Wondering about my annual cost for skin care products listed in my last article?

I added up the cost of every item in the product list of my last entry. It all adds up to $485 -- or $8 a day assuming the products last two months. I must admit the eye creams last longer than two months plus the items I do not use on a regular basis, such as the masques, peels, spot control and two moisturizers (Panthenol Protein which I use on my neck and Antioxidant Skin Preserver which I use only when my skin is very dry). Probably the daily tally is closer to $4.50 to $5.00 a day. So, to take the next step...at $5 daily, my skin care regime (without makeup) is $1,825 a year.

Interlude: What I Do & Use

I was just asked about my facial skin care routine. So here it is -- and I realized that it is pretty complex and totally dependent on how my skin feels to me that day or night. At the end of this entry, I have listed the full brand and product names.

Before I go into my routine, you should know that I have fine pore, lightly dry to normal skin that is sometimes sensitive (usually to fragrance) and not prone to breakouts. However, the weather and what I eat can turn my skin either dry or slightly oily in the T-zone. So I have an adjustable routine that includes a variety of products. Plus, I do not always use them in the recommended way. So here is what I do.

When my skin is "normal" my regular morning and evening care is to clean with Kiehl's Washable Cleansing Milk. For the eyes, I then apply Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions (DS) Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate around the orb, then for my face and neck I apply Kiehl's DS Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate with 10.5% Vitamin C. I wait a few minutes before I follow up with Kiehl's Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment and I use my fingerpads to gently pat in the eye cream around the bottom half orb (for me that a radius of half an inch -- I also smile and pat in the eye cream around all smile lines sometimes 1-1.5 inches away from my eye). I then apply (by patting unto my face after rubbing the product in my hands to distribute equally over my hands) Cryste Marine Ultra Riche Lifting & Firming Cream to my face. I wet my hands and then use Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream for my neck and upper chest area. If I need to spot treat, I do so immediately after cleansing my face and before any other product application. In the morning only, I apply eye color corrector and concealer and then gently tap in Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado; then I finish my makeup application.

If my skin is oily I cleanse with Kiehl's Rare Earth Oatmeal Milk Facial Cleanser #1 or even Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub. Then I follow the rest of the above routine. In the evening, I apply Rare Earth Facial Cleansing Masque. Then I will apply spot treatment to the T-zone and will not use face cream at all but do moisturize my neck and chest areas.

If my skin is dry (usually due to the weather), I follow my routine but change face creams and use the Kiehl's Antioxidant Skin Preserver. This is greasy stuff so I wet my hands and apply a small bit of this cream and blend the water and cream in my hands before patting unto my face. This works especially well in the evenings. Also, if I have no makeup on, in the evening I will "clean" my face by using water only then applying everything else.

Twice or three times a week I will apply Kiehl's DS Over Night Biological Peel (actually I will apply this on nights I am home and leave on for 5-6 hours) then I follow with Kiehl's DS Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion. Then back to the routine.

I hope this answers the question fully!

FULL PRODUCT LIST OF WHAT I USE
Face cleansing
Kiehl's Washable Cleansing Milk for dry, normal to dry or sensitive skin types
Kiehl's Rare Earth Oatmeal Milk Facial Cleanser #1 for normal to oily skin types
Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub made with real fruit

Masques & Peels
Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Over Night Biological Peel
Kiehl's Rare Earth Facial Cleansing Masque

Eye Care
Kiehl's Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment
Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate

Prep before Moisturizing
Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion
Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate

Moisturizers
Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream enriched with Vit E and beta carotene for dry skin
Antioxidant Skin Preserver for very dry skin types
Cryste Marine Ultra Riche Lifting & Firming Cream

Spot Control
Aveda Outer Peace Acne Spot Relief

Part 2 of 3: Eyes & The Three Bads - Preventing Fine Lines

Dark circles, fine lines and puffiness. Today we are talking about fine lines -- if you can help delay or prevent their early appearance.

Those fine lines, sometimes called crow's-feet (let's stop using that phrase right now, okay?), are often the first wrinkles that develop on the face. Dermatologists agree that the top major causes of early fine lines around the eyes is smoking, squinting and facial sun-tanning. To help keep looking younger before the damage, turn the following behaviors into your new habits.

1) Reduce your exposure to the sun, wear sunblock, a big hat and dark sunglasses. Your skin loses elasticity, especially from sun exposure. Your skin around the eyes is far more delicate and vulnerable to sun damage, so protecting this area by using sunblock formulated for use around the eye area if important. Likewise, wearing dark UV light protective sunglasses is important.

2) Reduce your squinting. Be sure to get your eyes checked out for corrective lenses if you find yourself squinting to see better. Squinting over time creates permanent wrinkles if you do it long and hard enough. If you are outdoors a lot, squinting into the sun also helps imprint the squint lines that are temporary patterns into permanent lines.

3) Don't pull on your eye skin. When applying or removing eye make-up, do not pull your eyes. Don't help the forces of gravity, which plays its own role by pulling skin downward, by pulling your face out of shape on a daily basis.

4) Don't smoke and reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke. In a secondary way, this relates back to "reduce your squinting" because people tend to squint when smoke irritates the eye, especially in nightclubs. Additionally, smoke, which is a pollutant, is a powerful contributor to what is called "oxidative stress." Oxidative stress is one of the creator of free radicals that causes damage to collagen and elastin. Environmental stresses, like smoke, second-hand smoke and pollution contribute to the oxidative stress impact.

5) Pump up with anitoxidants. From food (cherries are my favorite) to supplements to topical application, be sure to pump up your skin with a wide variety of antioxidants. The well-known supplements include Vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene and grape seed extract. These work by inhibiting collagen destruction stablizing existing collagen and elastin. Topically you can help increase tolerance to damage and toxins while strengthening the skin matrix; ingredients to look for in eyes creams are vitamin C, A and co-enzyme Q 10.

Part 1 of 3: Eyes & The Three Bads - Dark Circles

Dark circle, fine lines and puffiness. These are the three big baddies when talking about the eyes and aging.

When I look into my magnified mirror, I seem to take the most time looking at the delicate skin around my eyes. And I am always searching for newer and better eye products (and always go back to Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment) I have tried many products, I hear many claims, but what exactly can a girl do?

At first, I thought I could write one article. However, the information and possible cosmetic treatments for the three bads is voluminous. So I am breaking the topic into a 3-part series. Let's tackle "dark circles" first.

According to Katie Zezima who wrote the June 12, 2008 New York Times article entitled "Putting 'You Look Tried' to Rest" there are not a lot of products that are effective. " ...considering the glut of products on the market with a variety of active ingredients, Dr. Persing said, “If there are that many of them available, that usually means they’re not terribly successful.”Clinique uses whey protein in its All About Eyes Rich cream ($27.50), because it increases collagen production, said Dr. Mammone. But in independent medical research, whey protein has not been proved to plump up skin. (Clinique is also experimenting with various peptides, or linked amino acids, to treat dark circles.) Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment ($50) uses vitamin C, which minimizes melanin, and chestnut rose extract, which the company says thickens skin’s texture, said Blair Bloom, the company’s executive director of education and training."

Since the skin surrounding the eye area is 5 to 10 times thinner than the rest of our face, it seems that most cosmetic companies working to add volume and thickness are on a good track. But there must be more to do about this, so I spent about a day just looking into the dark circles question and their causes.

Causes of dark circles are varied. According to Mayo Clinic dermatologist Lawrence Gibson, M.D., "Almost everyone gets dark circles under their eyes from time to time. Dark circles under eyes usually are temporary and not a medical concern. You may be surprised to learn that fatigue usually isn't the cause of dark circles. Instead, the most common cause is nasal congestion. When your nose is congested, veins that usually drain from your eyes into your nose become widened (dilated) and darker. Another cause of undereye circles is eyelid swelling during sleep. When you lie down, gravity can cause fluid to collect in your lower eyelids. This swelling may create the appearance of shadows below your eyes. In addition, dark circles can result from chronic skin conditions, such as atopic eczema. Dark circles can also run in families. Over-the-counter products may help diminish dark circles under eyes. Look for skin creams that contain vitamin C or K, alpha hydroxy acid and kinetin. Treatment for chronic and severe undereye circles is directed at the underlying cause, if known, and may include bleaching agents and laser therapy."

In addition, I have discovered other causes:

1. Genetics and Heredity. Specifically, excess pigmentation in the skin causes dark circles for African-Americans, Southeast Asians and those of us with Mediterranean descent, who inherit darker pigmentation in the dermis layer of the skin, which creates a blue-black hue below the eyes. Also for women, changes during pregnancy and menstruation may cause blood vessels to dilate.

2. Medications: And I will include birth control pills in this category, along with hormones may also cause blood vessel dilation.

3. Sun. Yes, sun damage to the eye area may exacerbate dark circles.

4. Stress and lack of sleep. The temporary and occasional dark circles or more pronounced circles are created by too little sleep, stress and drinking alcoholic beverages.

Okay, now that we have covered most of the causes, how to we cover the dark circle? Covering seems to be the most common "remedy" and concealers with green cover up the reddish hue from excess blood vessels and yellow covers dark pigmentation. Most people color correct first, then add a concealer before applying foundation. I find this unworkable for me for several reasons. First, I don't like to wear a lot of product, much less 3 individual products for just under my eyes. Second, it doesn't seem to stay on anyway. And third, hey, that's a lot of money if you include the eye preparation creams! I apply brightener, then color correct and conceal followed by Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado which is non-migrating. I find doing this creates a natural look that blends the corrector and concealer very nicely.

If the circles really bother you, you can try laser treatments. But I will cover this in depth in August with a series on facial lasers.

But what's the bottom line? The one thing I hear from most people is Vitamin C formulated for proper absorption. There are many products with Vitamin C and in varying amounts.

Currently I am using Kiehl's Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate (here's the link with the product details: http://tinyurl.com/5g3wg2 ) which contains 10.5% Pure Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) and is reasonably priced at $40. About 2 years ago I tried Murad's Lighten and Brighten Eye Treatment (at $75), but I wasn't happy with the results, plus it contains hydroquinone (which some people claim is ultimately too harsh for your skin).

There is one company who products has good ratings and that is Cellex-C . Oddly enough they have an eye product for brightening that doesn't include vitamin C. It's called Cellex-C Under-Eye Toning Gel ($39) and is a roll-on with proprietary plant complexes. I like the roll-on delivery system because you don't waste any of the product on your fingers. The ingredient list is: Water, Cornflower Extract, Glycosaminoglycans, Betaglucan, Kigelia Africana Extract, Zinc Sulphate, Azulene, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Olive Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Oil, Peppermint Extract, Cucumber Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20. However, they sell eye creams with Vitamin C and I wonder if it is possible to get away with just one under eye product.

By the way, from what I can uncover, Cellex-C does not use animal testing nor animal by-products. I am going to personally test this product and will report back to you.

Tomorrow, we in Part 2, we talk about fine lines. And right now, I'm going online to order the Cellex-C Under-Eye Toning Gel.