How to Fix Summer Skin Issues by Board Certified Dermatologist

As we head into the cooler months the weather change impacts our skin. We may notice changes to texture, tone, perhaps some breakouts and over all ruddiness and damage from being outside enjoying the summer. Here are some of the most common post summer skin issues I see in my practice along with some solutions for them.

  1. Sunspots and wrinkles.

Days at the beach or pool can lead to sunspots even if you apply sunscreen. We cannot reach every spot and sometimes we forget to reapply after swimming. Also, even when wearing polarized sunglasses, we may put them on our heads; temporarily squinting leading to crow’s feet.

If you’re noticing some new spots, freckles and wrinkles reach for a retinoid. Your dermatologist can offer prescription strength creams. Deeper wrinkles like the ones between the eyes usually require something like Botox but, you can minimize the appearance with creams that feature glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acid. These are wonder vitamins for the skin stimulate skin shedding and cellular turn over. A serum used at night will help; but be patient and use it regularly to see a gradual change. Chemical peels and intense light treatments (IPL) can handle any discoloration.

  2. Clogged pores and dullness.

During the summertime, we perspire plus we are exposed to daily pollution in the air. When you combine these factors plus daily use of make-up, pores get clogged. Beneath the skin are our sebaceous glands which secrete an oil called sebum. Sebum sticks to dead skin cells like glue and funnels these dead skin cells through the pores. This is a process that is supposed to help you maintain healthy skin. The problem is when the weather and elements speed up the process pores become clogged. The dead skin cells get trapped along with bacteria and this leads to dull, ruddy skin with breakouts. An exfoliating face wash with glycolic acid or salicylic acid helps tremendously. Your dermatologist can create a skin care regimen based on your specific skin type and issues so you don’t deregulate pH levels in the skin which will only make things worse leading to…

  1. Acne flare ups.

Consistent heat and humidity combined with cell phone use and touching our faces after touching dirty surfaces, leads to a post-summer breakout. These breakouts can be cystic which means bigger, deeper, more painful pimples. It also can lead to a cycle of breakouts that include, treat, pick, peel, scar, and heal only to see another pimple and another. Over the counter acne treatments such as face washes with sulfur, black charcoal masks and soaps, spot treatments with benzoyl peroxide can certainly help. However, when the breakouts are consistent a dermatologist can assess your skin and present solutions that may even involve nutritional changes, vitamins and light therapy for mild or moderate acne.

  1. Dry lips.

We all know about winter time lip chapping. In the summer lips can get incredibly dry. Using a lip balm with SPF is very helpful but unless we are applying it regularly while at the beach, pool, or working out outdoors, one swipe under lip gloss isn’t enough. Drinking water, and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum helps keep us hydrated. When we are dehydrated, we see it on our lips. Pay close attention to any freckles or discoloration to the lips after prolonged sun exposure. If you see any odd changes, see your dermatologist.

  1. Ashy, flaky, itchy, skin.

If you are often in chlorine or salt water you’ll find your skin to feel rough and dry almost as if it is shedding. Also, going from extreme heat to cool air conditioning leads to skin going from perspiration to goosebumps. This rapid drop in temperature affects skin. Taking luke-warm showers and using a gentle exfoliating skin wash followed by a hydrating moisturizer keeps skin supple. Add a few drops of vitamin E to your lotion for added nourishment.

When it comes to the face, peeling foreheads and noses points to sun damage. Oftentimes people wait until something is visible to them or when an is followed by a dry patch. Dermatologists can look at things with a more discerning eye plus magnifiers that enable them to flag something that could escalate into something more. If everyone put October on their calendars as the month to see a dermatologist for a skin check we would see many skin conditions be solved quicker. This includes melanomas.

About the expert:

Dr. Margarita Lolis, M.D. is a board-certified cosmetic, medical dermatologist and a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon with over 20 years of experience. In her practice, she addresses common skin concerns such as acne prevention and treatment in both teens and adults, sun-damage, skin discoloration, wrinkles, changes to skin texture and loss of volume. On the medical side, she is a trusted expert in melanoma and over-all skin health. Dr. Lolis prides herself in honoring facial symmetry to deliver a natural look to her clients. She always recommends a healthy skin care regimen plus lifestyle habits that are aligned with her holistic approach to beauty.

As an anti-aging, functional medicine physician, Dr. Lolis masterfully addresses age management, starting with internal issues, such as hormone and gut health, nutrition, and detoxification leading to a vibrant appearance from the inside out.

A graduate of Yale University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Lolis has authored numerous book chapters and medical articles in leading dermatology journals, and completed a melanoma research fellowship prior to residency.

Dr. Lolis is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, and the American Society of Anti-aging. Her practice, Skin, Laser, and Surgery Specialists is in New York City and Bergen Country, New Jersey.

Intensive Recovery Japanese Binchotan Zumi Mask: Beauty Review

I receive a lot of questions about my skincare routine. The hidden secret is that I use a weekly face mask.

Face masks are different from the ordinary scrub or toner because it hydrates the skin and removes oils.  It’s the perfect option for those life events that require healthy skin with flawless makeup application.

Beauty Review:

I had the opportunity to review the Intensive Recovery Japanese Binchotan Zumi Mask. Upon placing the mask on my face, I was skeptical about the unique shape.

I wanted to review the product during a time that I was suffering from breakouts. To my surprise the mask left my face looking and feeling incredibly smooth.  After researching the product I discovered the charcoal has detoxifying ingredients.

The Zumi Mask package included a serum that serves as a natural purifier.  To learn more about the product and review for yourself, check out the information below:

What: Tresor Rare is a high-end luxury skincare line featuring the Intensive Recovery Japanese Binchotan Zumi Mask. This $5000 beauty mask is made from Japanese Kishu Binchotan charcoal which is the highest quality charcoal. This is the same charcoal used for water filtration. Avid campers and mountain climbers use it and… it is expensive and rare.

Why the hefty pricetag?

The Kishu Binchotan has unparalleled detoxifying benefits. Kishu Binchotan charcoal is the best in the world due to its unique structure and origin (Japan). It comes from a tree that grows there since 1688. When the tree is grown, hard wood is collected from it then burned. The remaining natural powder is then carbonized in a traditional Japanese carbonizing technique at 1200 Celsius which give it this rich, dense, pasty texture. It’s knows as “the golden charcoal.”

Products containing activated charcoal are usually more expensive. In fact, the more expensive products out there have two things warranting the price first… great packaging and secondly… higher amounts of binchotan activated charcoal. Porous binchotan has a solid structure with irregular holes which maximizes its ability to absorb toxins (hence it’s use in water filtration). This Tresor Rare mask is made of 100% Kishu Binchotan and it offers the highest level of skin detoxification on the market. The price…$5000.

This mask does not appear black as it dissolves into the skin. The mask is gold and once the serum is applied to the skin, the gold mask is applied on top.

The product was produced with natural plant extracts and emollients, organic ingredients, essential oils, natural plant and seed based oils and no artificial colors.

Additional Information:

This ultra-precise, high-performance, intensive age defying treatment mask is perfectly adapted to the skin. Its excellent fit assures ultimate penetration of unique double-layered specialty ingredients into the skin. An incredible formula with advanced technology that helps in detoxifying, lifting, refining skin texture and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Once applied to the face, this mask made of active charcoal, releases negative ions also known as “Vitamins in the Air.” They can balance the skin and returning its natural balance. Skin looks younger and more radiant.

This amazing serum starts off black and disappears into the skin – containing active charcoal; Mother Nature’s natural skin purifier.

Bottle

 This luxurious, active charcoal mask is saturated with beneficial ingredients and moisture. Leaves skin feeling amazingly smooth, detoxified and younger looking.

Mask

 Structure of the skin

This double-layered mask contains positive ions and excellent age defying and lifting plant extracts for a complete over all skin treatment.

Application

Use once a week. Onto clean skin, open the single mask pack and apply to the face, allow it to infuse the skin for 10 minutes or more. To fully experience, massage the mask with your fingers, this will cause more negative ions to be released, rinse with warm water.

The mask is made from 100% pure, mild, skin friendly plant fiber, and is 100% fully biodegradable. Contains 12 masks.

Retail Price: 5k

Available at Tresor Rare Stores Nationwide

 

Taraji P Henson and Kate Bosworth Skincare Craze with DERMAFLASH

Celebrity makeup artists have a lot of tricks up their sleeves when it comes to photo shoots or the red carpet.  Have you ever wondered ‘How do they get that perfect complexion?’ Must be photoshop—WRONG.  Celebs are showing off their flawless, camera-ready skin with DERMAFLASH.

A-listers from Taraji P Henson to Kate Bosworth are fans of this new craze in skincare.  DERMAFLASH is a facial exfoliating device that removes dead dull skin cells and vellus hair exposing radiant, smooth, fuzz-free skin. It instantly removes peach fuzz, built-up debris and dead skin in minutes flat.  The results are the same as a dermaplaning procedure you’d get done in the spa—but now you can get “It Girl” skin in the comfort of your own home.

Celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo is raving about DERMAFLASH.  During the Cannes Film Festival, he “flashed” supermodels Sara Sampaio, Jasmine Tookes, and Elsa Hosk before applying their makeup.  DERMAFLASH is literally changing the way he preps his clients’ skin for events.

“Skin is so important and that’s why I’m obsessed with DERMAFLASH,” Oquendo shares.  “DERMAFLASH gives clients their best skin.”

The secret’s out—and it’s kind of life changing.

 

Summer Travel and Getaway Essentials

The summer months are all about quick weekend getaways, so it’s best to stock up on the perfect travel essentials! Make sure you pack your bags full of Sun Bum and John Frieda and listen to experts like Umbreen Sheikh and Sophia Gushee on how to make the most of you short vacation!

Sun Bum Original Sunscreen 

Bigger isn’t always better, so breeze through security with serious sun protection stowed away in your carry on. Just like the full-sized versions, these cute little sunscreens deliver the same premium, ultra-lightweight formula and irresistible beachy smell.

John Frieda Hot Air Brush

Dry and style your hair in just one step with this multi-tasking hot air brush, newly redesigned with a sleeker, 1” ceramic titanium-coated barrel.
Ask the Experts:
Umbreen Sheikh, Founder of Wink Brow Bar

When grooming at home, it’s alright to tweeze a couple of hairs from the middle of the brow but do not touch any hairs that are in line with the nose. If you take a pen or a stick and put it vertically up against the side of your nose you can see where the brow should start on both sides.

Sophia Gushee, detox and wellness expert and author of A to Z of D-Toxing

•Broad-spectrum, which will guard against both UVA and UVB rays
• Water-resistant
• Safer key ingredients include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, preferably without nanoparticles. If they are not available, then select avobenzone at 3 percent.

How To: Glowing Skin with a Positive Mindset

Skin care probably gives us more anxiety than any other part of our body! Which makes perfect sense, of course – it’s covering us and constantly showing to some degree. Those who have skin problems will often have issues with self-esteem and even moodiness. If you want to tackle your skin anxieties, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s some advice that you should take on-board.

Featured Photo from Instagram

Change your mindset

A negative mindset isn’t going to help your anxieties. Well, duh, right? But how does that help you when it comes to skin problems? A lot of people would argue that a skin problem such as acne gives someone the right to be negative or self-conscious. But again, you might need a change in mindset. You can read more at mind-sets.com. It seems that you may be assuming the worst in people without taking into account that most people, at some point, will encounter these sorts of problems. People are more empathetic than you might think.

The fact is that the vast majority of people don’t care all that much; they may notice you have a problem, but they’re not going to be disgusted by it in the way that you think. Other people aren’t going to sit there and stare at your flaws. Think about it: do you pay attention to someone’s skin problems? Has it stopped you spend time with them or even dating them? Probably not. Try to keep this in mind; it will soothe a lot of your anxiety.

Get expert advice

You can speak with someone about these kinds of worries. They may point you in the direction of a dermatologist. (A “skin doctor”, in layman’s terms!) Dermatologists will always help you explore non-surgical options, but there are loads of businesses out there, such as belcarahealth.com, that will help you explore both non-invasive dermatology and cosmetic surgery. (And no, you shouldn’t be afraid to look into such treatment if there’s a good chance it will really improve your situation.)

Dermatologists, or even your regular physician, may even be able to recommend you specific products and lifestyle changes based on your particular skin structure. Don’t be afraid to look into medical treatments they may suggest, like microdermabrasion. Something like that can be done at home or with a doctor.

The skin-friendly lifestyle

Changing your mindset is one part of adopting a skin-friendly lifestyle; when you’re less negative, you stress out a lot less – and stress can aggravate skin problems in ways you may never have thought possible. Stress is just one part of an unhealthy lifestyle that you need to avoid.

It’s true that those with skin problems like acne may be, in a sense, “doomed” to have the problem to some degree, at least in the short term. But most people aggravate the problem by not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep, and neglecting exercise. You can read more at experiencelife.com. These things aren’t guaranteed to cure skin problems, the way some people make out. But they can go a long way towards improving your skin tremendously.

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Scent Trunk.com | Customizable Summer Fragrance Review

If you haven’t heard of Scent Trunk, you can thank me after this post. Scent Trunk is an innovative company that allows customers to create their own individual fragrance.  It’s an intriguing process, especially for those with seasonal allergies or seeking a unique smell.

Featured Photo from Fragrantice.com

After receiving the kit, start by taking the scent (or sniff) test, select your favorite fragrance, and log the information into your account. 

Scent Trunk will ship your personalized fragrance in a few days.  I had a lot of fun creating my scent and excited to receive the package.  

My fragrance smelled wonderful!  For an authentic review, I decided to wear it for an outside family barbecue.  It’s safe to say I smelled amazing and no need to reapply.  Living in a warmer climate, your body has a tendency to change and need a fragrance that will withstand the weather.  

Try it for yourself, visit ScentTrunk.com and let us know your experience here!

Make a Splash at the Beach This Summer – 7 Cosmetic Procedures That Will Get You Swimsuit Ready

Swimsuit season can be a reason to show off the body in an itsy bitsy bikini or grab the terrycloth cover-up. Suddenly, those spider veins, bulges and sagging body parts that have been hiding under layers of winter clothes are on full display.

Photo Credit:  People Style.com

The impulse is to jump start a diet and exercise plan. The reality, however, is no Pilates class or low carb diet can fix Aunt Ellen’s saddlebags or your mother’s size A cup breasts. Genetics and age-related hormonal changes will always be at work.

Thanks to advances in cosmetic surgery there are plenty of procedures that can enhance your appearance. Here, just in time for summer, are seven of the most popular, some of which are so minimally invasive you can hit the beach within a few days of being treated.

 

The Lunchtime Quickie

If you’re close to your ideal body weight but fighting fat on your thighs, tummy, flanks, bra roll or arms, Coolsculpting is an option. This FDA approved technology safety and effectively freezes fat to improve the contour of those nasty bumps and bulges that are resistant to exercise and diet. Within four to 12 weeks after the treatment, the body eliminates the crystallized frozen cells, giving patients visible and long-lasting results.

“Because Coolsculpting only takes a couple hours, this is one of the procedures patients can do on their lunch hour and then head back to work,” says Dr. George Bitar, an award-winning plastic surgeon based in Northern Virginia who has performed more than 10,000 cosmetic surgeries.

For stubborn fat, a more aggressive approach would be liposuction. The results are immediate and allow for better contouring. Doctors can even use the liposuction for abdominal etching, creating a perfectly natural looking six-pack abs in roughly an hour.

Get a Smooth Tummy and Defined Arms

With significant weight loss, pregnancy and aging it’s not uncommon to have loose skin. “A tummy tuck, which takes roughly two to three hours, will tighten the abdominal muscles to create that firm, sleek stomach, and waistline.”, says Dr. Larry Lickstein, a Harvard-educated, board certified plastic surgeon at the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute in Northern Virginia. For that hanging skin that looks like “bat wings,” an arm lift is often advised. It involves removing excess skin and residual fat to create a firmer arm. It can even be combined with liposuction for a more defined look.

Before and After: Tummy Tuck

Show Off Your Cleavage

Google trends report breast augmentation is highest between June and August. For the procedure, the scar can be placed either in the under-arm (axillary), the crease under the breast, or at the lower border of the areola.

According to Dr. Bitar, who specializes in the auxiliary breast augmentation, there are many advantages to this approach. “Muscle and breast tissue are not cut, there is also minimal bleeding, less scarring and a shorter recovery time with minimal complications,” he says. “The milk ducts are not touched, so the risk of losing the ability to breast feed after a breast implant with this approach is negligible.”

Look Good Coming and Going

Women now not only want to be fit and toned, but they want Kim Kardashian’s derriere. The Brazilian butt lift is a relatively simple procedure where the fat is harvested from the belly and around the buttocks through liposuction and reinjected to create a heart or ideal round shape. The procedure yields natural results with minimal recovery time.

Wear Short Shorts with Style

Dread showing your legs? There are vein treatments to fix those ugly blue and red veins that spread across your legs as you age. Sclerotherapy, for example, involves injecting the veins with a saline solution. The veins then scar and are reabsorbed into the body. In most cases, the treated veins will fade within a few weeks.

Finally, before you undergo any procedure, do your research. Make sure the surgeon has done hundreds if not thousands of procedures and is affiliated with a good hospital. Also, think twice before traveling abroad for cheaper surgery. As Dr. Bitar advises his patients, “Three things you don’t want to compromise on: your parachute, your scuba gear, and your plastic surgery!”

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Color Correcting: Solution To Skin Imperfections

Contouring, Strobing, and Color Correcting are three techniques that are well-known by pro make-up artist.  Looking in the mirror (at-home) we often discover a few nasty skin imperfections. Some would say that wearing make-up is the issue but truthfully it’s more about the natural environment and heredity.

Color correcting is the solution to this problem.  It’s considered the one technique that will neutralize your complexion and skin tone.  This magical concealer is different from the average cover-up and can be found in the rainbow colors of purple, green, pink, and yellow.  The cream or stick will mask dark circles (or tattoos) underneath your foundation.

One of the most important tips to remember is that Color Correcting sticks are based on your skin complexion.  For example, darker skin tones should use an orange concealer while lighter complexions are encouraged for yellow primers.

Do you have any Color Correcting tips?  If so, leave a message in the box below.

 

How-To: Advice For Fashion Start-ups

It might seem daunting setting up your own fashion business, but our advice can help!

 Featured Photo from H&M.com

Launching your own business can be very rewarding, but also very demanding. You’ll need to juggle many balls in order to get the business launched and trading successfully. Therefore, it’s important to do some thorough research and planning. With a large amount of competition out there, it’s essential to have a business strategy in place that is clear and on point.

Create a business plan

 

A business plan is like a personal roadmap, that outlines your goals, visions and objectives. It will be central to the business development and will be a helpful tool to measure progress and success.

You also need to work out how much finance you will need to set up and run the business until it starts generating income. Fees can include the cost of sample collection, marketing materials, professional fees, insurance and any deposits required for rent or utilities.

Plan your collection

 

It is tempting to get carried away when designing a collection of clothes or accessories, but for the first few seasons, it’s better to create a small focused section to target a specific group of people. Once you’ve built up a reputation and have a good sales history, you can expand the collection more.

You could hire an image model to model the clothes in photo shoots, as a way of promoting the range. Image models are beautiful women who have a unique charm, grace and energy and can adapt to any situation they are in. They look after themselves well and of course photograph well, so you would be able to have a collection of professional photographs ready for your clothes line.

 Check out competitors

 

Don’t be afraid to research and find out about your competitors, it helps to learn what other people in the market are doing and you can learn a lot from analyzing a competitors business model. It will help you to identify your USP and helps to give your business a slightly different edge to others in the industry.

Keep on top of your finances

 

Make sure to monitor your cash flow on a regular basis. Doing so well help you foresee any potential problems from happening and will give you time to find suitable solutions. Rather than being faced with a bill that you cannot pay.

Marketing

You’ll need all the help you can get, so it would be an innovative idea to join groups where you could meet people and forge collaborations with other like-minded people, such as designers, entrepreneurs, social media influencers and bloggers. Anyone that can help promote and get the word out for you about your brand is a big help. Always carry business cards with you to help build up a database of useful contacts, because you never know who you might meet!

Starting a fashion business isn’t easy, but if you feel passionate, are driven and have a clear vision, it can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling industries to work in.

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FIVE TIPS FOR HAVING A HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY from Lauren Smith Brody

For many of us, Mother’s Day means a bouquet of flowers, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, or—if we’re really lucky—a lovingly-and-slightly-burned breakfast in bed. And those things are all great!

But parenthood is all about making memories, and that traditional trifecta (flowers, candy, toast), can start to blur year to year. Studies have shown that experiencing new things for the first time together is very bonding—and memory-making. Every other day of the year, you’re the one teaching your kiddos how to do something you already know how to do. Why not share a completely new experience together? You’ll walk away with the gift that lasts longer than the hardiest construction paper heart: A real memory to treasure.

Featured Photo from SouthernLiving.com

Our phones are often an integral part of making memories—whether it’s calling our loved ones or taking photos. That’s why I’m teaming up with Total Wireless to talk about how to do Mother’s Day like a “boss.” Here are some unforgettable ideas:

  1. Create a family playlist and have a dance party.  The internet is your friend here. Choose a hit song from the birth year of every member of your family, from great-grandparents down to the baby, for a uniquely-yours mixtape. And then, obviously, dance! Or karaoke. Or both, your call.
  2. Move it! It doesn’t matter whether it’s a 5K race, a family yoga class, or an easy stroll around the block, a little exercise is good for everyone. Bonus points territory is ordering matching exercise gear (go ahead and be That Family). Search online for “custom t-shirts,” or do a deep dive into Etsy for inspiration. Yelp may have some suggestions for a local vendor too.
  3. Play food stylist. You know those time-lapse recipe videos? Why not try making one as a family? Best-case scenario, you’ll end up with shareable directions your little sous chefs can send to their friends. Worst case? You’ll have some messy laughs…and order in pizza.
  4. Dig in the dirt. It’s Mother Nature’s day too, after all, so honor her with a visit to a local garden, or plant one of your own. (Window boxes count if you live in an apartment like I do!) According to proflowers.com, May is the perfect time to plant roses, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and more.
  5. Set a hug alarm. Cheesiest idea on record…and yet, we dare you not to enjoy it. Most mornings of the year, your alarm is go-time for the morning rush/panic. Today, let everyone in the family set his or her own alarm on your phone for a family hug session. Don’t forget to reach out to your far-away family members. Video hugs and screen kisses count too.

Lauren Smith Brody is the founder of The Fifth Trimester movement to help businesses and families improve workplace culture together. Her book, The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, and Big Success After Baby is just out from Doubleday. Prior to launching her own business, Lauren had a 16-year career in magazine publishing, most recently as the executive editor of Glamour magazine at Condé Nast, overseeing the magazine’s features, beauty, and fashion content, as well as brand and digital extensions and editorial events, including Glamour’s annual Women of the Year awards. She’s partnering with Total Wireless to share her “total boss mom” strategies—hectic schedule, two little boys, messy home, and all. Check out TotalWireless.com to learn more about their affordable plans and high-end smartphone selection.