Gasp!

There are many reasons I love New York. There's the Park (Central Park to be exact), the bagels at H&H, the look of exasperation only New Yorkers give when tourists are blocking the sidewalks as you run late to work (that's of course a close second to being pushed through the subway doors!). But my undisputed favorite thing about the island is the opportunity to visit a "performance art" exhibition at the Moma (since when did stabbing your hands become art?), attend an Opera at the Met, dine in one of the undisputed top Italian restaurants (Locande Verde I'm sorry you're going to have to move over for Maialino) and close out with a nice set of Jazz all in one evening. Second to this dazzling array of festivities is of course the bargains. Where else do sample sales (designer overstock at 75% off retail) constitute your main source of shopping? How about $25 mani/pedi's that last 2 weeks? And of course there's spa week.

Not unique to only NYC, spa week is a bi-annual tradition hosted in major cities all over the US where top spas offer their services at a fraction of the price. I always take this opportunity to visit my go to aesthetician, let's call her A, at a certain vino inspired salon housed in a NYC landmark (have you guessed which spa I'm talking about?). The tricky thing about facials is that you should never trust your face to a novice because all that extracting and squeezing can lead to serious and permanent damage if not done in the right hands. Walking out of a facial with radiantly smooth and even skin is a more challenging task than you might imagine. Luckily A extracted without a mark...until this time. I walked out the spa with what was a bruised, almost blood shot crater on my chin. And I swore I didn't have a pimple on my chin going into the service, oh my god! All I could think was this is going to be permanent, my skin is going to scar! So I set fast to work to minimize and curtail the damage. On went a calming serum with bisabolol (a derivative of chamomile) and I put aside all my highly active products (ie. vitamin C serums, concentrated creams, etc). For the next 3 days I applied Skinceuticals Blemish Control Gel religiously to help clear the breakout and followed with a brightening, dark spot correcting treatment to discourage hyperpigmentation (we will cover this miracle worker next time). I then wanted to gently encourage micro-resurfacing to slough off the dead, bruised skin cells by cleansing with the help of the Clarisonic and my fav glycolic based cleanser. By Sunday night the awful nightmare literally transformed to radiant, glowing skin. Crisis averted!

Usage tip: If you ever have a bad experience at a spa call the manager immediately. Visit a derm if it looks serious and you can always reach to me of course! The reality is your skin needs a spring cleaning every 4-6 months so at the very least bi-annual facials are a must. (Just ask J who's hooked!). To find a properly qualified aesthetician ask friends and family for a referral or look through your look paper and see if any are quoted in skin related articles. Bottom line do your research!

The result: As my mom always said there's not a problem in the world that can't be solved and my skin now has this ethereal glow.

The Third Date

There's something so promising and idealistic about the first date. You're filled with hope and optimistic expectations as your mind runs wild with all the possible scenarios...could he/she be that great lover typically reserved for the story books? Perhaps a future baby daddy? (No judgement on my part. I understand times are tough. Just kidding! The gold digger look is not a good style so drop it like you did with last season's MC Hammer-esque harem pants)! Or if you're not already jaded, perhaps you may be as far-reaching to fantasize that this may be the one! (We have saying in my culture: there's a wedding in the bride's house and the groom doesn't even know it!). Then there's the second date...by now you've been brought back to earth by the events transpired during and between date 1 and 2. You've started to make your pros and cons list to see if this is worth the investment. Date 3- I like to call this the deal breaker. Either you're intrigued and willing to stay for more or you've seen enough and well...au revoir, adios, adieu, you get the idea!

Luckily for the Clarisonic Mia Skin Care Brush date 3 continued to exceed Dr. Sam's expectations (if you have no idea who Dr. Sam is you need to keep up and read the last post!). After using the brush both morning and evening, Dr. Sam has been experiencing a new radiance and luminosity. The blackheads around her nose have nearly dissappeared and her hyperpigmentation spots have been lightened. Her skin's texture is smoother and softer, it's almost surreal! Of course all these end benefits are a testament to the brushes cleansing and micro-massage mechanism that effectively removes more dirt, oil and impurities than your typical manual cleansing methods. And because her skin is being "detoxed" in a sense, Dr. Sam is noticing some breakouts as deeply seated bacteria is brought to the skin surface. But as she moves on to date 4 (I know, I think it's becoming serious although they haven't had the "talk" yet), I can already see Dr. Sam is hooked! She has doubled her treatment time from 50 seconds to 2 minutes!

Usage tip: Use the brush around the neck and decollete area at least twice a week to deeply cleanse the skin. After all skin ages everywhere and it is much harder to mask the maturity signs in these two key places.

The results: You know the butterfly feeling you get in your stomach on date 3? Well imagine the same sort of feeling just for your face!

The Mia, Day 1

As a child your mind is like a sponge, eager to absorb any and everything. It is during these earlier stages that you form opinions, views and preferences based off these individual experiences, and as the experience/situation is repeated over and over again your notion or inclination only gets further cemented. I know, I know, what does this have to do with beaute and what's with the deep introspective, philosophical talk?! I'm privileged enough to have a vivacious, whip-smart cousin, and for circumstances beyond either of our control we haven't always had the most warm, intimate rapport (this is where those childhood experiences come in). However on a twist of fate I'm honored to have her visiting me this week, and in an effort to start a new beginning we will be co-authoring this weeks posts. And did I mention that this brilliant cousin is a dermatologist? Oh yes! So get ready for two expert opinions!

Taking advantage of Sephora's V.I.B. 20% off event, we picked up the Clarisonic Mia Skin Care Brush over the weekend and decided to put their claims to the test. At a $150 a pop we wanted to make sure this professional gadget goes the extra mile. For those of you not familiar with this tool allow me to give you a brief introduction. Borrowing from the sonic technology of your favorite toothbrush, the Mia is a soft, cordless brush that moves back and forth at more than 300 times per second to remove makeup six times better than traditional methods. Worried about irritation? The brush comes in 3 styles designed by skin type: normal, sensitive and delicate. And the claims? Clarisonic promises cleaner, smaller pores and healthier looking skin that is so thoroughly clean that your skincare products will work better. So we will be reporting to you from the frontlines of my brightly lit bathroom where we will be test driving the Mia for the next 5 days.

Immediately/Day 1

Methodology: We followed the prescribed directions and washed for a total of 50 seconds, spending 10 seconds on each cheek, 20 seconds on the forehead and the nose/chin. (Note the brush automatically turns itself off after a minute). You can use any cleanser with the brush, we washed in the evening with the one provided and in the morning with Dr. Sam's favorite. Interestingly neither foamed especially since the brand Dr. Sam uses is known for its lather properties when used mechanically by hand.

Findings: Immediately I noticed Dr. Sam's complexion had a rosy, healthy glow almost like she had spent the day frolicking in the mountains inhaling the fresh air. Her skin was silky, silky smooth to the point where we could not stop touching it! And ohhh the softness! You would have thought we were admiring the butter soft leather bags from our favorite Italian brand. Dr. Sam appreciated the gentleness of the brush, she was astounded that her skin was thoroughly cleaned with minimal abrasion. In the office she only sees results like this through more invasive procedures like microdermabrasion. Dr. Sam was hooked....she couldn't wait till morning so she could use it again!

Usage tip: Remove eye makeup first with a cotton pad and eye makeup remover. I like Lancome Bi-Facil. Lightly wet the skin and brush before cleansing. Make sure to gently move the brush in small circular motions but avoid pressing too hard as it will only irritate the skin and prohibit the brush from properly cleaning.

The result: Skin as soft as a baby's bottom, radiant as a post-workout glow and smooth as silk!

The Fundementals

Here's a secret that you may not know...(actually if you've ever met my mom and savvy sis you probably do know this) but when it comes to the art of cooking let's just say I'm a true novice compared to the gourmet cooks that they are. They have this uncanny talent to taste something completely blind and be able to replicate it the very next day without any sort of guidance. Now me on the other hand, I've tried that a few times thinking perhaps the brilliant chef trait is genetic, turns not so much. My adventurous dishes are inedible to say the least. I'm well aware that I need to learn the basics, the 1-2-3's of cooking, before I can aspire to the creative artistry of mom and sis. And that's the funny thing, you can have the freshest produce, organic poultry and the finest wine but if they're not used in a proper way the chicken with porcini sauce turns out to be a nightmare-ish mess (even if the recipe says easy in big bold letters). The same protocol-following logic can be applied to a proper and efficacious skin care routine. You can have the most cutting edge products with revolutionary, proven technologies but if they're not used in the right way then you might as well skip it. So to round out our week of the skincare basics 101 I would like to review the proper AM and PM regimen.

Night Routine (Less than 3 minutes)

This is the most important time for your skin to recover and repair. During the day your skin is busy fighting environmental aggressors like pollution and the sun but in the haven of your bed, your skin is able to focus on it's needs to keep your complexion radiant and youthful.

1. Remove eye makeup with Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover. For waterproof or stubborn makeup leave the cotton pad wet with the remover on the eyes for 30 seconds before wiping off.

2. Cleanse with a glycolic cleanser like MD Formulations Facial Cleanser which gently exfoliates dead skin cells and helps fight fine lines.

3. Wet a cotton pad with your favorite toner and gently wipe the entire face, neck and decolette area to remove trace impurities and makeup. I like Clean and Clear Acne Clearing Astringent to prevent breakouts.

4. Apply 6-8 drops of the Skinceutical CE Ferulic Serum. Make sure to avoid the delicate eye area but to cover the neck and decolette, as after all skin ages there too!

5. Allow the serum to dry and penetrate the skin for optimal absorption (and results!), around 3-4 minutes. Follow with your eye cream and face moisturizer!

Day Routine: (Less than 4 minutes)

1. Cleanse skin. Yes I realize that it is clean from the night before but while your skin is in the night time rest mode it tries to detoxify itself by pushing any impurities to the top layers. To keep these trace elements from dulling your complexionand to remove any excess, unabsorbed product it's always good to wash. Now you can use a milder cleanser like Cetaphil to prep the skin.

2. Tone. Same logic as above, making sure your skin is properly cleaned!

3. Apply 6-8 drops of the Skinceutical CE Ferulic Serum. Remember to allow this super serum to absorb fully before applying the next products to get the anti-aging, 8 times photoprotection benefit.

4. Protect and hydrate your delicate eye area with a spf eye cream like Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15.

5. Last but not least my favorite part: sunscreen! If you're a foundation wearer then apply a light lotion with SPF like Olay Complete SPF 30 or if you prefer to go au naturale then wear DDF Sun Enhancing Protection lotion SPF 30 for a sheer, self-adjusting coverage. Again allow the skin to soak up the product before applying your makeup.

Usage tip: Now the general rule I like to follow is to apply product in order of their liquidity/viscosity from most liquid to least. So if you use a brightening treatment that's super watery apply it before the Skinceuticals serum. Just always remember to wait 3-5 minutes between layering products so that you allow your skin to properly drink in the product. Think about it when you're overloaded with a million to-do's, running around like a mad man nothing gets taken care of the right way. But when you focus in on one task before tackling the next then you get the best outcome.

The result: A complete skincare regimen that really works!

Super Power

There are certain questions that are just inevitable. At a job interview: "So what are your areas of weakness/development?" (Is this a trick? How do you even answer that?). On a first date: "So what do you do for a living?" (read: are you employed and driven?) and "Have you ever been married? Do you have any kids?" (just kidding...actually not really). When people learn that I've been in the beauty industry for years and have developed all sorts of beauty products the first question asked without failure is "So do any of these anti-aging products really work?" Drumroll please..are you holding your breath for this million dollar question? And the answer is...YES! I know what you're thinking, yes there is a god!

We are all educated on the benefits of antioxidants. They fight free radicals, curtail oxidative damage and essentially prevent pre-mature aging due to environmental (ie. sun) and lifestyle (ie. stress) aggressors. However what you may not know is that the efficacy and benefits of these antioxidants are determined by their concentration and combination (if multiples are used). Bringing the "super" in antioxidant skin care treatment is Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum. As noted in their packaging and marketing communication this industry gold standard is made up of 15% pure vitamin C, 1% vitamin E and ferulic acid. What makes this product so ground breaking is not just the high concentration of damage controlling antioxidants, it is the skillful combination that is used. Independent clinical studies conducted at Duke University Medical Center show that by the these three ingredients double the level of photoprotection from 4-fold to 8-fold than each individually! Did you catch that? This tiny serum should not be confused for a small kid in the school yard. It protects your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays 8 times better than nothing at all (of course you still must wear sunscreen!). Hmmm I wonder how many premature wrinkles that translates to especially since 80% of wrinkles are caused by sun damage. Unmatched within the marketplace this revolutionary antioxidant combination increases collagen synthesis, neutralizes free radicals and brightens skin. The best part? It cannot be washed or rubbed off so you get continuous, synergistic protection. Skinceuticals is responsible for the serum trend you see in the marketplace but with like all copycats only the original is the real mccoy. Umm where's the dotted line so I can sign up for a life-long supply?

Usage tip: After cleansing and toning, apply 6-8 drops onto the palm of your hand and be sure to apply all over your face, neck and decollete. Wait 3-4 minutes before layering your SPF lotion during the day or night cream.

The result: The answer to the eternal question...yes there is a skin care product that really works!

Time for Toning

I started this blog because I realized how confusing and difficult it has become to navigate the beauty aisles and counters. As a consumer you're bombarded by marketing messages, pushy sales clerks and pitch-happy media. Who can really decipher between all these recommendations? What's real, what's not? What should you be buying? What should you splurge on? These are valid questions that we ask ourselves daily. So this week's topic is going to skincare basics 101. We will cover what I consider to be the cornerstones of an efficacious, fool-proof AM and PM beaute regimen.

It's funny how we have these preconceived notions of how things should be. I remember as a teenager always thinking that turning 16 would mean independence and 25 would ring in wisdom and all the answers to the big questions. The interesting thing about life is it never goes as planned and those expectations? Well maybe it's better to just keep an open mind. Which brings me to the beaute presumptions we all experience. I always thought that breakouts and acne were reserved for my teenage years. Turns out not so much, and apparently this nagging problem plagues almost half of all adults! We all know the importance of cleaning our face twice daily but do you also use a toner? Most people think cleansers are able to remove all dirt, makeup and residue. I have not really found this to be the case. While cleansers are thorough, I find that toners are able to clean up any remaining traces of these dulling, aging and breakout-causing culprits. To be clear not all toners are designed for anti-breakout action. There are plenty of mild toners that remove trace impurities while gently hydrating skin and prepping it for treatment products. Since I am a proud member of the 50% pimple-prone adult population I thought I would share my favorite toner that helps keep breakouts at bay.

Breakouts are caused by blocked pores. There's a multitude of aggressors that can cause this blockage like thick, non-absorbant products, body's naturally produced oil/sebum and even stress. Cleansers wash away the bulk of these things but often that's not enough to ensure pristine skin. I rely on Clean & Clear Acne Clearing Astringent to keep my pores clean and clear! One of my favorite beaute ingredients is BHA's (beta hydroxy acids) like salicylic acid. This plant derived ingredient helps exfoliate dead skin cells to prevent pores from clogging and allowing for new cell growth. While the Clean & Clear toner is formulated with this impurity fighting agent it is mild leaving behind a much needed moisture balance to keep skin soft. Many anti-bacterial toners can be quite aggressive not only because of the salicyclic acid but because of the high alcohol content. Clean & Clear does not treat skin abrasively and will not leave your skin tight or uncomfortable. Rather you can bask in cleaner, breakout free skin. This product treats a multitude of pimple related conditions from "once in a blue moon" breakouts to daily acne so you can use it daily or just when you experience a flare up.

Usage tip: Use both morning and at night directly following your cleanser. Apply a nickel size amount to a cotton pad.

The result: Acne or in-frequent breakouts are banished to your adolescent "spin the bottle" kissing days!