Perfect Skin During Lockdown
Use Your Time at Home to Transform Your Skin with ZO® Skin Health
When our social and professional schedules slow down, our skin care routine does not have to. In fact, periods of reduced outdoor activity and fewer social commitments are the ideal time to introduce or intensify more active skincare protocols and treatments that we might otherwise avoid during busier periods.
For anyone dealing with hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, uneven texture, acne or melasma, this is the perfect time to introduce or increase the use of retinol, retinoic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C and similar actives. These ingredients, which Dr. Zein Obagi calls the "Super Heroes", are particularly powerful agents, essential and irreplaceable for restoring the characteristics of healthy skin and correcting more complex and difficult conditions. However, precisely because of their potent therapeutic effect, these substances can cause redness, irritation, peeling and dryness, especially when the skin is not yet accustomed to them or when they are used at higher doses and frequencies. That is exactly why periods of reduced social activity are an excellent opportunity to introduce these products or increase how often you use them.
Wrinkle + Texture Repair with 0.5% Retinol is a highly concentrated emulsion that stimulates cell turnover, smooths texture and reduces fine lines, stimulates collagen production and deep hydration, restoring a youthful firmness to the skin. It also works well for evening out skin tone and fading pigmentation spots. For anyone who has never used retinol before, this is the product I would recommend as a starting point. For those who already use it and want to boost its effect, it can be applied alongside Exfoliating Accelerator, a 10% glycolic acid serum that can be used on its own, particularly for congested skin, acne or rosacea, or combined with the other "ZO Skin Super Heroes" as a true booster that accelerates exfoliation and cell turnover and amplifies the effect of everything applied afterwards.
Retinol Skin Brightener with 1% Retinol is the number one ally for anyone dealing with melasma, hyperpigmentation or post-inflammatory spots. Highly active, it visibly lightens discolouration and reduces melanin accumulation, even on the most problematic skin types.
For the more adventurous, I strongly recommend Radical Night Repair, a high-potency microencapsulated retinol gel with vitamins A, C and E and stem cells, that stimulates, brightens, firms and minimises fine lines and texture irregularities. The slow-release retinol delivery system makes this product particularly powerful. Applied morning and evening, or even three times a day for four to five consecutive days, it becomes an intensive and highly effective at-home peel.
Finally, if you enjoy peels and masks, I recommend trying Enzymatic Peel, a blend of specific enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids, suitable for all skin types and usable on the face, décolleté, shoulders and back. Enzymatic Peel promotes gentle exfoliation and leaves the skin smooth and radiant, without irritation. For a more intense effect, apply it and leave it on for two to three hours, or overnight and rinse it off in the morning. Once rinsed, follow with Skin Brightening Sheet Masque for 30 minutes for genuinely luminous, toned skin.
Remember that if you want to get the most out of your ZO® Skin Health products, you should never skip the regular use of the GSR (Getting Skin Ready) products and the Daily Power Defence, to cleanse, exfoliate, stabilise and prepare the skin for the steps that follow. And never forget to apply SPF 50 sun protection, Daily Sheer or Smart Tone, even when you are staying indoors. UV and HEV radiation are the leading cause of skin ageing, and the screens of computers and mobile phones also emit radiation that contributes to photoageing.
Dr. Beatrice Giorgini
02/2014 MD Z. Obagi - MD B. Giorgini