As mentioned in an earlier post, I have decided to work with Perricone MD on putting into place a balanced, realistic and healthy lifestyle that includes skincare, diet and nutrition, as well as exercise and self-care.

For the last few weeks I have been focusing on skincare. Stress, summer heat and the the environmental pollution that one transacts with when living in an urban environment, albeit stimulating one, had taken its toll. My skin was dusty and dull, it seemed to be thinning out (and not from losing weight) and the lines I have loved seemed etched in even deeper. And sadly there was discoloration below my eyes.

Always seeking to be better and learn more, kind of like us, Perricone MD has just launched the Essential Fx Collection and I am giving it a try. The Essential Fx Collection has helped me identify and address two elements that are well…essential for healthy looking skin. I must confess that I never paid much attention to why my skin would look the way it did so this has been a learning experience for me.

Essential Fx starts with the brand’s award-winning and best-selling proprietary molecule Acyl-Glutathione. I love that the brand just keeps building on what the on-going research they do tells them already works (sort of like me using my advocacy and engagement skills as an accidental fashion blogger). 

Glutathione when at the right levels is an essential antioxidant and major detoxifying agent. When at the right levels it prevents and targets the way that the toxins I mentioned above have literally cut into my face in the form of deeper wrinkles and creases. These appear at the corners of my nose and my mouth and right down the middle of my face.  As you know I don’t worry much for vanity reasons about wrinkles but when they are coming from pollution and stress, and it means my skin is not healthy, then I consider it to be an issue to address. Since things like stress and pollutants and yes aging, lower the level of this essential agent, (and they are constants in my life), then if I want to maintain the wellness of my skin, I need to pay attention. 

The problem with beefing up your glutathione levels that gets solved with Perricone MD’s Acyl-Glutathione is that glutathione is water-soluble which means your skin will be very resistant to letting it in. One of skin’s main reasons for being is to keep water out. So by creating a bond between a water soluble and fat soluble molecule (a la Acyl-Glutathione), the use of Essential Fx means it will be much more likely that the essential amounts of glutathione will get to where they need to go (and yes I am being a science nerd here, I find this fascinating).

Now on to the dusty and dull part. Vitamin F is an essential nutrient that refers to the healthy fatty acids that keep the skin moisture barrier intact and healthy. The body does not produce it so we need to supply it. You can do that through diet (more next month on that) or by applying it to your skin. Of which I have been doing neither until I decided to take on this project. Essential Fx adds a Vitamin F infused mixture of flax, chia, and macadamia seed oils to the Acyl-Glutathione that will bring back the glow and suppleness to a face that needs some self care.

Some other pluses for me are that this collection is inclusive; men or women can use it, you can use all of it or some of it, depending on what your most pressing issue is, and for me it is easy to apply and incorporates easily into a morning and bedtime ritual. To find out more click on the products below.

Although I have been using all of the products in this collection, the two that especially target my trouble spots are: the Deep Crease Serum and the Smoothing and Brightening Under Eye Cream. Unlike other products I have used, each of the products absorbs easily into my skin and does not just sit on the surface. It is light and not in the least greasy. Though still there, the deep creases around my mouth are beginning to soften and my under eye area is brightening. I am sure more sleep and not running around so much would also help! The most dramatic and visible change is the way my skin has been absolutely glowing. It is a wonderful thing after using the Intensive Overnight Moisturizer to wake up with skin that is hydrated and not dry. It also feels firmer and more supple. I think that my makeup looks better when I put it on after my new morning skincare ritual. I probably don’t need to use primer anymore. Best of all the sum effect is that my skin is looking and feeling healthy which is my ultimate objective.

To find out more or join me in my experiment to have healthier skin, find a starter collection here.

What do you think about the relationship between wellness and the state of your skin? Do you think about it in relationship to a skincare routine?