Part 3 of 3: Eyes & The Three Bads -- Puffiness

Puffy eyes, what do you do? I didn't know since I am lucky enough to not have all three eye issues -- I have just dark circle and winkles. So I had to do some research and ask my friends. Here is what I discovered.

Most of my friends reported that they experienced puffy eyes in the morning and usually after a night of drinking and then not sleeping well. It also happens that if you drink too much soda or have an overload of sodium in food and drink that causes water retention, you may experience puffiness. Other causes include stress, allergies and crying.

Let's talk a little more about the morning puffiness. As you know, I say over and over again to sleep on your back to avoid wrinkles. Well now, it appears that sleeping on your back and with your head slightly elevated will also help prevent puffiness. It seems that fluids are easily stored under our eyes when we sleep on our stomach -- and during the night the fluids in our body go to the head. So if you have puffy eyes every day, try this and you may find that after one or two nights of back sleeping on a pillow will help reduce or eliminate the puff.

Now remember, we are talking about "puffiness" here, not "bags" -- which will be the topic of a different entry sometime soon.

In the meanwhile, if you are just trying to reduce the puffiness of your eyes, here's some things that will help:

• It's true, cold cucumbers, cold gel packs and cold tea bags placed over your eyelids for 5 minutes does work!
• Or trying washing your face with very cold water or try adding ice to your water to make it even colder.
• Take it easy on both drinking and sodium intake.
• For allergies and puffy eyes, talk with your doctor
  
• And as odd as it sounds, drink water (to cleanse your system of the sodium!)

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

More about Sunscreen and Sunblock

I was recently asked about which sunscreen or sunblock to use. In checking into this, I discovered that the FDA in still in the process of revising recommendations on the effectiveness and safety of sunscreens. They have been working on this since August 2007 and not a word on it since. We are in the middle of summer now, and for those with the hottest part of their summer yet to come, I have looked into this subject more deeply.

An important first question that needs to be answered is this one: what exactly is the difference between sunscreen and sunblock? Sunscreen is UV (ultraviolet light) protection by absorbing the UV so these rays don't reach your skin. Sunblock literally and physically blocks the UV rays -- in addition to UVA and UVB, making it the better choice as I see it.

On my face, I personally use Bullfrog SuperBlock Lotion SPF 45 which contains the necessary ingredient, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), that makes it a block instead of a screen. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are one of the two items you should look for in the ingredients list to ensure you are really getting a sunblock product. The Bullfrog web site is www.bullfrogsunblock.com and they have a range of products. I apply lightly twice and then reapply during the day. Also, I use this without foundation and frankly, I prefer the slightly pale white effect I achieve then applying Bullfrog lightly twice. Next, I just use eye makeup. Then, apply to your hands as well. That and a big hat will help protect your face from damaging sun radiation. Yes, it is actually radiation.

UV light is also called UV radiation by researchers. Scientists believe that both UVA and UVB light causes skin cancer. In the past, scientists thought that only UVB caused skin cancer, but recently they discovered that UVA radiation penetrates even deeper into the skin than UVB -- which is one of the major causes of skin aging.

A little more about the sun, sunblock and sunscreen. Many people have an issue with using the term sunblock. It is true that sunblock doesn't "block" all of the sun radiation, but as a marketing term, it does describe a virtue that I seek in the best sun protection. Keep in mind that some sunscreens "block" UVA rays as well. Check the ingredients list to see if the sunscreen contains one of the following: aveobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene.

Remember, make sure your loved ones, especially your children use sun protection too.

PS: the following is an excerpt from a New York Times editoral published July 4, 2008: "...the Environmental Working Group, a Washington research organization, issued its own warning about sunscreens. After collecting studies on sunscreens, the group recommended only 15 percent of those on the market with S.P.F. ratings of 15 or higher. The others either did not protect skin enough from some radiation that can cause skin cancer or included ingredients linked to possible health hazards. Major producers of sunscreens and some dermatologists were alarmed about televised versions of this report. Manufacturers protested that their products are safe and effective. Dr. C. William Hanke, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, reiterated his organization’s recommendation that sun worshipers still use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a S.P.F. rating of at least 15 as part of a skin-protection program. But Dr. Hanke added that dermatologists, like the rest of us, rely on the F.D.A. to confirm the safety of these lotions."