Sun Spots Skin

Beauty: Six of the best

These retail skincare products come with big reputations:

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair 30ml $129

Night Repair can claim pioneering serum status. The elixir was a rarity when it was launched in 1982 to combat environmental damage, but now there is a whole category of these repair and recovery boosters. The "Advanced" formula updates the original and adds smoke and pollution fighters, but with the same promises to improve hydration, signs of ageing and uneven skintone.

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Face Advanced Anti-Ageing Serum 50ml $292

The serum is at the heart of the Prevage family, a range launched in 2006 that has now grown to eight products, including moisturisers with sunscreen. All contain the highly-rated antioxidant ingredient Idebenone, which helps protect skin from oxidative stress and supports the repair process. A recent addition is Prevage Clarity which targets age and sun spots and there is a version for sensitive skins on the way.

Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Eye Cream $34.99

Contains retinol (vitamin A) to absorb into skin and target fine lines. The eye cream has delivered good results in trials and the Ageless Intensives range, which also includes moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, has made an impact at the affordable end of the anti-ageing market. Retinol products work to thicken skin, enhance collagen synthesis and promote cell renewal, and Neutrogena's stands out for its emphasis on delivering it an effective stabilised form in retail skincare.

Lancome Genefique concentrate, 30ml $145

Sells like macarons to those in the know for things French and pricey. Genefique was launched a couple of years back with the tag "youth activator" and bold claims from Lancome that its understanding of skin at the genetic level means this boosts gene activity and youth protein production. Designed for all ages to be used in addition to a moisturising regime. It does leave skin texture feeling refined.

Skin Medica TNS Recovery Complex $258

Go beyond AHAs, retinols and topical vitamin C, Skin Medica urges, saying its Recovery Complex's "unique cocktail" of effective ingredients will mimic the skin regeneration process targeting those ageing issues of fine lines, pigmentation and tone and texture. This potent concentration of growth factors doesn't smell great, but the pitch, in combination with it being dispensed from skincare clinics in a high-tech container, plays on that "it's got to be good for you" appeal.

SKIN SAVIOURS - Battling acne, WRINKLES or sun spots? Here are ...

There is a Japanese proverb that says “Kind hearts are better than fair faces.” Its nice sentiment, but, as anyone with skin concern knows, playing nice when it comes to blemishes, wrinkles, sagging and discolouration can only get you so far. “Everybody should practice good skin care, but there can come a point where [products] alone can’t do the job anymore,” explains Dr.Frank Lista, a Toronto-based plastic surgeon. “It might be something we can fix with lasers, injectables or, if necessary, surgery.”

The good news is that there are many new procedures and techniques that deliver natural–looking results with less downtime as well as great high-tech topical products for those taking the DIY route. ELLE, asked some leading experts for advice on how to fight four of the most common skin concerns, from the drugstore to the derm’s office.

SPOT ON If concealing pimples at an age when you’re also contemplating eye creams seems like one of mother nature’s cruelest jokes, you’re not alone: According to a recent study, the median age for acne sufferers has risen from 20.5 to 26.5. Characterized by pustules and cysts around the jaw and neck, female adult acne usually has a hormonal origin, says Dr. Nowell Solish, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Toronto. Hormones stimulate the production of oil, which combines with bacteria to clog pores and create inflammation.

AT HOME Your first instinct might be to spot-treat your pimples, but that’s the wrong strategy, says Dr. Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson, a P&G Beauty scientist. “Drying out the skin is the old way of treating acne, but it makes you more susceptible to wrinkling, irritation and sun damage.” Instead, the newest remedies take a gentler, all-over approach. Olay Professional Pro-X Clear Acne Protocol is a three-step system that has replaced old-school benzoyl peroxide with salicylic acid and niacinamide; the former eradicates oil and prevents future breakouts, while the latter fades spots and improves skin texture. Kellett Clear Skin Care System , developed by Dr. Lisa Kellett , a dermatologist based in Toronto, employs a similar philosophy, featuring not only acne fighting ingredients but also antioxidants and anti inflammatory herbs. For a fast fix, hand held zappers such as Zeno Hot Spot, which delivers a controlled, low level dosage of heat to kill acne causing bacteria, can also be effective, says Dr. Mark Lupin, a dermatologist based in Victoria, B.C.

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