BOOOOO.
I have to admit that most days I still think of myself as being in my 20's. Not that I look it, but it just doesn't seem possible that I'm in my 30's. How / when did that happen? I was out with a bunch of girlfriends a month or so ago, thinking we all looked pretty sassy with our lipstick on, and then realized we were probably viewed as "the old ladies" at the bar. All of my patients this week were referred for 'advanced maternal age' and they were all born the same year as me. I seriously did the math over and over and over again thinking there must have been some tragic mistake. Alas, no. I'm practically 40! (Well, not really, but someday.)
I don't care what people at a bar think about me, but I do care when I look in the mirror, before a cup of coffee and after a toddler meltdown, and see these ... well .... lines on my face.
I had a visit with a new dermatologist recently, just for an overall skin check. (I tell my patients to do it all the time and thought I should follow my own advice). I also squeezed in a few questions about anti-aging treatments. Her take on things was this:
- eye cream is just marketing. Use your normal face cream as long as the skin around your eyes isn't too sensitive. (She likes the Cerave products at the drugstore).
- SPF, SPF, SPF. Everyday, all the time. I have SPF in my moisturizer, which she said was fine, but I should put it all over my neck and chest, too. Hands are a bonus. SPF in your make-up doesn't do much because it's very little coverage.
- most people probably just need a cleanser and moisturizer. Use a toner if you like it, but it probably doesn't do much.
- I can't really remember what she said about exfoliation, but I think she was talking more about chemical exfoliation versus mechanical (like with an abrasive scrub or something)
- she said that for a product to really have anti-aging properties, it needs about 10% or more glycolic acid or vitamin C. You won't really find this in a drugstore product.
- Retin-A is also good and she said the Neutrogena products were pretty good for a drugstore-type product
So ... what's a girl to do?
I would like to find the magical combination of an inexpensive product that has anti-aging properties and doesn't have the parabens and phthalates that I try to avoid. So far, this eludes me.
I'm continuing to use the Arbonne products that I've been using for several years because they don't have most of those chemicals I try to avoid, and I know they don't make me break out. (Another part of the fear I have about trying a bunch of new things). I ordered this Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair cream with retinol and I have been using it every other night and think I actually notice a difference.
Beyond my initial visit, I haven't had time to devote much brain power to this search, but I like to check out new products at the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.
Any suggestions? I'm all ears (?wrinkles?).
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