Are you Reunion Ready?

Quick: Your 20-year high school reunion is in a week. Which compliment are you hoping to receive?
A. You have such a nice car!
B. I wish my job was as neat as yours.
C. Wow. You look amazing!

Did you pick “C”? If so, you’re not alone. For most of us, looking great trumps cars and jobs, but it’s also a lot harder to embellish. July hosts almost a quarter of all high school reunions, yet attendance usually tops out at about 30 percent of the graduating class. One reason? Although reconnecting is exciting, the “long time/no see” microscope can be downright intimidating. (And, let’s face it: Carefully cultivating your Facebook appearance is a lot less scary than reconnecting in real life.)

The good news? You have more control over how you look than you think. Sure, nature plays a part in how you age—but only 20 percent. Our environment and our daily skincare and lifestyle habits account for 80 percent of visible aging changes. So whether you’re looking to refresh your complexion, minimize the appearance of aging, reverse brown spots, fade blemishes or calm red skin, it is possible to look better today than you did yesterday. 

Here is what you can use to take care of your skin concern before the big day:

Fine lines and wrinkles - Redefine Regimen - Can't do the whole regimen? Start with the Night Renewing Serum.
Dullness, Acne Scars and Fine Lines - Redefine MACRO Exfoliator - 5 minutes, once a week and your skin will look better than it has in a long, long time.
Blemishes and Acne - Use the Unblemish Regimen. Want to start small?  Get the Unblemish Acne Treatment Sulfur Wash. You can also use it in the shower to clear up back acne.
Brown Spots and Sun Damage - Use the Reverse Regimen.  It fades brown spots and evens out your skin tone. 
Sensitive Skin - Use the Soothe Regimen to get rid of blotches and skin irritation.  It works fast.

Source: Rodan+Fields DermRF

Classy Wedding Favors

Getting married or planning an event?  Its lots of work and lots of fun! But, its often hard to be original - especially in your party favors.  They should be a nice thank you to your guests and reflection of you and your style.  One new idea is personalized Mini Facial Favor Bags. They look elegant, are totally original, and give your guests a relaxing treat after the big day.  Even better, Mini Facial Wedding Favors highlight your style and beauty.  Each favor bag is $6 and includes a personalized card, macrodermabrasion paste, lip renewing serum, and facial renewing serum. Your guests will appreciate the gesture and their skin will look and feel great!  Message me for orders and check out the Ageless Rose facebook page. 

Alpha-Hydroxys and Anti-Aging Skincare

While you can’t control all the elements and how they impact your skin, there are things you can do to postpone the effects of aging and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.  If you simply moisturize and use sun protection, some wrinkles will naturally soften or disappear.  The next step is to look to cosmetics and cosmetic procedures to reduce wrinkles.  At the top of the ingredient list are products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), Retinoids (including Retin A), and Peptides.  This post focuses on Alpha-hydroxy acids. 

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) – AHAs are typically derived from food products including glycolic acid (from sugar cane), lactic acid (from sour milk), malic acid (from apples), citric acid (from citrus fruits) and tartaric acid (from grape wine).  Products made from glycolic acid may be more effective as this AHA does a better job of penetrating the skin. 

Aging Benefits of Antihistamines

From the Rodan+Fields DermRF:

Along with April showers and May flowers come allergies, which has most of us battling runny noses and itchy eyes. But allergies don’t just affect the way you feel, they can also affect the way you look. And that’s because over time, constantly rubbing your nose and eyes will accelerate the appearance of wrinkles. The most iconic? The “allergic salute,” otherwise known as the wrinkle that appears across the bridge of the nose due to years of rubbing.

However, by taking antihistamines to reduce the itchy symptoms that trigger all that scratching, you are actually doing your skin a favor and preventing those wrinkles from ever forming. So take a hands off approach to your skin and start thinking of your antihistamine as not only an anti-allergy solution, but an anti-aging one as well!

To fight existing fine lines and wrinkles order Redefine products today from Rodan+Fields or visit our website for more information on products and results.

Great Skin - Choose Low Impact Exercise

Good news for all your exercise avoiders out there. You know that working out regularly is good for your body, good for your mind, and good for your skin. Keep up the good work!!!  A regular exercise routine will improve your stress level, your energy level, and your overall health.  But...if you are over 40, you might want to rethink that high impact aerobics routine.  The constant jarring of high impact cardio isn't the best choice for your face. As you age, the collagen production decreases and your skins texture and elasticity lessens as well. The jumping movements with high impact cardio can cause increased loosening and sagging of your face.  Instead, choose walking, the elliptical, and other low impact exercises such as Pilates, strength training, and yoga.  Your skin will thank you! 

Purchase the skincare regimen that is right for you today. For more great skin care tips, sign up for the Ageless Rose newsletter.

Mini Facials at Home

Spa facials feel great and work wonders for your skin. But, unfortunately they take a lot of time and can cost a fortune. At home treatments are a great alternative to high cost salons and effective with the right products. Relaxation is a great benefit of facials – and even the do it yourself method forces you to sit back, relax, and take a pause.  The major benefits, however, are for your skin.  Facials are the way to improve the look and feel of your skin. 

While a home based mini facial won’t do all the things that you would get at a salon, it will address the main skin needs – cleanse, firm, smooth, and moisturize.  Daily exposure to the sun and elements dulls the skin and the exfoliation step in facials removes the dirt and dead skin cells to bring out the healthy bright skin underneath.  Dead skin that your face naturally sheds on a regular basis which can clog pores and give the skin an aged look.

As a rule, once a month should be the frequency of a facial.  That’s because it takes about 30 days for skin cells to move up to the surface and die and slough off – bringing back the dull, aged look.  For best results, use a combination of products from the same company. This is important because each individual product is only as good as the full regimen.  For your at home facial make sure you include an exfoliator, serum, and moisturizer with sun protection.   Relax, enjoy, and bring out your great skin!

Lose that Winter Dry Skin

If you live in a northern state, look forward to the changing seasons, and are a certifiable snow lover, then winter can be a wonderful time filled with snowball fights, tubing, skiing, warm fires and hot chocolate. But, as you turn up your furnace – especially with gas heat, the dry air inside and outside can make for constant dry skin. You may notice dry hands, feet, and elbows within the first couple of weeks of winter. It’s also important to remember that the rest of the body needs special attention in the winter months as well.

The best solutions to dry skin respond to the real causes of dry skin in the winter. It’s obvious that the drier air adds to the problem in the winter months. This is because the humidity level in the air outside drops significantly in winter months, even in the more southern states. This is exasperated by indoor heating which strips even more moisture from the air and your skin. Most other causes of dry skin, which are more apparent in the winter months, occur in the shower. Harsh soaps, loofas and other “scrubby” shower accessories, and steamy showers all pull more moisture from your skin. Keeping your skin moisturized and health in the winter is easy if you follow a few simple tricks.

1. Keep your shower lukewarm instead of hot and limit to about 5 minutes. This will prevent the shower from washing away important nutrients in your skin.

2. Exfoliate about every 3-4 weeks to remove dead skin cells and open the pores to receive moisture.

3. Use soft cloths and moisturizing body wash in the shower.

4. Pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing. Rubbing irritates the skin and removes the moisture products you just used in the shower.

5. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize – not just your face, hands and feet.

6. Drink lots and lots of water. Enjoy the winter months and get into a regular skincare regimen.

You’ll look better and feel better now and in the future. For more information on skincare tips, products, and business opportunities, visit the Ageless Rose. Changing lives and Changing skin with Rodan and Fields Dermatologists.