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subscribe to beauty counter blog via RSSHitting The Gym While Cleansing: Good Idea, Or Bad Idea?
December 30, 2011 1:12 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
What’s the opinion in the fitness community about exercising while cleansing? Are the two mutually exclusive or do they work well in tandem together?
It depends on the cleanse. I have tried many. Recently, I’ve been liking the Ritual Cleanse, which has a pre-workout and post-workout drink along with six bottles (8 total) that you drink every couple of hours for three days or more (there are various programs). I worked out during this cleanse. The only cleanse I did not work out during was the first three days of the Master Cleanse—which I personally wouldn’t do again. I do believe in cleansing—it helps us get realigned with eating right if we’ve been “bad” and it gives our colons a chance to clean out a bit; we change the oil in our cars, why not clean our systems out? But it’s important to listen to your body. The first few days of the Master Cleanse I was wiped out and thought it would have been dangerous to lift weights. After day three (it’s a ten day cleanse) I was much better and resumed. For the remainder of the ten days I worked out and had no problems.
There are many cleanses out there and I think in the name of keeping our bodies fit it’s good to do them a couple times a year. But it is important to remember that it’s not a weight loss trick. If you’re doing it to lose weight you’re fooling yourself. Even if you do [lose weight], when it’s over and you resume eating as you did you’ll simply gain the weight back.
As the director of curriculum and founder of Barry’s Bootcamp, Barry Jay has been sculpting some of the best bodies in the biz since launching his revolutionary exercise concept in West Hollywood, Calif., in 1998. Billed as “an efficient and fun workout in a nightclub party environment,” the combination of interval cardiovascular routines and strength training has spawned an international movement—and eight locations worldwide.
Go Barefoot, Or Go Home?
December 29, 2011 12:51 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
When running, where exactly should I be falling on my feet? Is there any validity to all those barefoot running sneakers that reportedly help train you to run more ergonomically?
There’s a lot to be said about [running] form—many articles have been written [on the subject]—because people’s feet vary whether they point inward, outward or straight. I land striking down mid-foot and I don’t change the way my feet point—it’s more important that my knees are naturally forward. It’s also key to not bounce—I glide—looking straight ahead, shoulders back, chest up, back straight, stride open, hands relaxed, eyebrows and jaw relaxed. Runners sneaker stores, like Phidippides in Encino, CA, [have] you run in the parking lot and they help you find the right sneaker for your feet. I have not used the barefoot running sneakers (yet) but the few people I know who take classes while wearing them swear by them.
As the director of curriculum and founder of
tags: Barry Jay, Barry's Bootcamp
To Eat, Or Not To Eat And Run
December 28, 2011 1:12 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I find I need an extra boost of energy before physical activity, and I’m wondering what kind of meals are good pre-workout—and how long I should wait between eating and exercising.
This changes with each person, and you’ll need to experiment with what works best. Some people (like me) can’t eat at all. They get nauseated or cramps or just feel bloated. Others need something or they feel weak or light-headed. I suggest a bowl of oatmeal, maybe a banana—an hour before a workout. If you do this and find that you’re someone who can’t “eat and run,” then try two hours before—or two-and-a-half; maybe that’ll be long enough.
As the director of curriculum and founder of Barry’s Bootcamp, Barry Jay has been sculpting some of the best bodies in the biz since launching his revolutionary exercise concept in West Hollywood, Calif., in 1998. Billed as “an efficient and fun workout in a nightclub party environment,” the combination of interval cardiovascular routines and strength training has spawned an international movement—and eight locations worldwide.
tags: Barry Jay, Barry's Bootcamp
Working Out At Work: It Can Be Done
December 27, 2011 1:34 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I’ve been chained to my desk for the better part of the past few months and am wondering if there are any exercises I can do at my office, while pretty much stationary, to stay in shape.
Sure. I would of course give yourself a quick life check—you shouldn’t be chained to your desk. That being said, even a brisk 20-minute walk outside for a break would be something good for you physically and mentally. If you have room in your office, get some free weights—light ones—and you can grab a set of arms (biceps, triceps, shoulders) between calls and meetings. You can always drop and do sets of push-ups between calls and meetings as well. A set of 25 push-ups doesn’t take that long, and eight sets throughout the day is 200 more push-ups than you’ve been doing! I would get a resistance band as well. Those things are great.
As the director of curriculum and founder of Barry’s Bootcamp, Barry Jay has been sculpting some of the best bodies in the biz since launching his revolutionary exercise concept in West Hollywood, Calif., in 1998. Billed as “an efficient and fun workout in a nightclub party environment,” the combination of interval cardiovascular routines and strength training has spawned an international movement—and eight locations worldwide.
tags: Barry Jay, Barry's Bootcamp
Dr. Amy Wechsler Gets The Itch Out
December 23, 2011 1:28 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I have particularly reactive skin and sometimes it gets itchy when I get nervous. It can erupt into hives—or my cheeks will flush. I’ve been treated with prednisone in the past, but I’m wondering if there is another way to relieve these symptoms going forward.
When people get anxious, the adrenaline surge brings more blood to the surface of the skin, and you get a flush—the blood vessels just dilate and you turn red. For some people, this is also accompanied with a histamine release, and that causes itching and hives. For that, we usually just prescribe an antihistamine and if there’s a particularly stressful period of time, you can take those daily. They’re over-the-counter now—something like Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin. The nervousness—and there’s usually palpitations that go along with it—often comes around public speaking or a social phobia, and if it happens a lot, we prescribe beta-blockers. You still feel anxious, but you won’t vasodilate and bring more blood to the skin. I always have patients try that at home first, though, because even though I prescribe a very low dose, you can get tired and feel a little dizzy.
Some people need to be on an SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) like a Lexipro or a Prozac or Zoloft if it’s a daily thing. Wellbutrin is another antidepressant that’s also a good antianxiety medication. Rarely, patients take a benzodiazepine like a Xanax or Ativan or Klonopin.
I’ve also sent patients for biofeedback, where you go into a little lab and you’re set up with electrodes and it really shows you how you can decrease your own heart rate and your breathing rate by doing relaxation techniques—like rhythmic breathing and imagery and all sorts of neat things. It’s really interesting to learn about your body and different ways to control it.
One of only two physicians in the U.S. board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler understands not only patients’ emotional states, but also the impact they can have on the outer surface. A specialist in the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler literally wrote the book on the subject. A frequent contributor to nationally recognized television programs and magazines, she has a private practice in New York.
tags: Dr. Amy Wechsler, Skincare
The Ins And Outs of Winter Skin Hydration
December 22, 2011 1:57 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
My skin has been super-dry since the weather got colder, but every ultra-rich moisturizer and oil I try makes me break out. Why is this happening and what’s the best way to hydrate my skin without clogging my pores?
You should be able to find moisturizers that won’t break you out. A lot of oils have a lot of fragrance in them, which can cause irritation, but there are some creams that have these heavier oils in them and are non-comedogenic so they won’t clog your pores. I recommend so many moisturizers from Cetaphil lotion to Chanel Sublimage (the cream may be too heavy but the lotion is awesome). You just have to find an emollient option and do everything else so gently—wash your face with your hands, not a washcloth; moisturize twice a day; cut back on toner; don’t use an exfoliator at all; get a humidifier for your bedroom…
Many women also scrub their face until it’s squeaky clean and remove all the natural oils, so maybe switch to a mild cleanser and only wash your face at the end of the day. You really don’t have to wash in the morning—especially if you’re dry. It’s important to look at everything you’re using as well—you don’t want to use anything with glycolic acid or alphahydroxy acid. You don’t want anything to sting. And something like glycerin will break you out. If you’re really worried and you try a new product, I always try to have patients do a test spot. Do one test spot, three nights in a row, and if you’re fine, you can use it all over your face.
One of only two physicians in the U.S. board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler understands not only patients’ emotional states, but also the impact they can have on the outer surface. A specialist in the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler literally wrote the book on the subject. A frequent contributor to nationally recognized television programs and magazines, she has a private practice in New York.
tags: Cetaphil, Chanel, Dr. Amy Wechsler, Skincare
Gluten-Free Beauty: Have We Gone Too Far?
December 21, 2011 12:57 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I’m considering going gluten free and I’ve noticed a lot of cosmetics with gluten-free labels recently. Is this an additional step I need to take, beyond going organic?
I don’t even think there’s a benefit in using just organic beauty products, really. The word organic has been taken from food and just plopped onto skincare without any regulatory body behind it. In the United States, if something like an egg is labeled organic, it’s very clear what that means. But if a skincare product is labeled organic in the U.S., it is not at all clear what that means. There are no regulations on that. In the future I think there will be more regulations and we’ll actually know what those words mean.
Also, since what we’re putting on our skin is not getting into our bloodstream, I don’t think it matters if it’s gluten-free or vegan—and I’ve never seen gluten in skincare products, either. Wheat is not used in skincare. Oat is used in products like Aveeno, but a lot of celiacs can tolerate oat. Plus, you actually have to ingest gluten to be affected by it, because celiac disease is not an allergy. It’s just that everything is going gluten-free now on a lot of labeling, so people are like, “Of course, let’s put it on skincare.” Next, it will be shampoo!
Update from Dr. Wechsler: Based on the research I’ve seen, the gluten molecule is too big to pass transdermally. It may be absorbed through mucous membranes (inside the mouth, nose, etc) but not through skin. Most skin care products do not contain gluten, and if they are used properly (i.e. on the skin and not on or in a mucous membrane or wound) they should not cause problems. Separately, people who have wheat allergies should not apply products with wheat to their skin, as they could develop a local contact dermatitis. If labels are unclear with regard to exact ingredients, that should be addressed so that consumers can feel fully comfortable with their product choices.
One of only two physicians in the U.S. board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler understands not only patients’ emotional states, but also the impact they can have on the outer surface. A specialist in the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler literally wrote the book on the subject. A frequent contributor to nationally recognized television programs and magazines, she has a private practice in New York.
tags: Dr. Amy Wechsler, Skincare
The Dermaroller: Do Or Don’t?
December 20, 2011 12:31 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I’m curious about the Dermaroller, that at-home skin-needling device that seems to be getting a lot of traction in Europe. Does it work? Is it harmful?
“I don’t think it works. Just rolling little pins on the surface of your face doesn’t stimulate fibroblasts enough to produce collagen. It was one dermatologist’s idea—sort of like a DIY laser using a very small piece of Fraxel technology, which does roll over the skin to create little nicks. But [Fraxel] has a specific nanometer light laser to then stimulate the cell. [The Dermaroller] just removes the laser part; it’s sort of like taking sandpaper to your face instead of getting a real microdermabrasion. There’s no data to show that it works, and it could irritate people. There’s also the possibility of infection.”
One of only two physicians in the U.S. board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler understands not only patients’ emotional states, but also the impact they can have on the outer surface. A specialist in the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler literally wrote the book on the subject. A frequent contributor to nationally recognizedtelevision programs and magazines, she has a private practice in NewYork.
tags: Dermaroller, Dr. Amy Wechsler, Skincare
All Lasers Are Not Created Equal
December 19, 2011 1:27 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ ellenberg@condenast.com.
I had a few broken capillaries around my nose and had them lasered, but it didn’t seem to work. What causes these in the first place and should I be seeking out a different treatment to get rid of them?
“It’s a combination of three things: One is genetics (it runs in the family), two is sun (the sun sends a signal to the skin to make more blood vessels), and three is smoking. You need to laser them—that’s the only way to get rid of them, but it has to be a specific vascular laser. I have one that has a VBeam with a specific nanometer of light that just targets red blood vessels. Sometimes, if the red blood vessels are stubborn, you need a higher frequency. So when someone says they’ve had them lasered and it hasn’t worked, it’s because it was the wrong kind of laser. A lot of times people will use IPL on them, which is Intense Pulsed Light, which isn’t really a laser. It might diminish the capillaries but not make them go away. But if you have them treated correctly, there’s typically no scabbing and you may or may not have a bruise (the laser is set on a specific frequency that does or does not bruise). If you do bruise, the bruise could last for anywhere from a day to a week. The visible improvement starts at three to four weeks.”
One of only two physicians in the U.S. board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, Dr. Amy Wechsler understands not only patients’ emotional states, but also the impact they can have on the outer surface. A specialist in the fundamental connection between the mind and body, Dr. Wechsler literally wrote the book on the subject. A frequent contributor to nationally recognized television programs and magazines, she has a private practice in New York.
tags: Dr. Amy Wechsler, Skincare
“Skincare Hysteria:” When Enough Is Enough
August 12, 2011 11:04 am
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ ellenberg@condenast.com.
I recently read a study that said that skin sensitivity is on the rise from excessive and unnecessary product usage. Is there any truth to that? Is a Dove Beauty Bar all you really need to keep your complexion at its best?
There is definitely truth in that. There is skincare hysteria these days; it’s a multibillion-dollar industry so it’s no surprise that people are launching products that aren’t that great and that you don’t really need. You have to think simple: You don’t need to overstimulate your skin if it’s young and beautiful because if you use any one thing, there’s always a possibility of side effects. If you use something to get rid of wrinkles you might get red and flaky; then you need to use something else to counteract that. Overuse of products can wreak temporary havoc on your skin. Generally, though, if you’re in your twenties, wear sunblock, wear a hat, and stop complaining. In your thirties, because you need to protect and treat your skin, start using a retinol, and so on. At the bare minimum, I’d say use Cetaphil as a wash to take makeup off; if you have acne, you should use some kind of acne wash, like Neutrogena. Then you need some sort of light antiaging product—a glycolic acid once in a while to stimulate your skin, and, of course, an SPF product. I like Physicians UV Defense and Eucerin SPF Daily Facial Lotion. It’s also important to give yourself a break: You don’t need to do everything every day. And never scrub your skin. Scrubbing is for floors, not your face.
Most of all, use common sense: A skin cream cannot reverse gravity. If someone says something that is clearly against Newtonian physics don’t believe it. No cream is going to physically lift your skin. But that being said, we do have technology that can help skin look younger—and it doesn’t happen with just a bar of Dove. There’s nothing wrong with trying to learn as much as possible.
David A. Colbert, M.D., is the founder of New York Dermatology Group and its Head Physician. A board-certified member of the American Academy of Dermatology, he has served as a consultant for Chanel skincare and has published numerous articles on medical and cosmetic dermatology.
tags: Cetaphil, Dove, Dr. David Colbert, Eucerin, Neutrogena, Skincare
