The next contributor in our skincare series is the backbone of skincare products at Johnson Dermatology. She’s not only our office manager but the head of products. She does so much research on products that I often times use her as a reference. She is such a wealth of skincare product knowledge that when she agreed to write a post on my blog I blushed I was so honored. Shelly is excellent at helping our patients decifer labels and find the truth about their skin care products. I asked her to write some suggestions on how to choose skin care products and not get fooled by all the hocus pocus marketing ploys. So without further delay, here are Shelly’s Tips and Tricks of picking products for your skin!
It amazes me in today’s society with all of the access to information that so few people are aware of the basics of skincare and how to find a truly good, effective product for their skin. There’s a lot of trendy, fun information on facebook, instragram, snapchat, you tube, beauty blogs, etc. Just like everyone else, I get sucked in to reading the on trend things like the new smoky cat eye, the no make-up ,make-up look, and the official Pantone color of the year that the supermodels, movie stars and Kardashians of the world are flaunting. Sometimes, though, it is refreshing and comforting to know the classics and the basics that are timeless. Nothing is more timeless and classic than having great looking skin. I feel blessed to have learned from the best some tips on choosing the right skincare and I’m excited to share them with you.
There is no need for a fancy, expensive moisturizer. Moisturizer does not make any change to your skin other than keeping it hydrated. Moisturizer is mostly water and a little oil or in the case of oil based moisturizers, mostly oil and a little water. I for sure do not want to overpay for water and oil since there are lots more fun things to spend my money on like new shoes or a cute, new outfit. I meet lots of people who are in love with their fancy, department store moisturizer because they truly feel it changed their skin. If your skin is dry the wrinkles look worse, a moisturizer may temporarily help the appearance of wrinkles causing you to feel like it did something. Think of rehydrating a raisin in a bowl of water to make it look more like a grape again. Retinol (physician or prescription strength) is what improves the texture of your skin. We say this over and over because it is the truth.
Cleanser is another item that basic is better. Scrubby beads are a big no-no unless it is our AHA/BHA cleanser from Skinmedica with dissolving beads. Scrubby beads are so bad that they are actually in the process of being banned through legislation because they are harmful for the environment too. Medicated type cleansers may not be the best for your skin unless they were specifically recommended by your skincare provider. I like cleansers with less than 10 ingredients.
At Johnson Dermatology, we have over 30 years of combined skin care experience. The exciting thing is we are still learning new tips and tricks for you. I get questions daily from patients about my opinion of the skincare products sold by their very sweet, dear neighbor who brought them a casserole when they had surgery. Our loyalties run deep to those who take care of us in our times of need. I am certain that your neighbor made a fabulous casserole which we would all find delicious. However, do you want to trust your skincare to someone who has little to no training when there is so much to learn about the health and optimal appearance of your skin? The same can be said for most of the products you will find at what I call the beauty superstores. You cannot typically find a product that has strong enough active ingredients to cause long term skin changes unless you purchase it from a physician who is allowed to sell physician grade skincare. Proper use of strong, effective skincare requires patient education which is why you cannot find it in these places.
Sunscreen is an absolute must. This is the cheapest antiaging product available. I recommend a physical sunscreen over a chemical sunscreen. It is better protection and less irritating. You need to look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, spf of at least 30, and UVA/UVB protection. Infrared protection is the latest and greatest in this category. It protects against the deeper penetrating rays that contribute to aging and damage. This will be harder for you to find unless you are in the know about Skinmedica’s TD &R. This is a win/win product since it provides this protection as well as antioxidants to help repair the skin. For those with oily/acneic skin, mineral powder sunscreen is great.
And last but not least, complicated is not better. I am asked frequently to evaluate various skincare lines. One of the things that will get an automatic strike from me is the lines that have more than 4-5 steps morning or evening. If I am considering that many steps, I am probably in denial of the need of a procedure and trying to achieve procedure level results at home with product. Trust me here; I am not going to get that type of results with cream and neither will you. Plus, I have better things to do with my time than stand in the bathroom for an hour applying 10 different lotions, potions, serums and creams.
WOW Shelly! You amaze me every single little skin day of my life! Happy New Year everyone! 2016 is going to be the best year yet!
Pop, fizz, clink, Nina
