Miami Spa Month

For those of you in the Miami area, there is an event called Miami Spa Month for the month of July! You lucky Miamians get a whole month to indulge in spa treatments at places like the Willow Stream Spa, Spa Chakra, Jurlique Spa, and ESPA at Aqualina, all for $99! Please note: the participating spas are offering very specific treatments, NOT everything on their service menus. So please make sure you read the Miami Spa Month fine print.

Also, as a side note, I would tip the aestheticians and masseuses as if I were paying full price for their services.

Alpha Hydrox and Chicken Skin

Yes, I know. I am an AHA whore.

I started using Alpha Hydrox products about 14 years ago; specifically, their 12% AHA Foot & Problem Cream. I discovered that it worked wonders on my chicken skin, aka keratosis pilaris, or KP.

Quick background on KP: KP is often found on the backs of arms and on the front of thighs and look like tiny red or white bumps. They can also appear on your butt and back. It's sometimes mistaken for an allergy, acne or eczema, though it is not related to those conditions. KP is not contagious, nor does it threaten your health in any way. An estimated 50% of people have some form of this skin condition, though most don't know that they have it or that it can be treated. It is hereditary and there is no cure for it. (Source)

From what I've learned, there are several forms of KP, some of which are treatable with regularly applied, deeply emollient moisturizers that contain salicylic acid, lactic acid, and/or urea that help break down the keratin deposits that causes that sandpapery feeling. My dermatologist prescribed a lactic acid lotion that contained urea (I believe it was AmLactin 12% and was available only by prescription in those days) which worked like a charm. For the first time in my life, arms and legs were bump-free. Yay me!

Except I smelled like stale cat pee.

While in a funk about smelling like an unscooped litter box, I heard the hullabaloo about the newish Alpha Hydrox product line and went to the nearest drugstore to investigate. I picked up a tube of the 12% AHA Foot & Problem Cream, intent on making over my tootsies. I squirted out a little too much cream and rubbed the excess into the skin on my thigh. The next day, the skin where I'd used the excess cream was noticeably smoother, less rough and less bumpy! For several months, I used that cream for my arms and legs, and I didn't smell like old cat pee!

Unfortunately, I was earning almost nothing at the time (some things don't change) and could not afford to spend what seemed like a LOT of money for a mere two ounces of product. After a while, I stopped buying AHA products and somehow forgot about them. Until now.

Because I am now in an extremely tight cash crunch, I have had to give up my beloved but very expensive DDF habit to go back to the drugstore stuff. I still have the Ultra-Lite Moisturizing Dew, but am saving what's left of it for the summer when it gets disgustingly humid and I need a lighter moisturizer.

I purchased the Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Cream 10% Glycolic AHA Anti-Wrinkle cream earlier this week, and yes, it is kinda tingly but it does moisturize pretty well. Maybe it's because my skin is a little drier now that I am getting older, but I feel like I can tolerate more emollient lotions. Well, I am HOPING I can tolerate them! Either way, I am lucky that it is oil-free and fragrance-free.

As for the chicken skin/KP, I found that when I slathered on good old Eucerin Original Moisturizing Lotion right after my shower, the bumps disappeared within a week. The thrilling part of it is that I no longer need to buy expensive unguents that make me smell bad because I've finally found something that works perfectly! And the nice thing is that I can add scent to the lotion if I'm so inclined! No more eau de cat box!

In the meantime, I'll keep you updated on my progress with the Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Cream 10% Glycolic AHA Anti-Wrinkle cream. (Wow, try saying that three times fast!)

DDF- Doctor's Dermatologic Formula

For nearly 20 years, I searched and searched for the perfect products for my multiple-personality skin. One day, my pores were virtually spurting out enough oil to power the entire country for a year, and the next day it felt flaky yet oily. And through it all, the zits persevered.

Enter DDF Glycolic Wash 5%. From their website: "A combination of ultra-pure glycolic acid blended with skin conditioners to sweep away dirt and debris. Minimizes appearance of fine lines and look of pores while increasing overall skin radiance. pH balanced."

Huzzah! Finally, a product that worked well at keeping my skin clean and my impending wrinkles at bay, not to mention keeping my breakouts to a minimum. Of course, I couldn't give all the credit to the Glycolic Wash. After all, it only stays on the skin for so long before it's rinsed away.

Along with the Glycolic Wash, I discovered the DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex. Now, I am a real skeptic when it comes to toners. I don't believe they do much of anything at all and are merely feel-good gimmicks pushed by the beauty industry to make more money. But because this stuff has a relatively high percentage of glycolic acid in it (10%) and it gets to stay on my skin, I decided to give it a try. After about a month or so of daily use, my skin looked and felt much smoother, and even my zit scars were less noticeable. It's become one of my favorite products.

Why am I such a big fan of AHAs, also known as glycolic acid? Glycolic acid increases the turnover rate of your surface skin cells, and when the dead skin cells slough off, it exposes new skin underneath. This helps allow moisturizers to absorb because you don't need to hydrate dead skin. Unfortunately, with increased cell turnover comes exposed, delicate skin that burns easily and needs sun protection. It's important to slap on that SPF when using AHA products.

There's also DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew™. I LOVE this moisturizer. This is the first moisturizer that didn't leave my skin feeling greasy or cause pimples. It goes on lightly, and absorbs immediately. The best thing is that while it's designed for sensitive skin (fragrance free, oil-free, dye-free, and lanolin-free) it is also fabulous for crazy oily skin like mine. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to finally find something I love! The price tag scares the pants off me though: it's $36 for a 1.7 oz pump bottle. There's also a version that contains SPF 15, perfect for those who use the glycolic products.

The only thing that alarms me about the DDF line, aside from the price point, is the amount of packaging they use. Each of the washes and toners come with a cap that exists solely to give them that clinical look. I do toss the bottles and caps into the recycling bin but I'd really like to see DDF come up with a more environmentally-friendly package.