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About a month ago, a friend of my husband’s asked for advice on skin care; wanting to know how to keep his appearance youthful since he was now in his early 30s. This of course caught me completely off guard and I had to giggle (to myself) at his interest. I realize that there are a number of men out there (metrosexual as the label goes) who are extremely concerned about their face and take the best possible care. But, at that point, I hadn’t really put much thought into how the average Joe may also stress about impending wrinkles. This lead to a discussion about the importance of a proper skin care regime, especially for those of us concerned with the aging process. And I’m definitely one of those people! Pushing 32, I can remember the day when I saw my first wrinkle (even though nobody else saw it, and thought I was crazy). I was sitting in the back seat, carpooling to work, and had a glance at myself in the rearview. I can’t be certain whether it was the angle of the mirror and/or light, but staring back at me was a hideous line  between my brow that made me realize that I was no longer a young spring chicken. This upset me to the point that I had the driver adjust the mirror just slightly, so I would stop staring at the thing. Now this may seem a bit vain and borderline completely ridiculous, but to someone who has always taken great care of her skin and who thought that she was an invincible force, this was a huge reality check. How could this have happened and what was I missing?

Thinking back to my days in esthetics, I would continuously preach the importance of serums to my clients. If you’re unfamiliar with how a serum works, think of it this way: Your moisturizer can only go so far, and cannot penetrate deep into the skin, however; a serum can. When applied before a moisturizer, it will give you an extra boost further within the layers. There are a number of different kinds, all geared towards particular skin types and conditions, such as hydrating, anti-aging, anti-acne and so on. At some point this message was lost, and I ended up neglecting an important step in my process. So immediately I went on a search for a new weapon to control the problem.

I’ve tried a few products over the past couple of years and have recently settled on a favourite. While not advertised as a serum per se, I’ve taken a liking to Josie Maran’s Argan Oil, as a countermeasure against the aging process.

Josie Maran Argan Oil - photograph from josiemarancosmetics.com

If you haven’t heard of this little miracle, here’s an excerpt from the website:

“Argan Oil is an all-natural, 100% organic, chemical-free beauty marvel that really works. Produced from the Argan tree in semi-deserts of Morocco, Argan Oil has been used by Moroccan women for centuries for it’s nutritional and cosmetic benefits.

Commonly referred to as “liquid gold” or “The Gold of Morocco”, Argan Oil is an incredibly rich source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. It has astonishing healing, conditioning and anti-aging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe. Argan Oil is not only a “super food” for the skin and hair but for the whole body. Having twice as much Vitamin E as olive oil including vital antioxidants, Argan Oil plays a major role in a healthy diet and is commonly used in traditional Moroccan recipes” (Argan Beauty, http://www.josiemarancosmetics.com/argan-beauty).

In the past three or so years, I’ve started to pay attention to what I’m putting in and on my body. Whenever possible, I try to use a product that is free of the gunk and fillers jammed into a number of beauty products. Of course, I do have items that I favour and just can’t seem to live without, but when I find something that works and is actually benefitting my body I snatch it up. And that’s what I like about Argan Oil. I use a little every night after I’ve cleansed and toned; putting a dab around my eyes and brows before putting on my moisturizer. The result is fantastic and I’ve noticed a difference in the appearance of the wrinkly monster. Best of all, it can be used on other parts of the body too! If there are any dry spots that my moisturizer doesn’t seem to be taking care of, I rub a small amount on the area and my skin is smooth again. Great stuff!!!

So if your coming to a point in your life where the aging process is scaring the bejesus out of you (like it is for me) and are worried about the effects to your face, if you haven’t already, consider using a serum. It will do wonders! Even though Argan Oil has worked for me, if you’re looking to invest, consult an esthetician and/or dermatologist before making a purchase. Have your skin analyzed to see what type you actually do have (you may not have the skin you think you do), and have them make recommendations based on type and conditions.