Skin Brightening Tips from Dr. Debra Luftman

Lately I've been obsessed with brightening my skin.  Maybe because it's looking dull as I (dare I say it) age or maybe just because I have so many brightening products to test out and feel you can never have skin too bright?  I got the scoop from Dr. Debra Luftman on the ingredients to look for in your brightening products and why brightening is even a thing.  It has to do with attraction... "Psychologically, people are more attracted to women who have bright shinny skin," Dr. Luftman states.  "Overall confidence is generally improved when your skin is clear and bright." 

The best ingredients for brightening are: hydroquinone, kojic acid, azeleic acid, and glycolic acids.  Dr. Luftman recommends using brightening products at night and of course, an SPF with moisturizer during the day.  

Her favorites:  Natura Bisse-Diamond White SPF 50 PA Oil Free and Armani Beauty-Luminessence Bright Regenerator Concentrate, which can both be used nightly under moisturizer.  Some extras I've been using throughout the day include Simple Radiance Brightening Wipes, which uses natural mango extract and cleanses skin to make it radiant, and L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Face Mist  that refreshes and illuminates my skin throught out the day.  I've also been loving Shiseido's White Lucent Intenstive Brightening Mask once a week.  

Become A Real Life Sleeping Beauty, Thanks Daylight Savings!

Fall is my favorite season for many reasons, but perhaps the biggest is because we get to 'fall back' – an extra hour of sleep!  That's right, don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour on Saturday night.  Make sure you're getting the most out of your snooze with beauty loot that works best while you're at rest.  Check out my favorite finds. Bliss FatGirlSleep, $38 at blissworld.com

I've been a fan of the original cellulite fighter, FatGirlSlim, for years, but this jar of booty whip added a soothing lavender scent to their tightening complex to help you relax and sleep well as it works.  Lotus flower helps to fight the four causes of cellulite: fat storage, fat burning, water retention and slackened skin.  With continued use, I've seen an improvement on my thighs, but must note that when I stopped using it, the horror came back.

Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream, $90 at Sephora

As you sleep your skin cells turnover, which makes nighttime the ideal time to really take care of your skin and use the right ingredients.  I was introduced to this face cream about a month ago and love, love, love it.  I'm a fan of the light, creamy texture as it feels heavy enough for nighttime, but not like I'm wearing a mask.  Made with alguronic acid, which was extracted from a microalgae cell, it works overnight to even out skin tone and fight fine lines and wrinkles.

Fekkai Protein Rx PM Repair Strengthener, $65 at fekkai.com

I'm obsessed with hair treatments of all types and normally do masks in the shower.  This one is an overnight treatment that I sometimes use (you should use nightly if you have really damaged hair).  Proteins help to rebuild your strands (and let's be honest, we all can use a bit of help).  I find that after I wash it out in the morning my hair is super soft and shiny. Tip: After putting it in your hair, comb it through with for even distribution and then braid your hair or wrap it in a bun to keep the product out of your face while you sleep.

C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm, $7.50 at bigelowchemists.com

You need to coat your pucker!  Your lips are an extension of the skin on your face so the skin cells are turning over during the nighttime, making it the best time to moisturize and take care of them.  This isn't just another small tube of chap stick.  For $7.50 you better be getting something good and I promise, you are.  I love my cherry chap stick sometimes, but I feel like it just coats the top of my lips protecting them from the wind and outside elements.  This stuff actually penetrates them and moisturizes all night long.  Trust me.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand & Foot Cream Duo, $16 at usa.loccitane.com

This is the best stuff.  I've been addicted to the hand cream ever since I've been introduced to it about five years ago when I worked at Cosmo and no matter how many different kinds I try in between tubes, I'm constantly going back to it.  Don't forget to moisturize your hands and feet before getting in between the sheets.  Loaded with shea butter, this duo is a steal!  Tip: Wear socks to bed and wake up with super soft toes!

Beat Dry Skin this Season with These Nourishing Finds

Winter brings snowy days, cold winds, along with dry, chapped skin. The cold winter weather is our skin’s worse enemy – dryness, chaffing, and soreness from head-to-toe.  I think we can all do without.  Have no fear – more than anything I can't stand feeling dry, so I went on a mission to ensure it won't happen to me, not this year, not ever.  So here you go BeautySweetSpot readers: tips to prevent that horrible feeling and my favorite product picks. Tip #1

Use a good quality body wash like SoftSoap Ultra Rich Shea Butter Body Wash, $5.99 which also moisturize. Some soaps may seem innocent but they actually dry out your skin. This one is super creamy and contains butters and antioxidants to nourish your body right at the start of your day.  Another tip:  The hotter the water, the more your drying out your skin.

Tip #2

Post shower, apply moisturizer within three minutes while your skin's still damp.  It allows the moisture to seep deeper into your skin.   My favorite is Olay Quench Plus Touch of Sun Body Lotion, $8.49.  The Quench line of Olay products are super moisturizing, but not too heavy or sticky and this one acts a gradual self tanner.

Tip #3

Don’t forget your hands and feet. Apply a cream specifically formulated for hands and feet each day.  They tend to be a bit richer than normal body lotions.  After applying, wear socks to help your feet soak in the moisture. My favorite hand cream by far is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Moisture Hand Cream, $17.  I also love L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand and Foot Cream Duo, $15.  Plus, it's much more pocket friendly.

Tip #4

Apply lip balm throughout the day, such as Burt's Bees Nourishing Balm with Mango Butter, $2.99. Your lips can get super chapped during the winter months. They're cheap enough where you can have one in every bag, desk, and jacket so there's no excuses for dry lips!

Tip #5

This is perhaps the most important one!  Don’t forget to exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin cells and make all of this moisturizing more effective.  Lush Bubble Gum Lip Scrub, $8.95 and DermaDoctor KP Duty Body Scrub, $44 are my go to's.