Pickles and Eye Cream

(Retinol burned my face, meaning that it left scabs where it took off too much skin. I am not kidding. If you have sensitive skin or are taking any meds that list side effects on the skin, please stay away from products containing Retinol, even if they say they're OK for sensitive skin.)

So, I tried the eye treatment, which has a vitamin C ester and something called Alpha Lipoic Acid, which is apparently derived from vitamin E. I read the papers by the dermatologist who makes this stuff. They were abstracted in such a way that EveryConsumer could understand them, although I wanted a little more detail.

In any event, the eye treatment. It comes in two bottles. One is a cream with a spatula attached to the lid, the other is a bottle of vitamin C solution. You're supposed to mix the two. I found it a little irritating the first couple of nights, but last night everything felt fine.

I may have seen slight improvement, but I may be imagining that. However, I can positively report that my under-eye concealer goes on much more smoothly.

The thing that has impressed me the most about Dr. Perricone's regime is that it includes a diet, backing up my theory that the condition of your skin is affected more by what you put into your body than creams and serums you pile on your face. (Don't get me wrong. My current diet consists of ice cream and hamburgers, and leaves much to be desired. My collection of bottles and jars is impressive.)

In describing the diet, he supports the glycemic index, encourages frequent small meals to maintain level blood sugars, plus he wants you to eat fish 10 times a week. The diet seems to be more limited than any normal person would follow; I mean, the good doctor suggests fish for breakfast, or unflavored oatmeal.

On the other hand, his principles seem sound: lean protein, low fat, moderate carbs, lots of veggies, low sodium, low sugar. You are urged to drink lots of water. Tea is all right, coffee is all right but should be limited. Olives are OK, but pickles are not.

And just typing all that makes me want to run for some Ho-Hos. (I had some Ho-Hos on the way home from the sheter yesterday. I dedicated that snack to the King, because I remember hearing that he was a particular fan of that snack cake.)

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