I spoke with Rose Prieto on all things skin related! Here is a link to Rose’s website to find out more about her! Please see below for the vlog interview and lots of insight into (aging) skin from Rose Prieto.

This week I’d like to focus on the Rose Prieto interview-o-ramas! We spent over three hours talking in three videos, and Rose wrote out answers to thirteen questions from you all! Here is a sample of the questions and below are a few of her answers that we cover in this article:

• Where do I start with my skincare if I’m just getting started at almost 50?
• Do the home lasers/LED tools really work? If so, which ones?
• What do you think of the brand Sisley and why is it so expensive?

Here is my vlog interview with Rose!

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Where do I start with my skincare if I’m just getting started at almost 50?

I do not want to look like a Bravo housewife! The good news is, it's never too late to start a skincare regime!

If you are 50, I would love to know the lifestyle habits that have led to this point in your life! Do you participate in outdoor activities? Have you been in the habit of applying broad-spectrum sunscreen, head to toe, every day, even in cloudy weather? Do you consume nutrient and water-rich foods? Do you exercise? Do you get enough sleep? Is your stress level excessive? Are your hormones balanced? Have you ever driven in a car without wearing sun-protective clothing and gear?

If you are the average woman in America, I am certain that the answer to (at least) one of these questions is an emphatic YES! Unless you have lived in a cave without sunlight for your first 50 years, your skin is probably showing signs of sun damage, as well as a compromise in its laxity. This may have inspired your question.

The good news is (as you mentioned): it’s never too late to adopt skin-friendly habits! The skin does not require much to look beautiful. It is a well-oiled, renewable, self-sufficient machine. It is the largest organ of the human body. It does not require expensive, name-brand products to maintain itself. However, what it does need, that cannot be obtained on its own, is: hydration, nutrition and broad-spectrum protection from the sun’s UV rays. Ultraviolet A and B rays are extremely damaging to the skin and contribute to fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and loss of elasticity, not to mention skin cancer. Good skin habits begin with applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen every single day, even in rainy weather. Think about all the moments in a day when your skin becomes exposed to UV light: When you skip to the mailbox, when you drive in a car, when you walk the dog, when you jog across the street, your skin is receiving cumulative UV damage. This exposure adds up over time like building blocks, therefore, there is no skin-safe solution other than applying a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen.

If you are new to the world of skincare, visit your local drugstore and find a well-known, established line that caters to all skin types. I suggest adopting a 3-step skincare regime, which includes: cleansing (and exfoliating), nourishing (with a treatment, such as a vitamin-C serum, peptides and retinol), and hydrating with a face cream or moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid. Please note that the removal of makeup always comes prior to your 3-step regime! In addition, the skin under the eyes requires TLC. Applying a nourishing eye cream morning and night, in addition to your 3-step system, is a good habit to start. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin of the body and is void of sebaceous glands. Which means that this thin, delicate skin is vulnerable and innately dry. Therefore, when applying your day and night treatments (such as vitamin C, retinol and/or peptides), don’t neglect the under-eye region.

Do the home lasers/LED tools really work? If so, which ones?

Also, olive skin pigments faster, does spot removal work as well for them? Which type?

Light therapy has been around for decades, and was only available either at your dermatologist or esthi’s office. As of late, however, there are now many at-home devices that are easy to use for all skin types (even melanin-rich skin), and that won’t break the bank. The primary question I have for someone seeking to purchase a home device is, ‘what do you plan to achieve with this device? What skin-related issue do you wish to solve?’ This is an important conversation to have because not all devices solve all skin-related issues.

If lifting and firmness are what you are after, then I recommend a microcurrent device. If you are seeking wrinkle reduction, collagen stimulation, and reduction in skin discoloration and redness, then perhaps an LED red light therapy mask is for you. If you are concerned with crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes, and even those pesky marionette lines that can appear around the mouth, then perhaps a non-ablative at-home laser device is for you. I recommend taking the time and having a conversation with your board-certified dermatologist to discuss their recommended at-home devices. The last thing you want to do is cause your skin more harm than good! Your doctor will be able to address your primary skin concerns and recommend a device that suits your particular skin best. Some products that I have personally used, and have noticed results from are: The NuFace Mini microcurrent device (microcurrent is my old-school ride-or-die modality!), the Nira Precision at-home-use laser device (it’s small, portable and easy to use), and the OmniLux Contour Mask for face, neck and chest (I love the neck and chest attachment!).

Skin care you say?Photo byKim Druker Stockwell

What do you think of the brand Sisley and why is it so expensive?

Sisley Paris is a French, luxury, cosmetics house known for its high-end, niché, skincare, makeup and fragrance products. They are the OGs in the photo-cosmetology space, primarily using plant extracts that cater to all skin types. This iconic brand has over 1500 boutiques worldwide and is known for its high-quality, long-lasting extract ingredients, such as black rose, pea extract, yeast, acacia and white willow leaf extracts, which are delicately harvested by world-class chemists.

With that said, $600 for a single bottle of an anti-aging serum is a hefty price tag that the average consumer is not willing to invest in. Although I have no doubt that indulging my skin with Sisley Paris’s full range of products would make it delightfully happy, it is not realistic (or practical) for this frugal shopper to do so! Coco Chanel said it best. Although she was referring to fashion, she said, “it is not about money, it is about understanding”. Understanding the basics that skin needs in an effort to appear beautiful: nourishment, hydration and sun protection. There are hundreds of skincare lines on the market. If you are leaning-in into a regime for the first time, I recommend finding a well-known, established, drugstore brand at your price point, and establishing a routine that is realistic for you to follow. The key is to adopt perpetual skincare habits that work with your lifestyle. Start with one or two products from that line, then begin investing in higher-end products over time, and see if they work for you. Good skin is not about the product line you use, but rather, by the continuous habits that you adopt regardless of the line. At the end of the day, if a $600 serum is in your budget, makes your skin look amazing, and (most importantly) makes you happy, then more power to you! However, it should not be lost on you that although “you get what you pay for” is indeed true some of the time, less expensive lines, and even drugstore products, can yield beautiful skin results as well.

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Women's Survival Guide!Photo byKim Stockwell