Beauty Gala had the fantastic opportunity to interview the gracious Dr. Perricone, author of three New York Times #1 Bestsellers, and creator of the wildly popular skin care line. Beauty Gala is celebrating Earth Day with this exclusive interview, because Dr. Perricone believes in a holistic approach to skin care, beginning with health from the inside out. Eating whole foods is a part of Dr. Perricone’s most important skin care advice, and in turn, we can give back to both our bodies and the Earth while doing so. One of our favorite Perricone MD products is “No Foundation Foundation,” which we are also pleased to review and feature today. To read the intriguing interview questions and answers we had for Dr. Perricone,

• As avid lovers of “No Foundation Foundation” since it was released, we have to ask – What was your inspiration behind the product?

Dr.Perricone: When you are on the Perricone Anti-inflammatory Three Tiered Program (described below) you skin takes on a radiant glow of health and beauty—and the last thing my patients want to do is cover it up with a heavy foundation.

Working with the worlds most beautiful and famous faces poses special challenges, such as how to provide the dewy and flawless look which results from the Perricone program, and letting your own natural beauty and radiance shine through.

To find the answer, I turned to a major source of my research for the past two decades:  alpha lipoic acid.  This patented, proprietary multi-tasking antioxidant decreases the appearance of uneven skin tone, fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores while improving the appearance of your skin’s resilience, tone, and texture.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is the perfect active ingredient to add to a new, revolutionary, light and elegant foundation.  I have also added specially treated pigments, blended with light diffusing mica, to reveal a new radiance and clarity, with a natural translucent coverage for a smooth and glowing finish.   No Foundation Foundation is also the perfect complement to the Perricone Three Tiered program, whose cornerstone, the Anti-Inflammatory diet, is justly famous for restoring a vibrant radiance to skin.

Luminous, glowing, fresh and fabulous. Definitely not your mother’s foundation.

SPF 30 non-chemical protection.

No Foundation Foundation is ideal for the worlds most beautiful faces because it highlights and not hides, your own natural beauty and radiance.

• Many of our readers in their teens and twenties suffer from breakouts and blemishes. What steps can they take to heal and restore their skin?

Dr.Perricone: Acne is a systemic, inflammatory disease, and it is greatly exacerbated by pro-inflammatory foods and stress.  Follow the anti-inflammatory program outlined below.

When our blood sugar and insulin levels rise, whether from a poor diet or from stress, we experience a serious increase in inflammatory chemicals at a cellular level.  This causes inflammatory diseases such as acne to worsen dramatically.

Cold water fish that is high in omega 3 essential fatty acids act as natural anti-inflammatories and are great for the skin, this includes wild salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, etc.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are also antioxidant powerhouses.  Choose dark green and purple lettuce, not the iceberg variety.

Avoid all trans fats, margarine, hydrogenated oils (read food labels) and starchy and fried foods such as crisps and French Fries, pastries, baked goods, snack foods, and foods containing sugar or high fructose corn syrup.  These foods will encourage clogged pores resulting in new breakouts.

Don’t forget quality protein at each meal for cellular repair.  To help relieve stress and reduce breakouts, take a break from computers and cell phones and take a walk in the park.  A loving non-judgmental pet is also an ideal way to lower stress levels and increase feelings of well-being.

• As women, we are always concerned with aging skin, even as early as our twenties. What do you feel is the best way to prevent and treat fine lines and wrinkles? What would you name as the number one, most significant thing women can do to keep their skin healthy?

Dr. Perricone: My decades of research has shown that The Inflammation/Aging Connection is the single greatest precipitator of aging and age-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, certain forms of cancer, and wrinkled, sagging skin.

This inflammation is sub-clinical (invisible to the eye) and takes place on a cellular level.  It does its damage by triggering free radicals, which accelerate aging by damaging cells. This inflammation may be caused by:

1. Eating a pro-inflammatory diet (i.e., high glycemic carbohydrates)
2. Environmental stressors
3. Weakened immune system
4. Excess exposure to ultraviolet light
5. Hormonal changes
6. Stress

We can control inflammation in our bodies by following a Three-Tiered Program designed to carefully control our blood sugar and insulin levels.  To do so we must avoid foods that provoke a “glycemic” response in the body, i.e. cause a rapid rise in blood sugar– this is the key to health, longevity, mental clarity, well-being and beautiful youthful skin. Foods that are pro-inflammatory, such as all forms of sugar, processed foods, pasta, breads, pastry, baked goods, and snack foods such as rice and corn cakes, chips, pretzels, etc., cause a highly destructive pro-inflammatory response in our bodies.  The result? Acceleration of the aging process of all organ systems in our body, including the skin, causing an increased risk of degenerative disease and inflexible, wrinkled, sagging skin.

• Along with using Perricone MD products, what can we do from the inside out to keep our skin healthy (i.e, super foods, vitamins)?

Dr. Perricone: Follow the Three Tiered Perricone Anti-inflammatory Program

Tier One

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The anti-inflammatory diet is the cornerstone of the Perricone Program.  It consists of the following components:

• high-quality protein, like that found in fish, shellfish, poultry and tofu;

• low-glycemic (will not provoke a glycemic response when consumed in moderation) carbohydrates including colorful fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains such as old-fashioned oatmeal, legumes such as beans and lentils;

• healthy fats, such as those found in cold water fish (especially wild Alaskan salmon, halibut, sardines, herring, anchovies, etc.), nuts, seeds, and olive oil

• 6 – 8 glasses of pure spring water per day.

• Anti-oxidant rich beverages such as green tea

These foods and beverages act as natural anti-inflammatories and help to maintain normal levels of insulin and blood sugar.  The incomparable health and beauty benefits of the anti-inflammatory diet are visible in just three days.

Tier Two

Nutritional Supplements

I recommend a variety of unique nutritional supplements in addition  to the complete spectrum of vitamins and minerals recommended by nutrition experts world-wide, (B-complex, Vitamin E, Calcium-magnesium, etc.) My research has shown that nutrients that possess anti-oxidant properties act as natural anti-inflammatories.  This is important because anti-oxidants are nature’s anti-inflammatories.  Designed to work synergistically to enhance the benefits of the anti-inflammatory diet, these nutrients offer anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, fat metabolizing, and peptide boosting benefits and help prevent and reverse oxidative damage on a cellular level, of critical importance as we age.

Active ingredients recommended include:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid

• Vitamin C Ester

• DMAE (Dimethyl Amino Ethanol)

• Coenzyme Q-10

• Conjugated Linoleic Acid

• GLA

• L-Carnitine Fumerate

• N-Acetyl Carnitine

• L-Tyrosine

• Omega-3

• Carnosine

• Benfotiamine

• Astaxanthin

Tier Three

Clinical Skincare

In addition to creating vibrant skin and optimum health through diet and supplements, topical anti-oxidants can work synergistically to enhance the natural health and beauty of your skin. My  research has shown that many food-based nutrients provide anti-inflammatory as well as anti-oxidant activity when applied topically.  Optimum results are achieved when they are used as part of the three-tiered program (diet, supplements, topicals).  The unique, patented ingredients that comprise the NV Perricone MD line of Cosmeceuticals have been painstakingly formulated to deliver powerful, efficacious benefits to the skin, resulting in a smooth, youthful, supple, toned and radiant appearance to face and body.

The following substances have been shown to significantly improve the appearance of skin when added to topical formulations:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid

• DMAE (Dimethyl Amino Ethanol)

• Neuropeptides

• Olive Oil Polyphenols

• Phosphatidylcholine

• Tocotrienols

• Vitamin C Ester

• Astaxanthin

Beauty Gala thanks Dr. Perricone for his insightful interview on what we can do from the inside out to keep our skin healthy and rejuvenated. For more of Dr. Perricone:

• Visit the Dr. Perricone Website to view and purchase his innovative and effective skin care line (also available at Sephora and other high end retailers).
• Dr. Perricone’s most recent books are “Dr. Perricone’s 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health and Longevity,” and “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind.” Purchase his New York Times #1 Bestsellers and his two newest books on Amazon.com by clicking the links below:

• Keep up with Dr. Perricone’s daily blog which offers fantastic daily skin care tips, techniques, and advice. We are huge fans of his blog, and visit daily to learn more about our skin!

What are your favorite Dr. Perricone products? Questions or comments about this Dr. Perricone interview?

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