March 04, 2020 at 07:00PM by CWC If someone were to suddenly win a few million bucks, there would surely be a list of things they’d run to put that money to: vacation (and probably debt), for obvious starters. And unquestionably: beauty products. It’s the golden age of skin care, when drugstore products churn out major results; however, it’s undeniable that even with all of the pocketbook wins, there are some skin-care products that are worth the splurge. In Well+Good’s Beauty Geek Facebook group (join it if you haven’t yet!), we posed the question to our readers: If you could splurge on one beauty product, what would it be? And our followers happen to have wish lists full of dermatologist-recommended skin-care essentials. Their picks range from science-backed brands like SkinCeuticals and Augustinus Bader to California cult-faves like Vintner’s Daughter. To see their picks, and hear why these items really are worth the splurge, keep scrolling. 1. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, $166 Photo: SkinCeuticals This is the vitamin C serum that skin-care devotees mention as their dream product time and time again, and it’s one that Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and our Dear Derm host recommends on the reg. It’s potent, effective, and truly brightens your complexion. One reader says it’s “amazing” and “worth the high price tag.” 2. Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser, $75 Photo: Dr. Barbara Sturm A lot of Well+Good readers cited Dr. Barbara Sturm products in their splurge-worthy picks, including this cleanser. The product basically works
Tag: Facials
The expert-approved products to buy at Dermstore’s Beauty Refresh Event
March 03, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC When it comes to finding the best of the best skin-care products online, a great first stop is the expert-curated Dermstore. (It was founded by dermatologists, after all!) Because stocking up on everything on your wish list can add up quickly, it can definitely be worth waiting until the prices drop—and this week there’s a massive skin-care sale called the Beauty Refresh Event you can take full advantage of. Dermstore’s Beauty Refresh Event is currently in full swing, where you can score some of your favorite products up to 20 percent off through March 9. Now, I’m not going to lie—sifting through hundreds of products can be intimidating. Plus, who has time to read through that many product descriptions? That’s why we put together a list of the options skin-care experts can’t get enough of that you’re sure to fall in love with, too. The 7 best products to order at the Dermstore Beauty Refresh Event 1. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Packettes, $120 for 60 When half of the Well+Good editors use the same peel pads, you know they’re good. I mean, one editor said—and I quote—she’d sell her soul to get a lifetime supply. They contain alpha hydroxy acids and glycolic and beta hydroxy acids, which together provide all the exfoliation and brightening powers your skin will ever need. 2. Bioderma Atoderm Cleansing Oil, $16 If you’re not already using a shower oil, now’s the time to start.
Dermatologists say everyone in their 30s should be using *this* skin-care product
March 02, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC Plenty of ingredients are glow-inducing multitaskers that give your skin more than one benefit (think: vitamin C, which brightens while fending off future damage from free radicals or glycolic acid, which resurfaces while plumping up skin by creating new collagen). But there is only one beauty product that dermatologists will recommend, whether you want to zap redness, plump up fine lines, or even out skin texture—and that ingredient is retinol. “Retinol is the best multitasker that exists,” says Loretta Ciraldo, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare. “It’s excellent for acne, for anti-aging, and for pigmentation.” She points out that retinol is one of the two most studied ingredients (the other is vitamin C) in skin care that have been written about in peer-reviewed literature, “so we know it’s not a marketing gimmick—it really works.” And though you can use it preventatively in your 20s, she says you definitely want have a tube by the time you’re in your 30s to keep your complexion healthy. As collagen production slows late in our 20s, often we need to supplement skin to help it make more. Retinol does just this, which in turn, helps with the aging process.”You actually get a molecular response where your skin starts to make collagen,” says Dr. Ciraldo. This reaction occurs because retinol is a bioavailable ingredient to our skin. That means that once we slather it on, skin knows exactly how to utilize it to promote
Not just for burns: Here are 7 ways aloe vera can nourish your skin
February 29, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC When it comes to skin, the aloe vera benefits are no joke. Aloe vera is a natural, plant-based ingredient that’s been used for medicinal purposes for, well, seemingly forever. When you open up the leaves of the succulent plant, you’ll find a clear, jelly-like gel, which is rife with healing properties that are great for treating cuts, healing burns, improving digestive health when consumed, and promoting better oral health, says Gretchen Frieling, MD, a board-certified dermatopathologist. In other words, aloe vera is definitely worthy of a permanent spot in your medicine cabinet, but it isn’t just there for you in times of minor ailments. It’s also great for your skin, too. You can rub the gel straight from the leaf, and you can find it in many creams, gels, and ointments. Keep reading to learn other ways aloe vera can benefit your skin, plus tips on how to incorporate the star ingredient into your daily skincare routine. Benefits of aloe vera for skin Aloe vera is a great moisturizer Aloe vera gel is incredibly moisturizing for your skin, hair, and scalp. “Aloe vera leaves, particularly in the innermost layer, are abundant with water, so it helps to hydrate the skin and seal in moisture,” Dr. Frieling says. “The sugars it contains, also known as mucopolysaccharides, aid in retaining moisture in the skin.” Dr. Josh Axe, DNM and founder of Ancient Nutrition and DrAxe.com, adds that aloe gel also promotes the regeneration of skin tissues and
I’m a facialist, and this is the most common skin concern I get asked about
February 28, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC Everyone’s complexion is like a unique snowflake. Facialists get to do the rewarding job of assessing their clients’ unique skin concerns, then—over the course of about an hour—transforming it into a more radiant state. As a celebrity facialist that’s been doing this for over a decade, Candace Marino has worked with every skin woe you could imagine. Out of every skin concern, though, one holds the position as the most common that people want to know how to treat: hyperpigmentation. “Hyperpigmentation is hands down the most common skin concern that my clients are fighting,” she says. “No matter whether it’s post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, spots from hormones, or melasma, the sun will only exacerbate it, deepen it, and make it harder to treat.” You know it as those dark spots that show up on your skin after a zit is gone, or from spending too much time in the sun. The tricky thing about hyperpigmentation is that it takes a lot of time and patience to treat. “During a facial, we can gradually treat pigmentation by using the right ingredients, but the magic happens when clients are consistent with their home skin-care routine,” says Marino, who notes that she uses either a peel or an exfoliating and brightening facial to “breathe life back into dull, damaged skin.” As for taking care of your dark spots at home, Marino recommends incorporating the following skin-care essentials for your healthiest, brightest skin ever—keep scrolling for her picks. How
Moth bean extract is the new plant-based retinol alternative to know
February 28, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC Retinol is an all-star ingredient beloved by dermatologists everywhere, but for years, many people with sensitive skin opted out of using it due to the flaking and redness it can cause. Then came bakuchiol in 2018, a plant-based ingredient that multitasks just as well as retinol—boosting brightness, strengthening collagen, firming and smoothing—sans irritation. Fast forward a few years and there’s now a new alt-retinol in town called moth bean extract, here to give bakuchiol some friendly competition. Though it may conjure an image of a winged insect, moth bean extract actually comes from the botanical world. “The scientific name is vigna aconitifolia, and it’s derived from a legume that’s grown in Asia,” says Susanne Norwitz, founder of skin-care brand Maya Chia. “It’s extracted from protein-rich seed pods, and there has been encouraging research comparing it to the efficacy of retinol.” Even though the extract isn’t a vitamin A derivative like retinol, it has similar benefits. Like retinol, moth bean extract encourages skin-cell turnover and can reduce the appearance of fine lines. Those aren’t its only superpowers, either. “It boosts the functionality of the dermal and epidermal layers of your skin, and its antioxidant properties—from caffeic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, and kaempefrol—help to repair damaged skin,” says Norwitz. Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says that those antioxidants can also help to shield your skin against future environmental damage and premature aging. Moth bean extract can also brighten your
Here’s how Sephora’s new CBD standards affect your skin-care regimen
February 26, 2020 at 10:25PM by CWC On Wednesday, makeup and skin-care distributor Sephora announced new standards for the CBD beauty products it sells in-store and online, making it the first national prestige retailer to do so. Certain CBD-specific retailers, like Standard Dose, spell out similar guidelines. “We’ve seen clients’ demand for transparency continue to grow, and it’s important to Sephora that we are a trusted resource,” Cindy Deily, vice president of merchandising and skin care at Sephora, tells Byrdie. “With the amount of products flooding the market, there can be confusion and mistrust.” Take a look at the Sephora CBD standards: Inclusion of only full- or broad-spectrum CBD from U.S. grown hemp CBD must be tested at least three times for quality and purity A Certificate of Analysis (COA) that verifies the CBD content matches any label claims must be available upon request All products must meet Sephora’s Clean at Sephora standards While these regulations are an important step in the right direction, it doesn’t guarantee that these products actually work, says Adam Friedman, MD, a dermatologist and professor of dermatology at George Washington University. “These are just quality assurance measures that you’re getting what you’re paying for,” he says. “We need science to prove that a certain concentration delivered in a certain way works.” CBD is often sought out in beauty products for its potential ability to fight inflammation. “CBD has been shown to have a soothing effect on the skin, and has been used in the treatment of
Wake up with your best hair day ever thanks to these nighttime routines
February 25, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Prepping your skin at night can help you wake up looking and feeling rejuvenated and hydrated, and the same can be said for your hair. I have super dry, coarse, and kinky hair that I wear straight. At night, I apply a leave-in conditioner and oils so my hair is moisturized and ready for heat styling. Lindsay Victoria, stylist at Spoke&Weal hair salon in Los Angeles, says establishing a nighttime hair routine creates a healthier foundation for styling the next day. “To create the style you’re looking for, or to help control your hair texture, having a nighttime styling ritual will help create a more efficient morning,” says Victoria. “You’re able to touch up your style that has been setting over night, verses spending too much time in front of the mirror the next day.” What you include in your nighttime hair routine is dependent on your hair type. Someone with oily hair is not going to want to sleep with the oils and lotions someone with dry, coarse hair uses. To help you tailor your nighttime hair routine, read through the expert tips below. What you should incorporate into your nighttime hair routine, depending on your hair type 1. Coarse kinky hair “Coarse, kinky hair is always seeking moisture from the atmosphere,” says Brian Zinno, stylist and educator at Antonio Prieto Salon. “During these cold winter months, the air is already dry and the heat in your apartment exacerbates dryness.” He recommends
This buzzy skin ingredient is like a brightening, discoloration-fighting laser in a bottle
February 24, 2020 at 09:01PM by CWC Vitamin C has long been the brightening king of the beauty aisle. Celebrated for its ability to treat dark spots and discoloration, it has earned itself a rightful place in nearly everyone’s morning skin routine. But when it comes to treating more serious skin-tone issues, there’s another ingredient that might just push vitamin C off of its hyperpigmentation-fighting throne. Tranexamic acid has recently become increasingly common in skin-care products thanks to its science-backed benefits. Its most significant claim to fame? It can treat all kinds of hyperpigmentation, including acne scarring, photo-aging, and the notoriously-difficult-to-deal-with melasma. According to research, topically-applied tranexamic acid works by inhibiting a pigment-producing enzyme in your skin called tyrosinanse. This interaction keeps melanocytes, or the cells that form melanin, in your skin from becoming overstimulated—which is what causes dark spots in the first place. In addition to controlling the uneven production of melanin, the acid will “help calm the skin, reduce inflammation, and help promote the health of the skin’s natural barrier,” says Colorado-based board-certified plastic surgeon Manish Shah, MD. While tranexamic acid has proven to be effective on its own, board-certified dermatologist Nava Greenfield, MD notes that it can be mixed with other brightening agents like kojic acid, ferulic acid, or vitamins C and E. Since acids can generally be drying, be sure to ease into introducing tranexamic acid into your routine, and be wary of mixing it with other intense actives like glycolic or retinol. Ready to add tranexamic
This is why it’s so hard to escape the ‘daytime blemish blues’
February 23, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC This might be your first time hearing about the “daytime blemish blues,” but you probably already know exactly what it is. After waking up in the morning, everything looks top-notch: all that redness is gone, the zit that showed up a couple days ago is barely rearing its ugly (white)head, and any bumpiness in the skin is hardly detectable. Then as the day goes on, those blemishes become increasingly more visible. So why does skin look best after waking up? The daytime blemish blues is a term coined by a Reddit user who couldn’t help but ask the masses if they, too, experience the problem. Not surprisingly, others also chimed in about the changes that pop up in the mirror midday, saying they’ve been on the hunt for answers. According to Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, it checks out—and answers you will receive. “Our skin is busy repairing itself overnight with increased cell repair and regeneration occurring, so there’s truth to ‘beauty sleep’ and waking up with great skin,” she says. “Overnight is also a time when skincare products have a chance to set in, so the skin reflects those benefits when you wake up.” (Although, if you’re using more aggressive products like retinol that can cause irritation, even so-called beauty sleep can’t leave you feeling bright and shiny every day.) Unfortunately, those benefits only last so long. Dr. Garshick says during the day, any build-up of dead