She spices it up. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that's always in my spice cabinet. I will mix a teaspoon with two teaspoons of milk and apply a very thin layer to my skin for 10 minutes as a calming remedy. And to treat a blemish, I mix a teaspoon of turmeric with a dab each of hydrocortisone and Neosporin and put the mixture in the fridge for about an hour. After it's cold, I apply a small amount to a pimple with a dab of Vaseline on top to enhance penetration. The combo is anti-bacterial and causes blood vessels to constrict to minimize redness.
Fish oil is her cure-all. Natural fish oils are wonderful for your skin. I cut open omega-3 fish-oil capsules and apply a small amount of the oil to my cuticles, hands and heels to help hydrate and improve dry skin.
She never misses this premask step. Masking is a great opportunity to allow skin to have longer contact with ingredients that deeply cleanse and improve the quality of your skin. Partly because it's a pricey mask with such potent ingredients that I like to use weekly (
La Prairie Swiss Cellular White Intensive Illuminating Mask), I try to do everything possible to enhance absorption. I apply the mask after I shower, so my skin is still damp, which is when its ingredients can penetrate most deeply, then place a warm (not hot) towel over my face and the mask. This keeps pores open and ensures the ingredients are being maximized and absorbed effectively.
Dr. Nazarian is a dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group and an
assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
