Welcome to the August Edition of the Skin Sage Newsletter.

Anti-Aging Tips for Your Hands

Thin, dry, wrinkly skin. Sunspots. Prominent veins. Does this sound like your hands? They sounded a bit like mine, but I did something about it.

I don't want my hands to look like they are 60 when I am only in my forties. We pamper our faces, why not our hands? It's not that hard -- the key is remembering to do it! Here are some tips on keeping our hands soft, beautiful and younger looking.

Help for Thin, Wrinkly Skin on Hands

Sun and the passing of years break down collagen, which is the substance that keeps our skin firm and supple. The best ingredients to help regenerate collagen are peptides, retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids. If you are using these products on your face (and you should be!) use them on the back of your hands, too.

My favorite products are TNS Recovery Complex, Peter Thomas Roth's Max Retinol Wrinkle Repair SPF 20, Janson Beckett AlphaDerma CE and Neova Advanced Perfecting Elixir with polypeptides and hyaluronic acid.

I also like Elizabeth Arden Allergan Prevage - Idebenone 0.5% , which is a powerful antioxidant cream that contains 0.5% Idebenone, the most potent antioxidant available in a skin care product today. Prevage improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduces skin roughness and dryness, hydrates skin and improves the skin's overall appearance.

Combat Dryness

Use a rich hand cream with humectants like urea, glycerin and hyaluronic acid to retain moisture. Pay special attention to cuticles. Apply hand cream often, especially after washing your hands.

Say Good-bye to Sunspots

Sunspots are caused by UV damage. The most effect solution is 2% hydroquinone (HQ), a very effective bleaching agent. HQ products like DDF Fade Gel 4 and Abella Enliten Skin Bleaching Cream suppresses the production of melanin, which is the pigment that is involved with this discoloration. BE PATIENT. It will take several months before you see a difference, but it works.

Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 or 30 on your hands every day to help prevent new damage. Look for a sunscreen with Mexoryl, like La Roche Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 It offers better protection against the skin-damaging UVA rays. Helioplex, found in Neutrogena sun products like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer, Dry-Touch Sunblock, is another good choice.

Vanquish Visible Veins

As we age, the veins in our hands tend to get more prominent because we lose collagen and fat. By using a collagen-building cream as mentioned above, you can help regenerate collagen to plump up skin cells. Using a self-tanner on the back of your hands may lessen the contrast between purplish veins and pale skin. See below for my favorite sunless tanner.

You can find these products and others at The SkinStore.com, Sephora.com, and DERMAdoctor.com

MY VERY FAVORITE SUNLESS TANNER
--and it's under $10

You can easily spend $20 or $30 for a sunless tanner. And there are some good ones at that price. But my favorite is under $10: Alba Botanica Golden Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion. It contains aloe vera, chamomile, ginkgo biloba, and green tea. It smells yummy but not too heavily scented, it gives you a wonderful, natural looking golden tan and absorbs quickly. It lasts long, too. You can find it at health food stores and some drugstores, but I buy it online at a big discount at vitacost.com about $5.28.

>> BE SURE TO CHECK THE DISCOUNTS/PROMOS << TO THE RIGHT FOR SPECIAL SAVINGS!!

Well that's it for this issue.

Valerie Goettsch
www.skin-sage.com
Growing younger, inside and out