SKINCARE Part B

....... 43/50 SKINCARE Part B .......

Here is my current AM Skincare Routine:

1. Cleanse with Kirkland wipes from Costco. They are soft, gentle, and a good price. I've tried several others (Yes to Cucumbers, Neutrogena, etc.) but these are hands down my favorite.

2. Tone with either Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel (Natural Grocer or Amazon) or Pixi Glow Tonic (Target) with 5% glycolic.

3. Vitamin C serum. This is the backbone of a complete skincare routine. Proven in clinical trials. This is an antioxidant which treats and prevents photo damage, the biggest precursor to aging and cancer. It is unstable in heat and light, so needs to be from a reliable source that mixes the product fresh. I use this. There is a LOT to learn and know about Vit C. There are lots of different types and the formulas and secondary ingredients used depend on the type of Vit C. Not all C serums are equal!! Despite what you can find on the web, do not try making your own serum.

4. As mentioned in Part A, I am experimenting with drugstore versus higher-end products on my face, hoping really there isn't too much of a drastic difference or I'm going to look might funny. hahaha.

 So on one half of my face, I use Tretinoin Cream (Retin-A*). It comes in different strengths. Right now I'm using mid-potency of 0.05%. This is the worker bee, prescription only. Lots of good long-term data with good efficacy. It thins the top layer of skin promoting rapid cell turnover. Thickens the deeper layer of skin, to boost collagen, improving wrinkles. Reduces age spots and evens skin texture. May reverse pre-cancerous cells.

On the flip side of my face: Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle serum.  This has retinol, a weaker cousin of the prescription Retin-A with the potential for more irregular absorption, depending on face conditions (pH, dryness, inflammation, etc).
*avoid retinols if pregnant

5. Moisturize: don't do this daily in the am unless looking dry. If I wear foundation, I use Embryolisse, a light delicious moisturizer as a base.

6. Sunscreen: Every single soul, regardless of age, should wear BROAD SPECTRUM daily but imperative if using Retinoids. This can be in the form of a moisturizer with SPF (love Cerave AM), in a tinted CC or BB cream, or as a stand-alone. Currently using Neutrogena Ultra-sheer with Helioplex in SPF 30. (Anything more than 50 is wasting your $$).  This chemical screen is ok if driving to and from work. If outside for awhile, I prefer a physical block. Like Badger-an organic and natural zinc oxide.

7. Don't believe in eye creams.

8. We can talk about lips on request..... comment here if interested....

Continue on to Part C for my nightime routine.

xoXo,
Ms Fish

SKINCARE Part A

****Hi there!
I've been doing a countdown on IG (jennifher66) until my 50th birthday of 50 changes I have made over the last couple of years to feel healthier and happier than ever. It's been fun, but I recognize that my posts are a little lengthy for the quick scroll-through format / mentality of IG. Plus IG is so annoying it wont let me put in page breaks, making it hard to read longer passages.  So I'm putting some of my posts here*****

.......... 43/50 SKIN CARE Part A.......

This will be a 3-part series. I could talk about skin for D.A.Y.S....but I'll reign it into to a couple of hours 😂jk. #maybe Plus check out my IG feed to see mad picture grid skills #justusedanapp #nbd

So here's the SKINny.

Two years ago I looked older: wrinkled, tired, dull complexion, under eye puffiness and darkness, and lentigos (age spots). What??? You mean the people who talk about the importance of skin care were actually right?? Dang it!!! I never, literally ever, washed my face (outside of the shower) or used ANY kind of product on it...except for Sea Breeze a few times during HS. Oh how we loved that astringent burning feeling.

Enter operation skin care. I've been studying and experimenting for two years. Here's what I know: it can be overwhelming with so many products and claims and opinions and conflicting data such as the right order to apply products (has to do with pH), etc. But there are certain products that do have evidence to show efficacy. It's also simply a matter of finding what works for you and your skin type

I'm in the middle of a 6-month clinical trial (n=1).  On 1/2 of my face, I'm using drugstore products, and on the other half, higher-end products of comparable ingredients (not crazy high-end like LaMer, SKII or medical grade like Neocutis, Obagi or SkinCeuticals) I want to know if you really have to spend more. I may start looking lopsided.... 😂😂😂

In the next two posts, I'll explain my am and pm skincare routine. I have researched and deliberately chosen each product. #triedlots! I think my skin is looking better and younger than 2 years ago!! Although I still have hollow blue eye bags.  There are many causes of this, mine is genetic, so there isn't a cream that will magically improve that. It requires a filler like Juvederm. Also, no cream will remove my deep set wrinkles. Those require needles or knives.

If you are interested in how your skin products measure up (safety, efficacy) Beautypedia, thedermreview, or EWG Skin Deep database are good resources. BeautyCounter is a great place to explore safer options.

Continue to Part B for my AM routine.

Angels on the Roof

Heart Full of Wonder by Megan Leong

"I know you are busy..... but can I tell you a story?"

I was behind. As usual. It was time to go home, and I had (out-of-town) family waiting to start our New Years' Eve festivities.  I still had to call a newlywed and break the news that her culture confirmed genital herpes; change a toddler's antibiotic to one his insurance would cover; call Marcus and tell him the MRI showed 2 fractures in his left hand, one in his right knee and a torn right lateral collateral ligament from his motorcycle accident; and re-fill several medications before the long holiday weekend.

I didn't have time for anything more, but she seemed especially anxious to share something. So, hiding my impatience, I sat down, closed my computer and agreed to hear her story.

She always has one.

Vivian's chronological age is 64, but she is 88 by appearances and 97 if we calculate life-years based on accumulated hardship.  Over the last 2 1/2 years of overseeing her healthcare, she has frequently weighed heavily on my mind. Single, and abandoned by her children, she shares her small home with a grandson, who eats what little food she can afford, forcing her to often starve, but feels no compulsion to clean up his messes or help Vivian in any way. In factual tones, never dripping with sorrow or pity, Vivian often tells me about her challenges, especially ones involving her home's decrepit state of disrepair. Weighing less than 100 pounds and packing around a portable oxygen tank, she is tough and hard-working and does what she can to keep up on things such as trimming bushes, cutting down an overgrown tree with a handsaw, scraping chipped paint, and patching holes in the wall.

Which brings me to her story. I will relay it in first person, just the way I heard it.

My roof has leaked for a long time. In my living room, there is green mold where water drips down the wall. I couldn't afford a new roof, but I have been saving for many months to get some supplies to repair the leak. Two weeks ago, I had enough to purchase a bucket of tar. The cheapest one was $54.53 and I had finally saved $59 dollars. 

I was just about to buy the tar, when another customer standing next to me said, "I wouldn't buy that....it's not going to do a good enough job." He pointed to another bucket. "That's the one you should get." 

I asked the salesman the cost of the other bucket. It was $90. 

"I can't afford that one," I told the stranger.

"Who is going to be putting this tar on your roof?" he asked me. I said I planned on climbing up and doing it myself. 

"I'll tell you what...." he said. "I'd like to buy that other bucket of tar for you. And in fact, I'll come on over and put it on myself." 

He bought the $90 bucket, and carried it out to my car. I gave him my address and drove away feeling appreciative. But I didn't think I would ever see him again.

Three days later, on Saturday at noon, he showed up at my door. He went up on my roof, then came down and said, "it's kind of cloudy right now. I'll be back in a few hours to take care of your leak."

Two hours later, a beautiful pick-up pulling a large white trailer parked outside my house. Out of the trailer came six big guys who immediately climbed up on my roof and started going to work. I soon realized, they weren't there to just put down a bucket of tar. Six hours later, I had an entire new roof.  

The next Saturday, the man showed up again, this time with three guys. They said they were back to put on another layer and seal the roof.  They gave me what I could never, ever afford to do in my lifetime.

While they were working, I made them some of my homemade tortillas and really good beans. It was the best I could do to show my thanks. 

And you know what? I still don't even know his name. 

But I know he's an angel.

As she finished her story, we both wiped tears from our eyes. How grateful I was in that moment that I didn't hurry her out of the exam room. I felt gratitude that Vivian wanted to share this story with me. I was thankful for a profession that allowed intimate exchanges like this. I was thankful Vivian wouldn't have to worry about her roof anymore, and that---maybe--- her health and lungs would improve. I was thankful for miracles and kindness and character. And I was thankful to cap off the year 2015 believing in angels.