There are two things a girl should never miss; a great shoe sale, and her nightly skincare regimen. My most prized possession on earth, without a doubt, is a serious collection of must have heels. There is just something about shoes…oooh…they are just so good for my soul! (I didn’t say “sole,” as that’s a whole other story) I find that even on the worst of days, I can walk in to my shoe closet and find something to put a little sass in my step. As Marilyn Monroe so eloquently put it… “give a girl the right pair of shoes and she can conquer the world.” So true!
However, if I ever had to choose between giving up my skincare regimen and giving up my beloved shoe “investment,” I would be going barefoot; sad, but barefooted; And…well…shorter. ….But I’d have beautiful skin!!
Now I know we’re all inundated with cosmetic commercials telling us that all we have to do is apply their make-up and “wha-la,” you will have flawless, radiant, model-esk skin and everyone will sit up to take notice as you enter the room. But the reality is flawless radiance doesn’t begin with cosmetics. It begins with skin and how we take care of it. Proper care and maintenance is the only path to achieve that. The best make-up in the world won’t give you the flawless, smooth complexion you’re looking for if you’re battling dull, dry, flaky, sun-abused skin. A consistent, daily skincare regimen will improve the texture of your skin, getting you yet another step closer to your goal.
So start with the basics … And remember… success can ONLY be accomplished if the basics are part of your DAILY routine…
- Cleanse – Clean your skin with a cleanser for your skin type. The right cleanser should not leave your skin feeling dry and tight. It should feel fresh and clean. I know this next part is tempting after al one day but – do not go to bed with your make-up on. Pinky swear?!
- Exfoliate – Proper exfoliation is a must. If you develop a dead skin build up, your skin will look dull and develop a yellow tinge. Lines, wrinkles and poor texture will become more noticeable and your make-up will not lay properly on your skin. You can accomplish this task in several ways. I recommend monthly medical microdermabrasion treatments to remove dead cells and brighten your skin along with a nightly application of Retexturing Complex or Retinol Serum PM by Castillo MD Skin Science. I also love, love, love to use a weekly application of the Dr. Castillo’s Microdermabrasion Scrub. It leaves my skin so smooth.
- Hydration – Choose a moisturizer for your skin type. Proper hydration is imperative when it comes to creating smooth, fresh, supple skin.
- Protection – The first three steps on your path to sensational skin will mean nothing without providing UVA/UVB sun protection, 365 days per year.
I referred to steps 1-4 as the basics. That is because in some cases, you may need to add a treatment to your skincare regimen as well. This may be in the form of particular active ingredients to enhance your basic routine such l. It could also include of series of IPL (Intense Pulse Light), Medical Microdermabrasion or even CO2 Micro-Fractional Laser Resurfacing, just depending on the severity of your skin concerns and your goals.
For more information on this an similar topics, check out my other blog posts regarding skincare and treatment options.
Taking your skin to new heights!
Yours truly,

Roxanne Grace
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY
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