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Large pores are a very common issue, and unfortunately before we even get our high school diploma our fate is set. Many people will notice their pores getter "larger" as they age, but the size of our pores is actually an indication of how much oil you produced in your teens. They appear larger as we get older due to gravity and weakening of the elastin fibers in our skin (meaning our skin isn't pulled back as tight). For those of us that were rapidly pumping out the oil in high school, the walls of our pores stretched wider leaving us with larger pores. And for the lucky ones that didn't have much oil, their pores continue to remain small and unnoticeable. The good news? You can definitely make them look smaller. Here are some simple tips: 1) Temporary but quick and easy - wash your face with very cold water. This will constrict your vessels making your pores look tighter. Unfortunately it is extremely temporary, but if you are in need for quick improvement you can't get much easier than this! 2) Exfoliate often - this takes more diligence, but it is still pretty easy and results are longer lasting. You can get your best results by using a physical exfoliant (facial scrub with microbeads, etc) and chemical exfoliants on a regular basis. You can liken this to sanding an indent out of a piece of wood...we are trying to "sand" down the skin and get rid of dry, dead cells to make our pores less noticeable. SkinCeuticals has a micro-exfoliating scrub and clarifying cleanser with natural microbeads for daily, physical exfoliation. As for a chemical exfoliant, there are daily, mild products with chemical such as glycolic acid to get into the pores and help keep them cleaned out. For this, SkinCeuticals also carries a products such as C + AHA, Blemish + Age Defense, and Renew Overnight (to name a few). Stronger chemical peels can be performed at medical spas, which should be performed by a trained professional. 3) Use a product with retinol - this is a long-term approach, but the most effective one. Although it takes a few months, retinol is truly the most scientifically proven ingredient to retexturize and reveal smoother skin with less visible pores, fine lines, as well as wrinkles. Results can be relatively dramatic, so if you aren't using a product with retinol, you should start now! SkinCeuticals has great retinol products to help you resurface your skin and turn back time. Although there is no magic wand I can wave to make your pores shrink immediately, the right combination of products and your discipline to use them faithfully can make a dramatic difference. Contact us today to get introduced to our scientifically proven products as well as chemical peels performed by our trained professional. As always, we offer free consultations for your skin care needs.
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Of all of the skin conditions that we look to improve, reducing dark circles is probably the most frustrating. Why? There isn't really a cure because it is closely related to genetics...but that doesn't mean there aren't some great tips that can offer improvement. First, let's go over what these dark circles actually are: most commonly the skin under the eye is extra thin. This can be from loss of collagen and "leaky vessels" from aging or those nagging genetics we just can't get away from if we tried. Some people also have deep inset eyes that causes a shadow, making the under eye area appear darker. Individuals can also develop brown spots under the eyes from sun damage (or more melanin activity)...and once again genetics. Interestingly, lack of sleep doesn't actually cause dark circles, but it does make our skin look more dull so the darkness can be more apparent when we didn't get a good amount of ZZZs. Now, enough about what is causing this frustrating skin condition, let's look into solutions! Intuitively, the best solutions we have to combat some of the issues noted above. 1) Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Yes this can be difficult, but there is no doubt that research has shown sleep does offer skin benefits. A lack of sleep makes our skin pale and dull...when you are tired, you look tired! 2) Give your skin the Vitamin C it needs. Vitamin C can help the leaky vessels and aid in capillary strengthening. It is a vasoconstrictor (making our vessels less noticeable) and reduce the accumulation of blood under our eyes. You can find it in SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex, which is why this is a product that I highly recommend. Vitamin C can also, in time, fade sun spots. 3) Use skin-thickening agents to help rebuild collagen. Skin-thickening ingredients, such as peptides, can help keep the skin underneath our eyes thicker and support tissue renewal which can help it thicken. This will make the underlying blood vessels less noticeable. SkinCeuticals Eye Cream has eye specific peptides that support our skin's natural repair, making it another science-based product to help with pesky under eye darkness. 4) Massage eye cream in circular motions. This technique can stimulate movement of the pooling blood flow that can contribute to darkness. 5) Get a good concealer. Thank you, Captain Obvious! But really, it's the quickest way. I prefer Bare Minerals Concealer - it's a light powder that does the trick but doesn't goop up and accentuate any under eye lines you may have. 6) Stay hydrated. As for most skin issues, adequate hydration is key! In summary, unfortunately a common problem many of us have is tough to fix due to genetic causes. With that being said, there are great products and tips that can help you manage and diminish those under eye circles. As always, we offer free consultations for your skin care needs.
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--Bare Yourself--A skin care blog for a new, more radiant you! Archives
October 2017
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