Just Ask David

Society’s latest and most popular solution for wrinkles and sagging skin is facial fillers. But for those who aren’t interested in injectables, anti-aging laser treatment is probably for you.

Beauty editor Ani Palen joins Just Ask David to share the inside scoop on laser treatment. Her goal is to help people discover their perfect skin care routine so that they never have to worry about leaving the house without makeup again. Ani has written previously for POPSUGAR, Charlotte’s Book, and other various publications.

Is Laser Treatment for Me?

While laser treatment isn’t as invasive as a Botox injection, there is still a recovery time and potential discomfort during healing. “The laser gets down deep, pulverizes (which sounds scary, but it’s not), and resurfaces your skin from the inside out,” Ani adds.

Cost is another factor to consider. You don’t need routine maintenance with laser treatment unless it is recommended for your skin type, but it can still be pretty pricey.”

“It is pretty expensive, especially if you have to do a few treatments,” Ani agrees.

Different Types of Laser Treatments

“To be blunt, you end up looking a little bit like you got beat up with a meat cleaver for a few days,” she says. “So it’s one of those treatment where you’re going to have to hide inside a little bit.”

Both treatments are good for age and sun spots, fine lines, and scarring. Perfect if you’ve been neglecting your sunscreen for the last few years.

Getting the Most Out of Your Laser Treatment

“If this is the route you’re going to take, you should be taking care of your skin regularly and this isn’t just something you think of as a quick fix,” Ani reiterates. “You should be someone who takes care of their skin everyday, uses antioxidants, [and] uses sunscreen.”

Follow Ani Palen on Social Media!

As skin care consumers start to show a preference for simple ingredients, a lot of us realize that we can make similar products at home.

Beauty News NYC co-owner and editor Candice Sabatini joins Just Ask David again to share with us which high quality skin care ingredients we can use right from our pantry or garden.

Coming Up Roses in Skin Care

Roses are soothing to the skin, relieving redness while providing enough moisture to keep the skin from drying out. Roses are also antibacterial, making them great for killing infections on the skin.

“Rose is distilled into oils and rose water. There are wonderful rose water sprays you can spray on your face,” Candice says. “It’s refreshing, it calms the skin… And then there’s rose oils that are added into moisturizers, body creams, even face powder.”

A skin care ingredient that smells as beautiful as it looks? Yes, please.

The Mountain Honey That Can Save Your Skin

“It’s got a lot of antibacterial properties -- much more than other honeys,” Candice says. “It also treats a lot of skin conditions. It’s good for eczema, you can even put them on blemishes.” Manuka honey’s inflammatory and humectant properties make it a great choice for anti-aging skin routines.

“You can wash your face with it or run it in your bath water,” Candice adds. “Or you can add some things like oatmeal and wash your face with it and that makes it a very gentle exfoliant.”

No wonder Manuka honey sells for $30 or more per jar!

Candice’s Favorite Go-To DIY Face Mask Recipe

“As the warm weather comes and we want to be refreshed. Also, we tend to exfoliate a little more,” Candice says. “Get a can of frozen orange juice, scoop some of it out. You can add a some yogurt or mayonnaise or avocado. It makes a wonderful face mask. You apply it to the face for five minutes and it closes enlarged pores.”

Sounds more refreshing (and better for your skin) than a popsicle in mid-July!

Follow Candice Sabatini on Social Media!

Prefer beauty secrets straight from the source? Follow Candice Sabatini on Twitter @SabatiniOnStyle and Instagram @Candice_Sabatini!

Most of us are not getting enough exercise. That’s a daunting fact on its own, but trying to figure out how to get started is a huge hurdle to begin with.

Former Women’s Day contributing editor Karen Asp brings her health and fitness expertise to Just Ask David to answer two biggest questions we all have before planning an exercise routine: How do I stay motivated to exercise? And, what types of exercise should I be doing to be able to see a significant improvement in my overall health?

What’s Your Motivation to Exercise?

For Karen, her family’s predisposition to Alzheimer’s motivates her to exercise. “We know that aerobic activity in particular can help thwart the risk of dementia as you age. So that’s a big one for me,” she says. Indeed, studies have shown that aerobic exercise can improve memory and reduce the impact of cognitive decline as you age.

Tied to our overall health and longevity is our fitness age. Your fitness age is different from your actual, chronological age. For instance, you may technically be 35 years old. But a sedentary lifestyle and a diet of fast food can make your fitness age comparable to that of the average 50-year-old!

“Aging is a good thing. It’s better than the alternative, as my grandmother always used to say,” Karen says. “But aging is still aging, and I definitely want to age through life younger than I am and that means I need to lower my fitness age.”

How to Improve Your Fitness Age

Many of us have heard that 15,000 steps per day is recommended for health when researching weight loss methods. “It is a good number to shoot for,” Karen says. “There are other studies that have shown roughly 6,000-7,000 steps per day -- keep in mind that the average American takes about 4,000 steps a day -- would be for optimal health [and] keeping your heart in shape.”

For weight loss, then that number gets closer to the 15,000 figure. “Now we’re talking about over 10,00 steps,” Karen says. “And the statistics show perhaps the better goal for that would be 12,000 steps.”

Intensity of Exercise and Age

While it’s great to get moving, it’s important to note the way you move. Short bursts of intense exercise is incredibly beneficial to lowering your fitness age. Karen recommends at least one day of high-intensity aerobic exercise, like interval training.

Follow Karen Asp on Social Media!

A scent can be just as distinctive as a face. Yet when it comes to picking one, there are a lot of things we don’t consider before we buy.

Veteran journalist Deborah Fulsang joins Just Ask David to give us the inside scoop on the fragrance industry and lend us some helpful advice on how perfume can be used. Deborah has been a beauty journalist and expert for Canada’s top news outlets for over 20 years.

How to Pick a Perfume for Someone Else

“It’s best to do a bit of homework first, and if you can snoop around a little bit and see what [the person] is really into right now,” she says.

“One thing I say to people when they’re trying to find something new is, think about the other person and think about their happy place… If their whole thing is that they love the beach, then look for a scent or talk to somebody in the store about a scent that has what they call ‘ozonic’ notes. They smell like the ocean, sand, and the beach, maybe a little salt.”

Fragrance Can Help You De-Stress

“It’s really interesting because it’s so connected to your limbic system,” Deborah adds. “You can really use fragrance to help you destress and create a little ritual at home where you have a scent that you love - let’s say it’s scented candles. So create a pattern where maybe you light a few candles and that’s a prelude to relaxing, getting your head away from work.”

A certain fragrance can also provide a mental escape when you need to go to your happy place. “Perfume has this ability to transport you in time and to a different place,” Deborah says.

Spring Fragrance Trends

“There’s definitely a movement to herbal notes [and] different floral notes, especially white floral, [and] a lot of citruses,” Deborah shares.

Perfume packaging is taking a hint from skin care, too. Unique, eye-catching packaging with “really gun graphics and interesting bottles” are becoming more prevalent with fragrances.”

Follow The Whale & The Rose on Social Media!

Visit Deborah Fulsang’s perfume blog, The Whale & The Rose! Don’t forget to “Like” on Facebook and follow @thewhaletherose on Instagram and Twitter!

Vegan beauty isn’t what it used to be - in the best way.

Clean, high-quality vegan beauty is breaking into the mainstream beauty world and making waves. It’s even changing industry standards, like the Millennials’ overwhelming preference for cruelty-free makeup.

A fitness & wellness expert Margaux Lushing joins Just Ask David to answer everything you’ve ever wanted to know about clean beauty. Margaux is the founder of Well + Away, makers of

The Green Beauty Business is Booming

With a limited variety of drab colors and questionable application, it’s not wonder that no one was interested in green beauty products. Margaux points out that high-quality green beauty products were only accessible to anyone who can afford the hundreds of dollars it cost for just an ounce or two of product.

Until now.

“If you compare even walking through Sephora today to even four years ago, there’s so many brands that are clean” Margaux says. “[There are more brands] that don’t have parabens, that don’t have sulfates, that don’t have crazy dyes, that are vegan, that are cruelty-free. It’s amazing.”

“But I think also, there was a period of time where people were just sticking chemicals into everything. And we weren’t asking questions. We didn’t really know anything,” Margaux says. “Once we, as people who buy these things and put them on our body, figured out, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t want that on me,’ I think it’s pretty hard to turn a blind eye once you know what goes into those things.”

Be Green Wherever You Go

When we travel and leave behind our comforts of home, many of us also leave a part of our green routine. It can be hard to find places that accommodate your diet and lifestyle.

Margaux says it all comes down to revenue. If there’s money to be made, travel hubs like hotels and airplanes will accommodate your needs.

“If you’re spending money on it, they’ll do it. If people are buying an acai bowl at breakfast, if people are buying a green shake at breakfast, their kitchen will make it.”

Follow Well + Away on Social Media

There used to be a time when most men thought beauty products were strictly for women.

But things are changing now. With a new focus on gender inclusivity in beauty (especially with the rise of K-beauty, which has always been popular with Korean men), men are starting to use beauty products, too.

Hilary Sheinbaum joins Just Ask David to explain this phenomenon and what it means for the beauty industry in the future. Hilary is an NYC-based journalist who has written for the likes of Marie Claire magazine, ELLE.com, USA TODAY, and the list goes on.

Men are Using Women’s Beauty Products More Than Ever

But why?

A lot of it has to do with the fact that men have been averse to beauty products for so long that they’re just now beginning to understand what they’re missing.

“Guys are realizing that women have great beauty products and sometimes they’re not as good when they’re marketed just for men,” Hilary agrees. “I’ve had a few conversations with my guy friends and they’ll ask me, ‘What can I do about this little wrinkle here or this issue that I’m having with my hair. And I obviously know the women’s market, so I can talk to them about the products I use and then they become interested in those specific products as well.”

...But Women are Using Men’s Products, Too!

“I think there are certain razors… that give you a closer shave or… the technology is better on [men’s] razors, and women often use that,” Hilary says. “I know friends who are female who use men’s deodorant because it can be stronger.”

Beauty is Beauty, and Everyone Can Be Beautiful

“It doesn’t matter what sex you are, you can use any kind of face cream,” Hilary says. “It’s not only about looking your best, it’s about feeling your best. And to be honest, [getting a manicure] is not the worst thing in the world! It’s relaxing, it’s nice, and you walk away and you have nice hands. So it’s a win-win.”

Follow Hilary Sheinbaum on Social Media!

Age is a difficult thing to accept. Especially these days, when people are living longer than ever. Many of us are just as active as we were when we were 25, so it’s hard to see someone in the mirror who looks older than you feel.

New York-based beauty and lifestyle writer Crystal Martin joins Just Ask David to share her best tips on staying young - both in body and soul. Crystal is a regular contributor to The New York Times and she’s also written for Shape and Women’s Wear Daily.

Youthful Skin with NO FILLERS!

“One of my favorite products right now is one that even people who are pretty well-versed on things that reverse aging, they’re still not using. And that’s Sculptra,” Crystal shares. “It’s an injectable. People think of it like a filler but they’re not. It doesn’t create an actual physical presence in your skin. …. It essentially preps your skin to produce more collagen.”

Again, these aren’t fillers. So the results aren’t as instant, either. In fact, it takes about three months to see the full results of Sculptra. “The results are very, very natural,” Crystal adds.

Makeup for Mature Skin

But Crystal knows a way to make your eyelashes thicker. And all you need is eyeliner.

“Using eyeliner really close to the eye line and putting it in between your eyelashes with a brush… as your skin, your eyes get a little bit more lax [and] heavy. Thick eyeliner exacerbates that problem, so you just want to make it very natural, kind of like an enhancement.”

Crystal also suggests using a lightweight foundation, as heavier foundations tend to settle into our wrinkles and accentuate them.

“Women tend to like foundation and moisturizers that are light. They like the serum foundations, things that just provide just a little bit of coverage in places where they have hyperpigmentation or a bit of redness, otherwise leaving the skin fresh and beautiful,” she says.

And just as important is keeping your skin hydrated to prevent dry, wrinkled skin. “Not just a moisturizer, but something that will draw moisture into your skin… so a toner that has glycerin in it or something that will actually hydrate your skin before you put on your lightweight foundation,” she adds.

Follow Crystal Martin for More Anti-Aging Tips!

What’s your foundation I.Q?

Do you know how to contour your face to make it look thinner? How about applying your foundation to create a soft, dewy effect?

Arizona-based beauty and lifestyle reporter Wendy Rose Gould joins Just Ask David to divulge all of her foundation knowledge and tricks!

Wendy primarily covers women's interests and contributes regularly to PopSugar, Allure, Total Beauty, Bustle, and SWAAY Media. From behind the scenes at NYFW to Miss USA and beyond, she’s always eager to know what lipstick someone’s wearing or what their favorite beauty hack is.

Prepping Your Skin Before Applying Foundation

“You need to start with a really great base which means you’re taking care of your skin everyday,” she says.

And when it comes to foundation, the most important part of your skin care routine is moisturizing.

“If you don’t have moisturized skin, you’re going to look not only dull, but you’re going to have flakes on your skin that are going to pick up makeup and just look kind of cakey and not natural.” Chuckling, Wendy adds, “I am a fan of applying as much moisture to my face as possible and I have been accused of reverse-aging. So I know I’m going something right.”

Next Step: Primer

“A primer’s going to blur lines and it’s going to create this beautiful, even foundation,” Wendy says. “And it’s going to help your makeup last all day long.”

Wendy suggests dimethicone-based primers for a more blurred effect that many of us like, but there are other strong primers out there, too.

“One of my favorite primers actually is Farsali Unicorn Essence, which doesn’t use any dimethicone at all,” she says. “[It’s] loaded with antioxidants and it combats dryness while imparting this really sheer glow underneath the foundation.”

The Final Step: Putting on the Foundation

“I recently talked to Patrick Todd. He’s a celebrity makeup artist,” Wendy says. “His technique is that he’ll apply foundation with a stippling brush… Afterwards, he’ll go back in with a damp beauty blender and diffuse lines to help create really smooth canvas and build up really sheer, glowing coverage.”

Straight from a beauty insider who does Gigi Hadid’s makeup - nice!

Follow Wendy Gould on Social Media!

Visit Wendy’s website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @WendyRGould!

We know how catastrophic stress can be to health. So it makes sense that stress can have a negative impact on the appearance and overall health of our skin.

So what do stress-related skin issues look like?

Beauty editor and expert Melanie Rud Chadwick joins Just Ask David to share with us everything she knows about the effects of stress on the the skin.

Melanie Rud Chadwick has been in the beauty industry for over a decade, sharing her wide array of knowledge on all beauty-related topics. She has held beauty editorial positions at Shape, Good Housekeeping, and Health. Today, she’s often featured as a t.v. beauty expert and continues to write for both national prints and digital outlets.

How Does Stress Affect Your Skin?

“When we’re talking about stress, we’re really talking about cortisol,” Melanie says. “Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone. It’s released when we are stressed, be it a mental stress, emotional stress, [or] physical.”

The difference with your skin, unlike your heart or your stomach, is that you can really clearly see the signs of stress showing up and manifesting on your skin.

Symptoms Your Skin is Stressed Out

If you’ve been stressed lately, you may have your answer to these sudden skin changes.

“The difference with your skin, unlike your heart or your stomach, is that you can really clearly see the signs of stress showing up and manifesting on your skin,” Melanie says.

The classic and most widely-recognized symptom of stressed skin is - you guessed it - acne breakouts. “The increase in cortisol increases oil or sebum production, which in turn leads to an increased risk of breakouts or pimples,” Melanie explains.

“There’s also increased dryness in the skin,” she adds. “When you’re stressed, your body innately starts to send more water to the more vital organs, like the heart and the lungs, which leaves less water for your skin.”

What Can You Do About Stress-Related Skin Issues?

“With a lot of skin issues, you really want to be addressing the root cause and not just treating the symptoms,” Melanie agrees. Instead of buying a bunch of skin care products to try to treat the symptoms, you have to better manage your everyday stress.

“Really, it’s important to minimize stress… it’ll really show up on your skin,” she says. “You want to do things that relax you and destress you.”

Another way to reduce stress and cortisol production? Something that many of us are too stressed to get much of - sleep.

“When you sleep, your cortisol levels are always at their lowest and a lot of good-for-your-skin hormones and growth factors are naturally at their highest levels,” Melanie explains. “So your skin is much better able to repair itself, regenerate, heal - there’s a reason they call it beauty sleep.”

Above all, if you want to take care of your skin, you have to take care of yourself.

“If you’re stressed and not eating right and not sleeping, and exercising, the fanciest cream in the world is not going to help you, unfortunately,” Melanie says.

Follow Melanie Chadwick on Social Media!

“Like” Melanie on Facebook and follow her on Instagram @melrchadwick!

Coming into 2018, we’ve seen the sharp rise of the at-home beauty and skin care tool. It’s a more convenient (and cheaper) alternative to a visit to the dermatologist.

Regular PureWow contributor and NYC lifestyle blogger Marisel Salazar joins us again, but this time it’s to school us on what she calls “the holy grail of skin care”: microneedling.

What Is Microneedling?

But how does it work?

“It uses a mechanized device called a dermapen,” Marisel explains. “And it makes thousands of miniscule needle punctures in the outermost layers of your skin.”

Those tiny needles trigger a healing response in our skin which triggers the production of collagen, making the skin look brighter, smoother, and younger.

Vampire Facials: A Facial with.... Blood?

But is it just a trend, or does it really work?

“The vampire facial, where you use your own blood, is actually PRP or platelet-rich plasma,” Marisel explains. “So what’s neat about PRP -- you draw your blood… and separate the red from the white blood cells. In truth, we only actually use the white cells. Those are the ones that have the benefit of the growth factors. It ramps up stem cell production in the microneedling treatment.”

What about the horribly red, pin-pricked selfie Kim K posted? Does the treatment really make your face look that way?

“The post redness you experience from a lot of in-office treatments just allows for faster recovery,” Marisel assures us. “But you’re not walking out looking like you got a skin burn. From the get-go, you’re glowing… It takes about 40 min flat, but it’s something you can do in, let’s say, an afternoon. And depending on your redness, you’ll be back at work the next day.”

Microneedling: At-Home vs. In-Office

No wonder she calls it the holy grail of skin care!

Follow Marisel Salazar on Social Media for More Lifestyle & Beauty Trends