Aveeno Beauty Expert Answers and MORE Giveaways!

I’ve talked about Aveeno’s amazing skin and beauty expert, Dr. Jessica Wu before, and now she is answering some need-to-know beauty questions submitted by you, and fellow Aveeno Ambassadors’ readers!

Talking beauty with Dr. Wu:

Suggestions for adult acne.

“Adult women with acne tend to have drier skin than teens with acne, so traditional acne medications are often too drying and irritating, and make the situation worse. Your best bet is to use a gentle foaming cleanser (like Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming cleanser) to remove makeup & surface oils, followed by a sulfur-based mask or treatment product (check out Clearasil Adult Treatment Cream, Bare Escentuals Blemish Therapy, or Murad Sulfur mask). Sulfur is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, without being as drying as benzoyl peroxide. Since adult acne is often hormonal, it’s also a good idea to watch what you eat, especially when you’re PMS’ing: try to avoid dairy, refined carbs (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta) and sugar, which can trigger your hormones and make you break out. And, if you have irregular periods and facial hair growth along with your adult acne, be sure to see your doctor, since these can be a sign of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.”

What causes milia under your skin and what is it?

“Milia are tiny, round white bumps that can appear anywhere on the face. They’re a type of cyst, made up of oil and dead skin cells. They can pop up for no apparent reason, but are often associated with using creams that are too heavy, especially rich eye cream. They usually go away on their own, but sometimes they grow until they’re drained. The cyst contents are very hard, not like a whitehead, so they’re hard to squeeze. Therefore , it’s best to see a dermatologist, who can use a special instrument to drain it hygienically and safely.”

Best treatment for under eye puffiness:

“It depends on what the puffiness is caused by. For example, if the puff comes and goes, or is worse in the morning, it may be due to water retention. In that case, avoid salty foods and foods with added salt after lunch and then sleep on an extra pillow. In the morning, hold cold teabags over your eyes for a minute or so, or use the Aveeno Anti-fatigue eye roller, both of which shrinks puffy tissues. Also, avoid hot water on your face. This should help reduce the fluid under your eyes. If your puffiness is associated with allergy symptoms (runny nose, itchy eyes), taking an antihistamine or using a neti pot may help. However, if it’s a hereditary fat pad, the best treatment is surgery.”

What are those chicken bumps on my arms and what can I do about them. The bumps on the backs of your arms are most likely a condition called “keratosis pilaris” which is caused by clogged hair follicles. This is a genetic condition that may improve with age. However, if it persists, you can minimize the bumps by exfoliating to help the dead skin cells slough off. I also recommend using a body wash containing salicylic acid to loosen the dead skin. In the morning, use a body lotion containing lactic acid (like Lac Hydrin or Am Lactin—both available at drugstores). At night, use a rich body butter to make the bumps smoother. For stubborn cases, I sometimes prescribe a retinoid like Retin A or Tazorac, and also do light in-office chemical peels.

I am most interested in how products work, or don’t work, together. For example, is it ok to mix Aveeno Skincare products with other serums masques, spf moisturizers, and so forth? Do these things interact badly?

“Usually when my patients have a problem mixing their skincare products, it’s because they use products that cause too much irritation when used together: for example, using two different acne creams at the same time (like a benzoyl peroxide and a retinoid); or using a product with alphahydroxy acid and another with salicylic acid. Aveeno products are designed to be gentle and soothing, so you can generally mix and match them with your other skincare products. However, if you’re using a prescription product, check with your dermatologist first.”

What are the best kinds of vitamins to take? Does you like Liquid or pill form?

“Depends on the vitamins…for example, most of us could benefit from omega-3 fish oil, which has been shown to help dry skin, eczema rashes, & psoriasis. It’s also anti-inflammatory, so it can help calm acne breakouts. For fish oil, I prefer liquid form; there are fewer additives and starches, and more of it is absorbed by the body. Stronger Faster Healthier makes a chocolate-flavored fish oil that I take every day. For hair and nails, I recommend biotin. This comes in pills.”

Aveeno also has acclaimed hairstylist Patrick Melville on their side, and he has answered some of your hair-related questions!

Talking hair with Patrick:

What cut will create the most volume for fine, long hair? What should we ask for at the salon?

“The cut that is best for fine long hair is a cut that has long layers … some softer shorter pieces around the face. Also add a sweeping fringe that sweeps to the side and will create a lot of versatility and give hair maximum volume. Products are key such as lightweight volumizing spray at the root because as you know, volume comes from the root. Be careful and make sure to tell your stylist to keep the layers long as layers can also thin the hair if too short.”

I have long black hair that used to be shiny and silky, now it has lost some of its luster. How can I get it back?

“The best way to get back luster is to use the Aveeno Nourish+ Shine Shampoo and Conditioner along with the Aveeno Living Color Shine Glaze which can be used on all hair types. This will give you maximum shine and close the cuticle and boost the life back into your hair.”

I’d love to hear Patrick Melville’s specifics on haircare for extensions and haircare for mixed hair (like hair for half black / half hispanic, hispanic hair care problems)

“The best way to treat extensions is to make sure they do not stay in too long or grow out too much as this will put stress on your own hair when using styling tools. Best way to take care of them is to be sure to condition the every time you shampoo and to use the Aveeno Nourish+ Leave in Conditioner before styling. This will make the extensions more manageable and will lock in moisture. This also applies to African American hair or Hispanic hair as it tends to be drier by nature and more coarse. Like your skin, when its dry you need to apply more moisture. The leave in conditioner locks in moisture and helps elasticity to lessen breakage.”

I’d love to get the scoop from Patrick about how to make thin hair look thicker. Mine just gets super stringy as it growns longer. It’s awful!

“Make sure you trim your hair on a regular basis and do not use any type of oil or silicone based products. You want to use a volumzing spray and apply a lightweight styling glaze to damp hair before blowdrying. Do not overblowdry and when you are finished use the Aveeno Nourish+ Style Fortifying Hairspray to create fullness and body, making hair swell and look thicker.”

Does Patrick have any hairstyle tips to get women over 40 out of the hair “frump”? Maybe some tips on how to update a look. Most images and tips I get are for young women, so I’d love some for “older” women.

“As you may know, women over 40 do not have to cut off their hair to look less frumpy. I suggest cutting the hair to the collarbone with some longer layers. This will give the hair some energy and still allow you to be very versatile with styling options. For example this cut allows you to put your hair back into a low chignon or a French twist. This will still give you that soft sexy look without having to cut off your locks while still being youthful and feminine.”

Now that you’re more skin- and hair-informed, it’s time to win some of the amazing Aveeno products that our experts recommended!
One lucky winner will receive:
AVEENO NOURISH+ Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, AVEENO Living Color™ Shine Glaze, AVEENO NOURISH+ Style Fortifying Hairspray, and AVEENO NOURISH+ Leave in Conditioner