When to See Your Primary Care Provider

When to See Your Primary Care Provider

Generally, if you have a new rash, you should see your regular provider. Many skin conditions don't require a specialist to diagnose and treat. Some rashes are chronic, or long-term, requiring regular check-ups to keep them under control. You should consider seeing a dermatologist if your regular regimen is not working.

How To Do The Basic At-Home Facial

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the right beauty tips for your skin from the Experts. Apply Now!KayaClinic.com

There’s nothing better than getting a professional facial, but they can be expensive. To maintain your healthy skin between professional treatments or to do them yourself, try this basic at-home facial once a week. This basic facial works on oily, dry and combination skin. And don’t worry, I’m not going to make you whip up a batch of egg-whites & oatmeal. If you want natural, do-it-yourself recipes, see ‘Make Your Own Face Mask.’

You saw the 5 "dos" for perfect skin care. Now here are 5 don'ts:

• You saw the 5 "dos" for perfect skin care. Now here are 5 don'ts:

• Don’t pull and rub your skin. Aging skin has been under attack by UV rays, stress and carbon monoxide so don't stress it more by pulling on it.
  
  
• Don’t forget to moisturize. While it's a myth that wrinkles are caused by dry skin, moisturizing can improve the appearance of lines by temporarily plumping them up.

  Extra tip: Moisturizers are best used on damp skin. They lock the moisture in. Dr. Dennis Gross doesn't use tap water when washing skin because of harsh minerals found in many city water sources. Instead, he rinses off with Evian water.
  
  See my list of the best moisturizers.

• Don’t ignore your neck and chest. The neck and chest are first to show the signs of aging (they have fewer oil glands than the rest of your body), yet most of us ignore them. Look for moisturizers that have age-fighting ingredients like vitamin A (retinols), kinetin, copper or vitamin C.
  
  
• Don’t tan. Even if wrinkles haven't shown up yet, you need to stop tanning now because they will. Once signs of aging appears, you'll be spending a lot of money to reverse it. So if you do have sun damage? You can reverse the damage with photorejuvenation such as pulsed light treatments. Many spas and dermatologists provide these pricey fixes.
  
  
• Don’t sporadically take care of your skin. One word of warning: Once you start an anti-aging regimen, you need to keep it up for best effects. The effects of acid peels, AHAs, moisturizers -- all the anti-aging products that remove dead skin cells and make skin look plumper -- won't last forever. You have to maintain them.

Your Guide to Perfect Skin

You can reverse the aging process

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"What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful that the garment with which it is clothed?" -- Buonarroti Michelangelo

5 Dos and 5 Don’ts to Help Slow the Aging Skin Process

Maybe you're in your 20s or early 30s and you think you can't possibly have (gulp) aging skin yet. Well, you're wrong. Your skin's "youthfulness" has less to do with age than how it's been treated, so if exposed to sun, smoke and stress, your skin will start "acting old," losing collagen, glow and elasticity. Lines will develop prematurely and your skin may look dull and "blah."

It's easier to prevent damage than to repair it, but the good news is you can put the brakes on prematurely aging skin and you can reverse the aging process, well, to a point.

Here are 5 dos and 5 don’ts to help slow down and reverse the aging process and leave your skin glowing at any age.

• Do stop smoking. Ever notice the skin of a lifelong smoker? It can appear wrinkly like a squashed paper bag. The fact is, smoking is the 2nd biggest cause of skin damage after sun exposure. Why? Nicotine constricts blood vessels and decreases the flow of oxygen to the skin. Not good things.
  
  
• Do use a retinoid every day. A daily application of a one percent prescription retinoid lotion (such as Retin-A or Tazorac) can erase years from your face. In fact, dermatologists claim retinoids (see "Is this product the secret to looking young?" are the one anti-aging product that really works.

  Before I used Retin-A, I suffered from dull skin. My complexion had a white cast, a dull pallor until I bought a tube of Retin-A over-the-counter in Mexico. I had friends who swore by the stuff. After using the product for a few weeks (and going through the annoying period where my skin turned red and peeled), all of a sudden I had dewy, glowing skin and people started to tell me I had gorgeous skin.

  AHAs used properly not only rids your face of dead skin, but can seem to take 10 years off as well by reducing fine lines. (Keep in mind these products do NOT shrink pores. Your pore size is completely hereditary, so don't believe promises of permanent reduction). Over-the-counter options such as RoC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream are good, but prescription creams work the best. Extra tip: You must stay out of the sun if you use retinoids. You are extra-susceptible to sunburns.

• Do exfoliate once a week. Choose a formulation that's best for your skin type. Chemical exfoliators (glycolic or salicylic acid) are best for oily or combo skin, while scrubs found in microdermabrasives work best for sensitive skin.

  See my list of the best facial scrubs and peels.

• Do use an eye cream daily. Eyes are one of the first places to show aging. The skin around the eyes is extra thin so you'll want to protect it from the sun with eye cream with SPF. Eye creams are controversial. Some experts and dermatologists believe you don't need a special product around the eyes, while others swear by the benefits of eye creams.

  See my list of the best eye creams.

• Do wear sunscreen every day, rain or shine. You’ve had it ingrained in your head since youth, but seriously, even in winter it can take just 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure to damage the skin. Here's a list of great sunscreens, including what I believe to be the best sunscreen in the world.

  By the way, it's a MYTH that 80 percent of your lifetime sun damage occurs before age 18, according to the April, 2006, issue of O Magazine. Katie Rodan, MD, adjunct professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, says in O that this myth stands officially debunked and studies indicate we get only 23 percent of total UV exposure by age 18. Of course it gets worse as we age. So you CAN prevent sun-induced aging by wearing sunscreen.

Opulent: Fortified Cleanser

Opulent: Fortified Cleanser

If you have sensitive, easily irritated dry skin, you may want to check out Opulent's Sensitive Skin Rejuvenation Kit. Their kit consists of 4 products: Fortified Cleanser, Serum CF, Ultra Lite Facial Cream and SPF 30 Sunscreen. I found the products to be of good quality, but note that in my opinion these products are for sensitive + dry skin. It was too moisturizing for my sensitive + normal skin.

Opulent: Fortified Cleanser

Image provided by Opulent

Step one in Opulent's Sensitive Skin Kit is the Fortified Cleanser. Fortified Cleanser is packed with essential vitamins (A, C, E) as well as green tea polyphenols. It has a wonderful citrus scent that is very appealing.

Fortified Cleanser is soap-free and it cleanses and moisturizes your sensitive skin without causing any irritants. I found it very hydrating. You just need to use a small amount of this white creamy cleanser, massage gently and rinse with lukewarm water. Opulent recommends that you use this cleanser both morning and night.

Zirh: Skin Care Regime for Men

If the idea of picking out a skin care regime overwhelms you, I've picked out the basic items you need to get started. Once you're used to taking proper care of your skin, you can add more items if you'd like, but just by starting with the basics, you'll notice your skin feels and looks better.

I've chosen Zirh Skin Care for Men to focus on. Readily available, you'll find this line is effective, affordable and has a great scent. Zirh has a fantastic line of treatment products that you can explore as needed, as well a high-end Platinum line if cost is not your top concern.

1. Zirh: Clean

Image provided by Zirh

Before you purchase a cleanser, you'll have to decide which one of the two cleansers is right for your skin type. If your skin is oily, you deal with acne on a regular basis, or you have large pores, you'd want to stick with Zirh: Clean.

Clean is a thick gel cleanser, which contains ingredients that will zap your acne without leaving your skin extra-dry. But these ingredients can also be a bit harsh for those with sensitive skin, so if you have sensitive skin, you'll want to read on.

Simply apply to wet skin to create a lather. Use twice a day.

10 Must-Have Carmine Free Lipsticks and Lip Glosses

If you have ever read the ingredients list on your favorite red lipstick or lip gloss then you are fully aware that many companies use a lot of "unnatural" ingredients. One of those ingredients is called Carmine, and actually comes from beetles. Believe it or not some people may also be allergic to Carmine. This is why we came up with a list of 10 must-haves, so you can still wear your favorite shade of red without worrying about the dried creepy crawlies inside.

1. Mukha Essentials Lipstick

Photo Taken by: Faith Lawless

Mukha Essentials and Custom Cosmetics in Columbus, OH is a state-of-the-art cosmetic boutique and spa where they hand make natural ingredient cosmetics, among other things. Mukha doesn't use any unnatural ingredients, including carmine, to make their fabulous lipstick and lip gloss pots. My two fave red tones are Starlet (a vivid red) and Marlena (a more subdued earthy red), but they can also custom make or even duplicate your favorite lipstick or gloss. So if you have an all time favorite red lipstick but it contains bad ingredients, including carmine, then Mukha can re-make the shade for you by using natural ingredients and minerals instead. Custom blends are around $20 but are definitely worth it.