What Works (Really!)

There are a zillion different products on the market that promise to reduce wrinkles ... but, as most of us know, few deliver. According to a new study in The Archives of Dermatology, there are just three anti-aging treatments that are actually clinically proven to be effective: topical retinol, carbon dioxide laser resurfacing; and the injection of hyaluronic acid (think Restylane). Now, those last two are a bit extreme for my taste--but topical retinoid is something that's easy to use, and you can even get it over the counter. Years ago, my dermatologist recommended RoC products, and I still use the eye cream regularly (although I use Rx Retin-A for the rest of my face). Do you use retinoids?

Stress and Your Skin

Do you need to relax more? A quick peek in the mirror holds the answer. As it turns out, recent research shows that stress can hurt your skin. "We know that stress can have a dramatic effect on the immune system," says Joshua Fox, MD, founder of Advanced Dermatology and a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology. "And quite often, that can create immune- related responses in the skin." Read: the more stress you're under, the more you're prone to breakouts, flare-ups with chronic conditions like psoriasis and eczema, and even wrinkles. Dr. Fox's de-stress suggestions: try meditation, hypnosis or biofeedback. Personally, I'm using this as evidence that I deserve a massage!

How Young Is Too Young?

According to AdWeek, GenY women are deeply afraid of wrinkles, and as a result, are buying anti-aging products, like Olay's Definity Line, by the boatload. On the one hand, the majority of these women have a good decade before they begin to show signs of aging--making me wonder if they're wasting their money. On the other, I'm tempted to think this is a case of "better safe than sorry". And I can't help but wonder what I'd look like if I'd started slathering on anti-wrinkle creams 10 years ago. What do you think--will an ounce of prevention in your 20s pay off in your 30s and beyond?

Beauty and Your Bottom Dollarhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

The national gas average just topped $4 a gallon--yikes! One more sign of a rotten economy. Personally, I've been stretching my dollar by spending less (particularly on take-out meals and clothing; I've also been leaving my car parked and taking public transport) and searching for sales on groceries and household goods. The one area that I haven't cut back, however, is skin and haircare products. To me, it's worth a few extra dollars to have a youthful complexion and hair that's full and shiny. Apparently I'm not alone: I took an informal survey among my girlfriends, who report that they're still going to the salon and stocking up on face cream and lipstick the way they used to. Then again, they're a savvy group of women who know that often the $40 wrinkle cream is just as good--if not better--than the $100 version. How has this economy affected your beauty spending habits?

Big Bang Theory

I love the look of sideswept bangs, like these on the lovely Salma Hayek--so classic and fresh. And, according to a friend of mine in the beauty business, they're the key to a wrinkle-free forehead: although no replacement for SPF, they do add an extra layer of sun protection.

I used to think that I couldn't pull bangs off because my super-fine hair usually gets greasy super fast. But after switching shampoos (I'm currently using L'oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss, swoon!), my locks are decidedly less oily, to the point where I can actually wait a day or two between washing. That means I'll be asking my hairdresser for a bit of fringe the next time I see him. If bangs don't shield me from wrinkles, at the very least, they'll conceal the ones I already have.

Getting My Glow On

I mentioned last week that I love pale skin. But ... now that it's little-dress-with-sandals season again, there's no denying that my legs could use a serious dose of color to mask a few, ahem, blemishes (unsightly dimples and spider veins). Real tanning is out--there's no way I'd risk getting skin cancer by soaking up the sun on the beach or in a booth. Which means it's time for some serious self-tanner.

I like Aveeno's Continuous Radiance lotion; of all the self-tanning moisturizers I've tried, it smells the best and streaks the least. But before I turn to that old standard, I'm going to give Peter Thomas Roth's Natural Looking Self Tanner a try. Any other tanners I should look into?

Worth a Shot?

I haven't ventured into the Botox waters yet ... and I'm not sure that I ever will. Yet, sometimes when I see my crow's feet getting progressively larger and the worry line in my forehead getting deeper with every month that goes on, I have to admit, it's tempting. But last week, I read about new research showing that Botox may be able to travel to the brain. Yikes! Granted, the study in question was done on rats, and millions of people use Botox every day with no major side effects. Still, for now, I think I'll be sticking to my anti-wrinkle lotions and potions and trying not to frown so darn much. What about you--what's your take on getting injected for the sake of beauty?