A Recipe for Red Carpet Skin from Dr. Lancer

It's officially red carpet season!  A-listers frequent LA Dermatologist, Dr. Lancer's, office on Rodeo Drive months before red carpet events to make sure their skin is even in tone, texture, and color, and of course, glowing.  I spoke to man behind the famous faces to find out exactly what he does to his patients and how we can get real results on our own.

"Currently, there is a definite trend towards a more natural, bare-faced look than in the past where heavy, powdery foundation was common on the red carpet," comments Dr. Lancer. "Having excellent skin care helps dramatically, as less makeup is needed, and as less makeup is worn the skin becomes much healthier."

Seems like common sense, but the main ingredient in this equation is good skin, which Dr. Lancer calls  "a lifestyle."  So how does he ensure that all of his celebrity clients end up on the red carpet with flawless skin?  First, he gives them a skincare regimen and they combine it with weekly office check-ins, facials and microdermabrasion.  Sounds like a full time job, and who has time for that?

For us, you know, non-celebs, he recommends making sure you're on a quality skincare regimen tailored to your skin's needs.  "Just because your best friend is using retinol every night and looks amazing, doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you." Once you're on the right track with your regimen, make sure you're exfoliating regularly. "This will give you that dewy "glow" that everyone is seeking."

The Next Big Thing: Express Facial Peels

Blowout bars, brow bars, makeup bars... aren't we lucky ladies? Having the convenience of quick, specialized services at affordable prices is a luxury we've been getting used to (at least here in NYC). There's a new bar in town that's perhaps the most exciting since the launch of DryBar – The Peel Bar by Dr. Neal Schultz.  The first of it's kind, you can get a 40% glycolic peel for under $40 in just two minutes.  Here's why it'll be the next big rage in beauty.

Dr. Neal Schultz, a NYC derm who is know for his peels, put it on the map. At home, you can try his Progressive Peel, but if your skin craves something a bit more intense, a professional peel is the way to go.  While I frequent my derm for them or even add one on to my facial, the time and money is always a factor.  At The Peel Bar, you can literally stop in, get a two minute glycolic peel (the same strength used at the derms office) for $39 and be on your way.  No wait time and it won't break the bank.

Of course, I analyzed the whole situation during my visit (the first of many) and am confident that with quality control this is a great idea that will quickly spread as fast as the Dry Bar.

You can book a glycolic peel at The Peel Bar at Butterfly Salon, which is located at 149 5th Ave., NYC.  They're being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays by Dr. Schultz's medical staff.

DermaCeutic Peel, The Real Reason I've Been Glowing

Nine weeks until our wedding and I'm glowing in love. Last Saturday was my surprise bridal shower, and the Wednesday before I visited my derm's office to get a DermaCeutic Peel. Sure enough, three days into my peel, my skin was flaking off of my face much like a shedding lizard.  "Look at you, you're glowing," my aunt said. Yes, my fresh skin was glowing indeed. Maybe it was love?  Maybe it was my peel? Just like my derm promised, I have glow for a bride-to-be.  My skin was never whipped into shape so quickly before and I've tried it all. About the peel: The brand is DermaCeutic.  There are different types of professional peels depending on the types of results you're seeking.  I did a DermaCeutic Spot Peel Treatment (to help reduce my hyperpigmentation) and then a Milk Peel Treatment (to further help even out my skin tone).

About the products: Afterwards, I began using the aftercare products recommended by my derm from DermaCeutic, which include a glycolic face wash, moisturizer, recovery cream and spot treatment.  I'll be on the strict regimen for about a month and then I'll almost be ready to walk down the aisle.

So is it love or is it my DermaCeutic peel?  I think it's a combination of both.  :)

After trying intense pulse laser (IPL) to get rid of certain brown spots, Fraxel (see post), regular glycolic peels when I get facials and now this, I can honestly say that after a week of peeling, my skin has never looked better.  Yes, I'm a little obsessive and harsh on my skin (too harsh) but we're all a little OCD about something, right?

My derm, Dr. Lefkowicz is located at 875 Fifth Ave. in NYC.

Awaken Tired Skin with Olay Regenerist

Your skin isn't old.  It's just tired.  Did I catch your attention?  That's the exact phrase that landed in my inbox a few weeks ago and of course, made me read the entire pitch.  As a 30 year old woman, if my skin is just getting tired... then it better wake up, because this girl is still convinced she's not aging, yet!  Turns out, Olay discovered that tired skin doesn't have the natural bioenergy levels needed to fully respond to anti-aging products fast enough to show visible results quickly. By giving skin back its energy, it will act up to ten years younger. Boom!

"By awakening the skin you give it the chance to become more receptive to anti-aging ingredients, so you will see these ingredients work faster – seeing results more quickly, explains Dr. Diane Berson, an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.  "When the skin is energized it acts and looks younger."

With the help of two new ingredients to help energize the skin, Olivem and Lys'lastine, Olay has upgraded its Regenerist line to include Skin Energizing Technology, including its Micro-Sculpting Cream and Micro-Sculpting Eye & Lash Duo, an eye cream and lash serum that does it all – helps to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and thickens your lashes.

The new ingredients are both antioxidants that are known for their ability to penetrate the skin deeply.  "When you combine these with peptides, which increase collagen production, and niacinamide a power anti-ager that restores the skin’s barriers, you get an unprecedented result: younger-acting skin, faster," Dr. Berson states.

Tired skin?  I'll take that.

*This post is sponsored by Olay Regenerist, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

How Cold Weather Affects Your Skin

I'm not crazily obsessed with having seasons. While I love everything about NYC, I hate or should I say despise the winter. I don't know about you, but my perfect world would be living in NYC with LA's weather. Of course, we can't have it all. As the weather changes, so does our skin and so should our skincare regimen. One of the most common complaints I hear about is acne. Yes, in the winter. I spoke with Dr. Berson, a NYC based dermatologist to have some of your skincare questions answered. 

How does the weather affect your skin?

The weather can affect skin in a number of ways due to aspects such as the temperature (when they crank the heat up at work or when you’re walking in the brisk and cold air), and the moisture in the air. One skin care plan typically does not accommodate all types of weather that can happen throughout the year, so you need to be attuned to your individual skin needs.

Why does colder weather sometimes cause acne?

Cold weather can be accompanied by dry air, and with dry air skin tends to lose moisture. Winter breakouts can happen sometimes due to changes in temperature and the harsh winter weather. Although your skin gets dry, I don’t advise stopping your acne treatment. Taking medication as prescribed or directed is imperative to getting your acne under control or, better yet, clearing your skin up completely. Look to couple your acne treatment with a nice, gentle moisturizer and try applying that to your skin before your acne medication.

Do you have any tips for someone who gets seasonal acne? How should a person’s regimen change as the seasons change?

My biggest recommendation to those dealing with changing weather is to be sure that you are adjusting your skin care routine appropriately. Use a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Foam Wash and leave the cleansers with salicylic acid mostly for the summer months. If you are partial to a cleanser with salicylic acid, I recommend using it once a week, since skin may tend to be drier in the winter. Adding a light, non-comedogenic moisturizer in the winter can help alleviate skin dryness in the winter.

At what point should an individual seek a dermatologist?

Even if acne is mild, I recommend setting up an appointment to talk to a dermatologist about treatment options. Acne can cause scarring, so I encourage everyone to make their skin care a priority and to focus on treating their acne as soon as it appears.

What prescription product do you recommend and why?

I recommend Epiduo Gel since the two-in-one product can be helpful for keeping ever-moving people on track with regularly treating their skin. Truth be told, visit a dermatologist if you're seriously concerned with your skin. I'm literally at my derm’s office at least three times a year for different reasons (and because I'm obsessed with my skin). Epiduo Gel, which Dr. Berson recommends is the only antibiotic-free, topical acne treatment that combines two medicines, adapalene and benzoyl peroxide, to help clear up the breakouts you have now and help prevent future pimples from forming.

To further break it down, benzoyl peroxide is one of the two medicines in Epiduo Gel. It's an antimicrobial which kills the bacteria that lead to breakouts and helps prevent pimples from coming back. Adapalene is a type of retinoid, and is the other medicine in Epiduo Gel. It unclogs blocked pores and decreases the redness, swelling and inflammation associated with pimples.

Indication: EPIDUO® Gel is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 9 years of age and older. Adverse Events: In controlled clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse events (≥1%) in patients treated with EPIDUO® Gel were dry skin, contact dermatitis, application site burning, application site irritation and skin irritation. Warnings/Precautions: Patients taking EPIDUO® Gel should avoid exposure to sunlight and sunlamps and wear sunscreen when sun exposure cannot be avoided. Erythema, scaling, dryness, stinging/ burning, irritant and allergic contact dermatitis may occur with use of EPIDUO® Gel and may necessitate discontinuation. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‐800‐FDA‐1088.

*This post is sponsored by the makers of Epiduo Gel, but all opinions are my own.

Everything You Need to Know About Dark Circles & How to Get Rid of Them

One of my best friends suffers from dark circles and ever since I started my career in  beauty I've been giving her new products to test out that promise to help reduce, rid and conceal the pesky under eye nuisances.  When you see pics of celebs without makeup on, most of them have dark circles, too.  I spoke with Dr. Ellen Marmur, to find out the causes, best treatments and products to help put them at bay.  Did you know that all dark circles aren't created equal?

1. What are the main causes of dark under eye circles?  

Some of the main causes of dark under eye circles are due to extra blood vessels that make the skin appear maroon,  hemosiderin which is a pigment residue from red blood cells when they break down, melanin hyperpigmentation from sun damage, dry skin, and thinning skin. My patients always think they are from lack of sleep, allergies, or dehydration. All of those can all exacerbate dark under eye circles but are usually not the actual cause.  There are many factors that contribute to the overall problem of dark circles. Check with your dermatologist to help define the main causes for you.

2. Are all dark circles created equal? 

No, they definitely are not.  Some are more difficult to get rid of.  It really depends on the cause.  For instance, dark circles that are brown in color are normally caused by melanin formation and these are the most difficult to get rid of as they are likely genetic or related to sensitive skin.  Dark circles with a blue hue are usually caused by poor micro-circulation where the blue venous blood is more obvious underneath the eye, and if they are yellowish, then thinning skin is likely the cause. Whatever the cause of your dark circles, they can be improved or at the very least camouflaged with topical products. In the office, one of my favorite treatments is the Marmur Medical Total Eye Makeover , a combination of lasers and fillers to improve the skin texture, improves collagen, and reduce the shadow effect that darkens the under eye area.

3. Can they be improved?  If so, how?

Yes! Depending on the cause of the dark circles there are a variety of complimentary treatments ranging from lower eyelid surgery to the Marmur Medical Total Eye Makeover to topical eye creams. Excessive sun exposure can intensify dark circles, so I always tell my patients to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 every day as well as sunglasses to protect the delicate eyes area. Another tip: never rub the skin beneath your eye because rubbing, a habit many people have or from over scrubbing the area,  leads to hyperpigmentation and wrinkles from thicker skin!

4. What ingredients should one look for to help brighten them? 

Vitamin C is a great ingredient in skin care.  It helps to diminish melanin production and is a great antioxidant.  Caffeine is another popular ingredient in eye treatments.  It helps to constrict or shrink the vessels under the eye lid to reduce dark circles and puffiness.  Niacin has strong science showing it diminished melanin formation. Look for an eye product with light diffusing micas which help mask dark circles by instantly reflecting light for improved luminosity.

5. What products do you recommend? 

I tell my patients to try the StriVectin-EV Get Even Dark Circle Corrector. It not only brightens the eye area, it contains a patented niacin molecule that has a positive cumulative effect that clears away the melanin so dark circles are diminished and stay that way.

Everything You Need to Know About Sunscreen Including the New FDA Regulations

I'm completely obsessed with knowing everything there is to know about my skin, aging, sun damage and SPF.  My derm, Dr. Ilyse Lefkowicz, can back me up on that as I'm constantly picking her brain and bugging her for more and more info.  My days basking the sunshine are over and I now understand everything there is to know about protection  – sun protection to ensure I don't age any quicker and never welcome skin cancer.  Of course, I had to share her knowledge with you, because it's beyond interesting and helpful. Incidental sun exposure received during everyday activities accounts for approximately 80% of an individual’s lifetime exposure," states Dr. Ilyse Lefkowicz.  "Therefore, I always recommend applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher on a daily basis in order to help prevent skin cancer and aging."

When shopping for SPF you want to look for three things:

• Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays)
• Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or greater
• Water resistance

Broad spectrum is super important (UVA and UVB coverage) because the different types of rays do different types of damage that can both lead to skin cancer.  UVA rays can prematurely age your skin, causing wrinkles and age spots and can pass through window glass.  UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn and are blocked by window glass.

"Because most people don’t apply sunscreen the way they are supposed to (most apply less than 1/4 of the amount they should, , I always advise my patients to use a higher SPF," Dr. Lefkowicz comments.  The proper dosage is about a shot glass full, or an ounce, to cover your entire body.

To break it down, Lefkowicz explains that SPF not only indicates how much longer protected skin can resist getting red than unprotected skin, but also what percentage of UV rays are screened.  An SPF 15 screens 93% of UV rays whereas an SPF 50 protects against 98% UV rays.  Her thoughts on an SPF 100?  Well, doubtful it can do much better than 50.

Beginning in 2013, you’ll see several changes to sunscreen labels required by the FDA.

• For a sunscreen to carry the claim that it can prevent skin cancer and sunburn, it must offer both: 1) broad-spectrum coverage 2) an SPF of 15 or higher.

• The FDA will ban companies from claiming that a sunscreen is “waterproof” or “sweat proof.” This is simply not possible. You’ll now see the term “water resistant.” The label also must state how long the water resistance lasts, either 40 or 80 minutes.

Confessions of A Former Tanning Bed Addict in Honor of Melanoma Monday

Yep, that's me in the pic above.  As a former tanning bed addict, I cannot stress enough how important it is to protect your skin from the sun.  Before my first job at Cosmopolitan I laid in a tanning bed every single day.  Everyday for years.  My job in the beauty department probably saved my life.  Now, I'm still practicing what I preach, because it's no joke – it's a life or death situation.  As a matter of fact, according to the AAD, one person dies of melanoma every hour in the US.  Shocking?  Read on, because as a former addict, if you're still baking, I get it, but it's time to get it through your head.  Better late than never.  Here's my story... Not only is Melanoma the most serious type of skin cancer, but believe it or not, it will account for more than 75,000 cases of skin cancer this year.  Not me.  Not this year, or ever.  Can you say that?  For me it started with junior proms, I along with all of my friends would go tanning the week before prom.  I wouldn't do it again until the senior prom, but it really got bad in college.  I went to school on Staten Island and having a dark tan was part of my look.  I'm not talking about a healthy glow, I'm talking about having skin the shade of burnt toast that constantly smelled baked.  Yes, I thought it was attractive and was never dark enough.  I was addicted.

I didn't need to wear as much makeup as my skin looked better, my black eyeliner popped against the whites of my eyes and my smile always looked white too.  On top of that I appeared more toned, skinnier.  The perks of being tan seemed to outweigh any risks that may come later.  After all, I always thought I was invincible.  Until I landed my dream job as the Beauty Assistant for Cosmopolitan magazine.

I was told by the department I couldn't tan any longer if I was going to work there as it's an oxymoron for beauty writers to go tanning.  Cosmo was all about safe sun, SPF 15 or higher and they just launched a campaign against indoor tanning.  I quit cold turkey and it sucked.  I felt ugly and fat.  Immediately!  Of course I had a plethora of self tanners at my finger tips to test out, but it wasn't the same. I missed the bake and burnt color I would get from the beds.  Nothing compared.  However, the more invested and passionate I became about my job, the more I began to face the facts and wanted to practice what I preached.

Today, I'm an avid SPF 30 wearer and preach, preach, preach.  I can't believe tanning beds are still in existence and go to my derm for yearly skin checks to make sure I'm safe.  I'm obsessed with self tanners and can't believe I thought what I was doing looked attractive.  I looked like a raisin!  While I have been lucky so far, I am paying for my sun damage in other ways – hyperpigmentation and crows feet.  My skin looks older than I am so thank God for great products, because the situation I'm dealing with at 29 is not cool.

I'll leave you with the new FDA guidelines for SPF.  Next time you think about spritzing tanning oil all over yourself and baking in the sun, think about the facts.  Like me, you're not invincible.

Putting Lasers to the Test: I Tried A PhotoFacial

Now that I'm 29 (yes, 29 and freaking out about my skin since I grew up a sun worshiper) I've been picking my dermatologist, Dr. Ilyse Lefkowicz's, brain about what I should do to make sure it looks the best it possibly can.  As I creep near the big 3-0 I want to make sure my skin ages as gracefully as possible.  Yesterday, she convinced me to try a PhotoFacial, otherwise known as Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) to help rid my brown spots (thanks tanning), which dull my complexion and make me look older than I am.  Since I trust her tremendously, I happily surrendered to the PhotoFacial and let me tell you, it's no "facial." This was my first laser treatment.  More anxious than nervous I sat in the chair, put on a pair of goggles and listened as Dr. Lefkowicz told me I was going to be uncomfortable as she targeted brown spots with the laser on my cheeks, chin, nose and forehead.  When it comes to beauty, I'll take discomfort.  As a matter of fact, there's not much I wouldn't do for flawless skin.

The laser felt like a hot rubber band snapping for a second on each brown spot.  After one pass around my face, Dr. Lefkowicz waited a minute and checked in with me and went back for a second and then a third.  The forehead was by far the most sensitive, but the overall experience wasn't that bad, just slight discomfort.  The pulsed light hits the melanin in the skin, which causes the dark pigment to disappear.  When I looked in the mirror I noticed the brown spots were all darker and I had little red marks all over my face where she hit me with the laser.  It took about a half hour for my skin to calm down as it was a little inflamed.

For the next two days my brown spots will be darker and then naturally fall off.  I won't be able to go out without concealor and foundation on to hide them (and I don't normally wear face makeup).  Therefore, I would recommend doing this facial when you don't have any big meetings or events that week.  I'm instructed not to scrub or try to peel them off.  The care is simply to keep my face moisturized and wear SPF.  As you can imagine, I'm completely anxious to see results and will post a round two next week.

The IPL is great for people with brown spots, age spots and even rosacea and can be used on your face, chest.  Of course, treatment is different depending on the patient.  I may be happy after this one treatment, but sometimes several treatments are needed (up to four) spaced two to four weeks apart.