My beautician recommended ...

[Learner]

using "Collin" face craem, does anyone uses it ?

http://www.gmcollin.com/en/displayProd_noJS.php?id='gv1332'

I basically asked her, my skin is losing its elasticity ( i am in early 30s), and she recommended buying this, which is around $80...:001_huh:

 

any thoughts??

[Negin]

This is so interesting. Back in the mid-80s, I trained as a beautician/esthetician (whatever you want to call it) in the U.K. Our school and its salons used this product. I had completely forgotten all about it until I saw this thread. :)

Yes, it's a good product line. Don't know if it's the best. Don't know if you really need it. If you're on a budget, and who isn't these days :confused:, you don't need to spend all that.

Diet is far, far more important. Diet, certain supplements, lots of water, and you don't need products that are so expensive.

Are you underweight, if you don't mind my asking?

If you need specific tips on slowing down the skin's aging process, I have lots to share. You can also do a search here. But I no longer really believe in any one product doing any amazing amount of magic. I do love Paula's Choice, however. But she's not so pricey. There are great books such as "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me".

Then again, this line is French, and I have to say that the French really are good with skin care products ... sorry to make it all the more confusing.

My final thoughts:

1. Diet and the right supplements and lots of water - first and foremost

2. Try it out if your budget allows. It might be good and well worth it. Or, possibly try out Paula's Choice and/or whatever others recommend here. I know that Mary Kay is also great.

[Learner]

Hi, and thanks for your reply!

Yes, I am underweight and skinny. I can eat a lot ...I mean a LOT, but still remain skinny...

What should I include in my diet to make my skin firm?? Since you have been trained in this line, your advice would definately help me out.

The other products you recommneded, can you post links for them , and an they be bought in retail stores or online only.

 

When my beautician was pushing and recommending that cream, ( no doubt it could be good) I somehow felt, she wants to make money..

I may be wrong in judging her..:001_huh:

[Learner]

If you need specific tips on slowing down the skin's aging process, I have lots to share.

 

 

Yes ! definately share with us!

[Learner]

:lurk5::lurk5:

[LizzyBee]

http://www.beautypedia.com/search.aspx?k=gm%20collin%20nutrivital%20cream&st=1%2c2%2c3%2c4&rid=1%2c2%2c3%2c4%2c5%2c6%2c7

 

Paula of Paula's Choice gives it a bad rating. However, I love some products that Paula doesn't, so her ratings are not the be-all, end-all of my skin care choices. I like reading her reviews though.

[Learner]

Thats was even interesting...

Ok, what moisturiser would you use for a dry /dull/aging skin??

Any recomendations??

[Miss Peregrine]

Taking CLO or fish oil definitely helps mine, along with lots of water. I use coconut or jojoba oil on the outside. :)

[Negin]

I'll do my best to include as much info as I can. :)

 

Yes, I am underweight and skinny. I can eat a lot ...I mean a LOT, but still remain skinny...

What should I include in my diet to make my skin firm??

More essential fatty acids, more healthy fats - a good fish oil every day, such as Carlson's. You can get most or all of your supplements at vitacost.com and at amazon - great prices and reviews

More nuts, etc. I'll give you more details further on.

 

When my beautician was pushing and recommending that cream, ( no doubt it could be good) I somehow felt, she wants to make money..

I may be wrong in judging her.

Highly likely, but not always. You're not judging her. You're the consumer and you have every right to make your own decision. :)

 

http://www.beautypedia.com/search.aspx?k=gm%20collin%20nutrivital%20cream&st=1%2c2%2c3%2c4&rid=1%2c2%2c3%2c4%2c5%2c6%2c7

Paula of Paula's Choice gives it a bad rating. However, I love some products that Paula doesn't, so her ratings are not the be-all, end-all of my skin care choices. I like reading her reviews though.

:iagree:

I haven't yet had time to read what Paula says, and am eager to. I agree with LizzyBee that although Paula is great and her own products are outstanding (btw, she really doesn't push her own product line), her word is not the end-all and be-all. :D

 

More info to follow. Please be patient and bear with me. I may need to head out the door soon.

[Negin]

Paula's Choice - I love her stuff as do many here.

 

Sorry that my tips are not as organized as I would like them to be. Still a work in progress. ;)

 

3 Keys to Slow Down Aging in All Your Body’s Cells:

• Exercise for half an hour a day - The bodyblues.com site recommends 20 minutes of outdoor brisk walking 5 days a week. I figure this is preferable to most other forms of exercise, if not, 30 minutes of whatever I can do - rebounding/swimming/weights/whatever that gets me moving. I love the idea of 30 minutes!

At least 20 minutes of it should be spent in any activity that leaves you breathless. This will help you live longer and function better physically and cognitively as you get older. You will lessen your chance of heart disease, cancer, neurological disease, and infections. It will keep your immune system young.

• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (and low in fat and refined sugar)

Much of beauty is being healthy. No beauty regime will mask poor health forever. Exercising and drinking water are two basics that will serve everyone.

• Spend an hour a day taking part in stress-reducing activities, such as yoga or meditation - I figure that I spend about 30 minutes a day praying and reading holy scripture. That's my quiet time. I love it and need it.

The other 30 minutes can be spent doing yoga and other stretching. I usually have no problem fitting that in, since I love it so much. Yoga is really good for aging skin.

 

SUN

Stay out of the sun. This is probably the #1 beauty tip.

Wear sunscreen and remember to apply it to your hands! You can always tell a woman’s age by looking at her hands. The hands never lie.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat.

Forget tanning as the path to beautiful skin color. Strong circulation from a healthy heart and lungs mean more blood flow to the face. Diets high in carotenoids – antioxidants found in colorful fruits, vegetables, certain fish and poultry – make skin appear more golden and, therefore healthier.

 

WATER

Drinking water is probably the #2 beauty tip. Poorly hydrated skin isn't going to look good under any foundation.

Drink 1 glass of water after each time that I go to the bathroom.

I stop drinking water at around 6 or 7 PM.

I also don't drink much right before leaving the house. Most public bathrooms here leave much to be desired.

Ideally, your urine should be clear. :D

[Negin]

NUTRITION

Fruits and Veggies

Try to have at least 1/2 of each meal be veggies and/or fruit.

I try (but definitely don't always succeed) to juice veggies and have one juice a day. My parents do this daily. I do this for my dh every day also.

Consume 5-7 Servings of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables a Day. One of the most conspicuous things about the diets of the five longest-lived populations is that they all include large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. The most important anti-aging aspect of fruits and veggies is their high levels of antioxidants. As well as host of other benefits, antioxidants protect tissues from cross-linking, a process that causes arteries to stiffen and skin to wrinkle. To test your cross-linking, put your hand flat on a table surface. Take a pinch of skin from the back of your hand and pull it upward. If it springs back, your cross-linking damage is minimal. The longer it stays raised, the more cross-linking damage you have. The amount of antioxidants that you maintain in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live. You could say that one of the commonest causes of aging is a fruit and vegetable deficiency.

Another benefit of fruits and veggies is the high-fiber content. Fiber improves digestion and ensures skin-damaging toxins are flushed from the body.

Try to eat 2 carrots daily. Carrots keep your skin smooth. They’re rich in carotenoids - antioxidants proven to reduce damage caused by UV rays and even protect skin from future sun exposure

Spinach and other dark green leafy veggies slow down the aging process.

Red Peppers are rich in Vitamin C – reduces wrinkling and dryness of the skin.

Figs are good for the skin

Yogurt and Protein

I try to eat at least 1 cup of plain yogurt every day. Yogurt seems to have a direct impact on skin health. I always notice a difference.

Include protein at every meal. Protein provides the essential amino acids that the body uses to repair and regenerate the cells for maintaining skin’s tone and elasticity. The body can’t store protein for future use, so it’s important to consume lean protein at each meal – poultry, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. But do try to limit cow's milk.

Limit other dairy products and meats.

Cinnamon

1-2 tsp cinnamon daily is loaded w/manganese and helps skin look more radiant and younger

Healthy Fats and Omega 3s

Eat plenty of fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil – these healthy fats are all necessary for radiant, supple skin. Again, I LOVE Carlson's Fish Oil - has a ton of health benefits and I'm convinced that it helps the skin.

Sunflower Seeds are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps prevent sun damage. Try sprinkling them on your salad.

Refined Sugar, Highly Processed, and Fried Foods

Limit these as much as possible. Sugar triggers the formation of free radicals, which damage the skin’s supportive collagen strands. Sugar has been shown to be directly related to aging and wrinkles.

[Negin]

YOGA, REGULAR EXERCISE, LIFESTYLE

Spend 20 minutes a day doing something that helps you unwind – stretching, napping, knitting, praying, or reading.

Sleep well

I try (but don't always succeed) to do some form of exercise every day.

Regular exercise, particularly yoga, improves blood circulation to skin, feeds skin cells, and makes the skin glow. Yoga improves skin’s elasticity, strength, and firmness. It’s also great for hair health.

 

SKIN CARE

I get facials about once every 4-6 weeks. They’re much cheaper here. ;)

I love Paula's Choice of skin care products. http://www.cosmeticscop.com/

The most important factor with skin care is daily maintenance. You need to cleanse and moisturize every morning and every night, without fail. Not that I always do. I'm often too tired. But I know that I should.

Give your neck and décolletage the same treatment as your face.

Change even one thing in your skin care regimen every 6-12 months to jump start more impressive improvements in skin tone and texture. Otherwise your skin goes into a sort of maintenance mode.

 

EXFOLIATION

Wrinkles aren't typically what make a woman look old, but loss of something called "brightness". Cellular build-up and clogged and enlarged pores can make skin look dim and dull. Nothing beats having facials, but if you can't afford them, you can do so at home. Before thinking about make-up, if you can afford to see a really good aesthetician for as long as your budget allows and as often as your budget allows, you would benefit profoundly.

One of the keys to keeping skin young is regular and gentle exfoliation.

I love Exfolia Cloth from amazon or chinaberry.com

I also love Paula’s Choice BHA Gels. The purpose of these acids is to remove the dead cell layers which cause loss of skin brightness. They contain salicylic acid which helps with pore problems. I only use them at night, however.

Always be more gentle than you think you need to be!

Exfoliating scrubs used twice a week will help with blackheads and increase brightness. If you use one of the scrubs, the particles should be smooth and feel like sugar in your hand. If they are too big or rough, they can tear skin. Go for a gentle product with a manufactured exfoliant - like micro beads - versus a natural exfoliant like seeds or pits because the rough edges can actually cause little scratches on your skin and cause more damage in the long run than help. This is one time natural is not necessarily better!

Use only your ring finger to massage a manual exfoliant on your face as it has the lightest touch - even though it feels so good to REALLY scrub!

Always be more gentle than you think you need to be! Always err on the side of babying your skin.

I really like:

Mary Kay Time Wise Microdermabrasion– the entire Mary Kay line is said to be good

Biore strips are helpful for cleaning pores

I have heard good things about the following, although I haven’t tried any of them yet.

Sephora Microdelivery Peel

Neutrogena’s At Home Microdermabrasion System

Olay Daily Facials Clarity Scrub

pHisoderm pH2O Anytime Nurturing Scrub with Gentle Microbeads

With Clarins' Bright Plus HP Brightening Peel, $42 at Sephora and Sephora.com, you really see immediate results. You put this peel on with a cotton pad and never have to take it off, and it really perks up your skin fast. You can really see it work, too - if you do one side of your face and not the other, you can actually see how much brighter your face looks!

The older we get, the brighter we want our skin to look. We want less age spots, less discoloration and less unevenness, and this peel is a great extra little boost that you can give to your skin every few days.

 

The G.M. Collin line might very well be worth a try. I am in no way saying don't try it. If you have the budget and you'd like to give it a try, maybe you should. I remember in my training, it was really and truly loved. In fact, you've motivated me to look into it again as a possibility for myself. :D

[Negin]

This is a great book. I don't have it, but have looked at it many times. I have her other book.

 

Paula's other book is great also.

[Negin]

There was a thread here a while back that was very, very interesting about aging. I guess that those who are underweight - like my dh and my mom - are lucky in that they don't have a problem with weight, like most of us do, but then they usually have far more wrinkles.

 

SLEEP ON BACK IF YOU CAN OR WITH A SILK OR SATIN PILLOWCASE

I’m never able to sleep on my back. I got a satin pillowcase, which, apparently helps with hair loss and facial creases.

 

EYE CREAMS

I love that Paula’s Choice line of products can be used for the eyes also.

Don't bother with Strivectin. SCAM.

 

RETINOL

I have not yet used Retinol, but may as I get older. I know that it helps to fade age spots and you can use it on your hands, lower forearms, and even your decolletage.

I have read that every woman over 40 should consider Retinol. I may wait until I’m 45 or 50. I’ll see.

Retinol, retinol, retinol. That is the only medical proven cream that will stimulate collagen growth. Let me say it again, retinol. Everything else is smoke and mirrors. There isn't anything on the market that compares. Don't bother with Strivectin. It doesn't work and is ridiculously expensive.

Retinol is the only real proven topical cream that reduces fine lines. Retinol is like taking a whip to an old horse; it goads your skin into making fresh new collagen.

I have not read much good about the OTC retinols, and the studies that show real improvement all are based on prescription strength Retin As. Tretinoin is the generic of Retin A. Retin A can be drying because it comes in a base that is made for teenaged acne not old aging ladies. Renova is Retin A in a less drying base, but the active ingredient is exactly the same as Retin A.

This from a very trusted friend who swears by the stuff.

“Despite Madison Avenue and heavy marketing, no cream has ever been proven to reverse skin aging except retinol. Retinol is the magic bullet. I know that you need a prescription. I know it isn't cheap. But it works. We women pour billions of dollars into buying creams and potions that don't work, but then we balk at actually paying the money for something that does.

Retinol works if your skin can tolerate it. Some people cannot tolerate it because it is too drying.

You have to give is several weeks and the first 2-4 weeks you will look like h-e-double hockey sticks from the redness, peeling, and extreme dryness.

Don’t get Retinol in your eyes!

Make sure that you only apply about a pea-sized amount to the entire face. Wash face and dry and allow full 20-30 minutes before applying.

Use no other products on face at night but use full-strength serums and moisturizers during the day.

For the first two weeks, apply every third night. If your skin isn't irritated, ramp up to every other night for two weeks. Not dry or flaky? Go for it every night. This will greatly reduce retinoid effect. If you ease in, you can avoid a rough transition.

I use 0.1% and you also can get 0.025%.”

Most people get irritation from improper use.”

Retinol should not be used if you are considering pregnancy or are pregnant.

DO NOT FORGET TO USE SUNSCREEN if you use Retinol! First, your skin is rendered super-sensitive to the sun and second, those age spots will come roaring back.

Don't use a retinoid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Don’t use a retinol for several days before a waxing treatment.

Here are two sites that talk about retinol:

 

http://www.retinolskincare.org/

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/10/26.cfm

[Negin]

SUPPLEMENTS

Evening Primrose Oil – 1000 mg – 3 times daily – good healer for skin. Contains linoleic acid, which is needed by the skin.

Lutein helps maintain youthful skin and prevents and treats crow’s feet – has been found to improve skin hydration by 60 percent and elasticity by 20 percent – when 10 mg daily supplement is taken. Try Twinlab OcuGuard Plus which helps vision and skin. Lutein is a caretonoid antioxidant and is found in spinach, carrots, corn, kale, and broccoli

Vitamin C

Vitamin E (use d-alpha NOT dl-alpha) for wrinkle protection.

[Learner]

WOW!

This was truly a lot of valuable information + motivation.

i am planning on following a lot of your advice..and will see how it goes..!;)

 

Thank you so much for reminding that we need to take care of ourselves as well..

[Negin]

 

This thread has lots of great info. Let me know if you need more tips. :)

[Negin]

I do have to say that I personally would only consider Retinol as a truly last resort. I know that it's not at all good for the liver and can lead to health problems further on down the line. :glare:

No product is going to be as good as a healthy diet with lots of healthy fats, water, etc.