CLEAN UP YOUR ACT… SKIN CARE SECRETS OF THE STARS.

I just had a birthday. A big one. Not too big. And besides as the saying goes, “Black don’t crack.” Or does it? I’ll never know. I intend to look like this till the last drugstore (or Costco) sells their last potion. But in my case I usually find it @ Barneys New York or Sephora. It might seem a bit girlie to do more than wash your face with a bar of Zest but so what…Gay, straight or somewhere in between; looking good is kinda all that matters.

The basics: Wash it, exfoliate it, and moisturize it.
FACE/ Wash it. Any good skin care regimen begins with a good cleanser. If you have dry skin cleanse with a creamy (keep it clean) cleanser that won’t strip your skin of it’s essential oils and over dry you. Oily skin? You want to go with a gel cleanser that has a little alpha-hydroxy or salicylic acid to help clear and stabilize your pores. If you have sensitive skin look for a fragrance free, hypo-allergenic cleanser that won’t cause break outs.

My fave cleanser:
DDF Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash. I use it almost everyday. It has glycolic acid with a gently foaming action for both face and body. For normal to oily skin, it helps minimize oil and remove dead skin cells that clog pores, impede moisturization and make the skin look dull and lifeless. And unlike some cleansers with glycolic acid it doesn’t sting or over dry. Top Dermatologic Surgeon Dr. Howard Sobel, who has a great spa in NYC, started this line. He’s the man to go to for botox. If you’re from the West Coast get work done on the East Coast and you won’t bump into that cute guy you tried to pick up @ Mr. Chow the other night.

EXFOLIATE/Tone it up. This is a step that is often skipped and yeah it adds an extra five minutes to your time in the morning. How do I get around it? I exfoliate in front of the TV or while on the phone. It’s like flossing, you may not enjoy but you gotta do it. Exfoliation is literally helping the skin slough off dead skin cells revealing new ones trapped underneath. I use a toner 4 or 5 days a week and then a scrub @ least once a week.

My fave toner:
DDF Glycolic Toning Complex. It finishes the cleansing process by removing the skin of any leftover dead skin, make-up (you know who you are) and excess oil. I’m a glycolic junkie and 10% is a good percentage. I’m not an amateur. Beauty is pain so for me if it stings that means it’s working!

For the beginner/faint of heart:
Anthony Purifying Astringent Pads. The Anthony toner has highly concentrated aloe vera to retain moisture, calendula to soothe, chamomile to calm (no more tea baggin) and essential oil of grapefruit to revive. I guess the grapefruit is what removes the oil. If you have sensitive skin this one’s for you. It smells yummy too… Make an afternoon of it and pop by Kitson on Robertson to pick up the entire Anthony line.

MOISTURIZE/Lube it up. Now you might ask why use a toner to remove oil only to turn around and put it back on? Good damn question. One I’ve asked my dermatologist often. A good moisturizer should contain nutrients that are delivered right onto the skin. Also some moisturizers help minimize fine lines as well as wrinkles and can clear skin discoloration. Think of it like this, cleansing and exfoliation take away the bad and moisturizer puts in the good. Got it? Good.

My fave moisturizer:
Sundari Cornflower Oil-Free Hydrator. This is a great lotion. It’s a matte hydrator, with rosemary extract and oil-absorbing horse chestnut bark extract, that leaves oily skin toned and smooth. I can be a little shiny so I like an oil-free moisturizer. Back in the day I worked for Sundari. I got to see Christy Turlington up close everyday. She’s not only physically beautiful, she’s beautiful and kind on the inside. If it’s good enough for Christy, it’s good enough for me.

Now if you are a big girl or overly concerned with your looks or live in Hollywood like me you need to add a 2 things; eye cream and touch-ups/cover-ups.

I alternate 2 eye creams depending upon how much I drank the night before or how little sleep I got. I never repeat never leave the house without eye cream or go to bed without putting some on.

Didn’t get to sleep til 4 a.m.:
DDF Advanced Firming Cream. It’s expensive and it’s worth it. It changed the game for me. On those days you wake up and the bags are deep, this is the go to product. It has vitamin K and anti-inflammatories that reduce puffiness. Think of it as really good Preparation-X. It also has SPF 15 so your dark circles won’t get any darker. This is the goods. I’d take this to a deserted island with me.

“Boy I put away a lot of Veuve last night”:
Kinerase Under Eye Rescue. The kinetin-rich cream immediately hydrates and smooths the under-eye area, while the peptide formula reduces the look of under-eye circles and puffiness. It’s a little rich so I use it @ night before bed. It works and it smells good too…I know you thought there was a picture of Courtney Cox locked in a closet aging somewhere ala The Picture Of Dorian Gray , but the true secret to her looks is the Kinerase line.

My skin is flawless. Period. So what I have my mom’s enlarged pores? The glycolic acid is helping with that. That said, I’m not a make-up boy unless I’m on camera. So find your own foundation. My big concerns are looking shiny and fading dark spots.

For shine control I use Sundari T-Zone Oil Control Treatment. It has a blend of purifying Burdock Extract and soothing Camphor to helps the skin achieve a smooth, matte finish. And it’s all about a matte face. Especially on men of color.

And if I have a blemish I use Nadinola Skin Discoloration Fade Cream. The extra strength formula. It has 3% Hydroquinone which is 1% more than you can get over the counter in California without a prescription. And it’s cheap as hell! You can find it on-line for anywhere from $5 to $8. It works like a dream. I use it on my elbows, knees and yes, my butt. And right on any scrapes or blemishes. It’s awesome!

So that’s it boys. If you wanna look good you gotta work at it. Drink lots of water, eat right, work out and take care of your skin. After all it’s your biggest organ. Tee hee hee… I said organ.