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   I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t curious about trying every single new skin product that I saw. I’m sure we have all bought a hot new product out of impulse and were floored to find that our skin not only wasn’t totally transformed in an instant but that it reacted horribly! Most of the time we chalk this up to our skin not agreeing with the product but more often than you would think this can happen because the product doesn’t agree with what we already use in our skincare routine! Here is a fool proof guide to mixing and not mixing different ingredients in your skincare products!Beauty Chemistry 101: What to Mix and What not to Mix~Vanessa Sterling   DO NOT MIX Salacylic/Glycolic Acid with Retinols/Retinoids Using these two ingredients in tandem can lead to extreme drying, flaking and irritation which can ultimately lead to breakouts and skin that looks more aged. Retinols/Retinoids usually take about 10 days or more to leave your system so if you want to be able to get the benefits of both ingredients its better to start with your salicylic or glycolic regimen until you are satisfied with your results, discontinue your use and then start with your retinol/retinoid routine. If you have extremely oily skin and you find that your skin can handle using products with both of these ingredients at the same time stick to a cleanser with salicylic or glycolic acid because it has shorter contact with your skin than a cream ointment or gel. Start with the Murad Acne Clearing Solution .  Once you get your desired results switch over to the Tina K Correct K Line Diminishing Cream.     DO NOT MIX Exfoliators and Brighteners Not only is this combo extremely irritating but it can also make you more photo sensitive which can ultimately lead to an intensifying effect on your hyper-pigmentation.  If you’re looking to banish your dark spots and still exfoliate your skin cut the brightener and just use your gentle exfoliant and use a really good SPF. When your skin is protected is produces less melanin and because you’re exfoliating that pigmentation will gradually dust away on its own without the use of brighteners. I would recommend the Crop Natural Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Scrub   along with Glowbiotics Non-Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 .     DO NOT MIX Vitamin C and Acids Vitamin C is one of the most power packed skincare ingredients out there however it is also an extremely unstable antioxidant which means that you have to be really careful with what you use with it. Using it along with Alpha-Hydroxy Acids and Salicylic acid can throw off the pH of the product(s) leaving them totally useless.     DO NOT MIX Retinols/Retinoids and UV Light As we know retinols/retinoids increase cell turnover which is why they do wonders for skin conditions like acne and wrinkles. The problem with this is that it also makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight than normal so make sure to apply and reapply SPF during the day and save your retinol/oid products for your nighttime routine. Don’t worry not all ingredients are incompatible you can still reap the benefits of using multiple power packed ingredients.     DO MIX Retinol and Ferulic Acid Ferulic Acid is an awesome antioxidant that helps enhance the properties of other skin loving vitamins and helps with sun protection as well. While retinol is great for skin firming, and boosting clarity and glow, when ferric acid is added to the mix it helps retinol do its job even better by helping it get deeper into the skin and promotes collagen production as well. Using La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Intensive Dark Spot Correcting Serum along with Avene RetrinAL .05 Cream   will work wonders.    DO MIX Vitamins A, C & E Vitamin A (includes retinol and retinoids) helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles and increases the moisture and bounce in your skin. Vitamin C helps even out your skin tone and offers environmental defense and Vitamin E helps add another level of defense. When all of these vitamins are used together you have the perfect recipe for nourishing and protecting your skin from a bunch of different angles. Use the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum along with the Crop Antioxidant Facial Cream  to give your skin the vitamins that it craves.   DO MIX Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid With its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water, Hylauronic acid does wonders when it comes to hydrating the skin. Even though retinol is great at stimulating cell turnover the downside is that it usually increases dryness which is why these two are a match made in heaven.  The DCL Profoundly Effective A Cream SPF 30  not only has both Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid but it’s also loaded with other skin loving ingredients to soften firm and hydrate your skin.

As a product specialist, here at askderm.com, there are a lot of questions that I get asked over and over. One of those questions is about what to apply and when. You now have all these wonderful products at home but how are they applied and when do you use them? Have no fear, I can help sort that out for you! It can be very confusing for novice skincare users as well as for advanced users the difference between serums, SPF's, and toners not to mention how to layer everything correctly.  AM Skincare - What to Apply & When Lets start with a morning routine. First use a proper cleanser and toner for your skin type. After toner apply a serum . Vitamin C or Glycolic based work better in the daytime. They tend to be more preventive , such as Obagi professional C serum great for counter acting free radicals that break down elastin in our skin and add brightness. Next apply a hydrator cream and eye cream that is specially formulated for the delicate skin around the eye. This will reduce fine lines and decrease puffiness. Now comes sun protection. I like the Avene Ultra Light 50 spf for the face. This contains Vitamin E to protect the skin and thermal spring water to soothe the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Finish with makeup if needed. PM Skincare - What to Apply & When Continuing on for evening. Again cleanse your skin and follow with toner of your choice here I like to apply a retinol based cream. The Niadyne NIA 24 Intense Retinol Repair for example,  at night while the skin is resting offers an improvement in the overall firmness of the skin. Retinols do not mix well with the sun so use these in the evening. Again if you still feel dry apply moisturizer over ,and follow with your eye cream. Meg 21 Bright and Firm does just what it says . This will soften lines, add brightness ,and reduce puffiness. Remember just a tiny amount for this area. And don't forget your neck area. PM is the perfect time to apply a neck treatment. Wilma Schuumann Neck and Bust Firming Cream is applied in upward  strokes daily. So I hope this gave alittle insight to a healthy skin routine. Feel free to call our customer service number and let me create a personal skincare routine for you. Blog Written by askderm's in-house Cosmetologist  Carolyn is a NYS Licensed Cosmetologist. She has over 20 years experience in the beauty industry with make up, skin, and hair care services. Based on her expertise in the industry, Carolyn provides expert skin care & hair care knowledge to our customers.

  Our team of experts here at askderm have selected a line of products that bring value to our customers, as well as promote healthy beautiful skin. We strongly believe that healthy skin is a key factor to aging gracefully. These hand selected products are packed full of amazing ingredients that will fight the signs of aging and reveal your inner glow. Our askderm ESSENTIALS line is ideal for all skin types and was designed specifically for you – our amazing customers.   askderm ESSENTIALS is all about proven and effective anti-aging ingredients that diminish fine lines and Wrinkles and make your skin feel softer, smoother and firmer. Hyaluronic Acid   100% Pure Argan oil  Retinol  

Here are a few tips on how to properly use your acne skin care products and what to look for to treat your acne skin: Use a gentle, soap-free gel or foaming cleanser that is targeted for oily/acne prone skin morning and night with warm water.  Here are a few askderm acne skin care product suggestions: La Roche-Posay | Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel | 6.76 oz / 200 ml | $22.99 eau thermale Avene | Diacneal Soap-Free Gel Cleanser | 6.76 fl oz / 200 ml | $25.00 Obagi | Nu-Derm Foaming Gel | 6.7 oz / 200 ml | $39.50 NEOVA | Purifying Cleanser | 8.0 fl oz | $34.00 Glytone | Acne Self-Foaming Cleanser | 3.4 fl oz | $39.00 Avoid "picking" or "popping" any blemishes. Instead treat them with a spot treatment that will help to treat them, soothe the redness and reduce inflammation. Key ingredients to look for are Sulfur, Zinc Oxide & Salicylic Acid. Here are a few askderm acne skin care product suggestions: Kinerase | Clear Skin Blemish Dissolver | 0.12 oz / 3.5 ml | $39.00  Peter Thomas Roth | Acne Spot And Area Treatment | 1 oz | $32.00 Murad | Acne Spot Treatment | .5 oz | $18.00 Murad | Acne Treatment Concealer - Light | .09 oz | $21.00 Murad | Acne Treatment Concealer - Medium | .09 oz | $21.00  Apply a treatment product over the entire face that will help prevent and treat existing acne/blemishes. With use of this product/step in your acne routine will also help exfoliate & unclog your pores revealing softer smoother skin. Key ingredients to look for are Benzoyl Peroxide, Glycolic Acid & Salicylic Acid. Here are a few askderm acne skin care product suggestions: La Roche-Posay | Effaclar DUO (1.35 fl oz) | 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz | $36.95 Murad | Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel | 3.4 oz | $54.00  Obagi | Clenziderm M.D. Pore Therapy | 4 oz / 118 ml | $36.00 Neostrata | Oily Skin Solution AHA 8 | 3.4 oz/100 ml | $30.00 Glytone | 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Gel | 2 oz | $22.00 Hydrate your skin! Even though you may feel like your skin is oily with all the treatment products you apply to combat your acne you do not want to strip your skin of all its moisture. Be sure to apply an OIL-FREE moisturizer morning and night! This will help keep your skin healthy and your treatment products will have better results. Here are a few askderm acne skin care product suggestions: DDF | Ultra Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew | 1.7 oz / 48 g | $43.00  SkinMedica | Ultra Sheer Moisturizer (oil free) | 2.0 oz | $54.00  Wilma Schumann | O2 Oxygen Blu ™ | 1 oz / 30 ml | $56.00 Peter Thomas Roth | Oil Free Moisturizer | 1.7 oz | $42.00 DCL | Ultra Light Hydrator | 3.5 oz / tube | $24.00 Heal & Treat while you sleep! Use a product at night that will help increase cell turnover and improve your tone and texture of your skin. The key ingredient to look for in your night time acne product is Retinol or a version such as Retinaldehyde.  Here are a few askderm acne skin care product suggestions: eau thermale Avene | TriAcneal | 30 ml / 1.01 fl oz | $60.00  Alyria | Acne Retinol Complex | 30 g / 1.05 oz | $61.00  Peter Thomas Roth | Retinol Fusion PM | 1 fl oz / 30 ml | $65.00  DCL | Nighttime Treatment - Acne Healing System | 2.5 oz / tube | $33.00  Glytone | Acne 3P Gel | 2 oz | $29.00  Don't forget - there is no instant treatment for acne. All treatments will take 6-8 weeks for results, and you may notice that your acne gets worse before it gets better. If you have any further detailed questions please contact our expert customer service team. We are here to help and keep your skin healthy and beautiful!  Shop askderm for all your skin care needs & save 20% off with coupon code: JUNE20   top brands + expert advice = beautiful skin Written by: Danielle Jones | Marketing Coordinator | askderm #SkinCareExpert #BBloggers #BeautyIsMyWorld #MakingYouFeelBeautiful #OneBlogAtATime #SocialMedia #SocialMarketing #Shopaskderm #topbrands #expertadvice #beautifulskin

Everyone is looking for that "Fountain of Youth" anti-aging product. Well, askderm has hundreds of anti-aging creams, serums and treatment products! Now how do you choose which one is right for you? How do you know what active ingredients to look for? Here is our go to list of the TOP 5 ANTI-AGING INGREDIENTS! Growth Factors - stimulates collagen production, diminishes the overall appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and improves skin tone & texture Retinol - reveals softer, smoother healthier skin as well as plumping away fine lines and wrinkles Peptides -lifts & firms the skin, increases collagen production, plumps the skin to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles as well as naturally removes any "damaged" collagen to promote healthier younger looking skin Antioxidant - protects the skin against free radicals, improves texture tone and firmness of the skin as well as fights premature aging AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) - exfoliates the skin to reduce appearance of wrinkles, skin build up and results in better absorption of additional treatment products Now when it comes to serums, treatments, lotions, creams and gels - we know it can get very overwhelming... so here is a quick guide: Creams are best for normal to dry skin Lotions are best for combination to oily skin Gels are best for oily and acne prone skin Serums can be used on all skin types Treatments are best for more mature skin  Shop now on askderm and use coupon code JUNE20 to save 20% off Storewide! top brands + expert advice = beautiful skin Written by: Danielle Jones | Marketing Coordinator | askderm #SkinCareExpert #BBloggers #BeautyIsMyWorld #MakingYouFeelBeautiful #OneBlogAtATime #SocialMedia #SocialMarketing #Shopaskderm #topbrands #expertadvice #beautifulskin

     Gorgeous, healthy skin is achieved from a wide range of influences. Genes definitely play a large role, however, your daily habits are much more important! Are you drinking enough water? Do you spend significant hours in the sun? There are tons of recommendations, product reviews, and even personal opinions all over the internet guiding you in multiple directions. Let us help you to sift through all of this information, so you can decide exactly what products are right for your personal skincare routine. Make sure to follow us @askderm on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to be the first to know all of our exciting news! The Keys to a Successful, Complete Routine: Cleanse - Remove excess oil, dirt, and impurities. Tone - Balance your pH levels for refreshed skin. Moisturize - Provide your skin with the hydration it needs to keep you looking your best. Protect - Regular SPF application is key to providing your skin with the ultimate protection for youthful longevity. Your personal skincare routine should protect all of your favorite qualities, while simultaneously targeting problem areas like uneven skin tone, blemishes, or aging. It should also provide regular nourishment to regulate the skin for a comfortable, healthy complexion. Remember that there is no magic wand when it comes to your skin, changes take time. Before moving on to the next product, allow at least 6 weeks of regular use for changes and improvements to take place. The biggest key to healthy skin is simple - consistency. Do you know your skin type? Before getting started with your routine, it’s crucial to know your skin type and goals. Are you oily and looking to fight initial signs of aging? Dry and focusing on your uneven skin tone? Take a few minutes to determine this and you are much more likely to achieve the skin you desire. Today’s post is written in the order of application. Ensure all of your products are applied based on the below recommendations for optimal results! CLEANSER Cleansers are used to remove makeup, dirt, oil, dead skin cells, and pollutants. This step refreshes the skin, and also allows it to better absorb the remaining products in your skincare routine. For best results, make sure you are completing this step twice a day. Most importantly, do not confuse exfoliators with cleansers. Exfoliation should only be performed one to two times per week, and its purpose is to brush away dull, dead cells for a smoother finish.  Skin Type Cleanser Type What to Expect Product Recommendation Dry, Irritated, Red Cream/Lotion Very gentle, and will not strip away oils but rather seals in moisture for lasting protection.  Sensitive Oil/Cream Good oils are used to remove the bad oils left on the skin's surface. Often containing a wide array of natural oils to prevent and treat existing irritation. Oily, Acne Prone Foaming Liquid A light and airy product that's effective without feeling heavy or too intense for your fragile skin. Mature Liquid Impurity removal without stripping away your valuable natural oils to ensure a cleansed yet balanced surface. TONER Toners have definitely evolved over the years, and they are filled with amazing benefits. This is not necessarily a mandatory step, however if you are serious about your skincare routine it is definitely recommended. Toners give you that extra level of attention and ensure all makeup or other heavy products have been completely removed. They also aid in minimizing the appearance of pores for a smoother, more even texture. If you have oily skin, toner is great for balancing out your pH levels which results in less excess sebum and the appearance of normal looking skin for much longer throughout the day. Did you know? Toners are available in multiple forms. In addition to the most common cotton pad application, you can even pour a small amount into clean hands and apply, or opt for a spray bottle formulation. SERUM There is a serum for everyone, and this step is sure to be your favorite! Serums are highly concentrated and deliver powerful ingredients deep into the layers of the skin. The molecular structure is small, which is perfect for many skin concerns like wrinkles, acne scars, dark spots, and more. Look for ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Retinol, and Peptides. Helpful Tip: Don’t mix products! Each step of your skincare routine is meant to be applied individually. Give each product the chance to absorb before moving on to the next step. This will insure you are getting the most out of each step and not diluting anything for less than desirable results. Also make sure you focus on antioxidants in the AM and Retinols at night! MOISTURIZER Moisturizers keep your skin from drying out and help it to retain moisture, in addition to providing a protective barrier against the environment. Ingredients vary greatly depending on your specific skin type and needs, which is another reason it’s important to know your personal requirements and goals. This step is also crucial to fighting wrinkles which helps you to maintain a youthful and radiant complexion.  Skin Type Moisturizer Type What to Expect Product Recommendation Dry, Irritated, Red Cream A larger oil content than lotion, which deeply nourishes and hydrates the skin. Commonly used in cold seasons or dry climates. Sensitive Lotion A lightweight, and fragrance free formula to provide a moderate amount of moisture without weighing down the skin. Oily, Acne Prone Gel The ideal amount of hydration, will quickly absorb. Water based and lightweight formula. Mature Balm An all-in-one formula to protect against multiple ailments and encourage well balanced, radiant skin.   Day Cream VS Night Cream: The biggest difference between a day cream and a night cream is protecting vs. repairing. Daytime moisturizers are formulated to shield you against environment aggressors like sun damage and free radicals, while night time products will contain ingredients like retinol to increase cell turnover as well as boost moisture levels. Can you get away with just one moisturizer for both day time and night time? Definitely. But, like the rest of your overall health, putting in the extra work is sure to show. EYE CREAM The skin around the eyes is incredibly delicate, and requires extra attention. It’s important to note that products which work seamlessly for the rest of your face may cause irritation to the eyes. The skin in this area is more sensitive than the rest of the face, and if you give it a little extra attention now you will be very happy you did in just a few years from now. Choose eye creams that contain Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, Neuropeptides, and Vitamin C and E. Make sure to avoid fragrance or any harsh additives. SUNSCREEN Apply, apply, apply! It may seem repetitive to hear this, but that is because it truly is that important. Serious conditions like cancer can occur, as well as less serious but still unwelcome effects like fine lines, wrinkles, an increase in pore size, dark spots, and more. To save time, choose a daily moisturizer with SPF built in! Make sure you’re using an SPF of at least 30 to protect against harmful rays. There are even several foundation options on the market with SPF included for makeup wearers. A common misconception is that SPF isn’t needed for rainy or cold days, or for those who only spend a small amount of time outside. However, regardless of your daily routine, SPF is still a crucially important key to healthy, youthful, and glowy skin. SKINCARE TOOLS Facial brushes are an amazing choice for anyone looking for a deeper clean than what is possible with traditional methods. All skin types benefit from a motorized brush! The pulsations stimulate blood flow, dislodge impurities, and provide a spa-like experience. You will also notice a smoother, more even surface due to the daily gentle exfoliation. Many tools are available on askderm.com, and treat a wide array of skin concerns like acne, uneven skin tone, initial signs of aging, and more. View all of the available tools here. Follow askderm on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to be the first to know about giveaways, new product releases, and sales! Use #askderm when you share photos of our products, and showcase your amazing results!