With The Holidays upon us, I thought it would be nice to review some of my favorite things to give and/or receive...
I should say that some are favorites because they are wonderfully effective at producing visible improvement in your appearance, some because they make your skin
feel beautiful, and some just because they make me smile- and we could all use a few more reasons to smile, right?
In no particular order, here are some of my favorite things...
Origins makes a fantastic activated charcoal mask- this is great for men and women, although I would avoid this product if your skin tends to be dry already. While it may seem a bit like saying, "Here honey, your skin looks a bit dirty- this'll clean it up", the healthy, smooth, glowing look she achieves will quickly get you out of the doghouse. Available through Origins direct online, or at finer department stores.
Not sure what kind of skin she has or what she might prefer? New Beauty Magazine's Test Tube Subscription is a great way to cover all the bases. This has got to be one of my very favorite gifts to give women who love feeling pretty, looking their best, and sampling the latest and greatest products in the beauty industry (I think that describes most women, by the way). In this wonderful program, you register your desired recipient (here: http://testtube.newbeauty.com), and 4 times a year they receive a large tube full of the latest goodies being featured in the most recent issue of New Beauty- The World's Most Innovative Beauty Magazine. If you really wanna go all out- get her the Test Tube and Magazine subscription!
By now, I'm sure everyone has heard about Latisse- Allergan's new product for increasing the length and thickness of your eyelashes. This stuff is amazing! Many of my patients are making jokes about how they've had to limit how much they use to keep from having their eyelashes brushing against the back of their sunglass lenses as they drive! The only problem with giving this as a gift is that it IS a prescription medication, and does have side effects- so you would need to actually give them a consultation for Latisse, and as long as they are a candidate, they will get their prescription and product. Available through your Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist.
SkinMedica makes 2 of my favorite products for the all types of skin. Both contain Nouri-cel MD, the active ingredient that SkinMedica says:
Helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Helps to improve the appearance of age spots and dyspigmentation
Reduces roughness and firms skin texture
Improves skin texture and elasticity, and may help to reduce photodamage
In addition to Nouri-cel MD, SkinMedica's Essential Serum contains APS Corrective Complex, a "potent mixture of antioxidants, peptides, and other ingredients" that "work synergistically to transform and regenerate your skin for a more youthful appearance". I have personally been using Essential Serum for about 8 months now, and can tell you that I love how my skin looks and feels. The smooth glow is amazing, and I receive many compliments on my skin... SkinMedica products are available at Dermatologist and Plastic Surgeon's offices..
Every woman (and in my opinion, every gentleman) should own a Clarisonic skin care brush. These amazing little pieces of technology use sonic energy (just like the Sonicare toothbrush) to throughly cleanse your skin of dead skin cells, residual makeup, and other impurities, so that the healthy, younger looking skin cells are always brought to the surface. A nice benefit of this daily sonic treatment is that because your preferred skin care products no longer have to penetrate this layer of dead skin cells and debris (that normal washing doesn't remove), you will actually need to use less of these products than before to get the same benefit- saving you money over time. I love using my own Clarisonic each morning before I shave (they make a cool gray colored one for gents)- the razor slides along my skin like a leather-soled shoe on ice! There are several models of Clarisonic available- and most are available at Sephora or online... I like the PRO model, because it has multiple speeds, although it does cost a bit more and can only be purchased through Physicians offices.
New for this year is the Clarisonic Mia- a handy travel sized brush that's much easier to pack when space is at a premium.
For the Gentlemen in your life, I love Zirh skin care- they make a full line of products specially formulated for the needs of men's skin. I particularly like their shaving cream and toner (called Refresh).
Finally (and with a wink to anyone who might be buying a gift for me!), I love Paul Smith accessories. His wonderfully elegant cufflinks, neckties, and cases always perfectly balance masculine fashion and his fine British wit.
So there you have it- my favorite things 2009- I may add a few things here and there as I think of them, so check back often.
Have any favorite things you wish someone would think to gift you? Send me an email!
No comments:
Post a Comment