Hi There! My name is Dr. Ryan Shelton and every Friday I answer two questions from customers who want to know how they can create a more flawless complexion. You’ll be glad you’re tuning in this week because the questions I have today are goodies!
My first question comes from Alice in Omaha, NE.
Q: Hi Dr. Ryan, I’ve always wanted to try Retinol and I finally did a few months ago, but it made my skin really dry and flaky. I want to try it again but I’m scared it will hurt my skin, is there anything I can do that will help?
A: Thanks so much for asking this question, Alice. First off, you’re not alone in experiencing dry skin after using Retinol - it’s pretty common! Secondly, there is absolutely a solution to your dryness problem. Let me tell you about it…
Retinol is popular for a reason - it works. It does a great job at smoothing wrinkles and fine lines and it also improves the texture of your skin if you use it consistently.
The only downside is that it’s a pretty intense treatment, so you have to proceed with caution if you want to avoid dryness and skin irritation.
But there are ways around the downsides to Retinol. In your case, since you have experienced dry and flaky skin, you’ll want to focus on finding a rich and creamy moisturizer with lots of super hydrating ingredients.
One of my favourite ingredients that fall into this category is Argan Oil, which I’ve made sure to include in my Repair and Release Cream.
Argan Oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is an intensely moisturizing and repairing vitamin - it’s perfect for giving your skin the hydration it needs, and it’ll keep your skin protected throughout the day, especially if you’re using Retinol.
In my professional opinion, having a powerful moisturizer is non-negotiable when it comes to retinol, so if you’re going to try it again make sure you pair it with a product like my Repair and Release Cream.
Once you do that, you’ll be able to see the difference in your skin and everything else will fall into place!
My next question is from Mary in San Diego, CA.
Q: Hi there Dr. Ryan. I recently read somewhere that you shouldn’t use something called phthalates on your skin. Is that true?
A: Hi Mary! Wow, I’m so glad you brought this up. This is such an important question because it has a lot to do with your health. The short answer is yes, it’s true. I’ll go into more detail about phthalates and what kinds of products you can use instead.
Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are chemicals that are usually used in plastic products to make them more bendy and flexible.
Some skin care products also use phthalates, but these chemicals are not something you want to use on your skin!
That’s because they’ve been scientifically linked to cancer and other diseases, and are just plain harmful to your body.
They’re harmful enough that they’ve been banned in some countries, but in the US it’s perfectly legal to use them in cosmetics.
That means you have to be extra careful about checking the labels on your products and using skincare that says it’s phthalate-free.
The health of my customers is so important to me, which is why my entire South Beach Skin Lab line contains no phthalates at all!
Instead, I’ve made sure to use as many healthy and safe ingredients as possible that have scientifically proven results.
I also make sure that all of my ingredients are posted on my website so that you can be fully aware of the things you’re putting on your body!
It can be tough to find safe and effective products that will give you the results you want, but it’s not impossible.
My professional advice is to steer clear of phthalates and make sure you’re not sacrificing your health for your skincare routine!
