A year back, my mum asked me to take
out a photo album of a trip we had taken to Canada, Vancouver, and two years
before. I was 24 then. I was horrified to see that I did not look as youthful
as what I used to be three years before. My face has lost its glow and liveliness;
I had not realized this change as my time has been passing like a locomotive
due to work, family and other commitments. I knew I had to do something about
it and I was almost worrying how I will look on my wedding day!
If you have the same concerns as me, let's embark on this
journey together to find our new skin and rejuvenate it. I want you to be able
to look like a diva at every time of the day and have flawless skin which
people will envy you for. It has taken me a year to decide to compile what I
have learn about the skin ever since my self-realization into this page. I have
tried so many products both both over-the-counter or prescribed by
dermatologists and I have never been satisfied. I am not born with beautiful,
flawless skin even though my mum is. I didn't have the luck. I had teenage acne
and my skin was never the same again.
That's when I learnt that from "Dr. Denese's Secrets
for Ageless Skin" that...
The idea of one miracle cream that feels good and is able to
deliver profound changes to the appearance of your skin is nothing but a
scientific fallacy. There is no one product- no matter how expensive- that can
do it all. It takes several steps of daily skin care to deliver results.
If a cream feels good on your skin, it may do little for
your skin because the moisturizing particles that made it feel good may block
the absorption of the important simulating ingredients.
Skin care has to be separated into at least two phrases:
Phase 1. Skin-stimulating phase
Lightweight, quick absorbing serums that can stimulate the
skin's own collagen building machinery, deliver strong vitamins, and soften the
appearance of lines by making the skin thicker and more elastic.
Phase 2. Skin-Sealing phase
This moisturizing phase, when done by a thick serum or a
cream, may help restore the skin lipid barrier and prevent water loss by
sealing the skin.
Most people will skip the first phase thinking that it is
unimportant. I have combination skin with an oily T-zone and drier cheeks and
used to think that applying many layers on my skin will make my skin even
oilier. Ever since I have learnt about this, I have been diligently starting
with phase 1 every morning. Try it for a week, you will see some changes!
Generally, people believe that skin care that temporarily
irritates the skin is bad. Skin care has to feel good all the time. This is
another fallacy.
In order to get results from the skin-stimulating phase, you
have to use strong ingredients. At first, you may feel a tingle or even see a
slight redness. These are signs that the product is working. The skin-sealing
phase that immediately follows will make up for the initial tingle and make you
skin feel moisturized and comfortable in the next few minutes.
If the tingle is too much to bear for the start, I will
suggest you apply more moisturizer. Don't fret, it will subside really fast.
Finally, do you think that exfoliation or over-exfoliation
may thin the skin in the long run?
You will be surprised to know that exfoliation actually
promotes skin thickness and you have been hindering your success towards an
ageless skin.
One of the most important ideas in the science of skin care
is that skin is a dynamic organ. The more you wear it down, the more it
thickens and grows. Exfoliation stimulates cellular turnover and collagen
production, which ultimately improves the look of lines and wrinkles.
Next fallacy- major and expensive skin-care brands are using
the latest scientific ingredients.
Shockingly, most expensive major cosmetics are not in the
forefront of skin science. It often takes major cosmetics companies years to
include a new, effective ingredient- and then only using tiny amounts that may
offer minimal benefits. This practice is good for marketing but bad for
achieving results.
I have never blown $200 on SK-2 products before, also
believing the fact that its a far better marketing company compared to a skin
care company from the number of celebrity endorsements and running ads on the
newspaper. I visit a dermatologist locally as she will be able to find products
that are suitably tailored for my skin. If you have sensitive skin, always do
an allergy patch test before you try anything new on your face.
Finally, do you really think SPF 15 is adequate protection
against the sun?
Or do you skip sun block all together?
Dr. Denese recommends us to use an SPF 30 regardless of
whether we are indoors or outdoors. It is also best to use a day cream with a
built-in SPF 30 protection instead of a two-step process (first a day cream
with no protection and then a sunscreen).
The sun is the single biggest cause of aging skin. It breaks
down the collagen in the skin. If you lose collagen, the skin thins and become
less elastic. Therefore, the best way to protect your skin is to wear SPF 30
everyday, rain or shine.
It is never too late to give your skin the attention it
deserves- and never too late to educate yourself about the latest innovations
in skin care that help you look younger now.
Let's embark on this journey together!
To your ageless beauty,
Dawn Ho
