Marmur Medical Blog

What Cosmetics Should I Buy My Mom for the Holidays?

My Mom has reached that age where she’s completely obsessed with lines and wrinkles and sags and puffiness, even though her face is basically devoid of any signs of aging. Being Chinese is half of the story, but the other half is she has always taken good care of her skin. I’m pretty sure she started the anti-aging regimen when she was in her thirties and it’s really paid off. So what are the best anti-aging regimens that fit in a stocking?

Olie Biologique Pure Argan Oil with 23K Gold: Before I came along and started eating up my parents’ money, my father bought my mom some pretty luxurious things. The one that still sticks with me to this day was a bottle of Canadian perfume that boasted pure gold flakes from the Northern mines. As a child, I thought it was the epitome of glamour, luxury and class, not to mention unique. Olie Biologique has done something similar, but with Argan oil. Even twenty years later, the moment I see this oil with gold flakes, I am taken back to the days of sneaking into my mother’s perfume closet and holding that bottle of perfume in wonder. The oil is great for moisturizing both the skin and hair, while the gold adds a little extra shimmer. (I bought this for my Mom for her birthday and she loves it!)

YSL Touche Eclate: Just because it was on my list doesn’t mean it can’t be used by someone in my Mother’s age category. In fact, it’s perfect for dark circles (my mother’s biggest complaint). And because it comes in 12 different shades, it means I can find the perfect colour for myself and my mom!

TNS Essential Serum by SkinMedica: For years this formula has been coveted behind closed doors by all the elite beauty editors and now with its numerous accolades, the TNS Essential Serum is gaining popularity in the public forum. Its patented formula of growth factors helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while evening skin tone/texture and fighting free radicals that damage skin. Just beware, it kind of smells like beer when first applied, but this will dissipate after a couple of minutes on the skin. There is also a TNS repair formula specific for the eyes and Lytera, a skin brightening system, to help in all aspects of anti-aging.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua: It’s the foundation Dr. Ellen Marmur use and it’s amazing. The liquid formulation makes it easy to put on evenly and it never feels “cakey”. Because of the “barely there” feel and look, it’s easy to look natural and cover any obvious skin discolorations that may age a woman. It also has SPF 15 so there’s a little bit of sun protection (for full sun coverage you probably still want to apply a sunscreen underneath the foundation).

StriVectin TL Tightening Neck Cream: Call it “the gobble”, “turkey neck”, or “crepe neck”, it’s thankfully something I have to look forward to in the coming years. If your mom is not quite ready for lasers, perhaps this neck/décolleté cream might just do the trick. Using ingredients such as niacin derivatives, protein tensors, ceramides and anti-oxidants, this cream increases the strength of the underlying skin matrix causing the skin to look and feel firmer.

Crème de la Mer: This cream is probably my Mother’s greatest passion when it comes to skin care. She always experiments and then gravitates right back to using La Mer. I think we first discovered it during one of my early trips to New York as a teenager when the company was just first starting to gain popularity. I was performing at Carnegie Hall, and in the gift bags at the donor luncheon there were these little pots of magic. La Mer is known for its proprietary formula (i.e. Miracle Broth) that can be used on the most sensitive of skin to increase firmness, decrease wrinkles and decrease pore size. I’ve never tried the stuff, but my Mom swears by it . . . so take her advice on this one.

So there it is, a perfect list of the perfect little things that your mother (or wife) is completely deserving of. Give your someone special the gift of ageless skin and she will forever be thankful. (Olie Biologique. SkinMedica and StriVectin products are available for purchase at Marmur Medical.)

Happy Holidays from the Marmur Medical family!

Written by:
Margit Lai Wun Juhasz
Mount Sinai Medical Student