#atralin

Using Retin-A (Tretinoin) or any other prescription-strength acne medicine can be a painful process. Here I’ve compiled all the tips that I’ve been given by the dermatologist and previous users of the treatment for my own reference, but I hope it can help other first time users as well. 

Unlike most people, I had great skin throughout my teen years. It wasn’t until I turned 18 that I started experiencing what I now know is called hormonal acne. It’s a result of poor stress management and hormonal swings. Most people who know me never saw how bad it got since when my skin breaks out I tend to avoid social obligations. My first bout with this health and beauty challenge gave me a…

Unlike most people, I had great skin throughout my teen years. It wasn’t until I turned 18 that I started experiencing what I now know is called hormonal acne. It’s a result of poor stress management and hormonal swings. Most people who know me never saw how bad it got since when my skin breaks out I tend to avoid social obligations. My first bout with this health and beauty challenge gave me a…

the 6 face products i cannot live without

my mother is a skin care expert and so i learned at an early age that taking care of one's skin is really important. cleanse, tone, moisterize. always! she taught me everything about how to take care of my skin and most importantly, to take cues from my skin and to react to it as it changes over seasons and with age.

we are big body shop fans in our family and i have been using body shop products (face and body) since i was a pre-teen. the ingredients are excellent, the price points amazing for the quality and the ethics of the company are truly unparalleled in the industry. their products work really well for my skin and the ones pictured have been my staples for 15+ years (i have oily/combination skin, so while these products work for me, they might not work for you. ask the trained skin care professionals in store about what products might work for your skin!).

over the last year, i have added the other three products into my regimen and my skin has never looked or felt softer and brighter and i couldn't recommend these all more highly.

vitamin e face cream | a water based cream rich with vitamin e, a natural antioxidant that fights against free radicals and helps keep skin firm and smooth. i have been using this for nearly 20 years and it is the perfect amount of moisture for my combination skin, especially in the summer.

vitamin c face polish | vitamin c is another natural antioxidant that helps keep skin elastic and bright looking. i use this once a day with my clarisonic brush and have been using this gentle exfoliating wash for over 10 years. 

tea trea oil | i still break out every now and then and this is my hero product. dab on a little bit of this oil (which is misleading as it is 15% tea tree oil in an alcohol and water base. never use 100% tea tree oil on your skin as it will burn!) onto the blemish before you go to bed and it will start shrinking over night. tea tree oil is a natural anti-bacterial agent and this product works miracles. i couldn't love it more and have been using this since my super pimply teen days. i'm 32, so you do the math.

weleda iris hydrating facial lotion | this is a new to me product introduced to me by my pal b. she uses their skin food and i loved the smell and feel of it so much that i had to try the brand and this particular formulation works best for me, especially now that the weather is changing and my aging skin needs more moisture than the vitamin e face cream can provide. i use it as a night cream as your skin absorbs more moisture at night but if i wake up with dry patches as the weather gets colder, i might have to use this during the day too. 

atralin gel | i have been using this dermatologist prescribed retinol for 6 months and i love it. retinol is more popular now that it is available in over the counter products (i was using help me by philosophy from sephora but my derm sold me on this and i like it better) and it is sold as an anti aging cream that helps smooth fine lines, reduce pores and help collagen production. i am 32 and i felt that if i can be preventative, then why not start now and i love how my skin looks and feels with this product - softer than ever. like, as soft as a baby's bottom. definitely ask your dermatologist about it and be aware that it does take your skin a few weeks to adjust to it, so you might get some dry patches on your face at the beginning. also, this is not a daily product but again, ask your derm for all the information.

clarisonic mia | i had been hearing about the wonders of this product for the last two years and was curious so i bought this on sale last year. i have fairly good skin, so thought, do i really need this? yes! it enhances everything about my skin and i can't live without this little brush. if you've been on the fence about this, then i implore you to get one. you'll love it, promise!

Holy shit okay. I’ve probably had acne since I was 12 or so and now it’s actually awful. I decided to start seeing a dermatologist along with my 17 thousand other doctors.

Anyways, when I went 3 months ago he gave me atralin, acanya, and clindamycin phosphate lotion. It looked a little better but not much. My face got very red wherever I put any of it. I’m only supposed to put it on acne zones, so I have lines of my regular skin.

I went back to the dermatologist on Tuesday and he said it looked a little better but not much. He then prescribed me solodyn 65 mg. so far it’s working a little bit but it only gets rid of the red pus filled acne which I’d kind of like to get rid of last because my persistent acne is so bad. But I mean it’s going away so.

Has anyone else been on solodyn?? I took it last night and when I woke up my eyes, mouth, and hands were so dry.

Name: Lauren Sundick

City: Manhattan, NY

Job: Dermatology Physician Assistant

Motto: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams (Eleanor Roosevelt)

If you had to pick 3 fashion must haves for every woman, what would they be?

- A great little necklace that compliments every outfit. It can be layered with more interesting necklaces for special occasions, but something you can wear everyday.

- A classic black knit dress; to be worn at the office, in the evening, and even on weekend days.

- Perfect fitting jeans.  Mine are a dark blue, straight-leg style from J Brand, for others they may be bell-bottoms, jeggings, embellished etc. – fit is key!

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is simple, classic, and current.  I try to mix classic silhouettes and styles with more trendy accessories.  For example, my current go-to outfit is a gorgeous Joie blouse with straight-leg jeans, timeless flat black leather boots, understated diamond jewelry and a “trendy-for-me” Rebecca Minkoff chain-linked bag.

What 3 beauty products can you not live without?

- La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF

- Bobbi Brown Under-Eye Corrector

- Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne

What are your special interests outside of the office?  What are you passionate about?

I’m extremely passionate about my family.  My time outside the office is either spent trying a new restaurant with my husband or traveling to Minnesota or California to see my family.

Tell us a unique fact that very few people know about you!

My husband and I go to the exact same sushi restaurant every Friday night.  After a long week of work, I don’t have the energy to find somewhere new to explore.  So, we go to our favorite sushi spot two blocks from our apartment and order the exact same meal every week.  However, on Saturday evenings we almost always try a new restaurant.

My advice: stick with what you love, but don’t be afraid to try something new!

What does your daily sun protection and anti-aging regimen consist of?

As a dermatology PA, I am diagnosing skin cancers and using laser procedures to reverse sun damage every day. As a result, sun protection is a major focus of my daily routine.  I wear La Roche-Posay Anthelios Daily Moisturizing Cream with SPF every morning and apply a powder sunscreen throughout the day if I will be outside.  I wear sun protective clothing, especially while exercising outside.  I always wear a wide-brimmed hat – the Mott50 Billy style is comfortable, cute, and perfect for both everyday and the beach.  The Niki infinity scarf will be kept in my bag all summer to add extra sun protection when I find myself exposed to the sun unexpectedly. I love it because it can be worn as a traditional scarf to protect the chest (the “giveaway” area for aging, most women only protect their faces and the sun damage on their chest gives away their true age!) or twisted in any fashion to protect whichever part of the body needs sun protection in that moment.

As for my anti-aging regimen, it’s simple, I’m diligent with sunscreen, I consistently moisturize, I use a retinoid every night (Atralin, a brand-name tretinoin medication with hyaluronic acid in the vehicle to prevent irritation) and I regularly use antioxidant serums to fight free radical damage (the breakdown of collagen, among other things). Also, regular chemical peels help diminish pigmentation and even out the skin’s texture and tone.

What’s your ‘must-have’ item in the Mott 50 collection?  And how would you accessorize it?