DEPT Mind and Body
Issue Fall 2013
Author Anna M. Park

HED: Fight the Blight

Acne affects 40 to 50 million Americans; nearly 85 percent of all people have acne at some point in their lives. And while acne medications abound to treat this most common skin disorder in the U.S., more and more experts are recommending lifestyle and diet changes to fight adult acne.

The best explanation I have ever found on adult acne is in celebrity dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu’s book, Feed Your Face (feedyourface.com). Contrary to popular belief, Dr. Wu espouses that what you eat does affect your complexion. According to Dr. Wu, “women with adult acne also tend to have higher levels of insulin in their blood, elevated androgens (the male sex hormone), and higher rates of insulin resistance than those without.” Androgens naturally spike around ovulation, which can lead to hormonal acne, usually showing up on the chin, neck and jawline. While there’s not much you can do about PMS, there hormone associated with increased oil production and clogged pores. are things you can do to minimize the hormonal effects on your complexion.

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As summer winds down, it’s time to update your wardrobe with the newest trends for fall. As strange as it may seem, your shoes are one of the first things others notice about you. Make an impression with these must-have shoes.

Loafers

From left to right: Christian Louboutin Sakoette Curly Calf Hair Loafer, courtesy of Neiman Marcus. Elizabeth and James Clark Pointed-Toe Suede Smoking-Slipper Pump, courtesy of Neiman Marcus. Alexander Wang Astrid Suede and Leather Ankle Strap Loafers, courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue.

Loafers are officially the new flats. However, this doesn’t mean you need to rock Sperry Top-siders to your next dinner party. The new loafer is sleek, elegant, and versatile. Loafers are appropriate for the office and the bar, making them the perfect shoes for a day-to-night outfit. Go for a classic look with this loafer from Christian Louboutin or try a more adventurous variation, like these ones by Elizabeth and James and Alexander Wang.

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The only consolation about fighting acne and wrinkles simultaneously is that I’m not alone in this sad, sad battle — anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of adult women (yes, even those over 40) suffer from adult acne. Fortunately, skincare lines have responded to our need to fight these two banes of our existence with super advanced formulations made to baby our grown-up skin.

ISSUE: Summer 2012

DEPT: Beauty Kit

 
Get skin as clear as 30-something China Chow, host of Bravo’s Work of Art: The Next Great Artist.

Salicylic Acid
An anti-inflammatory that unclogs pores.

Benzoyl Peroxide
Kills the P. acnes bacteria.

Tea Tree Oil
Not into chemicals? Try a more au naturel approach.

Clearogen is giving away a two-month supply of treatment to the first 50 participants to sign up and take their summer challenge. In addition to getting a free two-month supply of treatment, you can also receive 20% off your purchase of the three-step system for the entire month of June.

Visit their website http://www.clearogen.com/and enter the coupon code “ACNEAWARENESS” to receive 20% off your purchase. To enter the summer challenge, visit Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Clearogen, and/or Twitter at http://twitter.com/Clearogen, with the hashtag #ClearogenChallenge.

For skin as clear as Shu Pei Qin's, read on.

I love what Brits call pimples: Spots. It makes it sound so benign, almost cute.

“Oh, you’ve got a spot.”

“Really? Let me brush it off.”

If only it were that easy.

We Americans have slightly more aggressive terms for those little suckers: Zit, Acne, Eruption, Blemish, Bacteria-clogged Pustules. Ew.

From 21 to 41, we all suffer from those miserable little “spots.” And now that it’s back-to-school, back-to-work, or just plain back-to-life, you’ll want to put your best face forward. Thankfully, the editors, staff and interns at Audrey have tried our share of acne treatments. So here are some that actually work.

For sensitive skin:

Boscia Willow Bark Breakout Treatment.

Camelia says she’s allergic to everything. “I’m lucky enough to have both sensitive skin and a million allergies to basically everything under the sun,” she says, “so when I find beauty products that won’t irritate my skin or give me hives, I can’t help but jump for joy.” Camelia tried out Boscia’s Willow Bark Breakout Treatment and has declared it her “new best friend.”

“It comes out of the bottle as a light, clear gel so I don’t have to worry about my pores being clogged; definitely a plus when I’m out and about in the warm weather,” says Camelia, who is based in the high humidity city of Chicago.

The Willow Bark Treatment is preservative-free and contains Vitamins E and C that fight free radicals and prevent future breakouts. The willow herb also helps to calm inflammation and the soapberry peel (rich in saponin) purifies and heals the skin.

Get it at Sephora or at Boscia’s website.

For stubborn spots:

Han has generally clear skin. But occasionally she’ll get that one stubborn spot. Here’s what she had to say about Murad Acne Spot Treatment.

Murad Acne Spot Treatment.

“I had just gotten back from Chicago and New York for some vacay time, and thanks to all the yummy but heart-clogging food my friends had treated me, I was breaking out. Not like gross junior-high-I-just-hit-puberty breaking out, but my skin wasn’t as nice as it usually was.

“There was one particular blemish, though tiny, that was bugging me. It was the only blemish as my skin had only turned a little irregular in color, so I focused all my attention on getting rid of it. Soap, astringents, and easing off the junk food did nothing.

“I put a tiny dot of Murad Acne Spot Treatment Step 2: Treat/Repair on my finger and gingerly applied it after washing up. Crawling into bed, I hoped that something would happen.

“The next morning, it was gone! What had been a bump had disappeared. Pleased, I treated myself to a sundae.

“Sometimes, there are such things as miracles.”

Get it here.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI intensive acne spot treatment.

For hormonal pimples:

It’s simply not fair to have to deal with wrinkles, discoloration and pimples. Not fair at all. (Fifty percent of adult women deal with acne.) And while I’m still shaking my fist at the complexion gods, at least they sent a salve called La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment. With 5 percent benzoyl peroxide (twice as much as most over-the-counter treatments) to zap zits, Effaclar AI also contains lipo-hydroxy acid, a pro-exfoliating molecule designed to micro-exfoliate the skin and stimulate cell renewal. What does that mean? Less residual dark spots and more even skin tone. What it means to me is my spot diminishes twice as fast and with less pain and torture.

It’s now available online at their official website.

Glytone Acne Treatment Gel.

For heavy duty zit whacking:

One of the benefits (or downsides — you decide) of being married to an editor is you get to be the guinea pig for all manner of beauty products. The husband of a certain editor (who shall remain nameless, but really, it’s not hard to figure out) still gets that occasional angry pimple. (He sleeps on his face, uses all sorts of waxes and sprays on his long-ish hair — no big surprise.) So we pulled out the big guns for him: Glytone Acne Treatment Gel with 10% benzoyl peroxide. Ten percent! Needless to say, it does the job, but to prevent overdrying, use it for your occasional, super-angry spot.

The whole shebang:

If you need or want more than just an occasional spot treatment, go with what one editor swears by. The packaging may not be oh-so pretty, but Clearogen does the job. A three-step acne treatment and prevention system addresses both the causes and symptoms of hormonal and stress-induced acne. Created by board certified dermatologist Dr. Alex Khadavi, Clearogen attacks DHT (dihydro-testosterone) which causes oil glands to become overactive. Clinical studies show a 95 percent success rates, with results seen in as little as 30 days. Our editor swears it’s the first system that’s ever prevented a PMS pimple. Now that’s progress.

Clearogen 3-step acne system.

Get the three-piece set (foaming cleanswer, clarifying toner and acne lotion) for $69 at Clearogen.com.

No one’s an overnight success. Unless, of course, you’re one of these beauty wonders.

Branché Silk Charmeuse Pillow Case

I’m no beauty novice. I’ve been devouring beauty, skincare and makeup information since I was 13 when my mother first put the tentative strokes of blue liner on my upper lid. At 16, I was seeking advice about eye cream from the woman behind the Estée Lauder counter at Macy’s (who promptly smirked and told me to just use moisturizer). So it’s a given that I haven’t slept on my side or my stomach in years to prevent the dreaded nasolabial folds (the “parentheses” around your mouth).

Unfortunately, a strained muscle in my back (an accumulated result of vacuuming a bit too arduously; spending a day lifting my 20-month-old, 25-pound niece; and a shameful lack of exercise) has forced me to spend a few nights sleeping on my side, my face smushed into the pillow. (The horror!)

Branché Silk Charmeuse Pillow Case in Blush.

Thankfully, I was trying out Branché‘s silk charmeuse pillow case at the time. I’ve been hearing about silk pillow covers recently, how they extend the life of a blow-out and prevent facial wrinkles. But I became a believer when I awoke after a particularly tumultuous night (with pain like that, you don’t care about wrinkles for the moment), and one glance in the mirror revealed no folds. In fact, no marks, no redness, nothing to indicate I had just spent nine hours on my face.

Add to that the fact that Branché’s loft 22 momme weight silk contains 18 amino acids and a high copper content that diminishes frizz and reduces hair breakage, and has been used as a curative skin treatment in ancient China. This beauty devotee is sold.

AmorePacific Contour Lift Extreme Collection

For a while, I thought I’d be immune from wrinkles. After all, my 92-year-old grandfather’ cheeks, bespeckled as they may be with age spots, are smooth and completely line-free. But years spent as a Southern Cal teen during the ’80s (read: tanning with baby oil) has caught up with me and I’ve reached a point where wrinkles are another battle to add to my growing list of beauty woes.

I never thought I’d need a beauty product with “lift” and “extreme” in its name, but AmorePacific‘s Contour Lift Extreme Creme really does make a difference on my face and neck.

AmorePacific Contour Lift Extreme Creme.

The Korea-based company is known for their use of indigenous botanicals like 6-year-old Korean red ginseng, matsutake mushrooms, bamboo sap, and green tea harvested from Korea’s Jeju Island for a luxury skincare experience.

As for me, I can literally feel the “lift” when I apply it, especially on my neck. And while I may be too young to worry about the dreaded turkey neck anytime soon, my philosophy is, you can never start too young when it comes to warding off wrinkles.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Acne Treatment.

Yes, I am one of the 50 percent of adult women who suffer from adult acne. It’s actually more hormonally-charged pimples that crop up like clockwork once a month. And trust me, I’ve tried almost everything out there. It’s not fair to have to double up on every skincare product — one for wrinkles and one for acne. It’s straight out cruel.

One of my favorite suncare brands, La Roche-Posay, just introduced a new adult acne treatment that has been shown to reduce stubborn acne in just three days. Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment has 5.5 percent Benzoyl Peroxide (twice as much as usual), but in a micronized form, which means it penetrates deeper and minimizes skin irritation. That, combined with Lipo-Hydroxy Acid to micro-exfolate the skin and stimulate cell renewal (read: minimal residual skin discoloration).

For a beauty fanatic like me, that’s exciting. For everyone else, just know this: I dabbed it on one particularly painful, angry lump the other day and woke up to a no longer painful, smaller lump the next day. Two days later, it was totally gone — no eruption, no squeezing, nothing. Now, for me, that is a miracle.

Get it at CVS, Duane Reade and Longs, or online here.