ybf Skincare- A Year in Review

*Even if you’ve never used such an amazing like of skincare products like ybf, this article has lots of great tips on getting the most out of any such product. If you’re interested in the ybf line, please visit their website at www.ybf-skincare.com

This year has brought a lot of changes- my daughter is now a teenager, my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, I’ve lost the 32 pounds that I gained in my 4 years of being a freelance writer (opposed to being a retail manager where I was on my feet all day), and I don’t really now how I ever lived without the amazing line of skincare products from ybf- Your Best Face.

As I approach my 40th birthday, I’ve noticed (like every other female on the planet) that the skin on my face isn’t what it used to be. The dimples on my cheeks that people used to refer to as “adorable” turned into not-so-cute indentions that stayed in place whether I has wearing a cheerful grin or not. My eyelids stopped popping back into place after applying a shade or two of eye shadow. And a pencil eyeliner was almost a thing of the past, as the color would smear a bit downward, sinking into and accentuating every tiny line around my eye.

Did I mention the horrid adult acne that sprang up out of nowhere? I didn’t even want to leave the house, for no matter what products I used, my skin was ten times worse than when I was a teenager. My weight continued to increase, and my self-esteem continued to decrease. Horrid skin, I thought, was just part of the package. I took a part-time job at a local supermarket for the exercise, for I am not the type of person to go to the gym- I’d much rather make a little bit of spending money while losing a few pounds.

One year later, I must say that I’m completely happy with my weight and skin. I don’t look 40, I don’t act 40, and most importantly, I don’t feel 40—not that 40 is by any means “old”, it’s just a number that calculates how long I’ve been in existence, translating into a wealth of knowledge that I certainly didn’t have when I was 25.

As for ybf skincare, I certainly don’t understand how I ever lived without it. Darrell and Kimberley. co-founders and creators of this most amazing of skincare lines, are certainly a duo worth tangling with. Since I answered their ad on Craigslist for a freelance writer to try their products in January of 2007 (in which I did NOT receive money for my efforts, just the products), my face is definitely more resilient, the tiny lines under my eyes have all but disappeared, and the horrid adult acne that once overtook my face is now limited to one tiny blemish springing up just once each month.

Over this period of time, I did a lot of research about the ingredients in skin care products. Vitamin C is one such ingredient, as it is an anti-oxidant that fights off the “free radicals” that affect our skin, both naturally within the course of our busy lives and with what we put into our bodies. Basically it brings up your immune system, whether you utilize its value internally or externally. So within the past year, I’ve begun drinking green tea for it’s powerful anti-oxidants, eating blueberries (for they naturally have one the highest, potent levels of Vitamin C), as well as using ybf on my face. Many lines of beauty products utilize Vitamin C, but there are a plethora of variations of it, many of which are the equivalent of squeezing an orange on your face. ybf uses ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate / tetrahexydecyl ascorbate, which is a higher end, more effective version of this powerful anti-oxidant. Have I noticed a difference? Absolutely! Words are even tough to come by, even for me.

As far as the rest of my body and the intake of anti-oxidants, my immune system is at a level in which my allergies are almost non-existent. Since allergies wear on a body’s natural defense, my intake (and outtake) has allowed me to only be ill once over the long, cold New Hampshire winter. And if I had taken better care of myself when I was sick (rested more), I wouldn’t have had the relapses that I did. And it’s all based on immunity.

Along the route of my ybf year, I managed to create a list of activities and such that assist ybf (or other skincare products) in their mission to grant me the “best face” I could possibly have:

1. Sleep: I cannot emphasize the sleep factor enough. “Beauty Sleep” is terms that so many use, but do these individuals actually allow themselves to get enough? Here’s some food for thought:
   • When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, its immune system automatically kicks into overdrive, taking your necessary immune system ‘army” and using them to keep you awake, for it’s trying to recoup some of its losses. The end result is a drained you. One of the foremost parts of your body that reflects exhaustion is your face- primarily the eye area. Puffiness under and black shadows around pull and stretch the skin around your eyes into places that you never thought possible. When your skin doesn’t “pull back” as well as it used to, a wrinkle is formed, simply because your skin is too tired to pop back the way it used to, and your immune system is busy fighting off other, more “important things” and cannot lend a hand in this battle.
   • If it’s not possible for you to get the 7- hours of sleep that we all need, try squeezing in a nap during the day. A quick, 20-minute catnap will do wonders for how you feel (because the muscles in your body don’t have time to completely relax, thus make you wake up feeling groggy). This micro-nap will also help your body in building up its natural immunities.
   • When you don’t get enough sleep and your immune system drops, you’re also more likely to get “sick” in general. No one looks good when they’re ill.
2. Allergies: Whether you succumb to indoor pet allergies or outdoor, seasonal ones, all of your skin suffers. Some see some patterned dryness while others notice red bumps or even small rashes on their face. Talk to your doctor about getting to the source, and they will in turn prescribe (or suggest an over the counter) allergy medicine that is best for you. Pharmacists also have a wealth of knowledge regarding allergies; so if you can’t get a hold of your doctor, talk to your friendly, neighborhood pharmacist.
3. Caffeine: Limit your intake and cut this ingredient where you can. I personally limit all of my caffeine to coffee, since I just can’t live without it, and have eliminated any sodas containing this dreadful ingredient. Here are some interesting tidbits about caffeine:
   • Caffeine dehydrates your body, which basically means that it eliminates water from it. This can have brutal affects on your skin, primarily your face where you’re already exposed to the elements. The first spot that you notice a lack of water in your system is the eye area. Dark circles under your eyes are just one of the signs, and an all around tightening and dryness of skin follows suit.
   • The average person can drink 12 ounces of coffee per day- this is the amount your body can naturally tolerate without having any adverse affects. Any more than this, and you’ll begin to notice.
   • For every ounce of coffee in excess of 12, one needs at least 2 ounces of water to recuperate. This number is in addition to the 64 ounces of water needed per day for your body to function properly.
   • When in doubt, more water is better- If you’re not the type to keep track of how much caffeine you drink, it’s best to drink a few extra glasses of water throughout the day than not drinking enough. Drinking water before you get thirsty is another key factor, for thirst is one of the first signs of “dehydration”.
4. Keep a Healthy Weight: Besides the fact that yo-yo dieting stretches out your skin to a point where it’s tired of stretching back (think rubber band), being ‘too skinny” just doesn’t look good (unless you’re a Calvin Klein model). The thinner you are, the less fat is deposited in your face. The less fat there is to puff it out, the more likely those tiny lines are to become more visible. I believe it was Zsa Zsa Gabor who said, “You can always cover a slightly overweight body with the right clothes, but you can’t cover your face.”
5. Exercise: If you’re not the type to go to the gym or workout at home to the latest DVD, try walking 30 minutes a day (about a mile and a half). This simple activity will get you out in the fresh air and get your blood pumping, therefore increasing your metabolism. A raised metabolism will burn off calories consistently, whether you’re working out or not. Exercise also decreases the urge to eat sweets. If you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of “don’t want to move, want to eat cookies”, the only way out is to start moving. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water while you’re out and about!
6. Eliminate Stress: Where you can, anyways. Try not to “sweat the small stuff”. Inner-lying problems and worries show most ferociously in your face. If something is troubling you, try to find out the root of the problem (sometimes referred to as the “X-Factor”). If you’re wound up all of the time, check into some local yoga classes, for not are they good for the body, they’re great for the mind and soul.
7. Green Tea: Asian women have been drinking this for centuries claiming that it “keeps them young”. Try sweetening it with a bit of honey instead of sugar to keep the “crash factor” to a minimum. Iced or hot is the best way to intake this valuable beverage, but mints and tablets are becoming a popular way to get the benefits.

Finally, how you apply any skin care product to your face is almost as important as the products themselves. I have created my own “regimen” that I do faithfully every morning and night:

1. Cleanse your face with a good cleanser. I find that those that “detoxify” work the best for the consistently changing weather conditions of the northeastern US. Always use warm water to open up your pores and get all of the hidden dirt and oils out. Use warm water to rinse your face thoroughly.
2. Get out your moisturizers…quickly! But don’t apply them yet! Before you apply any toner or brand of moisturizer to your face and neck, rinse your skin with cool water. This will help to tighten up your pores and make them smaller. While the cool water is tightening, apply your toner (if applicable) and moisturizer. This will aid in the necessary absorption, and will do it simultaneously with your pores as close- trapping the moisture within your clean skin. Personally, I always start with the eye area, as those beautiful bags that many of us awaken to can always use a blast of cold water to help them shrink. Always apply your eye-area moisturizer to your upper cheekbone area, as crow’s feet widen as they expand outward. Since the eye area is the most sensitive, I won’t use anything on it that might jeopardize my “lack of crows feet”. Products designed specifically for the eye area, like ybf Correct, add just enough moisture without the harsh ingredients what so many other brands utilize.

On a final note, ybf Correct can be used on any problem spot on your face, not just around the eye area. It works wonders for bruises, annoying acne scars, and just about anything else you can think of.

Thank you Darrell and Kimberley for allowing me to work on these projects and write for you and your truly amazing company. Your kindness and generosity are certain to bring you both everything in life that you could ever want and more. I am truly proud to be associated with the two of you, as well as the ybf-skincare name.