December 2008

Trends come and go but the basics remain the same. What’s the price of beauty?

Some people believe it depends on the depth of your pockets. I don’t. Good sensible skin care does not have to cost a gazillion dollars. The basics are the use of an exfoliant to slough off dead skin cells. These are categorized according to strength: Retinoids (Retin A,) alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs). All three categories act as an exfoliant and collagen stimulator. Next, is the use of an antioxidant. These products eat up the skin damaging free radicals that cause premature aging of the skin and slow down further damage. Last, is the use of growth factors. These products act as agents to stimulate the growth of fresh new cells, binding the fresh collagen with hydration and increasing the elasticity in the newly formed cells.

In upcoming articles, I will go into depth on each of these products along with what’s new on the market for people who want to “go green”. I also encourage questions from my Abagal readers on skin care or hair removal issues. I look forward to working with you!