BEAUTY
RECOMMENDED
Alchimie Forever
Gentle Exfoliant and
Kantic Brightening
Moisture Mask
Ada Polla, CEO
Alchimie Forever
Myth
As I get older, my
skin looks better the
less I do to it.
Myth
I’ve heard I should
use Preparation H
to treat under-eye
puffiness.
You may think this, but over time our skin gets
“lazy,” and what you always have done to
your skin may not work now. Everything from
sebum (oil) production, cell turnover and collagen production slows down. Regular exfoliation
can help. Using a gentle scrub or mask encourages skin cell turnover and gives skin a brighter,
hydrated and more light-reflective quality.
Not so fast! When in doubt about anything skinrelated, I turn to my father (dermatologist Luiga
Polla, MD). What does he think of this treatment? I
asked him first about the Phenylephrine HCl ingredient. “It is an adrenergic derivative known for its
decongestant and vaso-constricting properties.”
Translation into lay speak, this means this ingredient
may indeed reduce swelling or puffiness. However,
my father cautions: “This is a temporary effect, and
when it subsides you often see the opposite, vasodilation of the capillaries, which increases the look
of redness” (think darker under-eye circles).
FEBRUARY MARCH 2015
79