Hello and Happy Friday! My name is Dr. Ryan Shelton and today I will be answering two great questions from customers that need a little help with their routines. My first question about exfoliating comes from Maggy in Boise, ID. Here’s what she wanted to ask me:
Q: Hi there Dr. Ryan. I wanted to know how often I should use a scrub for my face? Is it possible to overdo it?
A: Hi Maggy! Thanks for writing to me for help with this common question. The short answer is yes, you can overdo it. Let me explain…
Your skin needs to be exfoliated every so often, but if you do it too much you could cause a lot of damage. Not to mention, it could also create a lot of irritation and discomfort.
Over-exfoliating can often lead to dryness and speed up signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, so you’ll want to start slow when it comes to scrubs.
I tell my customers that once a week is a great start, and if you feel like your skin needs it, you could bump it up to twice a week.
Another thing to think about is what comes after your exfoliator. I always recommend that my customers use a calming and protective moisturizer after they’ve exfoliated to make sure the skin is soothed and hydrated after it's been scrubbed.
Two great ingredients to look out for that will help you protect and moisturize your skin are Shea butter and Sea Buckthorn Oil - which are both in my Repair and Release Cream.
Shea butter is a powerful moisturizer that will keep your complexion hydrated throughout the day so that it can work on soaking up ingredients like peptides that help reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
Sea Buckthorn Oil is great too because it comforts your skin and helps it repair any redness or irritation that could have been caused by your scrub.
Both of these ingredients also have powerful wrinkle-reducing properties, so it’s a win-win!
So remember - don’t overdo it, and don’t forget to make sure you give your skin the nourishing and protecting ingredients it needs right after you’re done
My next question comes from Alice in Birmingham, AL…
Q: Hello Dr. Ryan. I just started using my neck cream a week ago but haven’t seen any difference. Is this normal?
A: Hello Alice! When it comes to firming and lifting skincare products, it’s normal to have to wait longer than a week for your results to start showing up, and I’ll tell you why that is.
There are many different types of skincare ingredients. Some work within minutes of applying them, while others can take 14-30 days to show you any kind of difference.
The ingredients that work right away usually don’t have a lasting effect, and you’ll see the skin around your neck return to the way it was before you applied your products.
To make a real change in your skin that will last, you’ll need to use ingredients like Caffeine Liposome and Rye Seed Extract.
Both of these ingredients are amazing at lifting and firming the sagging skin around your neck area and will help your skin produce elastin faster.
Elastin is important for the skin around your neck because it’s what keeps it from drooping and creating turkey neck!
I’ve seen first-hand what these ingredients can do to create a more sculpted look, which is why they make up an important part of my Neck Firming Cream.
So to answer your question - it’s completely normal to not see any results if you’ve been using your products for a week.
My professional advice to you is to stick with your neck cream for at least another 2-3 weeks so you can make the best decision on whether or not it’s something you want to continue with!
