Facial Weekend Detox

Midsummer is a great time to freshen up your skin. This weekend or next is a great time to devote to yourself. Stress, sun and overindulgence all shows up in your face, so let's do a quick detox. Part of the detox is also to give your body a detox too. In keeping things simple, this weekend use the minimal amount of product and let your face detox too.

To start:
1) Take it easy this weekend. No long nights, no drinking alcohol, no greasy fatty foods. Also, don't stress about issues that can be taken care of next week. So that means no working on the weekend either! Curl up take a nap, read a book or watch a DVD.

2) Simply wash your face with your cleanser and just apply eye and face cream lightly, and remember to leave a little dew on your face after washing. Do this three times a day.

3) Drink lots of fresh filtered water.

4) It's summer! Walks to the farmer's market and pick up apricots (anti-aging!), peaches (yellow and white), pluots, plums, pineapple, cherries and blueberries. Use these to make yogurt and fruit for breakfast, smoothie for lunch and a fruit salad for dinner. Do this today and tomorrow -- Saturday and Sunday.

5) Make a simple honey mask! I saw that the great book "The Secret Live of Bees" is now a movie hitting the cinema this fall. Just take raw honey and spread on your face like a mask. Keep it on for 15 minutes and wash off with a warm water washcloth.

6) Take a half hour walk morning and night -- and carry some weighs either in a backpack (a couple of heavy books should do it) or carry small weighs in your hands and pump as you walk.

And a quick word here if you are thinking of doing a face steam. I hear such contrary advice about steaming your face. But two people who should know and who I trust say: don't do it. I'll be checking into this issue soon.

Enjoy your weekend!

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.

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."

What is Dew Your Face?

I started "Dew Your Face" to pass on the information I have gathered over the past few years on anti-aging techniques, products and procedures. And why me? I am a health care writer who has written articles for more than ten years. Most recently I have written a series in Food & Home magazine, a California central coast publisher, on tips about facial anti-aging strategies. The content of these articles covered the array of facial lasers, botox and beyond, and facial plastic surgery.

Working with Dr. David LaPatka, a double board certified facial plastic surgeon practicing in Santa Barbara, I learned a lot about surgery for men and women. I learned some ways to "question" yourself to see if you really want cosmetic surgery, how to seek a qualified physician, preparation planning, post care and more. After many conversations with Dr. LaPatka, I also developed the concept of a "The Well-timed Once" (TWO) which is about an optimal time for a person to rejuvenate through facial plastic surgery. TWO is about having the face you want for the second half of your life.

But well before TWO, there are many many things you can do to your face to maintain the dewy look of youth. I have learned the inside secrets and thoughts of physicians, and people who care for your skin. I will reveal these. I have undergone some procedures myself as preparation for articles. For example, I had a laser remove dark facial pigmentation. I will share with you when I have tried something and if not, what the people who perform and recommend them really think.

This blog is not just for women concerned about anti-aging; it is also a blog for Gen X and Y who want to ensure that they are doing the best they can to dew their faces in order to look their best as they age.