October 13, 2011
Shopping for anti-aging beauty products can be overwhelming and confusing. Let us take some of the guesswork out by identifying the most potent ingredients in the fight against fine lines and wrinkles.
1. Niacin. Niacin, otherwise known as vitamin B3, promotes cell turnover while it repairs sun damage and protects from further assault. These products will protect against the sun’s rays and supply the skin with vitamin B3 to replenish skin’s moisture barrier.
2. Vitamin A. This powerful vitamin is essential for proper cell function and not only fights off wrinkles, but will reduce oil and the size of the sebaceous glands that lead to acne. Not everyone can tolerate taking vitamin A orally, but a topical application will work well, due to its ability to turn over cells.
3. Retinol. This is a type of vitamin A, and a go-to ingredient often used in products for its collagen-boosting properties.
4. Peptides. These amino acids are proven to speed healing and restore collagen, which helps smooth the skin and ease wrinkles.
5. Hyaluronic acid. This powerful, naturally occurring molecule is found in abundance in young skin. As we age, it diminishes. Plastic surgeons often opt for a hyaluronic acid-based filler to restore facial volume.
6. Marine botanicals. Manufacturers of wrinkle-reducing creams and serums turn to plants from the sea for their ultra-hydrating effects on human skin.
7. Glycation fighter. Sugar is not only bad for your waistline, it also causes inflammation and prematurely wrinkles skin. Glycation occurs when oxidized glucose covers the surface of proteins in the body and makes them work less effectively. When this happens to collagen, wrinkles and aging skin emerge.
8. Antioxidants. Inflammation caused by bad choices (like smoking) and environmental stress (like pollution) can lead to premature aging that often results in wrinkles. Antioxidants can repair and protect against the damage inflammation causes, inside and out.
9. Infrared light. Exposing the skin to warm infrared light is believed to engage the fibroblast cells that, in turn, boost collagen and elastic production. The result? Smoother skin, smaller pores, fewer fine lines and better overall tone within a few weeks.
10. Glycolic acid. You may have heard of this when speaking to your plastic surgeon about a chemical peel, but it’s also found in many products. This acid easily absorbs into the skin, making it ideal for topical application. Not only does it exfoliate away fine lines and discoloration, but it also fights acne.
July 5, 2011
If you love the white stuff — we’re talking sugar, folks — your sweet tooth could be making your skin sag, crinkle, and wrinkle before its time. Blame glycation. That’s what happens when sugar hits your bloodstream, gloms on to proteins, and forms the aptly named AGEs, or advanced glycation end products. AGEs are bad news for your skin. They damage the collagen and elastin fibers that keep it strong and supple.
While scientists aren’t ready to say “sugar causes wrinkles,” docs know from observing people with poorly managed diabetes what out-of-control blood sugar does to skin — and it isn’t pretty. Bluntly put, it causes “premature” aging.
That should be extra inspiration to skip the cakes, cookies, and sugary drinks and fill your plate with wrinkle fighters. Here’s even more: There is plenty of scientific proof that certain nutrients help nourish the fibers that keep skin stretchy and healthy, says Manhattan dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD, RealAge expert and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection. Step right up to the beauty buffet and serve yourself this way:
- Cover half — yes, 50% — of your plate with fruits and veggies. The antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in plants act like a dietary highway patrol, pulling over speeding free radicals before they can damage your skin’s collagen and elastin. You’ll also get loads of vitamin C this way (brightly colored produce is full of it). That’s great because C is essential for making new collagen.
- Then add extra flavor or crunch by topping your fruits and veggies with nuts, seeds, or a drizzle of olive oil. Nuts and seeds are full of vitamin E, an off-the-charts antioxidant. Since sunlight depletes vitamin E in skin, you need to continually replenish your supply, and the more you get from food — not supplements — the better. While that’s true in general, if there’s any chance you could get pregnant, taking big doses of E is a don’t. It’s linked to heart defects in newborns.
As for olive oil, its healthy fats help skin cells resist wrinkle-causing sun damage.
- Fill 25% of your plate with lean protein. Think fish, skinless white-meat poultry, beans, chickpeas, lentils, and tofu. All give you the good proteins your body needs to make new skin cells and keep up with its own antiaging skin repairs.
- Fill 25% of your plate with 100% whole grains. As in whole-wheat pasta, brown or wild rice, barley, any breads made from 100% whole grains, and more. Unlike the simple carbs in sugar, the complex carbs in whole grains are the kind your body and skin crave. Instead of triggering blood sugar spikes and forming brigades of aging AGEs, whole-grain carbs are full of fiber, which steadies blood sugar. Plus, the selenium and zinc in whole grains help harness the collagen- and elastin-damaging free radicals.
March 25, 2011
Our bodies are constantly exposed to internal inflammation as a means of defense against infection. A key part in the formation of wrinkles is inflammation, which causes elastin and collagen to deteriorate and eventually collapse. Although inflammation is a part of how the body naturally heals itself, it may cause premature aging of the skin. Some foods, like processed sugars and unhealthy fats and oils, are natural pro-inflammatory agents. Others, listed below, are known to reduce the effects of inflammation and are a delicious way to get a youthful glow.
Spices: Certain spices such as ginger and tumeric are natural anti-inflammatory agents. They contain phytochemicals, which can repress the proteins that lead to gene mutations, decreasing the incidence of inflammation.
Good fats and oils: Foods like olive oil, nuts and avocado contain heart healthy fats that help regulate cell metabolism and suppress inflammation.
Salmon: A top anti-inflammatory, salmon as well as other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like flaxseed are necessary for cellular repair.
Brightly colored fruits and veggies: Fruits and vegetables not only act as a source of antioxidants but they also contain phytochemics that buffer and regulate gene expression.
Vitamins: Foods and supplements containing vitamins C and E and minerals can help the body combat the damage created by free radicals.
August 17, 2010
According to Dave Zinczenko, there are 6 foods that will help you have healthier, glowing skin. Of course, genetics and caring for your skin have something to do with it, but the facts are – what you put into your body directly impacts how it looks on the outside. Mr. Zinczenko suggests the following foods to help make a better ‘you.’
1. Salmon: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture.
2. Carrots: Carrots are teeming with tiny orange pigments called beta-carotene, and when you ingest those pigments, you’re inviting them to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow. And what’s more, research shows that this can actually help prevent premature aging from sun damage.
3. Avocado: People with higher intakes of olive oil had fewer wrinkles than people with higher intakes of butter. The reason: Butter is loaded with saturated fat, while olive oil is rich in monounsaturates, the same essential fats that make up more than 50% of the calories in an avocado.
4. Beans: Legumes, to be more precise. This is the class of plants that includes black beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. And how do these puny pods protect your face? By smoothing out wrinkles. Researchers found that high intakes of legumes—alongside vegetables and healthy fats—resulted in 20% fewer wrinkles over time.
5. Grapes: Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, antioxidants called polyphenols found in grapes can also help keep middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer.
6. Water: It is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin. That’s why they call it “moisturizing”—because you’re trying to lock moisture, aka water, into your skin. To put it broadly, all the body’s processes rely on hydration, so if you’re not sipping throughout the day, you’re likely to have a slower metabolism, groggier head, and, yes, drier skin.
January 4, 2010
Happy New Year! In honor of 2010, here are 10 beauty resolutions compiled from Julyne Derrick! Enjoy and make 2010 your best year ever.
1. No more studying your face for wrinkles.
You’re never going to be younger than you are right now. So much of your beauty comes from within. Try to remember this.
2. Enjoy the moment.
True happiness happens in the moment. Stop freaking out and savis the beautiful moments more.
3. More massages.
Massages feed the soul. Make an appointment to get one at Rizzieri School for the Healing Arts.
4. Less sugar.
Studies show that sugar can cause premature aging. Be more careful with the amounts of sugar that you put into your body.
5. More yoga.
Yoga is like being given a Zen injection.
6. Post-shower moisturizer.
Everyone suffers from the winter itch. Remember to slather yourself with moisturizer after each and every shower. You can purchase your favorite Aveda moisturizer at the Aveda Lifestyle Store at Rizzieri Aveda School.
7. Experiment with make-up.
To get out of a beauty rut, try a new eyeshadow color, or even a new lipstick. Your co-workers and friends will notice, and you’ll feel better. Schedule a make-up consultation with a senior Skin Care student by calling 856-988-8600 x 0.
8. Teeth whitening.
Changes your face! ‘Nuff said!
9. No more boring nail polish colors.
Instead of going without polish, or pearl colors, add something fresh (grays and mattes are in right now). You’ll stare at your own hands, and so will others. Ask for a recommendation at Rizzieri’s Nail clinics at our School on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.
10. Compliment people.
Tell someone you like their best feature/lipstick/nail color. When you give someone a compliment, they automatically brighten. Sometimes people struggle with issues and need to be reminded of what makes them special!
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