Recently the ladies from Peter Thomas Roth were here at SkinStore sharing their skin care knowledge and experience with us, we got to play with all of the PTR products, and it was so much fun! While they were here, I tried the Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Cream and I have to admit I was sold. For those of you who follow us, you know I have true dry skin (it’s a desert), and I am no spring chicken. Dry skin and wrinkles are my major skin care concerns. My new skin care love – Mega Rich.
Mega Rich has the patent pending PTR Firma-CELL-4 peptide technology that stimulate collagen and elastin function, so my skin looks and feels good, not tight, stingy and blotchy like it normally would this time of year. Based on my own personal experience with the Mega Rich, I love it for my dry skin, the feel and consistency and feel reminds me of Crème de la Mer.
Having combination skin is basically what it sounds like; dry in some areas and oily in others. Typically people with this skin type are looking to absorb oil and hydrate at the same time so finding products that will “balance” the skin is the common goal. Here I have listed products that will bring harmony to the unique needs of your skin and to your wallet. You get to pick which products fit your budget!
Make-Up Removers
About $20
Philosophy Purity Made Simple - This cleansing emulsion product removes all make-up and debris in one step. This is a non-foaming cleanser that gives your pores a deep cleanse to give your skin a good clean feeling.
About $30
B. Kamins Vegetable Skin Cleanser - This is a vegetable-oil based cleanser that dissolves make-up and removes impurities whilst being gentle enough to remove eye make-up. This product contains Bio-maple compound which aids in protecting and moisturizing the skin. This would also be ideal for post laser or microdermabrasion.
Cleansers
Under $20
Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser – This amazing cleanser contains 91% Avene Thermal spring water to soothe and soften the skin, Vitamin E to moisturize and provides antioxidant protection. Great for normal skin types and excellent for balancing combination skin types as well.
Over $50
Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Champagne Gel Cleanser – Pure extracts of aloe, comfrey, calendula, carrot, chamomile, and marticaria soothe and soften the skin. It is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants that work to repair, nourish, and protect the skin. It will not strip the skin of necessary moisture while gently removing impurities and makeup. Rinses away dead skin layers and reduces pore size. Extremely luxurious, makes you feel like a queen!
Toners
About $10
La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water – This toner is 100% pure natural spring water which provides instant hydration. This also provides anti-oxidant protection and anti-inflammatory care following in-office procedures.
Over $90
Kerstin Florian Rejuvenating Thermal Tonic - This is a light weight toner that contains rose flower oil to smooth and properly hydrate the skin. Also contains witch hazel extract to inhibit bacteria and Thermal Tonic properties for moisture. This is a great way to balance any normal to combination skin type.
Treatments
About $20
Pevonia Face Oil (Combination) – This treatment is based on essential oils that work together to bring your skin to harmony. Antioxidants balance the skin and tighten enlarged pores.
About $70
PCA SKIN pHaze 23 A&C Synergy Serum – This treatment is a multi-purpose product. It helps with pore refining, cell regeneration, skin strengthening, collagen stimulation, tightening, line minimizing, skin lightening, anti-inflammation, and firming.
Daily Moisturizers
Under $20
RoC Age Diminishing Day Cream – This daily moisturizer contains soy complex and Vitamin E to visibly target aging and a broad spectrum SPF15 to protect your skin from premature aging.
Over $130
Kinerase Pro Therapy Defense Lotion SPF 30 - This advanced daily anti-aging moisturizer offer benefits of reducing fine lines and wrinkles and improving the skins texture and tone. This also contains SPF 30 to protect against any future sun damage.
Night Moisturizers
Under $25
Neutrogena Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse Night Cream – This product protects your skin from environmental damage even while you sleep. It is an oil-free formula that improves skin texture and tone by keeping the skins moisture level balanced.
Over $70
BABOR Perfect Combination Night Cream - This balancing night crème regulates sebum and refines the appearance of pores with the refining complex, melon extract and pistachio nut oil. This product is designed to meet the unique needs of a combination skin type.
Weekly Masks
Over $20
Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask - This exfoliating mask removes dead skin cells to reveal a brighter and smoother texture. Loaded with anti-oxidants, this mask will balance the skin in all the proper ways.
About $50
Astara Nourishing Vitamin Mask - This multi vitamin mask is made to nourish depleted skin with a blend of nourishing botanicals and natural phospholipids. Effectively hydrates and promotes cell renewal for even tone and texture.
Once you have implemented a skincare routine, stick to it. Many products need time to adjust so don’t give up; your friends at SkinStore.com are always here to help! Did you find this article helpful? Leave us a comment below. Don’t have Normal/Combination skin? Be sure to check out my other articles. Choose your skin type: Oily/Acne Prone or Dry/Sensitive. Coming soon: Beauty and Body Products!
Want more recommendations? Get your own personal consultation now at SkinStore with Product Advisor, developed by our estheticians!
Dry skin has lower levels of sebum causing the skin to become prone to sensitivity and environmental harm. Giving the skin proper nutrients that are naturally lacking for this skin type is important so the skin can produce its own defensive oils. Here are a few products that will put your skin on the path to rejuvenation and euphoria…for a price that fits your budget.
Make-Up Removers
Under $20
Klorane Soothing Makeup Remover with Cornflower Extract – Ingredients so soothing, the product pH is the same as tears; this is a very mild and non-irritating product even for the most sensitive skin types. It easily removes make-up without stinging the eyes and leaves a clean & refreshing feel.
Over $50
Susan Ciminelli Cleansing Milk – Contains beneficial aromatherapy properties to soothe your face and your spirit. Lavender and calendula embrace your skin, leaving it feeling soft and supple. Men also love it as a pre-shave skin soother. It’s a multi-tasking product with a variety of benefits.
Cleansers
About $20
La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser – Fragrance-free, preservative free, surfactant free. This is a rinse free product that tissues off easily. Ethylhexyl Palmitate prevents stripping of the skin. This also works great as a make-up remover and is gentle enough to remove eye make-up.
About $40
Dr. Brandt Anti Irritant Comforting Cleanser – Contains pumpkin seed extract to give relief for sensitive skin, allantoin to calm and soothe irritation, and soybean germ extract to restore skins smoothness and softness. This is a must have for sensitive skin types. Bring on the comfort!!
Toners
Under $20
Elizabeth Arden Hydra Splash Alcohol Free Toner – This gentle toner finishing the cleansing process and is an essential preparation for dry skin. It removes any trace of left over make-up or surface debris and refines pores, leaving skin soft and supple.
Over $75
Kerstin Florian Rose Tonic – Rose has been known to bring beauty and freshness to the botanical world. This natural floral based tonic soothes, hydrates and promotes cell renewal to give your skin a treatment that is fit for a queen. Perfect for those with extremely dry and/or sensitive skin!
Treatments
About $20
Pevonia Face Oil – This treatment is a blend of hazel nut oil together with ylang-ylang and jasmine oil to replenish moisture and revitalized your complexion. Revitalizing dull, dry skin all while relaxing body and mind with its soothing aromatherapy scents.
About $65
SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel – This product is rich in vitamin B5 that helps to repair damaged tissue repair. Hyaluronic acid combined with moisture enhancing gel binds with the skins natural moisture replenishing your skin with essential nutrients.
Daily Moisturizers
Under $20
Avene Cold Crème – This product is an intensely rich and hydrating crème that seals in the skins natural moisture and restores the skins natural barrier. It uses the purest ingredients to replenish and repair the skin. Your search for hydration ends here!
Over $70
BABOR Baborganic Ultra Moisturizing Cream – This extremely hydrating moisturizer balances the skins lipid barrier and eliminates dry patches on the epidermis. Also contains beneficial vitamin E for antioxidant protection and edelweiss extract to calm any irritation.
Night Moisturizers
Under $20
Stiefel Impruv Natural Repair Cream – Contains coconut oil, palm oil and shea butter to repair and restore the unique needs of a dry skin type. It preserves skin’s protective layer with 6 key lipids that mimic the skin’s natural moisturizers. Wow, we’re talking about actual skin barrier repair here! Free of allergens and irritants, this product is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin. Say goodbye to skin irritation and hello to healthy, glowing skin.
Over $200
Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Goodnight Facial Cream – It contains “24 hour Moisturizing Technology” which improves the skins barrier function. Loaded with natural plant extracts (including white tea, milk thistle, willow bark, and soy) to give powerful protection, antioxidant repair, and skin toning. This product also contains Vitamin A palmitate, B3, and provitamin B5 for intense long-term repair. Time to get that dewy glowing look like all the Hollywood stars.
Weekly Masks
Over $20
Avene Soothing Moisture Mask – This is an intensive soothing mask that provides proper hydration to overstressed skin. This mask will help to improve dull, dry skin and will calm irritated, tight and sunburned skin. Containing a whopping 70% of Avene Thermal Spring Water, it will make your skin appear supple and radiant in just minutes!
About $60
Yonka Masque No 1 – This mask instantly increases the moisture in the skin up to 96% in just 8 hours. Hydrates the surface leaving the skin soft and firm and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It also leaves the skins complexion radiant and glowing due to all the fine essential oils hydrating the upper layers of the epidermis.
Looking for a new way to exfoliate? Have we got a product for you! SkinCeuticals has recently launched Retexturing Activator, which uses a chemical exfoliant that is unlike any other. The revolutionary product surpasses the results of a 20% glycolic daily use treatment!
We all love our tried and true alpha hydroxy acid for exfoliation, but sometimes it can become irritating to our skin and can cause sensitivity to the sun. Alpha hydroxy acid works by dissolving the glue like substance between dead skin cells thereby allowing the dead cells to slough off. The SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator works differently. This patent pending product stimulates the protease enzyme in your skin that aides in your natural exfoliation and hydration.
The protease enzyme basically herds the skin cells to the surface of your skin, where they can turn into a corneocyte. Corneocytes are a component of the stratum corneum layer of the skin and contain proteins and some other water soluble substances that help your skin’s barrier to function properly, keeping you well hydrated and protecting you from any cellular damage. Once these protease enzyme have done their job, the corneocytes are ready to fall off (natural exfoliation). Proteases help keep this process moving so that you can produce new skin cells faster and keep your skin’s barrier in proper shape. This even helps to prevent acne from forming since the dead skin cells aren’t able to collect and bind together to clog your pores.
If your protease enzymes are stimulated, then your cell renewal rate will be increased because you are naturally shedding skin cells faster. Your body will produce new healthy cells to fill their place. What does this mean for you? Healthier, younger looking, more hydrated, even toned skin! Without the irritation!
So now you may be asking “what exactly is the active ingredient that makes this product so fantastic?” There are a couple of amazing ingredients; the one we are most excited about is the Hydroxyethyl Urea/ Aminosulfonic Acid Compound. SkinCeuticals uses this ingredient in a 25% concentration. The SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator also contains Kombucha and Hyaluronic Acid.
The leaves are turning, the rain is pouring down, the soup is boiling on the stove… it’s beginning to look a lot like autumn! And something else is changing too… my skin! My (usually) combination skin is rough, dry and tight. Lips are cracking and peeling, hands are looking old and withered. And with all the holiday festivities approaching fast, I want to look my best, but what to do when my skin is parched and chapped from all the wind and cold? I’ve set out on the ultimate hydration hunt to find some tips and tricks to help YOU get through the cold fall and winter months.
My lovely lathering acne fighting cleanser has been leaving my skin tight and uncomfortable, so I’ve switched to Sundari Neem & Burdock Balancing Cream-Gel Cleanser. The formulation isn’t quite a cream, but is an elegant cream-gel which lathers just slightly to remove surface residue, without stripping the skin of its essential lipids, and it has a gorgeous scent to boot. If your skin is extra dry, use a creamy cleanser like the SkinCeuticals Cleansing Cream, which is a lipid-rich non-foaming cleanser which ensures that your skin will stay hydrated and smooth through Antarctica climates.
Usually, a witch hazel based astringent would be my go-to toner post cleansing, but with my skin feeling so dry, I refuse to use anything remotely acidic. Instead, I’m opting for refreshing sprits of La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water, which is French spring water with immense antioxidant benefits and pH balancing properties. I also use my thermal water as a make-up setting spray, and as a refreshing pick-me-up throughout the day.
Water-based serums are great for hydration to layer under heavier moisturizers. Typically, serums provide the first barrier of protection, and pull active ingredients from moisturizers deeper into the skin. I opt for hyaluronic acid (which isn’t really an acid) to bring moisture deep into my parched skin. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold ten thousand times its weight in moisture, so a moisturizer applied on top of the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel (which is hyaluronic based) brings colossal moisture to the skin. Another great choice for hydration is a serum with essential oils. I absolutely love Decleor Aromessence Neroli Essential Serum for its hydrating and protective properties. Though it’s an oily consistency, the serum soaks right in and soothes the skin, while providing antioxidant and aromatherapy benefits.
A protective and hydrating moisturizer is necessary as a pre-SPF step in your morning regimen. I adore the Purlisse Pur Moist Hydra Balance Moisturizer; it is infused with Lotus Lupine Peptide Complex, Vitamin E and a blend of French Marine Plants to provide anti-aging and soothing benefits. If you like a moisturizer to have a built-in SPF then REVALESKIN CoffeeBerry Day Cream is a good choice, because it has humectants, outstanding antioxidants and an SPF of 15.
Use the same regimen in the evening (cleanse, tone, hydrate and moisturize, but skip the SPF). I normally recommend masking once or twice a week with a hydrating mask. The Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew- Hydrating Facial Mask is one of my favorites for the cold months; it has cucumber, calendula and aloe vera as well as evening primrose and eucalyptus… packing a power punch of hydration and moisture for the driest of dry skin. Sometimes, I’ll layer the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel under the Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew to push the active ingredients of the Dew deeper into my skin. And sometimes, I’ll switch my crazy scientist on and will hand blend my B5 gel with the Dew, with a sprinkling of Philosophy Turbo Booster C Powder for an at-home spa facial. The C powder brightens the skin, so I love this home spa treatment pre-event or before a hot date.
Remember to supplement your skin from the inside out with vitamins so your skin radiates from the inside out. In addition to my daily Jan Marini C-ESTAMINS vitamins I love a daily dose of BORBA Replenishing Aqualess Crystalline, just mix a packet into your water for a dose of vitamins and hydrating lychee. Lychee fruit is a tropical plant that grows in warm climates and is known for its amazing antioxidant and hydrating properties. It’s so delicious, you’ll need to stop yourself from using all of the packets in one day!
I hope my tips and tricks will be of some aid to all you Sahara deserts out there. With the above listed regimen, my skin’s restored back to its dewy luminosity that I’ve been missing. Now, bring on the holiday photos, I’m ready for my close-up!
For individuals with dry skin, changes in the weather or other environmental factors can often lead to the frustrating process of finding a new way to best hydrate your skin. Without immediate and proper attention, you know that your skin can quickly become parched and flaky, or even hypersensitive or painfully tight.
The manifestation of dry skin can vary from person to person. Severity can range from dry patches to chronically dry skin on the face and body. The pervasiveness of your dry skin may also be year round or just when weather or environmental factors change. Regardless, those who experience dry skin seek moisture and relief.
Since cleansing is one of the most important aspects of our daily skin care rituals, I will often start there when providing a consultation to our clients. When speaking to those who have truly dry skin (skin still feels dry even after 12 hours), I often ask if they have ever tried an oil based cleanser such as Babor Hy-Ol & Phytoactive Base Cleansing System. Most individuals that I have spoken with had not considered taking such an aggressive approach to dry skin, but I have to tell you, personally I have tried oil based cleansers, such as the one just mentioned, and I find that they are highly effective especially during the winter season, in high elevation areas, windy climates or dry cool regions. One of the active ingredients that I appreciate in the Babor Combination Skin Cleanser is the witch hazel which is an astringent that has antioxidant qualities and has been used to treat eczema and psoriasis. I will generally suggest that this type of cleanser be used in the evening and a hydro-based lighter cleanser like the Pevonia Dry Skin Cleanser or the Decleor Cleansing Milk in the morning, but that is really a personal preference based on the user and what their specific needs are. Babor also makes a sensitive skin formulation of the Hy-Ol and Phytoactive solutions.
Another more natural approach to cleansing is the Sundari Comfrey Cleanser for Dry Skin. Sundari has a high concentration of natural based ingredients such as comfrey and chamomile extracts. Follow this cleanser with the Sundari Essential Oil for Dry Skin and the Lavender Moisturizer and you have a cocktail of wonderfully hydrating ingredients. Check out the customer reviews by going to the product pages at SkinStore.com if you have a moment.
Moisturizers are another critical element of caring for your dry skin. Facial moisturizers come in all levels of hydration and consistency. It can be confusing to try to find the right one. There are night creams, day creams and multipurpose creams in every type of delivery system from tubes to pumps to jars.
From a moisturizer perspective, because I have true dry skin, I prefer to use, as well as recommend, a hydrator such as the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel or the Cellex-C Hydra 5B Complex, and then a moisturizer on top, this is a morning regimen. The moisturizer you choose should have an SPF. I suggest the La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV SPF30 because it is light enough to apply under makeup without any sticky or cakey feeling that some sunscreens can have, it is also super hydrating. Another good moisturizing SPF is the Peter Thomas Roth Max All Day Moisture Defense Cream SPF30, again it is light enough to use under makeup.
If you use or need a treatment, use your treatment product first, then the hydrator and apply the moisturizer last. For treatment, the SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF or the C E Ferulic is a must have for every woman concerned with preventative measures, cell turnover, elasticity and even hyperpigmentation. Depending on what you need, I would advise reading about the products on SkinStore.com to determine which is best suited to address your skin care concerns.
For an evening moisturizing treatment Kinerase and SkinCeuticals have some wonderful options. SkinCeuticals has the Renew Overnight Dry with a 10% hydroxy acid to exfoliate the skin. Kinerase has a couple that I have used and can suggest the Ultimate Night Moisturizer and the Pro Therapy Ultra Rich Night Repair. The Pro Therapy line in general is really great. The Night Repair has the Kinetin and Zeatin formulation that help with moisture retention and to improve the signs of aging. It also has the Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3 to help with the appearance of wrinkles and the antioxidant benefit of Ergothioneine (More info here). Again, if you use treatments such as Retinols, serums, or gels, apply them under your moisturizer.
More suggestions for dry skin will be in later articles. These are just a few suggestions for those with excessively dry skin; it is not an all inclusive list of what can be used or even all inclusive listing of a complete skin care regimen. For example, toners and treatments are important to a health skin care regimen, but some may or may not choose to include them in their regimen as a personal choice. With that said, no one can or should avoid a great cleanser and moisturizer.
For more information about dry skin, you can contact SkinStore.com for a consultation or visit us at www.skinstore.com.
At the core of beautiful skin is a healthy well functioning body. In order for our bodies to run like a well oiled machine, we require essential nutrients and energy from the foods that we consume. But, sometimes our fast paced lifestyles lead to less than stellar dietary choices. Convenience has become a top priority, outweighing the benefits of a healthy well balanced meal. Unfortunately, if our bodies are lacking nutrients our skin is the first to show the repercussions.
Do you yearn for the radiance that some women effortlessly ooze from their pores? Or find yourself pining for the glow of yesteryear? If you answered yes, the addition of an oral supplement to your diet just may be the quick fix that your body is craving. Lackluster, dull, dehydrated skin is often a symptom of poor nutritional balance. In recent studies, supplements rich in omega-3 help to nourish and hydrate the skin from the inside out. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, “Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. They are vital to human health, but cannot be manufactured by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food or supplements.” (FYI omega-3 is naturally present in fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut. It is also found in walnuts, flax seeds, soybeans, and pumpkin seeds.)
Omega-3 fatty acids have other positive health benefits as well. According to the American Heart Association, “Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of — or who have — cardiovascular disease.” Omega-3 has also been linked to boost metabolism, decrease appetite, improve memory loss, and improve your overall mood. What woman couldn’t benefit from that?
If revamping your diet isn’t in the near future, considering a dietary supplement containing omega-3 may be more up your alley. Perricone MD Omega 3 Dietary Supplement is a convenient, no hassle approach. One capsule taken three times daily will not only make your complexion more luminous but, you may even shed a few pounds! Who knows… while you’re at it you may even remember to pick up your dry cleaning, with your new and improved memory!
Recently the ladies from Peter Thomas Roth were here at SkinStore sharing their skin care knowledge and experience with us, we got to play with all of the PTR products, and it was so much fun! While they were here, I tried the Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Cream and I have to admit I was sold. For those of you who follow us, you know I have true dry skin (it’s a desert), and I am no spring chicken. Dry skin and wrinkles are my major skin care concerns. My new skin care love – Mega Rich.
Looking for a new way to exfoliate? Have we got a product for you! SkinCeuticals has recently launched 
The leaves are turning, the rain is pouring down, the soup is boiling on the stove… it’s beginning to look a lot like autumn! And something else is changing too… my skin! My (usually) combination skin is rough, dry and tight. Lips are cracking and peeling, hands are looking old and withered. And with all the holiday festivities approaching fast, I want to look my best, but what to do when my skin is parched and chapped from all the wind and cold? I’ve set out on the ultimate hydration hunt to find some tips and tricks to help YOU get through the cold fall and winter months. 
For individuals with dry skin, changes in the weather or other environmental factors can often lead to the frustrating process of finding a new way to best hydrate your skin. Without immediate and proper attention, you know that your skin can quickly become parched and flaky, or even hypersensitive or painfully tight.
At the core of beautiful skin is a healthy well functioning body. In order for our bodies to run like a well oiled machine, we require essential nutrients and energy from the foods that we consume. But, sometimes our fast paced lifestyles lead to less than stellar dietary choices. Convenience has become a top priority, outweighing the benefits of a healthy well balanced meal. Unfortunately, if our bodies are lacking nutrients our skin is the first to show the repercussions.
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