Archives

I went makeup free for 2 weeks — here’s what happened to my acne-prone skin

Cosmetics and Make Up Equipment on Yellow Background

I first realized I had acne when I was 11-years old, and my skin looked more, um, colorful than the other girls in my class. Back then, I had no idea how to treat acne and I was even worse at hiding it. People would point and laugh at giant cystic pimples on my cheeks, ask to touch my forehead, and call me a long-list of nicknames that callously described what was happening on my face.

As I got older, I got better at hiding the acne, but not necessarily taking care of it. I would spend hours at beauty counters begging the professionals to try anything on my skin so that my red bumps didn’t show up in photos or become the first impression when I met people. Makeup became my new best friend, but really, it became my skin’s biggest enemy.

I tried every kind of concealer, foundation, airbrush makeup machine, and even once, started using Band-aids on an unruly pimple that I just didn’t feel like worrying about all day. But while it may have boosted my confidence to cover my face in a layer of makeup, it was likely doing me more harm than good.

Continue reading

The One Anti-Aging Supplement You Should Take Every Day For Younger Looking Skin, According To A Dermatologist

When looking for an effective anti-aging supplement, it can be difficult to discern which products are the most effective and can actually help you look younger. According to Dr. Peterson Pierre, board-certified specialist in dermatology and cosmetic dermatology at the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, CA, one of the best anti-aging supplements you should add to your routine for younger looking skin is Bubs Natural Collagen Peptides

Read on for why Bubs Natural Collagen Peptides tops his list as one of the best anti-aging supplement to take for a more youthful appearance.

Continue reading

7 Things to Know Before Getting Botox

botox

If you’re new to Botox, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Manish Shah, shares that Botox is a cosmetic treatment that’s typically used to treat dynamic wrinkles, which are lines and folds that occur as a result of repeated facial expressions including smiling, frowning, or laughing.

Dynamic wrinkles can be difficult to treat with other cosmetic treatments, but Dr. Shah suggests that Botox can effectively and safely soften or make them disappear altogether. But before you discuss Botox with your dermatologist, there are a couple of things to keep in mind, from side effects to downtime.

Continue reading

The Smoke Screen of Vaping Disguises Embers of Addiction

eliquid-3576069_960_720

Among the clamor over the ills of vaping and the genuine troubling issues it raises, often overlooked is the real concern that it’s another gateway drug feeding the addict’s brain and making their situation worse.

Thankfully, the recent public attention given to vaping is a much-needed step toward curbing the practice, particularly among vulnerable teens. Yet, it must be remembered that the allure doesn’t evaporate, and for countless users, the logical path is the black market.

By all accounts, back-alley-generated vaping products dominate the market and are assumed to be responsible in large part for the multiple illnesses linked to vaping, and most likely, the deaths as well.

Continue reading

This Herb Hero Will Make Your Hair And Skin Healthier

rosemary skincare benefits

Herbs have played a major role in beauty and wellness for literally ages, with rosemary being one of the most popular (lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile are pretty high on the list, too). When we talk about rosemary’s usage in skincare, we’re typically talking about an essential oil that’s been extracted from either the flowering top of the plant or the thick and aromatic stems.

Rosemary Oil Benefits

Rosemary oil has loads of skincare applications because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties. “For example, its anti-inflammatory action allows it to soothe and even treat dry skin and dry scalp, [and it can also help soothe and treat] eczema and acne,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist. “Also, rosemary oil is known to stimulate hair growth and can also condition the hair to help it look and feel healthy.

Because of its versatility, it’s found in a handful of different products ranging from cleansers and toners to shampoos and face creams. It’s particularly useful for those with dry or itchy skin (including their scalp), acne issues, eczema, and oily skin types. If you’re curious to try a product with rosemary essential oil, we pulled some good ones for you below.

Continue reading

Why Is Depression Always a Lifetime Battle?

Pervasive and insidious, Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most common mood disorders in the United States, afflicting upwards of 17 million adults each year. The global impact is, by some accounts, larger than the entire population of the United States. It is characterized by a combination of overwhelming feelings of sadness and/or guilt, lack of energy and motivation, insomnia or hypersomnia, anxiety, agitation, and difficulty concentrating.

Sometimes these symptoms follow a diurnal pattern, such that they worsen in mornings and evenings. Ultimately, these symptoms are so debilitating in so many people that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

We normally think of talk therapy and antidepressant medication as the “gold standard” of treatment for depression. Unfortunately, the research shows that this is more of a temporary band-aid affixed to an underlying issue, as opposed to a treatment for the root cause. Longitudinal research suggests that over the lifetime, at least 73% of individuals diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder will endure future episodes, while 90% of individuals with at least three previous episodes will endure more (Mueller et al., 1999; Hollon et al., 2006; Wojnarowski et al., 2018; Solomon et al., 2000). Additionally, this has a multiplicative effect, such that each depressive episode significantly raises the probability for a future depressive episode, regardless of whether traditional treatments were utilized (Solomon et al., 2000).

Continue reading