Expert Beauty Advice from Dr. Beth Lange

DID YOU KNOW
During the winter season, your skin care needs may change due to the typical cold and dry climates. It's a good time to re-evaluate your product regimen to meet the skin's needs.

DID YOU KNOW
Taking care of your skin is an important part of your overall well-being. Having a professional evaluate your skin's health should be on everybody's to-do list. Women age 39 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer - except breast cancer.

DID YOU KNOW
There is no scientific data that supports the statement that natural or botanical ingredients are always better.

Here are the facts: "Natural" and "botanical" are big buzzwords in the beauty industry right now. Sometimes the benefits associated with these products and ingredients are greatly exaggerated. The good news is that there is valid, scientific research showing that many of these ingredients have proven effectiveness. At Mary Kay, our goal is to develop the safest and most effective products possible, including natural or botanical ingredients when they provide a benefit. In fact, many Mary Kay® color and skin care products contain a number of key natural and botanical ingredients that research has proven to be effective. Learn more about Mary Kay Inc.'s safety testing programs.

Six Most Important Tips for Total Wellness

•  Skin care. One of the best ways to look better is by keeping our skin healthy and glowing.

•   Hydration and eating right. Drinking water helps keep the skin hydrated and supple, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, maintain a well-balanced diet, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables containing natural antioxidants can benefit your skin as well as your overall health.

•  Exercise. Regular exercise enhances blood flow, giving your skin a healthy glow. Exercise also may reduce the production of stress-related hormones that may contribute to acne flare-ups. Indirect evidence shows that when you exercise, your level of stress diminishes. By reducing stress, it tends to quiet the adrenals. There is less hormone output, which in turn helps control acne. Regular exercise also increases sweating, which in turn can unclog pores and have a positive effect on breakouts.

•  Spending time with friends. Relaxing, laughing, connecting ?all have a positive effect on our mind and body.

•  Stress relief. One form of stress relief is getting regular massages. It helps promote relaxation, increase blood circulation and exfoliate dead skin cells, which encourages cell regeneration. The result is healthier, better-looking skin.

•  Adequate sleep. It seems like we can never get enough! Sleep is essential for maintaining your metabolism, but it is also important for skin health. For example, sleep relaxes the facial muscles and that helps to smooth wrinkles and lines on your face. In addition, lack of sleep may alter the regulation of blood vessel tone and thus contribute to puffiness or bags under the eyes.

Vitamin C = A Super Antioxidant

Skin Damage Happens
Your skin is exposed to various stressors on a daily basis. Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals which are unstable molecules produced in your cells due to your own natural metabolism. But excess free radicals also can be formed by environmental exposure to the ozone, tobacco smoke and sunlight. This repeated free-radical insult causes skin to accumulate damage. As a result, the supportive network of collagen and elastin can become compromised.

That's certainly not what we want, because collagen plays a critical role in strengthening and supporting the skin, while elastin helps it "snap back" after stretching, which happens thousands of times day with the facial expressions we make. As we age, cells divide more slowly, and the supporting collagen and elastin begin to thin in addition to having accumulated damage ?all contributing to unwanted wrinkling and sagging.

Vitamin C to the Rescue
One of the best antioxidants for directly inhibiting free-radical damage is vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid. Over time, humans have lost the ability to naturally synthesize vitamin C, so we must obtain this important vitamin through our diets. Vitamin C is very important to the skin since it directly scavenges free radicals, aids in the synthesis of collagen and defends the supportive network that gives skin its definition and fullness. According to dermatologists, vitamin C plays a critical role in aiding in the production of skin-firming collagen. Since the body can't produce vitamin C on its own, it is beneficial to apply it topically so the skin has a continuous supply.