Anti-Aging Skincare Tips from the Experts at RoC: Your Questions, Answered!

One thing is for certain. We are all getting older! As we all know, much of the skincare and beauty market is geared towards looking younger and fighting aging. All of the treatments and products out there can be overwhelming and confusing! So many options. So many ingredients! So, what is a girl to do?

As a RoC Beauty Ambassador, I recently had the opportunity to take part in a Webinar with the skincare experets at RoC. You may remember me asking for anti-aging blog reader questions on my Pammy Blogs Beauty facebook page (If you do not follow me there yet, be sure to click the link!)? Well, I was able to submit those questions to the experts. I found those answers for you and many more! Keep reading as your questions are answered below.

The Webinar's speakers were Dermatologist Dr. Erin Gilbert, MD, PhD, FAAD and Menas Kizoulis, Principal Scientist of Skincare, Research & Development for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. It was so amazing to have an opportunity to hear skincare wisdom and tips from such cutting edge researchers! So cool to e-meet the people that are directly involved in the formulation of the RoC and Johnson & Johnson products that we all know and love.  I literally sat there with my laptop and a notebook furiously taking notes on absolutely everything they had to say.

Now I get to pass on the information to you! :) I am going to break down the webinar into the major points and biggest "take aways".


The Skinny on Anti-Aging Skincare:

If you are only to do three things to fight aging, then it should be these three things! These points were stressed over and over in the disucssion.

1. Drink lots of water. I have always heard this. Now I have heard it from the "source"! Water really does amazing things for your skin. Your skin is your largest organ and it needs hydration. If your skin is constantly battling dehydration, it is not looking its best. Not to mention the general health benefits of water. So, drink up! It is free! ;)

2. Use Retinol! Retinol and other Vit A derivitative products (Retin A, etc) are simply the most effective and most researched anti-aging skincare ingredients. Retinol seems to work on all of the major anti-aging concerns. It increases skin turnover, prevents collagen breakdown, helps fade dark spots, works on expression lines, and it even helps with your pores.

3. Use Sunscreen!!! This is, by far, the most important thing that you can do. Dr. Gilbert stated that she can tell a HUGE difference in the look of the skin in patients that have been using sunscreen and those that haven't. She said it gets more and more noticible as you get older and older. All of your past sun damage will start to show up right around your mid 30's. She also mentioned that you need to remember your neck area and hands and that you need to reapply. Yikes! I never do either of those things...but I will now! The good news is that I do apply sunscreen every day in the morning to my face. I have been doing this since my mid 20s. I really do wish that I had started earlier! So, slather up ya'll! Not only does sunscreen prevent the aging of your skin, it protects against cancer too!

Your Questions: Answered! Thanks again to those of your who submitted questions. Here are your answers!

• What can be done about fine expression lines? Fine lines are caused by the movement of the face combined with sun damage and loss of collagen. So, guess what? The power duo of Retinol plus daily use of sunscreen can help! They key is to be consistant with product use and to start early. Also, hydration plays a key factor with fine lines. So, drink up to plump up your skin.

• One of you mentioned that every time you use Retinol/Retinods that you break out. She said that when she hears this, that she knows that the product is working! Here are Dr. Gilbert's tips: She said to be careful not to use too much product at first. She said it is common to go through a purging phase for about 3 weeks or so where breakouts might occur more from the increase in skin turnover. She stressed that you should stick with it! Use the product every other night and gradually increase to every day. Go slow and be consistant.

Other Tidbits:

• When to start using Retinol? Dr. Gilbert stressed that it is important to start Retinol early, even in your early 20's, to prevent aging. I am telling ya'll, I am so thankful for my many years on Retin-A and Differin! I used those throughout my later teens and through my 20's and 30's. Maybe that is a reason why people are always telling me that I look so young? As some of you know, I am currently avoiding Retinol and Vit A derivatives while I am nursing my baby. This has been hard! My skin "misses" it! I have definatley seen more fine lines crop up around my eyes since I have been off of Vit A products the past 2 years (pregnancy and nursing). I am very excited to get back on Retinol in about 2 months! Especially after hearing this lecture! 

• Use Eye Creams: These are necessary! Fine lines start here. So, be sure to target the eye area.  Mr. Kizoulis mentioned RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® SENSITIVE Eye Cream that I am really dying to try. It contains a milder Retinol formula that helps condition skin to Retinol use. As soon as I can get back on Retinol, I am going to try this!

• What are Milia? Those are those little hard white bumps that crop up around the eye area and sometimes other parts of the face. Those are actually caused by using products that are too rich and heavy for your particular skin type. Wow! I never knew that! I thought they were caused by my skin being too sensitive to products. To avoid, go with a less-rich (or thinner) product.  I haven't had any recently. So, I must be using products of appropriate thickness.

• Be sure to exfoliate! This thins the top layer of the stratum corneum. This permits penetration of product deeper into your skin. So, when you exfoliate, your treatment products really do work better!!! Exfoliate 2x per week to start out. If your skin tolerates it, then increase.

• What is the difference between a serum and a moisturizer? Mr. Kizoulis explained that serums are more potent. Moisturizers are, well, moisturizers with some added anti-aging ingredients. Their main function is to moisturize your skin. Serums are thinner and will penetrate deeper. He suggested pairing a serum with your night treatment.

• Exciting product breakthrough? The RoC MAX kit! They mentioned that this kit has won the Allure Magazine Beauty Breakthrough Award! Dr. Gilbert mentioned that the results are actually better than some in-office chemical peels. This is another product on my wishlist to try as soon as I can get back on Retinol!

• Stick with research-based skincare! Dr. Gilbert cautioned against following every "new" skincare trend out there. Often the "new" buzz-products are not research based. This will only cause you to spend money without any guaranteed results. So, stick with the products that have been tested and proven!

So, there you have it folks! Lots of great info!!!

Please let me know if you have any more skincare questions! As a RoC Ambassador, I have access to these experts and can submit more questions in the future. So, please leave any more questions or concerns in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! I hope that these tips are useful! :)

XOXO!

    I am a RoC Ambassador