Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

Coloring Outside the Lines

As kids we are taught to color inside the lines, and the same logic applies when it comes to your lips. While applying thick, occlusive balms or waxy, greasy lipsticks is perfect for your pucker, layering it on the skin around your lips can cause blackheads. This is because the skin of your lips and the skin surrounding your mouth is very different. Sealing in moisture on your lips can be beneficial, but sealing in debris and bacteria on the skin around your mouth can mean breakouts.

It’s best to keep your look natural, and stick within the lip area when applying lip products. And always look for ingredients that do more than just make your lips look good. Many multi-tasking products can also improve the texture and overall health of your lip over time, while still giving you a smooth, glossy finish.

February 23, 2012 at 5:12 pm Derm RF 1 comment

Habits that Haunt

Scrubbing Away Good Skin

Great skin starts with clean skin. The wrong cleanser can undo all the right things you’re doing and make your skin drier and more oil-prone than before you lathered up. In fact, a bevy of bubbles is an obvious indication that your cleanser is likely stripping away your precious moisture barrier.

Gentle, low sudsing cleansers are best because they effectively remove dirt and oil without disrupting your delicate stratum corneum (top layer of skin). To exfoliate deeper, simply apply your cleanser longer, not harder. Over scrubbing is just as bad and can create small abrasions or leaks where germs and dirt can sneak in.

January 27, 2012 at 1:43 am Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

Skipping Skin-healthy Opportunities

Skipping rope may be good for you, but skipping meals will only trip you up. When you skip breakfast or work through lunch, you’re more likely to crave and indulge in carbohydrate-rich snacks that are high in sugar, salt and fat.  Loading up on high glycemic index foods like potatoes, milk, white breads and fried foods accelerates aging and causes skin conditions like rosacea and acne to rear their ugly heads.

Instead eat a healthy, nutrient rich breakfast, lunch and dinner and have skin-friendly snacks at the ready like fresh antioxidant rich fruits and veggies (the more colorful, the better).

So, does your food regimen complement your skincare regimen?

January 17, 2012 at 6:09 pm Derm RF 2 comments

Habits that Haunt

“Treat”ing Your Skin

Sweet treats left on desks and doorsteps may be kindly meant, and your mouth will likely thank you for indulging—but your face won’t.  It’s true the old notion that chocolate causes acne is more of a superstition than a scientific truth, but it’s also true that high glycemic index foods in general (such as cookies and milk) do contribute to acne breakouts.

Diets high in refined carbohydrates seem to affect hormone levels which in turn increase oil production by sebaceous glands. And in addition to upping your breakout odds, the plethora of seasonal culinary pleasures like salty snacks and alcoholic drinks can also cause bloating and redness. So, take it easy on the treats and the vino, and your skin, not to mention your waistline, will show appreciation for your moderation.

December 21, 2011 at 1:50 am Derm RF 1 comment

Habits that Haunt

Putting on the Glitz

‘Tis the season for gloss and glitter … and breakouts and rashes. Go ahead and sparkle, but mind your makeup curfew. If late nights give way to lazy night skincare routines, the effects will catch up with you in the form of clogged pores, dull texture from dead skin cell buildup, and breakouts.

Also, glitters and shimmering shadows can be irritants, so if you use them infrequently you may find that adding a little extra dazzle for an evening out gets you more than you bargained for. You may end up with watery eyes, itchiness and redness. Our advice? Let your clothes and accessories do the glittering and let your natural beauty shine through.

December 6, 2011 at 11:18 pm Derm RF 1 comment

Habits that Haunt

Post-Traumatic Sunscreen Disorder (PTSD)

Does thinking about applying sunscreen to your face send chills up your spine? If the fear of experiencing the stinging, burning and redness you’ve endured in the past when applying sunscreen is causing you to avoid that daily dollop of sunscreen so essential to maintaining a healthy, youthful complexion, then you may have post-traumatic sunscreen disorder.

While understandable, your sensitivity to sunscreen is not what it seems. You’re actually reacting to individual chemical ingredients and not simply allergic to sunscreen as a whole. To avoid this reaction in the future, look specifically for sunscreens that feature mineral-based ingredients like zinc and titanium dioxide. Not only are they gentler than your average sunscreen, but these ingredients are compatible with sensitive skin, last longer and are considered more efficacious.

November 23, 2011 at 2:07 am Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

The Best Way to Fight Dryness is with H₂O

If you’re upping your skin’s water supply with frequent spritzing as a way to increase moisture, you may be creating a problem instead of solving one. Unless you apply a barrier-repairing moisturizer (one which contains dimethicone, glycerin or hyaluronic acid) immediately after spritzing, you’ll actually dry out skin because as water evaporates it draws moisture away from all layers of your skin. Feel the need to spritz? Just follow with lightly patting damp skin with a great moisturizer. Not only will you improve hydration over the long haul, you’ll get an immediately refreshed and youthful glow.

November 16, 2011 at 11:48 pm Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

Post-Traumatic Sunscreen Disorder (PTSD)

Does thinking about applying sunscreen to your face send chills up your spine? If the fear of experiencing the stinging, burning and redness you’ve endured in the past when applying sunscreen is causing you to avoid that daily dollop of sunscreen so essential to maintaining a healthy, youthful complexion, then you may have post-traumatic sunscreen disorder.

While understandable, your sensitivity to sunscreen is not what it seems. You’re actually reacting to individual chemical ingredients and not simply allergic to sunscreen as a whole. To avoid this reaction in the future, look specifically for sunscreens that feature mineral-based ingredients like zinc and titanium dioxide. Not only are they gentler than your average sunscreen, but these ingredients are compatible with sensitive skin, last longer and are considered more efficacious.

November 8, 2011 at 9:51 pm Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

Forgetting Your Fingertips

While it’s not nice to point, and puns are almost always obnoxious, we’ll risk your rolling eyes and point out that the key to beautiful nails may already be at your fingertips. Keeping cuticles and nails looking and feeling healthy is as easy as taking your hand care all the way to the end of the line. If you take a minute to go beyond your fingers and massage your fingertips with a hand care regimen that provides essential moisture and promotes an increase in skin’s natural collagen, you’ll find your nails in tip-top shape in no time.

October 19, 2011 at 12:33 am Derm RF 1 comment

Habits that Haunt

Stopping Short: The Chin’s the Limit

When you deny your neck, chest and hands the same protection and pampering you offer your face daily, you inadvertently create a side-by-side comparison of good versus bad skincare habits. And having a youthful face sitting on top of a leathered chest is just bad marketing. As you head to the bathroom tomorrow morning, remember—your décolletage and hands deserve the same care and consistency as your face. Always extend your skincare down past your face to your neck, chest and hands daily.

October 4, 2011 at 11:30 pm Derm RF 1 comment