My Favourite Skincare Product

As a GP and Aesthetic Doctor, I am a strong believer in a holistic approach to skin health and anti-ageing. I am often asked for my opinion on various products, and whether or not the latest creams actually work. Having tried and tested multiple cosmetics and cosmeceuticals, the range I recommend is ZO by Dr Zein Obagi MD.

The ZO range of products is a great seller in my clinic. I was looking to find a range that delivered consistent results not just promises – and ZO delivers. Patients see the results I have had personally and are eager to embark on their own regimes. Many of them have witnessed me go through the initial reaction stages during my aggressive medical regime yet, rather than deter them, it encourages them, as they can see first-hand what to expect and also the results they can expect to achieve.

As a physician, a great benefit of the ZO range is that it is easy to combine products across both the medical and skin health ranges, to provide an individualised protocol for your patient, and to modify that protocol as your patient’s skin dictates. Once a patient has undergone an aggressive regime, they can easily be stepped down onto maintenance using the skin health range. ZO Skin Health is also fantastic for use in healthy skin and younger patients to maintain skin health and prevent the signs of aging.

I personally started using ZO in August 2013, and I have tried every product in both the medical and skin health ranges (apart from the controlled depth peel – which I will be having in the near future!). I know which products I like, and which I don’t (yes there are some -although not many). There are some great result-delivering items, but my favourite has to be Offects Exfoliating Polish.

An all too common complaint I hear from patients is that their skin is “dull” and “rough”. In normal, healthy skin, keratinocytes, the predominant cell type in the epidermis, migrate upwards from the basement membrane, and eventually form part of the stratum corneum, before being shed through desquamation as new cells come up.  It is estimated that keratinocytes turnover from stem cells to desquamation every 40–56 days.  As we age, the time taken for the desquamation to occur increases and this is a major reason for the “rough, dull skin” our patients complain of. Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells from the upper layer of the skin, revealing the healthy skin underneath.

Offects exfoliating polish is part of the skin health range, yet it readily complements the medical range too. It is a component of the essential “minimum” programme that my patients go on to (comprising cleanser, scrub, daily power defense and sunscreen) and is part of “Getting Skin Ready” in Dr Obagi’s protocols. It forms the second step after the appropriate cleanser, and can be used for any skin type. I advise my patients with sensitive skin to use it 2-3 times a weeks, and those with oily skin to use it daily. The vast majority of my patients use it in the morning as the like the glow they have for the rest of the day.

I use the exfoliating polish every morning after oilacleanse and it really does polish my skin, giving it a radiant glow. I have used scrubs in the past but have never found one that leaves my skin feeling so soft and clean, without feeling rough and abrasive. The smell is clean and fresh, like sea minerals, with a hint of eucalyptus.

It is perfect to use during the initial weeks of the more aggressive ZO regimes when your skin is red, dry and flaky as it removes all the dead flaky skin without being too harsh or irritating. The reason for its gentle feel is that the magnesium crystals used in this scrub are round, so unlike other scrubs there are no sharp edges which would cause micro-cuts in the skin. The crystals exfoliate dead skin cells, promoting epidermal cell turnover and thus creating a clearer, smoother, more even-toned complexion.

Like the rest of the ZO range, it is packed full of antioxidants to repair and renew the skin so it is much more than just an exfoliator. Vitamin A enhances collagen production and together with Vitamins C, C-Esters and E, provides a powerful antioxidant punch. Offects Exfoliating Polish helps shield skin against free radicals and repairs damaged skin cells. It minimises the appearance of sun-spots, rough skin, fine lines & wrinkles, leaving skin clear, sleek, even-toned and youthful looking and it allows the active ingredients to penetrate your skin and work much more effectively.

It also contains Tea Tree Oil which acts as an anti-microbial, Liquorice for its anti-irritant and whitening effect, as well as hydrating agents and agents that replenish lipid barrier function. All this from a scrub!

I’m not the only one who raves about Offects Exfoliating Polish, my patients love it too. I regularly get them feeding back to me about how soft and clean their skin feels from the day they start using it. It gives better results than monthly microdermabrasion and costs less too!

Offects Exfoliating Polish is a wonderful multi-tasking exfoliating polish. It’s like scrubbing your face with satiny sugar-sand that has a built in kick to help repair your skin at the same time, whilst giving the experience of a mini spa facial. Who could ask for more?