There are a number of summer specific health concerns that every mom should address at the beginning of summer. One of these concerns involves contact with poison oak, poison ivy and/or poison sumac. Since we spend so many more hours outside, we need to get a refresher each year on what these plants look like, as well as how to care for the resulting rashes.

Know Your Environment

You should take the time to know what grows in and around your home as well as any outdoor areas you frequent in the summer month – like the park, lake, ocean, forest, etc. If you are going camping, you want o make sure that you know what could be in and around your camp site. You also want to make sure that your whole family knows how to identify the plants. One of the oldest tricks in identifying poisonous plants is to memorize the rhyme: “Leaves of Three let them be.” The three most common varieties of poisons plants – ivy, oak and sumac – all have groupings of three leaves on their bushes. If you are ever not sure you should always just stay away. To look at photos of poison ivy/oak/sumac visit: http://poison-ivy.org/. In general poison ivy and oak like open spaces in wooded area while sumac can be found in swamps. If you will be camping or hiking in areas like this, you may consider wearing long pants as the plants are generally low to the ground, or using some sort of protective lotion on exposed skin.

How You Get The Rash

It is not the plant directly that causes most people to break out in rashes of varying severity. It is actually the oil on the leaves, called urushiol, which will cause the skin to break out into bumpy, itchy, red patches when it comes into contact. These bumps can stay small and mildly irritable or they may grow into large nasty blisters. It all depends on the level to which your body reacts to the oils. And since you have no way of knowing if you will not have a reaction prior to your first contact, you should simply avoid it all together. There is no concrete evidence that immunity to these plants is hereditary so do not risk your children because you don’t have reactions to it. Additionally it is possible to spread the oil from one spot on your skin to another, so if you have come in contact, do not touch the area with anything except special soap that will thoroughly remove the oils.

Treatment Options

The most important – but hardest – remedy is to not scratch. This is especially hard for young children. You can resort to taping oven mitts to their hands so that they cannot scratch with their nails. There are a number of topical lotions –most of which are calamine based – that will provide some relief as well. Additionally you should also give an oral anti-histamine, such as Zytrec, Claritin or Bendaryl. This will actually provide relief the fastest and most effectively.

Baby, it’s cold outside… and I am suffering from a severe case of the winter skin woes. From breakouts to eczema, my skin has always been problematic this time of year; and now I’ve come to learn my little one also suffers from the same skin issues.

So how do you treat not only your skin but your baby’s skin in the wintertime?  Courtesy of P&G, I was given the opportunity to interview Dermatologist, Dr. Jeanine B. Downie, who answered some of my most pressing winter skin questions.

Chapped Lips

One bothersome condition that arises during the winter is chapped lips. No matter what I do, I am always battling dry, cracked lips. Dr. Downie suggests moisturizing your lips by starting off with a sun block with moisturizer such as Blistex, Chapstick or Vasoline. She also mentioned that the key is reapplication during the course of the day. An interesting point she mentioned is that lips can dehydrate very easily, especially if you drink a lot of coffee (guilty as charged).  So if you are an avid coffee drinker, it’s imperative that you rehydrate your lips more often.

Baby Eczema

Since my pregnancy, I have become extremely cautious about what products I use on myself and my son. Now that it’s winter, his skin has become severely dry and itchy. Dr. Downie says that hydrating the skin is a must, and that you should be moisturizing a newborn with eczema at least four times a day but bathe him only three to four times a week. She recommends using a soothing oatmeal bath, such as the Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, which is a great way to treat this issue. It’s also important to stick with those products specifically formulated for babies. However if your child is older, she said that you can try a moisturizing body wash such as Olay Total Effects.

Minor Skin Irritations

My skin has always been hyper-sensitive and even certain detergents will cause minor break outs. Even though I already do this at home, Dr. Downie recommends that you wash clothes, sheets and towels using products that do not contain dyes or perfumes such as Tide Free & Gentle and Bounce Free Dryer Sheets.

How do you care for your skin in the winter? Do you have any tips or must-have products that you love?

For more information on skin care, visit the American Academy of Dermatology.  You can see my interview with Dr. Downie here:

Disclaimer: Although I did receive samples of select P&G products, I was in no way directly compensated to publish this post. Any opinions are my own.

Can you smell it in the air? Fall is just about to drop and the season will change. You may be packing up the beach toys, putting away the shorts, tanktops and sandals. Depending on where you live, you are pulling out the cold and/or rainy weather gear. At this point you are probably not thinking about the effects of the sun on your children’s skin. It is a common misconception that if that clouds are covering up the sun you can’t get sunburnt, or that even if the sun is out, but it’s cold, you can’t get sunburnt. Though in the first case, the risk is minimized, in the second – it is patently not true. If you are out in the daytime you and your children are at risk of sun overexposure.

Keep the SPF

A lot of time people only think to put on the sunscreen and sunblocks in the spring and summer time. But if you are headed to the park for a day of play, you still need to put on some sort of protection for your child. Some form of sunscreen should be in your diaper bag year round. If you are like me, you are constantly worried that you will reach into the diaper bag or – worse – your purse only to pull out a hand covered in cream because at some point or another the nozzle or top of the sunscreen or other lotion bottle got opened and subsequently the contents were squirted all over the rest of the bag. It is just not a happy situation. The very clever people at MD Moms have provided a great solution to the mess – Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes!

MD Moms Sunscreen Towelettes

Let’s face it: babies like to go outside – and so do their parents! These award-winning soft wipes are saturated with a gentle, sweat-proof, broad spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen that’s enriched with Vitamins E and B5, marine silk, aloe and oat, to protect, soothe and moisturize even the youngest baby’s skin. Each wipe contains enough sunscreen to cover baby from head to toe, with no fuss and no mess. They’re a dermatologist-approved way to keep baby protected from UV rays at any age, anywhere, anytime.

• Contains no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum or waxes
• Contains physical sunscreens, titanium and zinc oxide, as the only active ingredients.  No chemical sunscreen ingredients.
• Broad Spectrum: protects against UVA and UVB rays
• UVA rating: PA+++ (provides the highest level of protection against UVA rays)
• Clinically tested, hypoallergenic & dermatologist approved
• Made in the USA.   No animal testing
• Water resistant and sweatproof
• Each wipe has enough sunscreen to cover the average 2 year old from head-to-toe
• Only $1.73 per premeasured application! (When using even half the recommended dose, typical lotion sunscreens are between $2 – $5 per application)

• TSA-approved for carry-on luggage

Here’s What I Think:

I am guessing that you all are probably realizing that I am very concerned with the smell of things. Because my very first action with these towelettes was to smell them, and they smell rather pleasant. You can still tell they have sunscreen in them, but it is not overwhelming. I must say I was very excited about the prospect of sunscreen in a towelette form, because my kids just hate in when I put the cream on or, spray it on, and this product did not disapoint. They didn’t even realize I was putting on sunscreen when I wiped them down with the towlettes. I assume they just thought that I was giving them a little bath. I was pleased to see that there is a generous amount of sunscreen on each towelette without it being copious. I also really like the way they are packaged. You can get them in a small pack with 15 towlettes or you can get them in single packages – great for tossing in the picnic basket – because the packages are water and sweat proof (which means nothing is getting in or out!)

You can purchase this product on Amazon:

Disclaimer: Although I did receive a sample of this product from MD Moms, I was in no way directly compensated to publish this post. These are my real and honest opinions.

The sun is shining, the days are hot and if you aren’t careful your skin is burning! Sunscreen and/or Sunblock application is a very important daily ritual, all year-round, but especially in the summertime! But how do you know which to choose, how often to use it and what is really the point. Here are some basics.

SunBLOCK versus SunSCREEN

It really comes down to a simple variation. Both work to prevent over-exposure to the sun’s rays, they just each use different means. Sunblock, as you guess, actually blocks, or reflects the UV rays from your skin, preventing exposure to the harmful rays. Sunscreen absorbs the UV rays so that they don’t reach your skin. Since both, “actively” work to reduce exposure to the sun, you need to follow the bottle’s directions regarding how often to reapply. Essentially as the cream does it’s job it get’s “used up” so reapplication is imperative to insure continued coverage.
As for which to choose, it really is a preference than anything else. You just want to be sure that you and your whole family put on sunscreen everyday, even if you won’t be sitting in the sun all day, if you are going outside you need to put it on, especially in summertime.

What is the Point?

It seems you can’t read a single magazine or what any of those health-related television shows without someone urging sunscreen use. Shoot, I am doing it right now. Well there are two very important reasons: Skin Cancer Prevention and Anti-aging.
According to the American Cancer Society, Skin Cancer is the number one most common form of cancer found in Americans. Fortunately it is also one of the easiest forms of cancer to prevent as well as catch early. Skin cancer is caused by over-exposure to UV rays (the rays from the sun). So it goes to reason, that adequate Sunscreen/block usage will do lots to prevent skin cancer formation. For more information on how to prevent, as well as what signs to look for please visit the American Cancer Society’s Website at www.cancer.org
As for the skin aging ramifications, it has been proven that at least 80% of the visual signs of aging on the skin is caused by UV exposure on the skin. Basically, collagen cannot withstand the effects of the sun. Collagen is what keeps our skin “perky” and smooth. Once collagen is damaged, there is much debate about whether is can be repaired. But most the of research leans towards the notion that it cannot be repaired, it is better to provide protection the try to fix the damage after. What this all boils down to is the fact that extended sun exposure results in lots of wrinkles!

As an aside, sunglasses are also very important. You want to find a pair that really block out the sun, as UV rays have adverse affects on your eyes as well. The brightness alone can have long-term negative effects on your eyes’ ability to focus.

As a mom-to-be and avid skincare junkie, I was completely shocked about the safety concerns regarding beauty       product ingredients and their effects on pregnancy. In fact, there is a laundry list of substances that should be avoided   during this time. Whether its retinol or salicylic acid - it seems the shelves are filled with products that moms-to-be should steer clear of.

The good news is there are now skin care products available that are not only natural and organic, but completely safe to use during your nine month journey. From serums to scrubs, expectant mothers can now take care of their skin without harming their growing baby.

Here are a few great skin care products that are mom-to-be approved and will help you achieve the ultimate “pregnancy glow!”

Beauté de Maman was developed by Dr. Michele Brown, an obstetrician and board-certified member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Specifically, the Facial Scrub is designed to help you battle blemished skin which is typical in early pregnancy – or throughout your entire pregnancy for some of us!  Beauté de Maman’s pregnancy products have been extensively studied and evaluated, as well as allergy and obstetrician tested. The entire line contains only natural and herbal ingredients proven safe for the mother-to-be, the fetus and the breast feeding baby.

Don’t be surprised to learn that your current moisturizer is packed with no-no ingredients. For an everyday moisturizer, Avalon Organics Lavender Daily Moisturizer has been a“must” for my sensitive skin. It’s a lightweight moisturizer that not only smells divine, but works great under your daily make-up. It features organic Lavender, Licorice Root, White Tea and Grape Seed Polyphenols.

Tea Tree Oil is another ingredient that is great to use for troubled skin. Granted, the smell can be overwhelming for some, but tea tree oil is completely natural and helps to battle any pesky acne that might pop up. I’ve had a lot of success with the Desert Essence Organics line including the Blemish Touch Stick.

Another fabulous line to check out is Terralina. The company’s founders created this line after their own pregnancies. Like me, they were shocked to learn that most of the skincare products they were using featured a number of harmful ingredients. Start with the 3-Step Skincare System which includes a cleanser, toner and moisturizer. The site also has a very helpful ingredient glossary which describes in great detail what every ingredient is and what it’s used for.

Even if you aren’t expecting, it can’t hurt to take a closer look at the products that you are currently using. After nine months of reading about the chemicals that I’ve been putting on my face for years, I’ve definitely been looking at skincare in a totally different light. Of course, if you have questions regarding specific ingredients/products, please consult your doctor.

Have you ever read the ingredient list on a bottle of sunscreen lotion? The long list of unpronounceable chemicals can be baffling when you want to choose natural products yet protect your family’s skin. Let’s look at two kinds of sunscreen ingredients—the active and the inactive—and decipher what they do and how safe they are.

Sunscreen Active Ingredients

The active ingredients in sunscreen are ultraviolet (UV) filters. They either absorb or reflect UV radiation and extend the time you can be in the sun before burning.

• Oxybenzone is a UV filter that is easily absorbed and helps other ingredients in sunscreen to penetrate your skin. That means it gets past the skin and into other systems. The Centers for Disease Control says oxybenzone is in 97 percent of American’s urine. This is not a chemical you want in your children’s bodies—oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with hormonal processes like growth and development, sexual maturation, and thyroid function. Many people are allergic to oxybenzone.
• Octinoxate is less allergenic than oxybenzone but is also an endocrine blocker.
  
• Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the mineral active ingredients found in many “natural” sunscreen products. Many sunscreens use nanoparticles (microscopic particles) of these minerals to avoid the white streaks they’re famous for. The jury is still out on the safety of nanoparticles—they may be able to interact with DNA because of their tiny size. Unfortunately, sunscreen labels usually don’t tell you whether or not they include nanoparticles.

Sunscreen Inactive Ingredients

Like other personal care products, sunscreens often contain fragrances and preservatives, some of which carry risks.

• Phthalates are chemicals found in plastics as well as in the fragrance added to many personal care products. They are another endocrine interrupter and are connected to breast cancer.

• Parabens are common cosmetic preservatives and—you guessed it—endocrine interrupters. Look out for ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and particularly methylparaben—recent studies show that it can become carcinogenic when exposed to sunlight.

The Safest Sunscreen Options

Compared to the alternatives, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide appear to be the safest UV filters in commercial sunscreens. They provide what’s called broad spectrum protection, meaning they are effective against both UVA and UVB rays. Avoid sunscreens containing parabens or synthetic fragrance.

The Environmental Working Group has a fantastic database of sunscreens rated by ingredient safety. Some of their recommended products include:

• California Baby No Fragrance Everyday/Year-Round SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick
• Badger Sunscreen SPF 30
• Chemical Free Sun Block SPF 30
• All Terrain – AquaSport SPF 30+ Sunblock

Of course, the safest sun protection is avoidance. Use shade, tightly-woven clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat as your first line of defense, and remember that moderate unprotected exposure is important for healthy vitamin D production.

With Spring all ready here and Summer rapidly approaching its time to get our beauty butts in gear!  As the seasons change so do our beauty regimens. Your hair, skin and make-up react differently as the weather heats up so now is the time to change your beauty routine from head to toe.  Below is a list of my top ten beauty products that will keep you beautiful all summer long.

The added sun exposure, wind, saltwater and chlorine can wreak havoc on your hair.  You need something that will protect your hair and shield it from becoming brittle, unmanageable and discolored during the spring and summer months. Phyto Phytoplage Protective Sun Veil is made with sunflower extract, white lotus flower extract, sweet almond and illipe butter.  These ingredients work together to provide a protective filter for the hair fibers, maintain moisture, restore volume, shine and suppleness.

As the weather warms up many of us kick our usual foundation to the curb and go for a light weight tinted moisturizer instead. Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 is the perfect solution.  It is a moisturizer, sunscreen and luminizer all in one!  The formula blends perfectly and the subtle shimmer and pigments work well to even the skin’s tone. Easy to apply, and a great way to achieve a quick overall look in one simple step.

For those that really can’t live without going the foundation route I highly recommend using Bare Escentuals I.d. Bare Minerals Get Started Kit. The kit contains two shades of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, Mineral Veil, Warmth All Over Face Color, Full Flawless Face Brush, Flawless Application Face Brush, Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush and a How To DVD.  I have been using this kit for years and it really conceals all of my facial flaws while adding depth and dimension to my face.  I can’t live without Warmth or the Mineral veil.  In my opinion the only thing missing from the kit that gives an all over radiant glow is Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Radiance Clear Radiance I love the way that it brightens my face and gives it a soft glow.  I am continually told that I have great skin when I know that the secret isn’t great skin but great mineral make-up.

Spring and Summer eyes are all about the shimmer! Urban Decay Metallic Glitter Eyeshadow Intense Shadow is just the thing to do the trick!  Urban Decay’s eye shadows are rich in pigment and loaded with color.  There are very few binders so it blends easily and lasts for hours.  They can also be applied wet for a more intense color.  The trend this season is to apply a bright color underneath the lower lashes for a punch of color that is different from the upper lid.  Urban Decay shadows can be applied wet with a fine tipped brush just like liquid eye liner for this dramatic look.

Lip gloss is a staple of summer and one of my all time favorites is Lancome Juicy Tubes Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss Lip Glosses. There are tons of flavors and colors to choose from and they are all pretty yummy! My favorite is Dreamsicle.   The application is smooth and simple with the tube tip applicator – no messy wands, easily applied on the go.  This ultra shiny gloss glides on for the most perfect pout.

The perfect manicure is a must have!  I absolutely adore the OPI Hong Kong Spring/Summer 2010 Tiny Takeouts Mini Nail Lacquers.  This great sample set is features the hot and modern colors for the Spring and Summer seasons.  This tiny little  four pack of nail polish mini’s feature three colors and a top coat.  The colors in the set include: Red My Fortune Cookie, Dim Sum Plum, Suzi Says Feng Shui and the RapiDry Top Coat.  All perfectly packaged in a cute little faux take out box!

One thing is certain, as the temperature rises we tend to drop our clothes.  You know what that means – bathing suit time is a comin’!  Getting prepared to show off your goods has just gotten easier.  The Bliss-Philips Bikini Perfect Deluxe HP6378 Spa-At-Home Grooming System is exactly what you need to get your bikini area ready for show time.  This deluxe set features convenient cordless wet and dry operation that offers super precision and less irritation.  The set includes six different attachments and blissful spa salves so that grooming is a breeze and your body stays soft, smooth and soothed.  The ultimate combination of function and glam all in one!

If you are at all like me, your legs haven’t seen the light of day since last summer.  To keep from blinding anyone with the whiteness of my legs I like to use Bare Escentuals Faux Tan to make it appear that my legs have a gorgeous summer glow. The light coconut scent is great smelling and not overpowering at all. Simply apply it dry skin and you will be amazed at how smooth it feels, leaving no spots or streaks, this is the best self tanner that I have ever seen.

Flip flop and sandal weather mean showing off your perfect little piggies.  It can be very embarrassing if your feet are rough and dry.  To get your toes in tip top shape use the Tweezerman Pedicure Solution Kit for the perfect pedicure. This upscale kit includes a clipper, cuticle nipper, stainless steel pushy/cleaner, callus stone, pedicure files and a wooden pedicure stick all rolled up in an attractive embroidered storage case. Great for home or on the go.

Once you have spent the time clipping, trimming and filing you will want to maintain those smooth and soft sexy feet with some Philosophy Soul Owner Exfoliating Foot Cream.  This overnight foot treatment provides immediate results for dry and cracked skin.  The cooling formula also relieves tired, puffy feet.  Using this exfoliating foot cream on a regular basis will ensure that your feet remain supple and sexy through out the summer.

My top ten head to toe beauty products for Spring and Summer are sure to get your hot bod ready for all that hot weather fun.  I know that these products will help you feel confident, glamorous and sexy inside and out.  Honestly, what could be more fun than that?

When you look in the mirror do you first notice the sagging or fatty areas? If so, there are some exercises that you can do tighten up your face without going under the knife or needle. Your face has 55 muscles – can you believe that? And just like any other muscles, they are subject to effects of gravity and none-use over time.  

One important thing to point out is that, unlike the muscles in the rest of your body, your face muscles are attached directly to the skin. This is directly links the tone of your facial muscles and the sagging ness of your face. This also means that the way you exercise these muscles will be slightly different. Obviously this will not involve weight lifting. Really it is more about making faces. One of the best parts of working out your face is that you can do the exercises just about anywhere. Just be away that you might be making some interesting faces, so don’t frighten anyone (*smile*) or embarrass yourself.

A few exercises to try:

Do 50 repetitions of each (on each side if applicable) throughout the day.

• Exaggerated Wink – this is a wink that involves most of the side of your face (cheek, jowl, and part of your forehead)
• Open Wide – open your mouth and eyes as wide as possible
• Looking Up  – look up with eyes while keeping your head level
• Looking up and Over – move you whole head to look up and to the side while keeping your shoulders straight
• Scalp lift – place a hand on either side of your head just above your ears and gently pull up and back
• Jaw Clench – simply clench your jaw and release

If you struggle more with fat around your face, know that cardio is one of the best ways to reduce it. An all over cardio workout (running, bike riding, elliptical, or aerobics) is a great way to reduce fat all over your body.  And you will start to see your chin shrink as your overall body fat percentage decreases. Another quick tip is to lower your salt intake. Excess salt in the body causes your cells to retain more water and cause a general puffiness, that make your face seem to have a larger amount of fat.

What about all the creams?

There are literally hundreds of “face-lifting” creams and gels and rubs and treatments on the market. To overly simplify it, they all basically work with the chemistry of your skin and adjusting the tightness, and elasticity. For the most part they are all temporary fixes. As I mentioned before your skin is directly attached to your muscles. So really all those creams do is make that connection firmer. If your muscles are what it causing the sagging, the creams can only do so much!

You got up this morning and as you pulled up your britches you felt something strange on the back of you thigh. Or you suddenly have a nagging itch on your arm, near a mole that you are pretty sure had always been there. Or you notice that a spot on your chest seems to be bigger then you recall. In any one of these cases, a call to the doctor is always warranted. When it comes to the possibility of skin cancer or MELANOMA, you always want to be over safe then very sorry. Did you know that Skin Cancer is the single most common form of cancer?

Early Detection is Critical

A majority of skin cancers are non-Melanomas, which means that they are only in the outer layer of skin. Although, it is best to have it removed, it is very unlikely that it will spread past the epidermis layer of the skin. Melanomas are another story all together. It is a cancerous overtaking of the melanocytes (cells the give us our pigment) in the very deep layers of skin. The most important tool to prevent the systemic invasion of skin cancer is to get treated early on. Melanomas (or black skin tumors) are relatively slow growing, therefore they can often be cured by simple resection (scoping out of the skin) surgery.

What to Look For

Just about every one has a few moles on their bodies. Not all moles are cancerous. So how do you tell the difference:
• Any seemingly sudden change in appearance of a mole – color, size (both height and width), or first notice
• Asymmetry of mole – most moles are generally round and symmetrical.
• Itchiness, tenderness and even pain of the mole
• Cracking, bleeding or pus oozing around edges
• If the color of the mole spread past the raised edge

Ways to Prevent

Although some people are just more prone to skin cancer then others (fair complexions, heredity and severe sunburns as a child). But there are other ways to limit your susceptibility:
• Seek shade whenever possible
• Slather on the Sunscreen – always at least 15 SPF – even on overcast days
• Wear a hat and sunglasses
• Stay away from tanning beds and light – they actually intensify the harmful rays
• Do a monthly once over on your skin.

All in all cancer is a very scary topic to discuss. In fact a upsetting and large number of people do not get signs or symptoms examined for fear of hearing the “C-word”. But we are blessed to live in a time where many forms of cancer can be treated and even cured. But no matter the type – early detection is key to minimal growth. Now please do not turn into a hypochondriac after reading this. I am more urging you to be aware of your body on every level. This makes it easier to notice any changes in the norm. So the next time you are in the shower, give yourself the once over. Learn the topography so that you will notice if a new mountain sprouts up.

For more information on Skin Cancers (or any other cancers) please visit: www.cancer.org And if you are so inclined –please make a donation to help them continue to support the medical research efforts as well as their service and supports efforts for those affected by cancer. Did you know that the American Cancer Society is funded almost entirely by donations (both individual and corporate). They receive no money directly from the government to provide the incredible services they give freely to the general public.

Okay, I admit it. It’s my skin care. I’m smack in the middle of my forties and mother of five ranging in age from 13 to 1, so most days, I definitely feel my age. But because I’ve been blessed with really good genes, most days I don’t look my age. So let’s cut to the chase, what makes my skin look younger than its chronological age? I swear it’s my skin care. I’ve been working in the skin care industry for what seems like forever (20 years) and I’ve used hundreds of different products on my face, but the product line I’ve seen the best results with lately is Striking.

Striking Skin Care with SmartPeptides is marketed towards menopausal women, and while I’m not even perimenopausal yet I have noticed this year that I’m starting to get a little “jowly” (as my mother calls it) and that my crow’s feet are getting very prominent. Menopause brings about even more lovely changes like decreased collagen production and the breakdown of elastin fibers, so essentially, your face falls into your lap. Lovely. I’m all about preventative care, so I started out using Striking Multi-Peptide Serum. Within 2 weeks, I had an “aha!” moment in the mirror. The serum was just what I needed to perk up my tired looking skin. It supplied my skin with a lot of moisture and a big boost of collagen-building SmartPeptides.

A few weeks later I started using the rest of the line and continued to get good results. The cleanser is a creamy cleanser much along the lines of philosophy’s Purity. It’s very lightweight, yet effective in taking off the 10 pounds of makeup that I wear every day. The moisturizer and eye creme are equally as lovely and provide yet a second hit of much needed moisture and SmartPeptides to the skin.

The line is simple, just four products: cleanser, serum, moisturizer and eye creme. I’ve used lines with multiple products and I have to say that I like the simplicity of this line. The only product that I would suggest that you add to the regime is a sunscreen (if it’s not already in your foundation). An easy way to get started on the regime is try the Striking Daily Essentials Product Set. You get travel sizes of all four products for $50. If I had to pick one product, I would pick definitely choose the Multi-Peptide Serum. That’s the “work horse” and an easy product to slip into any regime you’re using right now.

The result? Fabulous. I’m in love and here’s why: I was at a CAbi party the other day with women all around my age and when I told them I was going to be 44 in a couple months, their jaws dropped. They told me my skin looked fabulous (an ego boost I needed, for sure!) and that’s all I needed to know that it’s indeed working.

Striking Skin Care can be found at www.strikingskincare.com. They’ve got a great webstore; visually beautiful, easy to navigate and packed with information. They are also on Blogger, facebook, Twitter and YouTube effectively covering all the social media bases and they have a monthly newsletter. Don’t get turned off by the marketing to the 40+ crowd. Remember, all skin types, regardless of age can benefit from the SmartPeptides. Preventative care is a good thing!!