult acne, ingrown hair problems, rosacea, or general skin sensitivities. So! I thought that I would feature a skincare Q&A on my blog to address some of these issues.

There are some questions that are sent to me via email or through the now defunct ChickRx, a site where anyone could ask questions relating to various lifestyle topics, and experts (like myself) could offer valuable advice or suggestions. If you have any questions that you would like to ask (or have featured on the blog), please don't hesitate to speak out in the comments below! If you would rather have a question be answered privately, I am always available by email.

This week's Skincare Q&A features concerns about getting a head start on anti-aging products, including what role eye cream plays in your skincare routine.

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"I'm 28 years old, and I don't have any wrinkles yet. 

When should I start using anti-aging eye cream?"

I'll tell you a secret about eye cream... If you don't already have fine lines or dryness around your eye area, eye creams are a complete gimmick when it comes to prevention.

Adult Acne in the Presence of Dehydration: Part 2

In Part One, I discussed how dehydrated skin can contribute to adult acne breakouts and blackheads. Blackheads, also known as “open comedones,” are made of a mixture of oil and dead skin-cells.  

Within the area known as the "t-zone” they're not only normal, but blackheads are actually beneficial! The oil of your skin is slightly acidic, which kills a lot of bacteria that hit your skin from the air - more oil in the t-zone means protection for your eyes, nose and mouth from bacterial invasion. The mix of dead skin cells makes this all stay in place, as oil and dead skin cells that are not mixed together also come out to the surface.  

Over time, this mix exchanges itself as cell turnover and constant release of oil get pushed out of your pores every day onto the surface of your skin joining other substances your skin makes to provide your skin’s entire protective barrier known as the “Acid Mantle”.

Thing is, there are microscopic blacks all over your face.  In any acne condition, these tiny things can get larger, and in certain conditions, inflamed.

So, what if this mix has difficulty coming out? What if blackheads keep building up more and more inside the pore? What if the separate oils and dead skin cells also can’t come out?

Adult Acne in the Presence of Dehydration: Part 1

As an online Esthetician and a virtual skincare coach through my Eval by Email® Online Skincare Consultation program, I often don’t get a chance to feel the skin of a client with my own hands. But that doesn’t mean I can’t see what’s going on. Even without the use of a magnifying lamp - you’d be surprised what can be seen in a good web or phone cam photo. 

Since I have over 20 years’ experience giving facials, I know very well what dehydrated skin is like, what it feels like, what it looks like, and what causes it to occur. 

In cases of Adult Acne and Sensitivity, which are my specialized focus, dehydrated skin appears in the vast majority of my clients. If it seems like a contradiction - acne in the presence of dehydration - remember that there is a difference between having “dry” skin that doesn’t produce enough oil and having dehydrated skin where there is plenty of oil but too much water loss. 

If you have large (or large-ish) pores, you don’t lack oil by any means. The last thing you need is more oil. On the other hand if you remove too much oil from the surface of your skin, you can have a bear of a problem. In fact, most of the time when acne and/or oiliness occurs with dehydration, the culprit is usually harsh cleanser since it can strip away a great deal of your skin's protective barrier, which then creates more water loss while causing the skin to produce more oil to rebalance its acidity level.  

The condition of your skin can get even worse with damage accumulated through simple living creating more problems for the age 30+ acne sufferer, whose been plagued with acne products treating skin like it’s 16 and anti-aging products treating skin like it’s genetically dry and clogging it up! Today I’m not here to talk about how to tell if your skin is actually dry or just dehydrated, nor am I here to talk about how to deal with a dehydration problem.  

What I am here to talk about is the role that dehydration can play in the formation of adult acne.

AcneWhispererTV: Ice Therapy

A sudden breakout before a big event. A recurring undergrounder right around your period that never seems to go away. An ongoing acne condition that plagues you every day of your life...

One simple thing -- a deceptively simple thing -- is integral in clearing up your breakout problems no matter the severity -- ice.

Why ice?  

In all cases of breakouts, inflammation plays a great role in acne formation. Even bacteria can't bother a pore without the pore becoming inflamed first. If we first attempt to calm the pore down by cooling it off, we can prevent bacteria from becoming involved while also reducing pain and swelling at the same time. 

The video below shows you how it all works.  Enjoy! :)

No, Seriously, I Really Am 49 Years Old! My Skincare Regimen and My Thanks

Today is my 49th birthday! :)

I don’t feel any different than I did 10 years ago, so I can’t believe that I’m near 50 (holy…!). However, I am different -- and I have my clients to thank for that. 

I’m not just saying that because everyone is thanking their clients today and tomorrow because of Thanksgiving. I really would be **nowhere** without a clientele that has seen 12.5 years of developments, failures, transitions, and a very tough move to a new location this past summer.

Please permit me to share something with you.

I didn’t have an easy childhood and I’m not secretive about that because it was due to undiagnosed ADD; I am very vocal about that. I believe ADD is the most misunderstood, under- and over-diagnosed cognitive disorder in Psychiatry today, and the more I learn about it, the more I want to shout from the rooftops any way I can help people who also struggle.

Approaching Anti-Aging For the Acne-Prone: Part 2

Last week, I talked about the issue of Adult Acne not being addressed enough by the myriad of anti-aging and anti-acne skincare products that are currently available on the market. 

We are seeing a little about it being mentioned here and there, but the ads for just about every product line that's supposed to address adults and not just teens still feature pictures of women in their 20s. But what about those of us 30-, 40- and 50-somethings? I believe women in these age groups are still being ignored.

Win-Win!

The amazing thing is, the very ingredients that address the cell damage that results in premature aging can also address acne issues for adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s!  

Approaching Anti-Aging For The Acne-Prone: Part 1

Why do I specialize so narrowly in Adult Acne, as opposed to just "plain" acne, or even teen acne? What's so unique about adults in their late-20s** to 50s that I feel like they deserve such special attention? After all, acne blemishes form the same way inside a pore no matter a person's age. The only difference between one person and another is what triggers or aggravates the acne, whether it's pore-clogging products, a sudden excess of oil production, genetically "sticky" dead skin cells, or certain skin sensitivities.

** Most of the time acne in one's early-to-mid-20s is simply a continuation of teen acne.

The Problem

In the world of skincare there are products and treatments for acne, and products and treatments for anti-aging concerns. It's a considerable problem that these two concerns are so rarely considered together, despite Adult Acne being a significant issue for many women up until their 50s. In many cases, acne products treat skin as if it's 16-years old, while anti-aging products treat skin as if it's a dried up old prune! 

This very conundrum is the reason adults actually have acne problems that teens don't have. The vast majority of anti-aging products on the market today contain pore-clogging ingredients, both drugstore and department store brands alike. For so many people, the cycle of Adult Acne begins with pore-clogging ingredients in their anti-aging products!