A dermatologist’s guide to achieving your most beautiful skin - By Dr. Vanessa Lapiner (Specialist Dermatologist from TASH360 and founder of root4)
Dr. Vanessa Lapiner, Specialist Dermatologist from TASH360 and founder of root4, South Africa’s first medical-grade clean beauty brand, shares her ‘cheat sheet’ to achieving the skin of your dreams.
So you’re on a journey.
Dr Vanessa Lapiner, MBChB, MSc Med (Cell Biology), FC Derm (SA), is a dermatologist, scientist and leader of innovation in the field of dermo-cosmetology. Her research interests include pigmentation disorders, the gut: brain: skin axis, nutrition as a therapeutic tool in dermatologic disease management, healthy skin metabolomics and cosmeceutical formulation technologies. She is the founder of TASH360, South Africa’s first integrative dermatology centre, as well as root4, revolutionary skincare formulations marrying advanced science and safety. She is an active member of the DSSA, the SASDS, the VSSA, the Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society and is an acclaimed speaker both locally and internationally.
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Destination: healthy, radiant skin.
But how do you get there? Why isn’t there a Google Map or Waze-type skin navigation app?
This is the type of lament I hear daily from my patients. Amidst the ‘too-muchery’ of being bombarded by skincare advice from social media, skinfluencers, glossy magazines, your facialist, your laser specialist, your aesthetic doctor, your best friend and your mother (of course) – it’s no wonder that you need a wide camera lens to photograph your skincare products and yet haven’t the foggiest idea how or when to actually use any of them!
Don’t stress – we’ve got this.
Take a step back. Let’s travel light with a few key products with maximum impact rather than hauling around a suitcase of products with a big ‘overweight’ sticker on it.
Rule number 1: Keep it Simple and Scientific
If you are a patient of mine, you will know that cosmetic ingredients (and their safety) are my thing. The key to pulling together a skincare regimen is firstly to identify your top bug bears about your skin and then to incorporate those ingredients which will not only treat it but also prevent it from coming back.
This is the part you really want to take note of: Enter The DR. L protocol…
This protocol is the navigation app you’ve been waiting for: it’s the prefect starting point to understanding the ‘why’ behind the skincare ingredients we use which makes the ‘how’ to build a beauty regimen simple.
The DR. L objectives of defend, renew and liberate are the 3 specific skincare steps to your healthiest, most radiant skin. And while the particular routes on everyone’s ‘maps’ are going to look different, the basic directions are the same.
1. DEFEND.
Would you pack for a journey without your passport, toothbrush or underwear? Consider the ingredients required to protect your skin the essentials. They might not be as sexy as your glitzy dress, but they are the non-negotiables without which any skincare regimen will crumble.
This is skin minimalism pared down to the key elements of any healthy skin approach: that of
PROTECTION of your skin from damaging UV rays and the daily assault of free radicals together with STRENGTHENING of your skin barrier.
This means upping the ante with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and resveratrol, slathering on that sunscreen every single day and using a moisturiser enriched with ceramides, squalene, cholesterol and free fatty acids.
2. RENEW:
Give your journey some ‘va-va-voom’ by giving your skin the ‘fuel’ to function best. Put your foot on the accelerator and REV UP the production of youthful, vibrant skin cells by increasing cell turnover, restoring youthful stem cell activity and BOOSTING collagen production and elasticity. Introduce retinoids, hydroxy acids to exfoliate the skin and stem cell factors. Hello ‘glow’.
3. LIBERATE:
You’re now cruising through beautiful scenery with the wind in your hair. This is the final leg of your journey: The crowning step where you TARGET your skins’ niche concerns, DELIVER scientifically-proven results and liberate your most beautiful, most radiant, most confident you. This is where it gets personalized and where you get to customize your trip.
But as with any journey, there can be pitfalls along the way.
Rule number 2: Avoid the pot-holes and don’t ignore the yield signs and robots
From falling asleep with your make-up on to product-hopping, over-exfoliating or layering too many skincare functional actives and triggering skin inflammation… there are many ways to derail your journey. The most important thing is to obey the road signs: if your skin feels red, sensitized or inflamed – that’s a sign to STOP, to take your car in for repairs (AKA restore your skin barrier) and then to continue again on your journey more cautiously. No-one likes an impatient driver – consistency is key: Skincare studies are done over 6-8 weeks in general (a skin cell turnover cycle) and even longer over 6 months if we’re analysing the effect of a product on collagen stimulation. Dig into your product’s clinical trial data to see how long it should take before seeing results and be patient!
Rule number 3: Safety first
OK. We’re heading into a minefield now but the topic of ‘clean beauty’ is becoming more and more of a discussion point. Sure our parents used to jol around without wearing seatbelts in the same way that they used environmentally-unfriendly skincare products with controversial ingredients which could either impact their hormones or be contaminated with cancer-contributing molecules. But in the same way that you can choose to drive a quality, eco-friendly car kitted out with airbags and all the most advanced safety bells and whistles, new ‘clean beauty’ dermo-cosmetic brands such as root4 are bridging the gap between safety and efficacy, delivering high performance, results-driven formulations without any potentially harmful ingredients.
Rule number 4: Hire a reputable guide or travel agent
Ultimately, for the most direct, tailor-made route to your healthiest, most radiant skin, choose a dermatologist-developed skincare brand grounded in science with the expertise to get you there. Multifunctional products to streamline your journey, an in-depth knowledge of your specific destination to ensure the best experience and glowing reviews from fellow skincare ‘travellers’ are the winning tickets.
root4: an award-winning, dynamic, dermatologist-powered breakthrough in healthy ageing skin science straight from the clinic to your home.
Discover how the synergy of meticulously considered skincare formulations backed by an inside-out nutraceutical approach translates into unprecedented results.
Dr Vanessa Lapiner, MBChB, MSc Med (Cell Biology), FC Derm (SA), is a dermatologist, scientist and leader of innovation in the field of dermo-cosmetology. Her research interests include pigmentation disorders, the gut: brain: skin axis, nutrition as a therapeutic tool in dermatologic disease management, healthy skin metabolomics and cosmeceutical formulation technologies. She is the founder of TASH360, South Africa’s first integrative dermatology centre, as well as root4, revolutionary skincare formulations marrying advanced science and safety. She is an active member of the DSSA, the SASDS, the VSSA, the Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society and is an acclaimed speaker both locally and internationally.
For more information visit
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