Well hello! It's been a while since I've blogged about some of my favourite medical grade products available via The Medished. It's long blog so grab yourself a cuppa or a vino! Why is skincare so important? Aside from self-care, excellent skincare is essential if you want to minimise internal and external skin ageing. Sadly our skin, the largest organ in our body, is often neglected despite the fact that great skin makes us feel amazing! Healthy glowing skin is here to stay so visiting The Medished to access topical actives is a great investment alongside your skin health injectables like profhilo and radiofrequency with evoke for skintightening.
There has been some lovely new products introduced over the last year so lets' get started! For easy reading I will spilt this blog into bite size sections so it's easy for you to refer back to when your ordering your products. The 4 main brands we stock here are Obagi, ZO Skinhealth, Skinbetter Science and the AnteAGE growth factor range.
Why use medical grade skincare?
Your under my professional care so I can analyse and target your skin's needs and concerns directly.
Results are generally quicker as I will ensure your using the products in the right way.
Results are longer lasting as the gold standard ingredients can help transform your skin at a deeper cellular level.
CLEANSERS
Cleansing is such an important part of your daily skincare routine, as it removes makeup, pollution, sweat and surface debris. Once we've cleansed active products can effectively penetrate your skin. Always remember to cleanse morning and night!
a) Obagi cleansers
In the image above there are 3 of my favourite Obagi Cleansers. Depending on your skin needs you may need one or two as a combination.
Obagi gentle cleanser
Obagi exfoliating cleanser
Obagi Clenziderm wash
Obagi-C RX cleanser (not shown in image)
b) ZO Skinhealth cleansers
My two favourites are the:
ZO hydrating cleanser
ZO exfoliating cleanser
I'm often asked which ones I use... well pictured below are the two I use.
Oxygen Infusion Wash by Skinbetterscience
Obagi Exfoliating cleanser
ANTIOXIDANT SERUMS
In my opinion vitamin C is one of the most powerful weapons against ageing skin. A natural ingredient, Vitamin C helps repair damage and protect the skin against further environmental assaults. You can find the strongest strength available in Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%. It also comes in 15% and 10%. This is a stable serum that penetrates deeply to address multiple signs of ageing such as wrinkles, loss of firmness and discolouration. Apply it in the morning for all day protection against free radicals.
Another favourite is the Altodefense serum by Skinbetter Science. This product is a scientifically advanced, award winning antioxidant serum. By combining Vitamin C and 18 additional antioxidant ingredients this product helps to provide daily protection and improvement of uneven tone and texture of the skin. This product is perfect for those patients that may suffer from redness and may have struggled with other medical grade vitamin-C serums.
This product can come as a set with the Alpharet and is called the A-Team duo... a multi-award winning combination for skin rejuvenation. The A-team Duo is perfect for patients who want a change to their night time regime but with maximum benefits.
AnteAGE MD is our newest skincare line that I'm really excited about. So who are AnteAGE MD..? let me explain. This company provide powerful regenerative anti-ageing products through sound evidence-based technologies. AnteAGE® scientists have pioneered the use of Cytosignal cell technology in aesthetics and dermatology fields. They are committed to leveraging the power of recombinant growth factors and cytokines to deliver safe and effective skincare products that promote aesthetic health. This is why we have then here at The Medished!
Do you want your whole skincare cabinet in just two bottles? Well look no further.. a really nice alternative for patients wanting to change up their skincare routine.
The flagship System duo of a serum and accelerator has ideal percentages of vitamin C, niacinamide, bakuchiol (retinol alternative), hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides, vitamin E and of course growth factors.
EYE CREAMS
So a common question I get asked .. do we really need one? I always say yes we do. The skin around the eye is quite thin and therefore very susceptible to wrinkling and sagging. It is absolutely vital to choose a treatment specifically formulated for this area. Medical grade eye creams use patented technology to improves firmness and elasticity around the eyes. The formulations can also smooth out fine lines and wrinkles (not in the same way as botox does) but can make a noticeable difference in just a couple of months. The results are cumulative with continued use of eye creams.
Pictured below are two of my current favourites:
EyeMax AlphaRet Overnight Cream: This rich, silky overnight eye cream is designed to address dryness and the appearance of crepiness, puffiness, lines and wrinkles and darkness in the skin around the eyes. Use only at night as it contains a retinoid!
AnteAGE eye cream: The newest member of our skincare family has been formulated with especially smart ingredients to be an over-achiever in-
Brightening Under Eye Darkness
Giving Extra Lift (ever heard of DDBD? Smooth wrinkles and abolish puffiness in a snap.)
Deeply Hydrating and Softening Skin
Perfect for AM/PM usage, this sleek pump can last up to three months and is perfect for all skin types.
VITAMIN A OPTIONS
In my opinion vitamin A is the holy grail for anti ageing. Vitamin A reduces and prevents the appearance of fine lines, boosts collagen production, improves skin tone/texture and helps to clear breakouts. Retinoids can cause mild irritation when first used but settles within the first couple of weeks of use. My tip is to start on a low percentage and gradually increase usage and strength over time. Always have a consultation with me to know what will suit your skin type. Some of my favourite options are pictured below.
SPF
Using sunscreen daily is essential, even in winter and when indoors. Photodamage not only ages the skin by reducing skin elasticity and contributing to the formation of wrinkles, but it can cause hyperpigmentation and lentigos. Using SPF daily is the cheapest way to stay youthful and protect against skin cancer. Physical (mineral) sunscreen ingredients (including the minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) block and scatter the rays before they penetrate your skin. Chemical sunscreen ingredients (like avobenzone and octisalate) absorb UV rays before they can damage your skin.
What’s my current favourite SPF? Well it’s these beauties by Obagi, they blend beautifully and offer some great coverage. Make sure you enough to cover your face, neck and décolletage and hands!
When to use? … apply as the final step in your morning routine, 100% every day – yes! yes! really. Patients still are confused about this! UVA rays ( the ageing ray!) are around all year.
I appreciate sometimes its hard to find an SPF that suits your skin type, hence we stock many options for you from the ZO skin health range with you can always try on when your in clinic.
An amazing way to top up your SPF throughout the day is the handbag essential pictured below. The sunscreen + powder by ZO Skinhealth is a unique bridge between your sunscreen and make up. This product comes in a gorgeous compact brushe offering on-the-go physical protection from UVA/UVB. Additionally it's enriched with vitamins A/C/E to protect the skin from free radical and infrared damage. It's a winner in my eyes!
MY FAVS
And finally to finish I will share with you a couple of my hero products that are a staple in my skincare regime. Obagi Daily Hydro-Drops® is a lightweight, non-comedogenic, hydrating serum that leaves skin feeling smooth and refreshed. This serum is truly radiance in a bottle! and looks fab on your dressing table:) Ingredients such as Vitamin B3, Abyssinian Oil, and Hibiscus oil to leave skin looking radiant and feeling hydrated all day. Can be used day or night.
I always remind my patients not to neglect exfoliation. I love a quick gentle scrub with ZO skinhealth's exfoliating polish. It contains ultra-fine magnesium crystals to remove dead skin cells, improving skin texture and cell turnover, while vitamins A, C, and E deliver antioxidant protection. When you regularly exfoliate your active ingredients will penetrate deeper into your skin which is a bonus.
I do hope your found this blog helpful and not too confusing. There are so many fabulous products to choose from and creating the right skincare regime that is BESPOKE to your skin type is my job so please get in touch if you need some advice. I am committed to providing outstanding patient outcomes using the highest quality and scientifically-proven products and services.
With love,
Dil x