“How do you beat the Blahs?”

You can't hide what's happening to your complexion under a lot of makeup. Get the skin right first, find a regime to revitalize, optimize and repair, and then you can use cosmetics sparingly, or dramatically, as you prefer.

All you really need to do is dump, bump, and plump.

You’ll find many regimens for bumping off dry surface cells, dumping the old stand-by treatments you used to use (as well as anything else that’s bothering you), and plumping up your facial contours in Going Gray, Looking Great! I’ve given you tips on some of the best products out there, some dermatological services, as well as at-home treatments you can try yourself. The shelves are well-stocked with them, particularly in this era of “anti-aging,” but you really should know what to look for, what to believe, and what to suspect.

It is true that skincare science has taken a giant leap in the past decade. We've had the advent of cosmeceuticals, products that function in a pharmacological way. And we have biotechnology. Today's skincare scientists are able to study, and affect, the way cells function. And then there's nanotechnology; a way of formulating with microscopic particles 1/1000 the size of a cell to penetrate into the skin. So, on all fronts, skincare has become cell-deep. Why? The main objective is to restore cell sufficiency. If a cell is working like it should, it's carrying on its beauty mission.

Make an effort to take care of your skin in the best possible way – be savvy, and look for key ingredients that exfoliate, hydrate, smooth, and brighten skin. Does it happen overnight? No. And yes.

“Instant” Light

There are products out there specifically formulated to impart an instant glow through optical technology. It's a way of changing what the eye sees; either through scattering light, or changing the color of the light. When you scatter the light, you blur the image (and the wrinkles), rather than highlighting them. Reflectivity has been with the beauty world since the invention of "frosted" colors. But today's illumination goes far beyond glittery flecks; microscopic crystals break down white light into different color components, absorbing certain spectrums of UV light to correct skintone, or emitting color of their own. In addition to light-reflecting particles, silicone polymers change the optics of an area, as well as fill in the lines to provide a velvety, seamless texture. This is what some companies call "refinishing" the skin. The texture is indeed transformed, skin becomes unbelievably smooth and soft the moment you apply.

No matter how they add the light, a multitude of skincare products are out there, ready and waiting to hit the high beams on your skin, and you can get a whole shopping list of them in Going Gray, Looking Great!. For now, just know, you don’t have to settle for a faded face when your hair begins to gray... you can beat the blahs, and bring back the glow!