Hello, It’s Dr. Ryan Shelton here and I wanted to wish you a Happy Friday the 13th! Today might be considered an unlucky day, but I’m feeling optimistic because it’s finally time for me to give back to my customers with another mailbag! I’m going to answer two great questions today, and our first one comes from Diana in Asheville, NC.
Q: Hi Dr. Ryan. I’ve been waking up looking terrible recently! First, I have terrible bags under my eyes, and second, my skin just looks awful and lifeless. Is there anything I can do to help this?
A: Hi Diana! I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with this. It's not uncommon to wake up with under-eye bags and dull skin. Luckily, your problems are 100% fixable! Let’s look at a couple of options to help you feel a little more confident when you look in the mirror in the mornings.
First off, I’m going to give you a couple of tips that don’t involve spending any money at all.
My first tip is to try elevating your head at night with an extra pillow. This might help reduce some of the puffiness when you wake up!
Next, for a quick fix in the morning, you can apply a cold compress, chilled cucumber slices, or even cold teabags to your eyes for a few minutes. The cold can help reduce puffiness too!
Now let’s look at some options that will help long-term…
My first suggestion here is to start using an eye serum that depuffs your bags if you aren’t using one already. You’ll need to look out for ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties to get the puffiness down.
Ingredients like Niacinamide and Dragon Fruit Extract will do well to reduce inflammation, so I highly recommend giving these ingredients a try. They’re both in my Eye Recovery Serum, which is a great product to help reduce almost all signs of aging around your eye!
Next, let’s focus on your dull skin.
Dull skin can usually be caused by a couple of things. It could be that your skin needs extra exfoliation or extra hydration.
If you’re using a daily cleanser like my Lavender Oil Cleanser that has AHAs in it, you should be covering all the bases when it comes to exfoliation.
If you think you need a little more hydration, something like my Peptide PM Shield would do the trick, especially because this product works overnight to help restore your glow!
It helps to repair your skin while your body is in reconstruction mode - when you’re sleeping!
You’d be surprised at how much of a difference it can make overnight!
Remember, these changes might take some time to show significant results, and they may not completely eliminate the issue, but they can certainly help you wake up looking and feeling more refreshed.
I hope this helps!
My next question comes from Gemma in San Marcos, CA.
Q: Hi Dr. Shelton. I have very oily skin. Do I still need to moisturize?
A: Hi Gemma! I totally get your concern about having oily skin, but skipping moisturizer might not be the best solution. In fact, it might make your problem worse! Here's why:
Oily skin can sometimes be a bit tricky to handle, and you might be worried that adding more moisture will make it worse. However, the right moisturizer can actually make a huge difference.
Firstly, not moisturizing can lead your skin to produce even more oil to compensate for the dryness.
So, using a moisturizer that’s suited for all skin types - like my Repair and Release Cream - can help keep your skin's oil production in check.
Moisturizers do more than just hydrate; they also act as a protective shield for your skin. They keep out environmental nasties and pollutants, which is important for your skin's overall health.
On top of that, even if your skin is oily, it can still get dry in certain areas, especially if you're using products to control oil that might be a bit too harsh.
Moisturizing can prevent dryness and flakiness and keep your skin comfortable, no matter your skin type.
And here's a little secret – well-moisturized skin tends to age more gracefully. While oily skin may dominate now, thinking about the long-term health of your skin is a good idea.
The key is to pick the right moisturizer, and there are so many out there that are perfect for all skin types!
You don't need to go overboard with it – just a small amount applied evenly can do the trick. The goal is to keep your skin hydrated without overloading it.
Keep in mind that skincare is a personalized journey, so you'll want to choose products that match your skin type and any specific concerns you have.
I have plenty of customers with oily skin who use my Repair and Release Cream and they love it! I have no doubt you will too.
