Glick Skin Institute

WestDerm

Holiday Gift Guide 🎁

The holidays are in full swing and that means it’s time to start checking items off your gift list! Here are some of our top picks and crowd pleasers that you and your friends + family are sure to love.
For: The Hydration Lover
Glick Skin Institute Holiday Hydration Regime $299 ($347 value)
Perfect for those wanting to add hydration back into their skin. This holiday set has everything you need from a soothing cleanser, to hydrating serums, and a replenishing cream. Click here to shop now!
For: The Revitalized Skin Seeker
EltaMD UV Restore Bundle $65 ($75 value)
Gift both or get one and keep one (a little treat for yourself!). Revitalize sun-damaged skin by minimizing dark spots and reducing the look of fine lines with these new broad-spectrum sunscreens from EltaMD. Click here to shop now!
*available in tinted and untinted
For: The Healthier Complexion Chaser
Alastin Daily Regime Set $299 ($245 value)
This holiday season, self-care is a must! Treat those you love with this complexion rejuvenator skincare regime. Receive a FREE cosmetic bag and travel size Nourishing Moisturizer with your purchase. Click here to shop now!
Perfect For: Anyone on Your List
SkinCeuticals Holiday Gift Sets $163 – $210 ($166 – $263 value)
With 5 limited-edition exclusive holiday gift sets to choose from, each one is sure to please depending on your needs! Each set tackles a different skincare concern and comes with a FREE premium cosmetic bag ($30 value). Click here to shop now!
Perfect For: Yourself or a Loved One
Give the Gift of a Skin Check
This year, you know the gift of radiant and healthy skin is at the top of our list (and don’t forget…), that also includes getting an annual skin check too! Give yourself, or a loved one, the gift of a skin check so you can start the New Year off right. Healthy skin is always in so schedule your appointment today!
Have fun with your holiday shopping and, as always, if you have any questions about any of the above products or you would like to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist, call us today! Wishing you all love and happiness this holiday season!

Celebrate Movember…Just Don’t Forget About One Thing 💭

Every year in the month of November, we love seeing our patients and male colleagues rocking mustaches for a good cause. That cause, of course, is Movember, the organization and movement seeking to reduce the number of premature deaths in men. Their claim to fame is asking people to grow mustaches to raise awareness about men’s health issues. Yes – even under your masks – we see your support. Ã°Å¸Ëœ·
While Movember focuses on suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer, our Movember celebration (naturally) includes skin cancer prevention. Performing a monthly skin self-check also helps men prevent premature deaths. So, what does a self-check entail? Just follow the five steps below:
+ Examine your body, front and back, in a full-length mirror, paying special attention to your legs
+ Bend your elbows and examine your forearms, the back of your upper arms, and your palms
+ Look at your feet, including the spaces between your toes
+ Use a hand mirror to look at the back of your neck and your scalp
+ Examine your buttock and back with a hand mirror
As your examine your skin, how can you tell the difference between ordinary moles and ones that require attention from a board-certified dermatologist? As the American Academy of Dermatology says, you can use the ABCDE trick as your guide. Make an appointment if you see:
| Asymmetrical moles
| Borders of spots that are patchy and uneven
| Colorful moles or moles that change in color
| Diameters of spots that are large
| Evolving moles
If your skin check comes out clear–and we hope it does–you should still make a yearly appointment with a board-certified dermatologist to get care from an expert. With enough attention and preventative measures, you can lower the number of early deaths from cancer. That’s worth celebrating, during Movember and all year round.

Beginner’s Guide to Good Skin✨

Skin care is an important part of your overall health and well-being, which is why National Skin CARE Awareness Month was put into place during the month of September. Not to be confused with Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in May every year. You can celebrate this awareness month by learning new ways to take care of your skin and make others aware of how to care for their skin as well.
There are many different ways to take care of your overall skin health, a good place to start is by looking at your current skincare product regime and examining how it’s working for you, where you could improve and adjusting to it as needed.
Completely new to skincare and don’t know where to start? With all of the different products out there these days, it can get a little overwhelming. Don’t fret, we have your back! Read on for a beginner’s guide to skincare that will outline a simple routine that will not overwhelm you and one that you can stick with.
BUILD YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE
STEP 1: CLEANSER
You always want to start with a good face cleanser. Cleansing your skin, once in the morning and once at night, is so important because it removes dirt, oil, and other unwanted debris from the skin. If left on the skin, many of these elements can irritate the skin, clog pores, and cause acne and blemishes. We recommend Glick Skin Institute Gentle Antioxidant Soothing Cleanser because it is gentle on the skin but highly effective in removing unwanted debris.
STEP 2: MOISTURIZER
Next, you will want to make sure that your skin is properly moisturized. Moisturizing the skin every day can help reduce the chance of developing extreme dryness or oiliness. Both extremes can be harmful to your skin and can cause skin conditions like acne. Moisturizing also helps your skin stay young and minimizes wrinkles because it aids the skin in repairing itself and staying healthy. We recommend SkinCeuticals Metacell Renewal because its’ a lightweight formula that delivers intense hydration without a heavy or tacky feel.
STEP 3: SUNSCREEN
Wearing sunscreen is the most important part of your skincare routine and you should never skip this step! Using sunscreen not only protects your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and minimizes your skin cancer risk, it also helps keep your complexion even. Sun damage is one of the many causes of uneven skin tones. We recommend EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen because it’s sheer and lightweight, but provides superior UV protection and hydration.
If you have any questions regarding any of the above or want to schedule an in-clinic or TeleDerm appointment with one of our West board-certified dermatologists, don’t hesitate to give us a call or click here.
Yours in good health,
Your Glick Skin Institute Team

What’s on Your Grocery List This Fall? ✏️

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘you are what you eat’, reminding us of the importance of eating good food in order to stay healthy and feel our best. Now that it’s officially fall, we’re taking every opportunity to devour the autumn foods that are particularly high in vitamins and minerals and are excellent for our skin’s complexion. Read on for five fall skin foods that your skin will love! ðŸâ€šÃ°Å¸Ã°Å¸Å’¾
Skin Food #1: Sweet Potato 🍠
Sweet potatoes are available year-round but we always associate them with fall because of their vibrant color. This root vegetable is full of beta-carotene, vitamin D, and anthocyanins which work by fighting the free radicals that cause aging. They are also high in potassium, which keeps the skin hydrated. In addition to eating sweet potatoes, you can mash them up and apply to your face as a soothing and moisturizing face mask.
Try this sweet potato face mask recipe:
·     ½ cup mashed sweet potato
·     1 Tbsp honey
·     1 tsp ginger powder
·     1 Tbsp milk, coconut milk, or almond milk (unsweetened)
·     Mix everything together and apply to your face for 15 mins
Skin Food #2: Apples ðŸÅ½
Time to double down on that apple cider! Apples are an amazing fruit because their high vitamin C content builds collagen and copper levels that helps with cell renewal. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that reduces the free-radical damage to your skin cells caused by pollution or excess sun exposure. 
Skin Food #3: Kale (yeah!) 🥬
This leafy green is jam-packed with vitamins and minerals needed in every diet. It does amazing wonders for your skin as well because it’s full of anti-inflammatory properties that reduces skin redness. It also has Lutein and Zeaxanthin to protect from free radical damage, and Omega 3- Fatty acids to keep your skin supple, nourished and hydrated.
Skin Food #4: Pumpkin 🎃
Perhaps the most famous fall food of them all! Pumpkin (spice and everything nice!). This seasonal fruit isn’t just for pumpkin carving or house decor. It actually packs a major punch of skin nourishment because it’s so rich in beta-carotene. Its antioxidant properties are vital for the formation of vitamin A in the body, which helps with preventing breakouts, smoothing out wrinkles, and promoting natural hydration. It’s the ultimate beauty food to consume this time of year!
And don’t waste those pumpkin seeds because they’re rich in Zinc, an important mineral that helps encourage skin cell production, cell renewal, as well as increase the skin’s ability to heal itself. Try roasting them with salt, pepper, and a few of your favorite spices!
Skin Food #5: Turkey ðŸ¦Æ’
Commonly blamed for Thanksgiving food coma and sleepiness, but surprisingly known for its anti-aging properties. It has vitamin selenium, which helps protect your skin from damaging free radicals that lead to premature signs of aging. Selenium is comparable to vitamin E because, like vitamin E, it assists in skin elasticity and flexibility. Yes please!
Glowing from the inside out starts with what’s on your grocery list and while we love a good skincare routine, what we put into our bodies is just as important to think about. ✨📝😋
As always, we’re here for you so if you have any questions at all regarding your skin health, do not hesitate to give us a call or schedule your appointment here.

Too Cute to Spook with These 6 Skincare Tips

You see a colorful palate of face paint with all the other Halloween goodies, and you have to have it. Your makeup this year will be as epic as your costume, and you just can’t wait to put it on. But hold up there for a minute. If you’re not careful, the stuff you’re about to put on your face can cause some pretty scary skin issues, from acne breakouts to itchiness to a rash. If you do experience any of these side effects from your Halloween makeup, we are here for you. 
 
 
Products To Avoid  
Most “Halloween costume makeup” is heavy, oil-based, and comedogenic. That means it can, and likely will, clog your pores. If your skin is already acne-prone or sensitive, it’s best to run away from this product screaming. It could turn your skin care “goals” into skincare “ghouls.” Especially avoid anything that contains talc, mineral oil, or formaldehyde.   
 
But I Really Want To Wear Costume Makeup  
If you have normal skin and you want to take the risk, you can usually get away with wearing costume makeup for one night—if you prep your skin before and clean it well afterward.   
 
Chose “Theatrical Makeup” Instead  
The better alternative to Halloween costume makeup is to shell out the extra money for “theatrical makeup,” which can be gentler on the skin with less scary after effects. Look for makeup that’s labeled “non-comedogenic,” which means it won’t clog pores. Fragrance-free products will help you avoid the sinister color additives and fragrances that are known to cause allergic reactions.   
 
How To Prep Your Skin   
Start by washing and moisturizing your face. Then, and most importantly, apply a primer to your skin. This puts a protective layer between your skin and your makeup. Well moisturized and primed skin is less likely to absorb all the junk in the Halloween makeup, so we think this is the most essential part of the preparation process.    
 
Drink Lots of Water   
Candy and cocktails can be dehydrating, and water is the antidote. Drinking lots of water is the key to glowing skin on Halloween night and beyond.   
 
Eat Some Skin-Healthy Food  
Your skin will need plenty of antioxidants to counter the damage it’s taking with sugar, alcohol, and Halloween makeup. It’s helpful to eat some yummy antioxidant-rich foods on Halloween day, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Dark chocolate and cinnamon are also good choices.   
 
Aftercare  
When the party is over, it’s essential to double wash your face before you fall asleep. Start with an oil-based cleanser that will take off the majority of the makeup. Then move on to your daily, go-to cleanser for a second wash. If you’re still standing and not “dead on your feet,” tone and moisturize your skin.   
 
The Next Day  
The day after Halloween is the time to really treat your skin right after everything it went through the night before. We recommend you exfoliate your skin with either a physical or chemical exfoliant. This is where a clarifying facial mask could also come in handy.   
 
The Week After Halloween  
There’s nothing like surrendering your skin to the capable hands of a professional esthetician to make sure each pore is clear of Halloween makeup. We recommend a professional facial within a day or so of wearing Halloween makeup. Your esthetician will look at your skin under a magnifying glass to see if any of your pores are still congested. If they are, they have the tools to safely extract any gunk that may be left behind.   
 
Halloween is the one time of the year you can be as ghostly, ghastly, and ghoulish as you want to be. But let’s leave the scary Halloween skin behind this year and focus on maintaining our glowy skin goals. 
 

Tips and Tricks to Maximize Your Moisture

Now that winter is coming you need the rich moisture of heavy creams. But moisturizer alone is not enough to give you that dewy look. You need a whole arsenal of tips and tricks to keep one step ahead of dry skin. Read on for some of our best winter moisture hacks below.   
  
Run A Humidifier  
Want dewy skin in the winter? Buy a humidifier. Drops in winter humidity leave your skin dryer than it was in the summer. Running a humidifier boosts your skin’s moisture levels and eases dry, chapped skin and lips. Winter indoor heating takes moisture from the air—and your skin. Consider buying a mini humidifier to run at your desk while you work on your nightstand while you sleep.   
  
Drink Lots Of Water  
Drinking lots of water this winter will give your skin that dewy, hydrated glow. We’ve heard that we need to drink plenty of water, but how much is enough? Experts say the minimum is 64 ounces a day, or eight cups of water. But some people need more, depending on how dry the weather is and their activity level. Women can benefit from up to 11 glasses of water a day and men from up to 13.   
 
Apply Lotion While Your Skin Is Damp  
One handy tip to maximize your moisture is to apply lotion while your skin is still damp. This is the time your pores are open, and your skin is enjoying the hydration of a steamy shower. But it only lasts a few moments after you towel off, so it’s important to apply lotion right away to lock in the moisture while you have it. This goes for your entire body, as well as your face.   
    
Shop Online For Moisturizers  
Our Glick Skin Institute online shop is brimming with hydration. We carry some of the best moisturizers on the market, including Skinceuticals Emollience, a rich, restorative moisturizer. Another standout moisturizer is Dermal Repair Cream from SkinMedica. This ultra-rich formula helps prevent moisture loss and is loaded with effective moisturizing ingredients like sodium hyaluronate.   
  
Add A Serum This Winter  
Winter is the perfect time to start using serum (if you aren’t already). It’s a thin layer of extra support for your skin that goes on right before moisturizer. Depending on the formula you choose, it can do anything from increase antioxidant vitamins C and E to improve your skin’s moisture barrier.   
 
Book A Professional Facial   
Getting a professional facial can boost your skin’s hydration levels. That’s because dead skin is removed, and so any moisturizer you apply will better reach your skin to do its job.  
  
This winter, it’s time to turn up the volume on moisture with every tip and trick you’re got, including adding a serum, shopping for a rich moisturizer, booking a professional facial, running a humidifier, drinking lots of water, and applying lotion while your skin is still damp. This arsenal of moisture will keep our skin looking dewy even through the dry days of winter.   

(Trick or) Treat Your Skin to After Halloween Skin Care

This Halloween season, it’s time to (trick or) treat yourself to fantastic skin care tips and products that will keep your skin healthy before and after the holiday. From “goblin” up moisture to “masquerading” with a clarifying mask, we have all the product recommendations your skin craves, and you need to reach those skin goals.   
  
Masquerade With A Clarifying Mask  
You’ll want to purify your skin after wearing Halloween makeup, especially if it is the skin-clogging type. Most costume makeup from the Halloween store can cause acne breakouts, allergic reactions, and rashes. If you used it this Halloween, your skin needs a deep cleaning like the type you can get from the Glick Skin Institute Clarifying Clay Mask. It draws out impurities and minimizes the appearance of pores.  
 
Keep your Skin Goblin Up Moisture  
Halloween is a great time to switch your moisturizer to something rich and heavy that will protect you through the colder months ahead. We recommend SkinCeuticals Emollience restorative moisturizer for normal to dry skin types.   
  
Don’t Ghost Your Serum Routine 
Keeping an antioxidant serum in your skin care routine can go a long way to protect you from free radical damage. Reach for SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic for proven protection against free radicals.     
  
Carve Out Some Time For A Facial   
A professional facial from a licensed esthetician is the ultimate way to keep your skin healthy. Your esthetician will pamper your skin until it glows as bright as a jack-o-lantern. Plus, they’ll help you set up the best skin care regimen possible and tailor product recommendations to your specific skin needs.   
  
Rest In Peace  
Sleep is vital to keeping your skin healthy. It’s the time of day when your skin rests and repairs itself. For maximum skin health, follow the expert’s advice and get 7-8 hours of sleep a night if you’re an adult and 9 hours if you’re a teen. And remember to wash your face before you fall asleep at night, especially if you wear makeup.   
  
Banish Dark Circles  
Getting adequate sleep can go a long way to banish dark circles under your eyes. But sometimes, even rest isn’t enough. You may need to treat yourself to an under-eye product like Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment. It reduces the appearance of puffiness and dark circles around the eyes.   
  
Hallo(ween) Yourself Off Unhealthy Foods  
Did you know that fried food and alcohol cause free radicals which harm your skin? A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired electron that scavenges your body looking to bind with an electron. If it pairs with a regular electron, it oxidizes and causes damage. Oxidation breaks down your collagen and elastin. It can make your skin sags, wrinkle, discolor and age prematurely.  
  
Treat Yourself To Antioxidant-Rich Foods  
A little fried food and alcohol are to be expected but make sure you don’t overdo it. Support your skin with antioxidant-rich foods like almonds, avocado, sweet potato, and grapes. These foods are loaded with antioxidants that bind with a free radical’s unpaired electron, rendering it harmless to your skin.  
  
It’s time to (trick or) treat yourself to skincare tips and products to keep your skin healthy before and after the holiday. So use a clarifying mask after wearing Halloween makeup, choose a heavier moisturizer, keep up with your serum routine, get a professional facial, get your sleep, use an under-eye product, limit fried foods and alcohol, and eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.   

Prevent Scary Skin this Halloween with these Tips 😱

You see a colorful palate of face paint with all the other Halloween goodies, and you have to have it. Your makeup this year will be as epic as your costume, and you just can’t wait to put it on. But hold up there for a minute. If you’re not careful, the stuff you’re about to put on your face can cause some pretty scary skin issues, from acne breakouts to itchiness to a rash.   
 
Products To Avoid  
Most “Halloween costume makeup” is heavy, oil-based, and comedogenic. That means it can, and likely will, clog your pores. If your skin is already acne-prone or sensitive, it’s best to run away from this product screaming. It could turn your skin care “goals” into skincare “ghouls.” Especially avoid anything that contains talc, mineral oil, or formaldehyde.   
 
But I Really Want To Wear Costume Makeup  
If you have normal skin and you want to take the risk, you can usually get away with wearing costume makeup for one night—if you prep your skin before and clean it well afterward.   
 
Chose “Theatrical Makeup” Instead  
The better alternative to Halloween costume makeup is to shell out the extra money for “theatrical makeup,” which can be gentler on the skin with less scary after effects. Look for makeup that’s labeled “non-comedogenic,” which means it won’t clog pores. Fragrance-free products will help you avoid the sinister color additives and fragrances that are known to cause allergic reactions.   
 
How To Prep Your Skin   
Start by washing and moisturizing your face. Then, and most importantly, apply a primer to your skin. This puts a protective layer between your skin and your makeup. Well moisturized and primed skin is less likely to absorb all the junk in the Halloween makeup, so we think this is the most essential part of the preparation process.    
 
Drink Lots of Water   
Candy and cocktails can be dehydrating, and water is the antidote. Drinking lots of water is the key to glowing skin on Halloween night and beyond.   
 
Eat Some Skin-Healthy Food  
Your skin will need plenty of antioxidants to counter the damage it’s taking with sugar, alcohol, and Halloween makeup. It’s helpful to eat some yummy antioxidant-rich foods on Halloween day, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Dark chocolate and cinnamon are also good choices.   
 
Aftercare  
When the party is over, it’s essential to double wash your face before you fall asleep. Start with an oil-based cleanser that will take off the majority of the makeup. Then move on to your daily, go-to cleanser for a second wash. If you’re still standing and not “dead on your feet,” tone and moisturize your skin.   
 
The Next Day  
The day after Halloween is the time to really treat your skin right after everything it went through the night before. We recommend you exfoliate your skin with either a physical or chemical exfoliant. This is where a clarifying facial mask could also come in handy.   
 
The Week After Halloween  
There’s nothing like surrendering your skin to the capable hands of a professional esthetician to make sure each pore is clear of Halloween makeup. We recommend a professional facial within a day or so of wearing Halloween makeup. Your esthetician will look at your skin under a magnifying glass to see if any of your pores are still congested. If they are, they have the tools to safely extract any gunk that may be left behind.   
 
Halloween is the one time of the year you can be as ghostly, ghastly, and ghoulish as you want to be. But let’s leave the scary Halloween skin behind this year and focus on maintaining our glowy skin goals. 

You Don’t Have to be a Ghost This Halloween! 👻

Summer might be long gone, but your glow doesn’t have to be!
Transitioning into cloudier, cooler months can be challenging – especially for those who love a good tan! But let’s face it, that summer glow isn’t worth the risks…especially when there is such an easy alternative!
Make this fall an excuse to switch things up and substitute baking in the summer sun with self-tanning or spray-tanning. Your skin will thank you!
Not only will your self-tanner give you that bronzed look your friends will envy, but it also has lots of other benefits:
  • Get a natural-looking tan in minutes
  • Self-tanners and spray tans do not expose you to dangerous UV rays
  • Your skin won’t age as fast
  • Conceals blemishes, varicose veins and stretch marks
  • Creates a smooth and even tan
  • Can be customized to the color/tone of your choice
Self-tanners seem like a no-brainer, right? Ask your dermatologist about their recommended lotion and spray-on tanners today.

Come Join Us for our Boo-Tox Event 👻

Come spook those wrinkles away at our FIRST ever Boo-Tox Event from October 25 – 29th! Join in the fun with this exclusive discount on Botox.
Get 10 FREE units of Botox with purchase of 30+ units
Participating Clinics:
  • Hillcrest
  • Carlsbad
  • Encinitas
  • Newport Beach
  • Rancho Santa Margarita
*valid Oct 25 – 29th only
*cannot be combined with any other offers