dr. ava shamban on beautiful skin

Backstage at Marc Jacobs Spring 09 show.

Take a good look at some of the hottest faces on the runway (photos courtesy Style.com) and tell me that beautiful skin doesn't go hand in hand with fashion. Dear readers, please trust me when I tell you I'm doing you a favor by not bombarding you with more fashion coverage today.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Ava Shamban recently--you may have seen her on Extreme Makeover, where she was the featured dermatologist. I feel very lucky that Ava was able to take a moment out of her insanely busy schedule to stop by tys. A board certified dermatologist and owner of the Laser Institute For Dermatology and European Skin Care in Santa Monica as well as AVA MD Med Spa in Beverly Hills, Ava also has her own skin care line, Ava MD Skin Care Products--oh, and did I mention that she has a practice that includes over 40,000 patients and caters to Hollywood’s elite?

I thought you might enjoy some of her tips for maintaining beautiful skin.

Dr. Ava Shamban's Tips For Beautiful Skin:


Backstage at Tuleh's Spring 09 Show.

1. Before you walk out the door in the morning always apply a sunscreen, rain or shine, with both UVA and UVB coverage. UVA is extremely damaging to the skin and penetrates through glass.

2. Use a cleanser that doesn't strip your skin but does remove grime and make up. In addition, tailor it to your skin type and condition. For example, If your skin is oily and/or is breaking out, useful ingredients to look for are salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.


Backstage at Threeasfour's Spring 09 Show.

3. Antioxidants are now being added to everything from your sunscreen to your foundation. They are many and they tend to come from plants as they have to protect themselves from oxidative damage from UV exposure the same way we do. One of the most potent is green tea extract.

4. You are never too young nor too old for a retinoid containing cream or serum. This active has been studied for over 20 years and is hands down the most effective treatment for wrinkles, particularly those fine lines that start appearing on the cheeks.


Backstage at Carolina Herrera's Spring 09 show.

5. Take care of your eyes. The skin around the eyes is the most delicate and thinnest of anywhere on the body and should be treated like fine china. Cleanse carefully, apply a good eye cream that has antioxidants, peptides and ceramides, and protect with sunscreen whenever you are outside.

6. After multiple hand washings your hands may be dry and itchy. Look for a ceramide containing cream to apply every night, and don't forget to apply sunscreen there too everyday.


Backstage at Tuleh's Spring 09 Show.

7. Itchy skin is often due to over washing and dry air. Use a non detergent based cleanser and apply moisturizer as soon as you get out of the bath or shower.

Thanks so much Ava for stopping by!