Tired of Looking Tired

Under eye circles and puffiness are one of the most common beauty complaints and are usually genetically inherited, or accrued from late nights at the office, lack of sleep, and general stress. I have tried hundreds of products that promise to cover and hide the “sleepless night look” so many of us sport under our eyes. Here are some of my picks to combat and conceal- and help anyone who is tired of looking tired!

Frownies Eye Gels, Under Eye & Eye Lid Collagen Patches, $29.95
Frownies eye gels are the first step in achieving a deflated under eye area. The anti-wrinkle treatment contains strong anti-oxidants that not only help protect the sensitive skin, but in one thirty minute treatment 100% of women saw a reduction of fine lines, puff and dark circles. The weight of the patch soothes the under eye area and fights free radical damage. For optimal results, all you have to do is use the gel three nights in a row and then sporadically once a week from there on out! They’re also great to use before any special nights out or as a 30 minute treatment. Frownies are a tinseltown staple and a favorite of Raquel Welch, Rashida Jones and the entire Kardashian clan!

Filed under Beauty · Tagged with Aloe, AquaCurrent Science, Ashley Olsen, Automatic Camouflage Concealer, Beauty, Celebrity, Chamomile, Collagen Patches, Concealer, CoverGirl, Demi Moore, Eye Gels, Fashion Week, Fine Lines, Frownies, Ginseng, HD Invisible Concealer, Illuminate, Jennifer Garner, Judith August, Kardashian, Luminocaptide Complex, Make-up Artist, Makeup Forever Professionals, Margaret Kroesen, Model, Orange Masking Creme, Paraben, Puffy, Rachel McAdams, Radiance, Radiant Touch, Raquel Welch, Rashida Jones, Silver Spoon, Smoothers Concealer, Sue Devitt, Sunflower Seed, Tarte, The Eraser, Touche Eclat, Under Eye, Vitamin, Wrinkles, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent

Ask Melissa: Best Face Moisturizers at Every Price Point

Question:
My skin feels so dry this winter and I’m looking to find a new face moisturizer that not only works well but also feels good on my skin and absorbs easily. I’m pretty sensitive to fragrances and don’t like anything too perfumey. What products do you recommend?

Answer:
I can totally relate as I have dry skin all year round and a very sensitive nose too! I’ve road tested so many facial moisturizers, and have come up with my “best of” list at all different price points. These moisturizers are top notch plus they have great anti-aging properties:

SK-II Skin Refining Treatment, BUY NOW, $150
SK-II has a special scientifically proven moisturizing ingredient called Pitera, made of a fermented yeast that produces a unique blend of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids. This “secret key” (SK) ingredient was discovered in Japan at a sake brewery–the older people who worked there had mysteriously beautiful, age defied hands as a result of regularly immersing them in a similar fermented yeast mixture. I have been using this product for over ten years and really believe in it. The list of celebrity clients who use SK-II to keep their skin looking ageless is rather lengthy, and Cate Blanchett was a fan long before she became the brand’s ambassador.

vbeauté Buying Time Everyday Créme, BUY NOW, $135
Vbeauté is one of the best new skincare lines that was recently launched by Vogue It girl, stylish socialite and mom, Julie Macklowe. Teaming up with the top molecular biologists, Julie developed special formulas that include rare botanicals and focus heavily on preventing the onslaught of aging. The Everyday Créme is light but moisturizes intensely and can be used for day or night. The fragrance-free formula feels great on the face and is perfect for anyone who has sensitive skin looking to try a new “tried and true” anti-aging product.

Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream, BUY NOW, $98
A list of the best face creams wouldn’t be complete without Shiseido’s Bio-Performance. This pink hued formula in a tub boasts a patent-pending blend of ingredients which boosts skin elasticity and promotes moisture retention. It feels super luxurious on the skin and yet has impeccable firming capabilities all at the same time. I use it nightly and also before I do any outdoor activities like skiing or running- it’s great for preventing wind burn. This cream is like nothing I’ve ever used or felt before–it has a very special texture that is super nourishing on the skin!

Filed under Ask Melissa, Beauty, Blog, home_featured-NOT-USED · Tagged with Beauty, Bio- Performance Super Restoring Cream, BuyingTime Everyday Creme, Daily Mosturizer, Dr. Dennis Gross, Fine Lines, Hydra-Pure Oil Free, Kiehl's, Micro Sculpting Cream, Moisture, Multi- Correxion 4 Zone, Olay Regenerist, RoC, Shiseido, Sk-II Skin Refining Treatment, Skincare, Ultra Facial Cream, V Beaute, Wrinkles

Celebrity Dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler: The Newest Treatments in Skincare

As a dermatologist dedicated to offering my patients the most effective and advanced care possible, I pay close attention to the latest technology, products and research. In 2011, I discovered two new treatments – LaViv and Clear and Brilliant – that I expect will be major skincare contenders in 2012.

LaViv is the first FDA-approved therapy that uses your own collagen-producing cells to improve the look of smile lines. It employs great innovation – the fibroblast cells (which make collagen, elastin and growth factors) are drawn from your own skin to treat the fine lines and wrinkles surrounding the mouth. LaViv has proven to be very effective thus far and additional benefits of its use are incredibly promising. Personally, I am most excited about its prospects for acne scarring and peri-oral lines.

Clear and Brilliant is a laser treatment designed to be integrated into skincare regimens to not only address the signs of aging but also prepare skin for proper anti-aging maintenance before the signs emerge. It offers great results; skin is left more radiant and smooth, while pore size is reduced and it is suitable on all skin types.

While I am excited about these new treatments on the skincare map, I still stand behind the treatments and technology I steadily use like Fraxel re:store and Isolaz. Fraxel re:store is a fantastic laser for addressing multiple skin concerns. Outfitted with a dual hand piece, one side is the traditional Fraxel 1550 which improves texture, reduces wrinkles and fine lines, shrinks pore size and tightens skin, while the other side is the 1927 that works on solar lentigos, the brown spots we get from the sun. Isolaz works wonders on acne and skin prone to clogged pores. It is a painless treatment in which a vacuum and a broadband light are used to cleanse pores from the inside out.

We are lucky to live in a time when the landscape of skincare treatments is truly remarkable. Whatever your skincare concern is, you should always speak to your dermatologist about it. There are countless and effective measures you can take to improve the look and condition of your skin, at your dermatologist’s office or at home.

As we begin the new year, it is always a great time to focus on creating a new and improved you. And while feeling good about how we look is important, our health is paramount. So, I must remind you, as you ponder your new year’s resolutions, please vow to make skin cancer checks part of your regimen this year and always.

“Because my techniques aim to lower your stress and heighten your natural beauty, the benefits that await you could be infinite.” -Dr. WechslerOne of only two physicians in the country board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler is well known for her unique approach to all dermatological procedures—administering traditional practices only after spending significant time with patients and thoroughly understanding their emotional state of mind and the impact it is having on the outer surface. She treats men and women of all ages.

Dr. Wechsler graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Duke University. She earned an M.D. with honors from Cornell University Medical College. After completing her residency in psychiatry at Payne Whitney Clinic – The New York Presbyterian Hospital, she stayed to do her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Fascinated by the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler completed her residency in dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Her hospital appointments include Assistant Clinical Professor in Dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Equally respected by her peers and her patients, Dr. Wechsler is a member of The American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the Women’s Dermatologic Society, the American Psychiatric Association, the Independent Doctors of New York, the Physician Scientific Society, and The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Wechsler is the author of The Mind-Beauty Connection (Free Press, 2008), and is frequently called upon by the media to explain and demystify complicated dermatological topics. She’s been featured on the Today Show, the Dr. Oz Show and The Tyra Banks Show, as well as extensively in print, including Marie Claire, Self, O Magazine, Lucky, W Magazine, the New York Times, Health, Allure, InStyle, Shape, Prevention, GQ, Redbook, Better Homes & Gardens, People, Stylewatch and others.

Filed under Beauty, Guest Editor · Tagged with Beauty, Clear and Brilliant, Corrective, Dermatologist, Dr. Amy Wechsler, Fine Lines, Fraxel, Health, Isolaz, Lasers, LaViv, Pores, Skincare