skin care - an investment for a lifetime

I am doing a skin care post to spread knowledge about product ingredients and just general awareness.  i know a lot of vox ladies have been getting to know Garden of Wisdom, so dabbling in a pretty natural skin care line.  i like using makeup but my belief is to have the best base/canvas you can start with. 

I have to say that the latter half of 2007, turning 27 has been a turning point in my skin.  I am actually not sure if it's the age so much or studying and stressing over taking the bar and my finances, but my skin has definitely changed.  i got my first deep wrinkle.  i suspect this is from constantly blowing my nose due to allergies.  because my skin isn't as supple and elastic as it used to be, these wrinkles stay now.  the only way to get rid of them is botox probably and i am not at that point yet.  now i see a horizontal wrinkle a little below my eyebrows, the beginnings of the \ / which is more prominent on the left side.  this pact i have with myself to not age is simply not working. 

i am a skin care addict.  i also lean towards more natural products but will dabble in the unnatural if needed (retinol, derived acids, etc.).  the first thing i do when i see a product is look at the ingredient list.  if you learn to read labels, you will find that almost all skin care products are made with nasty fillers such as petroleum derivatives.  it's disgusting.  creme de la mer is crap.  dermalogica is nasty.  even so called "natural" brands use bases of mineral oil.
 

vitamin c serum
i am amping my skin care.  due to bar studies and just general stress in my life, i had forgotten to use vitamin c serum religiously.  i just received my devita c accelerator so i plan on using that every morning.  why is a vitamin c serum important?  it not only helps with collagen production, but helps your skin ward off the aging effects of uv rays.  the form of vitamin c that is effective is l'ascorbic acid (LA).  unfortunately, LA degrades rapidly when exposed to oxygen.  if companies do not add a color additive, then you will see your vitamin c serum change from a clear color to more yellow then orange.  i have read that applying vitamin c after it has oxidized can actually harm your skin.  i plan on decanting the devita c accelerator into a small bottle to keep in the bathroom and refrigerating the rest.

serums
i also just received devita's optimal rejuvenation.  it contains a plethora of anti-aging ingredients such as alpha lipoic acid, green tea, dmae, etc.  i used it last night and so far i like it.  i also make my own serum out of distilled water, seamollient, pearl powder, liquid oat beta glucans, and blue lotus extract.  it's fun and i have been using this for a while now but thought i needed a more powerful combination. 

moisturizer
i have quite a few moisturizers.  some of them are more basic that i would never use alone but only under an anti-oxidant packed serum.  i have the replenishing moisturizer from geografx.  my absolute favorite moisturizer of all time is Osea Adavnced Protection Cream, a line made from a base of red algae.  This cream firms, brightens, and makes me feel young each time i use it.  the downside?  the price, $96 for 2 oz.  it actually lasts awhile.  i also use garden of wisdom lift me up lotion, it is jammed packed with anti-oxidants and is a great, affordable cream with nice ingredients.  i also use alpha derma CE though i don't like it as much due to the ingredients being less than ideal.

eye cream
i think investing in a good eye cream is beneficial for healthy looking skin around the eyes.   make sure to wear sunglasses and sunscreen there also.  the skin around the eyes is usually the first area to show aging, so take care of it.  i like osea's eye cream though it doesn't provide much moisture.  jan marini's age intervention is amazing, but the price is on the high side.  but as i see my face as an investment for the future, i don't fret too much over prices unless it's insane.  

retinol
i have two retinol products, skinceuticals .05 and perfect complexion's retinol serum.  i owe refined pores to retinol.  it is a potent ingredient, it keeps the skin young by thinning out the epidermis and thickening the dermis.  many also use this to keep their acne controlled.  u must always use ss if using retinol/retin-a as skin is more photo sensitive.  i am thinking of switching to the stronger stuff, though, retin-a.  i know this will make me even more sensitive to the sun, but i feel like i need it this year.

sunscreen
you must wear sunscreen.   i am a firm believer that mineral makeup is not enough.  i also only use sunscreens (ss) with physical blockers such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  chemical sunscreens, on the otherhand, absorb uv rays instead of deflecting them.  i believe there are health issues with chemical blockers in addition to conflicting with MMU.   UVA rays are the aging rays.  UVB rays are the burning rays, and SPF is only a rating for UVB rays.  american sunscreens seem unconcerned with UVA ratings. 

my favorite is the devita body block and the facial sunscreen spf 30 with 15% micronized zinc oxide.  the UVA protection level is also pretty decent though i am not sure what it is.  the devita applies like aloe vera and dries like you have nothing on.  i love mixing it with MMU for a tinted sunscreen. 

for my serious days under the sun, i use SVR 50B tinted sunscreen.  it's a european brand and the only physical sunscreen i know of that has high UVA protection.

i don't ever leave the house without sunscreen and i think this is one of the reasons many think i look young.  my older sister on the other hand, has spots, and i can see the beginnings of possibly a melasma mask.  i give her all these sunscreens, and she doesn't use them.  sighs. 

cleansers
i don't believe you need to spend a whole of money on cleansers.  just make sure the surfactant u use is a gentle one such as coco betaine of decyl glucoside.  stay away from sodium lauryl sulfate and its harmful derivatives.  harsh surfactants are present in high end cleansers, so price is no indicator.  i often make my own out of GoW supplies but currently i am using geografx azluene wash.  it's really nice and mild. 

i think on days you wear a lot fo makeup or a sunscreen with silicones or is waterproof, cleaning with an oil cleanser or the oil cleansing method is a must.  you don't need to use castor oil (i avoid it like a plague since it's known to promote hair growth), and use grapeseed or jojoba oil instead.

that's all i can think of for now.  i hope everyone takes care of their skin, because you only have one face, so invest in it.