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Transforming dull, broken-out skin into a radiant glow through nutrition is the name of the game for Jolene Hart, author of Eat Pretty. As a beauty editor, Jolene knows all the best skincare and cosmetics. She rubbed elbows with skincare giants and was surrounded by experts at all times. But somehow, none of that changed her reality of over a decade of skin issues. “My approach was outside-in,” Jolene admits. “I was always looking for the products that were going to fix my skin problems. It took me a while to realize I was looking in the wrong place.” Of course, using effective skincare products works wonders for our skin. But without a balanced diet full of clean, whole foods, some of that hard work on crafting the perfect skincare routine is going to waste. On this segment of Just Ask David, Jolene shares some of the nutrition tips that helped clear up her skin when no product could. The Best Nutrients for Clear Skin Taking a multivitamin may be the easiest way to add essential nutrients to your diet, but Jolene suggests eating a nutrient-rich diet as a more effective way of clearing your skin. “Zinc is a wonderful mineral for clear skin. I always recommend getting them from whole food sources,” Jolene says. “So getting pumpkin seeds or cashews or mushrooms in your diet everyday, those are all zinc-rich foods” Beta carotene is another important nutrient. “It creates Vitamin A in your skin to help balance your sebum production and increases the rate at which your cells turnover so you don’t have as many clogged pores,” she explains. Healthy fats are also essential to incorporate into your diet if your goal is flawless skin. They help to absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins that are in the foods you’re eating. “If you’re not eating those fats, your body’s missing out on a lot of nutrition,” Jolene says. A Fresh, Scientific, Holistic Approach on Skincare The skincare industry depends on us not taking the initiative to research what we put on our skin. David Pollock is the beauty guru who is willing to take us behind-the-scenes to show us what works, what doesn’t, and what beauty trends are more about clicks than results. Get news on Safe Beauty, beauty science developments, wellness, and more by following @JustAskDavid on Instagram and Twitter!

Probiotics are king in the health and wellness industry, reigning for the last few years now. They’re best known for improving the amount of healthy bacteria in the gut, as well as gut health overall. And since diet is tied so closely to skin health, it would make sense that eating probiotics would make your skin clearer, right? But what would happen if we were to use probiotics topically? Dr. Rajini Raj, world-class dermatologist and founder of the probiotic skincare brand TULA, joins Just Ask David to give us the real facts on what probiotics can do for our skin. Beauty Breakthrough: Topical Probiotics Skincare “Probiotics have been on my radar for a while in terms of digestive health. But now just in the last couple years there’s been some really interesting studies looking at topical probiotics on the skin for different benefits,” Dr. Raj shares. Topical probiotics skincare has been shown to improve all sorts of skin conditions, from rosacea to acne. Probiotics also contribute to overall skin health and beauty. “Just to be clear, probiotics usually mean live bacteria. The products that we’re talking about… don’t have actually live bacteria being put on the face,” Dr. Raj clarifies. “What they do have is those bacteria being centrifuge, which means they’ve been stirred up, released all of their good elements, and mixed with other peptides and other things that are good for your skin.” Follow Just Ask David on Instagram! Want to keep looking behind the curtain of the beauty industry? Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for more Safe Beauty!

Have you ever heard of the philosophy: “If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin”? Consumers are realizing that what we put on our bodies matters just as much as what we put in them. So it’s not surprising that more and more of us are reaching in our pantries for our skin care routines rather than than emptying our wallets for the latest luxury skin care. The industry shift toward Safe Beauty inspires the crafty, creative side in many of us (or just made us paranoid about the transparency of the beauty brands we support). I’m talking about D.I.Y. beauty - it’s more popular than ever! Carol Alt joins Just Ask David for a few of her favorite D.I.Y. skin care tips! The Best Beauty Mask is One You Can Eat We all know that diet can have a huge impact on our skin. Even the best skin care products in the world can’t eliminate the issues caused by a poor diet. So it makes sense that there are some foods out there that can make a positive impact not just on our diets, but on our skin and hair, too. “Yogurt is a great mask or even kefir, which is what I prefer because kefir has more probiotic,” Carol shares. “But if you eat it, it’s great because it repopulates the probiotics in your intestine… it’s great on your face and the lactic acid helps keep your skin really smooth and soft.” A popular skincare ingredient that can surprisingly be eaten for its benefits is bentonite clay. We know that bentonite is great at drawing out toxins in our skin, but did you know it can do the same thing in your gut? “I always keep [bentonite clay] in the refrigerator because if you get any kind of bacterial infection in your stomach… a little bit of bentonite three times a day, a tablespoon, will soothe that.” Want more D.I.Y. beauty tips? Keep listening! Follow Just Ask David on Social Media Find all the Safe Beauty tips and beauty hacks you could ever want! Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for more industry secrets!

There’s one thing you can always be certain of when it comes to skincare trends: here today, balm tomorrow. But it makes sense. As technology and our understanding of the human body evolves, so does our skincare. Just a few decades ago, we didn’t know how catastrophic the effects of smoking cigarettes on our skin. We had no idea. Even the most beautiful, fresh-faced actresses in Hollywood went through cartons of cigarettes like they were potato chips - completely unsuspecting of the havoc they were wreaking on their skin and overall health. Can you imagine that now? So what does the skincare industry look like in 2018? What trends are shaping skincare at the moment? Life Imitates Skincare? Or the Other Way Around... With Safe Beauty becoming more of a priority for consumers, skincare addicts are endlessly searching for the most effective and least harmful ingredients. Many skincare brands are now using ingredients that already exist in our bodies naturally, like collagen and hyaluronic acid. We naturally have an abundance of these youth-preserving substances, but their production decreases dramatically when we get older. So not only are these skincare ingredients surprisingly effective, but they’re completely non-toxic! The Best Oil for Your Skin You’ve Never Heard Of It seems that every few years, the beauty industry totes a new oil as the most effective and valuable oil for our skin (only to be denounced as the worst possible thing for your skin a year later). But red palm fruit oil is different. There are a ton of reasons why this oil is a couple of steps above the industry’s most beloved fats, like coconut oil and shea butter. Red palm fruit oil is packed with omegas, antioxidants, micro-nutrients, trace minerals, and tons of other goodies! And that’s not even it! Red palm fruit oil can be effective whether you ingest it or apply it topically, making it versatile for skincare or beauty supplements. Probiotic and Fermented Skin Care Even with superfoods like red palm fruit oil breaking the skincare scene, formulators are taking it a step even further by experimenting with fermentation. Skincare researchers are finding that when skincare ingredients undergo the fermentation process, the body absorbs the nutrients remarkably faster. So you’d better believe that skincare formulators like David are already testing the effectiveness of fermented red palm fruit oil and others. Follow Just Ask David for More! David is your behind-the-scenes beauty guru, giving you the inside scoop on the latest science and trends in the industry. Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for more!

We’re smarter consumers than we used to be. In 2018, we check the ingredients in the things we eat and put on our bodies. We avoid certain chemicals that we know can hurt us. We have a better understanding of how what we put in and on our bodies has a direct impact on our health. For this reason, a lot of us have decided to stick with “natural” products. Because natural ingredients should be a lot safer than a chemical made in a laboratory, right? Well… no. And here’s why. Is Natural Really Better? Don’t let the beauty industry fool you. When it comes to the regulation of using the word “natural” on personal care products… there is none. The FDA allows brands to describe their products as natural, even if it isn’t true. Your “all-natural” toiletries may actually only contain a minimal amount of natural ingredients. How to See if Your Products are Safe - the RIGHT Way There’s nothing wrong with natural products. In fact, botanicals have a lot to offer in skincare. But what us consumers should be actually concerned about is if our products are safe. Natural doesn’t necessarily mean safe. (You wouldn’t be thrilled if your new moisturizer had poison ivy in it, would you?) If you’re serious about a toxin- and carcinogen-free lifestyle, the best thing you can do is to learn how to read an ingredient label. Certain chemicals build up toxins in our bodies over time. It’s much more important to know what these chemicals are than to be lured into a false state of security with “natural” products. To get you started, here are some hints that a chemical in the ingredient label is harmful. If you have any of these chemicals in your beauty products, throw them away! Ends in -glycol PEGs Ends in -paraben Sodium laureth (or lauryl) sulfate Is Your Beauty Empowered? Want to find out what the industry is hiding from consumers? Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for more beauty and wellness secrets!

We all love splurging on skincare. Some of us live for the latest luxury celebrity-approved skincare trends. Others spend their coins on ethically sourced, cruelty-free, the cleanest, greenest skincare you can find. But all of that’s for nothing if you’re not using your skincare in the right order. You’re practically throwing that money away. Step 1: Cleanse TWICE Every Day! You should be cleansing your face every day and night. A lot of people seem to think that washing your face in the morning when you already washed it the night before is a bit overkill. Some skincare experts even say that it’s best not to wash your face when you wake up in the morning to preserve the healthy, natural oils our skin produced overnight. Even though your skin’s natural oils may be good for it, washing your face in the morning is essential to unclogging pores and sloughing off dead skin cells. Avoid cleansing with hot water, which will be sure to strip away those healthy oils. Using an ultra-gentle exfoliator, like the Rice Face Wash from my PUR attitude line is an effective way to really get rid of dead skin without irritating your skin. Keep Listening for the Next 3 Steps! Can’t get enough of David Pollock’s beauty advice? Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram and share his tips with your fellow skincare addicts!

All breakouts aren’t created equal. In fact, the location of a cluster of acne can tell you a lot about your body. Forehead breakouts mean something different than chin breakouts, for example. Nutrition expert Susan Ciminelli returns to map out the causes behind our acne breakouts. Forehead Acne: The forehead is one of the most common places for acne. But no one likes rocking a tiara of zits. To understand forehead breakouts, Susan says to look to the small intestine. “Your digestive system is not on autopilot,” she says. “Just because there’s food in your stomach does not mean that you’re going to digest your food.” Anxiety, eating too quickly, and eating right before bed can all cause stress to the digestive enzymes in your system. Since your digestive and nervous systems are not running optimally, neither is your skin. Remember that the next time you eat a snack before bed. The Rub on Rosacea “Rosacea comes from overly acidic blood,” Susan explains. “The typical American diet is very high in acid, like sugar, meat, and all kinds of processed foods. But there are other reasons to avoid a highly acidic diet. An acidic environment facilitates bacterial growth and depresses the immune system. “Brown rice is a neutralizer for your gut. And fermented foods can really help with rosacea,” Susan suggests. More dietary suggestions in the podcast! Wellness and Beauty Secrets 24/7! Follow @JustAskDavid on Twitter and Instagram for more secrets of the beauty and wellness industry!

As the seasons change, our skincare needs change, too. Cool, dry air isn’t the only thing autumn brings. After a lazy summer of vacationing and spending time with the kids, back-to-school chaos may wreak more havoc on your skin than you realize. Plenty of us are so busy running around and adjusting to our new schedules that we neglect our skin. Stick to Your Skincare Routine If the stressful transition from a beach bum summer to a fast-paced fall semester isn’t enough to break you out, skimping out on your routine will. A lot of us skip parts of our skincare regimen to save time while we adjust to our new schedules. While this may shave off a few minutes while getting ready in the morning, you’re not going to be happy with your skin. Keep Eating Clean & Using Clean Skincare Noticing a pattern? Fall is a an easy time to fall back into bad habits. Don’t stop making your own meals at home. Keep researching the ingredients in your beauty products. Don’t let a change in your routine be the reason why your skin is missing its usual glow. Don’t Wash Your Face With a Bar of Soap The fall air is notorious dry. So we know you wouldn’t dare leave the house without a moisturizer. But if you’re washing your face with a bar of soap, you might as well be skipping your moisturizer. Bars of soap tend to disrupt our skin’s natural pH balance, not to mention strip your skin of all of its natural oils. That’s a recipe for skin as dry as autumn leaves. You need to use a moisturizing cleanser, like micellar water or diluted essential oils. They’re also great for removing makeup! Can’t Get Enough of David’s Beauty Tips? Follow @justaskdavid on Instagram for more!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month just ended, but cancer is a topic that never stops affecting our lives. On this episode of Just Ask David, actress Cobie Smulders of “How I Met Your Mother” and “The Avengers” shares her struggles with ovarian cancer struggles and how it led to her partnership with TESARO to create Not On My Watch. Not On My Watch is an ovarian cancer education organization dedicated to empowering women to take their health into their own hands. “I believe that having knowledge about your disease is empowering,” Cobie shares. “It’s nice to build a community to start more of a discussion about this and to be more proactive.” Listen to the podcast for the full interview - you won’t want to miss this one! Just Ask David Cares About Safe Beauty Most of us put a lot of care into our looks, but your health is the most valuable thing you have. Don’t risk your health by using cosmetics with toxic chemicals. For more information on safe beauty products, follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram and check out our blog!

While a good skincare regimen helps with keeping your skin clear and glowing, your diet plays a bigger role than you may realize. Lisa Davis chats with nutrition expert Susan Ciminelli to get the low-down on how to clear up your skin through your diet. You Are What You Eat! Did you know that your skin is one of several eliminative organs in our bodies used to push waste out through? Along with organs like the liver and intestines, the skin is responsible for filtering some of the things we ingest. “If you want to have healthy skin from within, you have to have a nutrient-dense diet,” Susan explains. “So that means foods that are deep with color like carrots and deep green vegetables and deep red berries... full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, [and] trace elements.” The perfect plate of food in front of you should have every color on it - like beets for the red, or The Best Herbs to Cleanse Your System Eating herbs regularly is a great way for your skin to absorb the nutrients it needs to bring out its inner glow. Eating fresh, uncooked herbs is kind of like ingesting essential oils, but in a way that’s healthy and easy for our bodies to digest. “I like to use basil - it’s a blood purifier,” Susan suggests. “Cilantro gets rid of metal poisoning in the body… [and] oregano is so important for you, especially when the weather is changing because it’ll boost your immune levels.” Get Expert Beauty Advice 24/7! Can’t get enough of the beauty hacks the industry is hiding? Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for more!

Personal care products we use on a regular basis like shaving cream, body wash, and even toothpaste can have toxic chemicals hidden in their ingredient lists. In fact, the European Union recently banned over 1,100 chemicals from being used in any beauty or personal care products. The United States, on the other hand, has only banned 11. Hidden Ingredients and How to Look for Them Some of the chemicals commonly used in our personal care products create a by-product called 1,4 dioxane. 1,4 dioxane is a carcinogen. But because it’s a by-product created through a process called ethoxylation, it’s not included in the ingredients list. And actually, the big brands could spend the extra money to purify these chemicals from cancerous byproducts. There are even safer and equally effective (and slightly more expensive) chemicals that could substitute for chemicals that create hazardous by-product. But many brands refuse to change their formulas. While the Safe Beauty movement is amping up the standards for chemicals used in our products, there is still much work to be done. Empower yourself by remembering these 3 rules the next time you shop for beauty products. Avoid PEG/Polyethylene/Polyethylene Glycol PEGs, also known as Polyethylene Glycol, is used as a solvent in many of our common toiletries. Anything ending in ‘eth’ is TOXIC Chemicals that end in “-eth” usually help a product foam. So look for this hint on shampoos, hand soaps, and body washes. Stay Away From Chemicals With “-oxynol” Follow Just Ask David on Instagram! Stay up-to-date with Safe Beauty news and non-toxic DIY beauty tips! Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram for beauty essentials on your feed 24/7.

Most people don’t realize it, but there’s a world of beauty remedies right in your pantry! DIY beauty is a fantastic (and frugal!) way to avoid harmful chemicals in beauty products without sacrificing your looks. A lot of everyday food products - like honey or lemons - are surprisingly effective at improving the appearance of skin and hair. How to Remove Waterproof Makeup Don’t waste your money on makeup removers. While it’s true that soap and water won’t get rid of waterproof makeup, that doesn’t mean you don’t have what you need to do the job. All you need is olive oil and a cotton ball. Saturate the cotton ball with olive oil and dab it lightly on your face. The oil will actually mix and dissolve makeup instantly. It’s the same idea as using an oil-based makeup remover by using the oils to break down stubborn waterproof pigment. Hey Snowbirds - Get Sandal Ready Fast! Cold, dry weather are notoriously harsh on the skin on our hands, feet, and heels. And it doesn’t help that we tend to forget about these areas. Instead of being too embarrassed by your cracked heels to wear sandals, here’s a beauty lifehack that will help your skin go from crocodilian to baby soft! All you need is a basin of hot water and a lemon. Squeeze the lemon juice into the basin and soak the affected area in the basin for a few minutes. Apply your favorite lotion, and that’s it - you’re beach-ready! But how can such a simple solution work? You’ve actually just created your own chemical peel for your hands and feet. The acidic lemon juice helps loosen up dirt and the dead layers of skin cells, but is still gentle enough to not irritate your skin. You can rinse and go, or you can amp up the exfoliation with a foot and hand scrub. Keep listening for the recipe! Listen for More Beauty Tricks You Can Do at Home! You don’t have to buy a million beauty products to be beautiful and empowered. Some of it may work, but a lot more of it will irritate your skin and your wallet. I have hundreds of DIY beauty recipes that can rejuvenate your skin, hair, and well-being. And the best part? You can find all the ingredients in your kitchen. For more beauty hacks, keep listening! Don’t forget to follow on Instagram @JustAskDavid!

As the seasons change, our outfits change. We put up our holiday decorations. We spring clean. And it’s always a refreshing experience, right? Well, when’s the last time you did that to your medicine cabinet? When’s the last time you reevaluated the beauty products you’re using? Spring (and Fall) Cleaning! In the spring, we often talk about spring cleaning. But how many of us are including makeup and makeup tools? “Every six months, you want to get rid of old makeup,” David says. Why? “Things can get contaminated, dry out, or even flake into the eyes, which can be harmful.” Mascara, lip gloss, and eyeliner and the biggest culprits of drying out or becoming a hotbed for bacteria after a few long months of use. David’s advice? “Just treat spring and fall as the time of the year to get rid of old makeup,” he says. New Season, New Face Exfoliation is a staple in skin care. Everyone with beautiful skin knows that the key to a glowing complexion is sloughing off those dead skin cells. “As we change seasons, we just talked about cleaning some of our makeup. You want to do the same for your skin,” David says. But instead of using just a physical exfoliant, like a facial scrub, David suggests using a targeted serum, too. “That’ll give you a chemical exfoliation without being irritating,” he says. Plus, any skin issues you’re constantly dealing with, like redness or dryness, can be addressed with a special serum. Awesome! Clean Products All Year Round Since we’re talking about cleaning our beauty products, it’s important to know that the actually chemicals inside your products have an effect on your health, too. Many commonplace personal products contain chemicals that are suspected to be irritating or even potentially cancerous! Luckily, all it takes to purge poisonous products from your medicine cabinet is a little research. “You want to look at the ingredient statement and make sure to avoid all of the harmful chemicals,” David suggests. But what are some of the chemicals we should be avoiding? “Anything ending in ‘eth,’ sulfates, anything that’s a glycol or a PEG,” he adds. Need a full list of chemicals to keep out of your medicine cabinet? Listen to the Podcast for a 50% Coupon for PUR attitude Skincare! Want pure, clean skincare made with natural ingredients? You can revamp your skincare routine without burning a hole in your wallet. Listen to the podcast for a coupon for 50% PUR attitude’s entire skincare line! Can’t get enough of David’s beauty advice? Follow @JustAskDavid on Instagram and Facebook!

If you’ve been following this podcast, you already know a great deal of anti-aging skincare secrets from inside the beauty industry. But beauty is more than skin deep. Sometimes you have to go a little deeper. Board certified plastic surgeon and award-winning author Dr. Anthony Youn, MD, FACS, joins Just Ask David to give us a few fillers beyond skincare - pun intended. Dr. Youn, better known as America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon® or America’s Holistic Beauty Doc™, believes that everyone can achieve their true beauty by taking a holistic approach - which may or may not involve plastic surgery. Pretty Doesn’t Have to Hurt Cosmetic surgery to look younger advanced exponentially in the last few years. There are a variety of different and more effective ways to erase wrinkles without getting a stiff face full of Botox. “There’s so much out there now that’s non-invasive that we can do to create these massive changes,” Dr. Youn agrees. “In the past, we looked at aging in a very two-dimensional fashion: Things sagged, and so we pulled them up. Things have gotten more three-dimensional since then. “Not only are we adding volume to fill out areas that have gotten thinner and more gaunt with age, but we’re also then changing the surface,” Dr. Youn adds. “We’re removing blemishes and wrinkles and age spots. And the great thing is that so much of this is non-invasive, doesn’t hurt, and yet you see those results.” How Your Sweet Tooth Sabotages Your Anti-Aging Regimen When it comes to anti-aging, we underestimate how important diet is. “Diet is a huge thing. If you did one thing outside of skincare that could really help to make your skin healthier, I would recommend that you decrease the amount of sugar that you eat,” suggests Dr. Youn. So why does sugar have such a disastrous effect on our skin and overall appearance? How could something that tastes so good be so bad for you? “These instant sugar spikes create insulin spikes which can create inflammation chronically with time,” Dr. Youn explains. Lose Fat FAST: The Holy Grail of Plastic Surgery! If there were one magic pill, an easy fix, that holy grail of plastic surgery that can help you look younger and more beautiful with little effort… what would it be? “The Holy Grail of plastic surgery is losing fat without diet, exercising, surgery, or needles,” says Dr. Youn. And plastic surgeons have it figured out. “You can lose up to 25% of the thickness of your fat without any type of invasive procedure,” Dr. Youn adds. But how? Is it possible to lose weight without diet, exercise, or surgery? Listen to the podcast and find out! Follow Dr. Youn on Social Media! Keep up-to-date with Dr. Youn and new cosmetic surgery technology by visiting his website. Don’t forget to “Like” him on Facebook and follow on Instagram and Twitter @TonyYounMD!

Why are social media filters so popular? Do we really want to look like puppy dogs? Or do we like how the filter blurs out our blemishes and imperfections? Probably the second one. “I think there is a quest for complexion perfection and the resurfacing of the skin,” beauty expert and style writer Felicia Walker Benson says. “And I think social media filters are helping to drive that trend.” Felicia is publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the well-known fashion and beauty blog, ThisThatBeauty. And she’s written for Marie Claire, Lucky, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, just to name a few. She has a couple ideas on how the skincare industry is being transformed in new ways by social media. Specifically… how to get skin as flawless as the puppy filter. The Must Have Tool Everyone Needs for Perfect Skin Know what most skincare trending on social media has in common? People like to take cute selfies while they’re doing it. (That’s why sheet masks dominated Instagram for so long!) That’s absolutely the case for charged face rollers. The smooth crystal stones in soft, marbled colors are so beautiful that it’s easy to be convinced that they can make you look just as lovely. Not only that, but the crystals can vary by healing properties, making them perfect for anyone who likes to make their own laser-focused skincare regimen. “I’m a very choose-your-adventure skincare person. So if my skin is feeling dull, I’m definitely going to reach for my rose quartz facial roller,” Felicia explains. “I might reach for my jade roller if my skin is feeling kind of acne-prone or if it’s feeling a little irritated. Jade is supposed to be the clarifying and purifying stone.” AHA! The Beauty of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids AHAs, or alpha-hydroxy acids, are loved for their ability to create picture-perfect skin. “So many new AHAs are being introduced to the market and you’re seeing that the consumer is very into this kind of product because it promises and delivers resurfaced skin,” Felicia says. AHAs are booming in popularity, but Felicia warns against the harshness of some types. She says her favorite AHAs are ones that aren’t harsh on the skin, citing Glow Recipe and Glossier as favorites. “These are actually meant for daily use versus the super-charged glycolic acid peels. Lower concentration AHAs are better for daily use.” Check Out Felicia Walker Benson on Social Media! Want to hear more of what Felicia has to say on the latest beauty trends? Visit her blog ThisThatBeauty, and don’t forget to follow on Twitter and Instagram @ThisThatBeauty!

With so many skin care products on the market, it’s impossible to figure out what you really need. Some skin care routines (like the Korean method) have 10 or more steps! In this segment, beauty guru David Pollock cuts to the chase: Which ingredients are essential for smooth, glowing skin? Hyaluronic Acid “One of the most important ingredients, one of my favorites, is hyaluronic acid,” David shares. “It is found in almost every cell of your body. It’s what Mother Nature uses to take and bind 1000 times its weight and moisture at the cellular level.” With that much moisture-retaining power, hyaluronic acid is especially perfect for smoothing fine wrinkles and replenishing dull, dry skin. “This is a key ingredient in serums and moisturizers to help draw moisture out, bind it to the skin, and help plump up the skin, help it look moist, help it stay moisturized,” David says. Vitamin C You don’t have to feel under the weather to get the benefits from Vitamin C. . Vitamin C is excellent for the skin, especially when it comes to aging and sun damage. “It’s a powerful antioxidant and so it’s going to fight the signs of aging,” David says. And you can get your daily dose of Vitamin C in a variety of ways. Take a supplement or use a serum - you’re still reaping the benefits. “Vitamin C, whether it’s from orange juice or however you’re getting it, it’s going to work from the inside out,” David explains. “Topically, you’re going to have great results when you put it onto the skin.” There are also several different types of Vitamin C which vary in purity and potency. “The purest and most potent is l-ascorbic acid,” David says. Glycolic Acid Physical exfoliants are great, but sometimes you need a chemical exfoliant to go deeper into the skin’s surface to get rid of dead skin. Glycolic acid is one of the best chemical exfoliants around. “It’s the smallest molecule, which means that it’s going to go to the lower layers and it’s going to loosen that bond to the dead skin cells,” David explains. And as harsh as glycolic acid may sound, it’s actually gentle enough to use at home. “You don’t have to hump to the large peels or necessarily get them done at the doctor’s office… those have their place and are great to do,” David says. “A light level of glycolic use several times a week, and you’re going to see such a great difference and more radiance to your skin.” Retinol Worried that these products may not be strong enough for you? Retinol may be more of your strength. “The items from earlier are more for those in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and up,” David says. “Retinol is for those with more damage as you get into your 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s - you get the deep wrinkles.” Retinol is well-known for its anti-aging properties, but use this one with caution. It can be dangerous to be exposed to the sun’s rays after application. And just a little goes a long way. “You’re going to want to find something that’s 0.5-1%,” David suggests. “It doesn’t take much.” Follow Just Ask David for More Insider Beauty Tips! Stay up-to-date with the Just Ask David podcast by following on iTunes and Stitcher! We have new experts featured every week! Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook and follow on Instagram and Twitter @JustAskDavid.

Prescription medication can burn a serious hole in your wallet. Rising healthcare costs mean that many of us are scrambling to get the money for prescriptions we need to be healthy. It’s a depressing reality. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things you can do to shave a few dollars off the price tag. Wellness reporter Ruben Castaneda of the U.S. News & World Report returns to Just Ask David to offer insider advice on little-known ways to save money on your prescription medications. “Ask your doctor about possible alternatives” Sometimes, there is more than one medication that may work for us. Generic medications, natural remedies, even trying a different brand name are all fantastic ways you can spare your bank account from pricey prescriptions. Ruben suggests asking your pharmacist or healthcare provider follow-up questions before picking a new medication. “Ask for other, less expensive options,” he advises. “What will this medication do for me? What are potential side effects?” “Make an appointment with your pharmacist” Many of us don’t realize it, but pharmacists are more than just the people who fulfill our prescription orders. They’re often knowledgeable about the different kinds of medicines available on the market and what they’re used for. “Have him or her review your complete medication list,” Ruben adds. “They can often find ways that you can save money.” “Shop around for the best price” Don’t feel like you’re obligated to fill your prescription at one of the big pharmacy chains, like those in Walmart or CVS. There are other places you can go to shop for your medical essentials. And plenty of them offer competitive prices. Besides your obvious pharmacies, Ruben also recommends checking prices at local independent drug stores and big box store pharmacies. Listen for #4, 5, and 6! Want to hear even more of what Ruben Castaneda has to say? Check out his article, 7 Ways Pain is Sometimes Misdiagnosed on U.S. News & World Report and follow him on Twitter @rcastanedaUSN!

Just Ask David fans know that David Pollock’s dedication to Safe Beauty all stems from cancer awareness. Our special guest Caitlin Kiernan joins us right before the month of October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - to share an extraordinarily inspiring opportunity for women who have dealt with or are currently dealing with cancer. Even as an award-winning journalist and beauty director for the likes of Life & Style Weekly, Star!, and OK! magazines, the Cancer Wellness Expo is a passion project for Caitlin. Caitlin has been featured as a contributor in The Wall Street Journal, Refinery29, Harper’s Bazaar, and The New York Times, among other prestigious media outlets. But after the rewarding feeling of releasing her book Pretty Sick: The Beauty Guide for Women with Cancer, Caitlin wanted to do even more for cancer patients and survivors. “It’s all about taking care of yourself during treatment because sometimes that gets lost in the mix. I wanted women to have access to all the information I had access to when I was going through treatment.” Caitlin calls the Cancer Wellness Expo her book come to life. What is the Cancer Wellness Expo? A cancer diagnosis is more than enough to make anyone’s head spin. And while treatment can help get rid of the cancer, many cancer patients become so worried about surviving that they neglect other parts of their overall wellness - understandably so. Simply put, the Cancer Wellness Expo gives women who are cancer patients or survivors the best spa day they’ve ever had. Let’s put it this way: your morning begins with a peaceful yoga session and ends with a VIP cocktail party. “It’s all the different facets of wellness just for cancer patients and survivors,” Caitlin explains. “All the unique things that affect us, from how our medicine changes our body to how we reposition our relationship with food and exercise.” And the Cancer Wellness Expo is just as educational (and star-studded!) as it is rejuvenating. “We’re bringing in all the leading experts and influencers and celebrities to have these kinds of provocative conversations and to also have a lot of pampering,” Caitlin says. “Who doesn’t need that when you’re going through treatment?” Follow Caitlin Kiernan and the Cancer Wellness Expo on Social Media Visit the Cancer Wellness Expo website for resources on upcoming events! Want to keep an eye on Caitlin and her cancer awareness work? Visit her website, “like” her on Facebook, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @caitkiernan.

There’s something about autumn that inspires us to turn over a new leaf. Maybe because summer vacation is over and we’re all getting ready to focus again. Maybe it’s as simple as the leaves changing color that makes us want to do the same. Our skin care routines adjust with the changing of the seasons, too. But for those of you new to skin care, rotating your routine to match the season can be a bit confusing. What products should we be adding to our fall skin care routines? Are there any steps we can skip now, like putting on sunscreen? Is autumn skin care actually just regular skin care with a pumpkin spice scent? Lucky for us, David Pollock is the beauty guru who you can trust to cut to the chase and expose industry secrets that skin care companies don’t want you to know. 1. Don’t Let Your Busy Fall Schedule Make You Slack on Your Beauty Regimen More than switching out any of the products you’re using for the fall, it’s important to stay committed to taking care of your skin. When autumn creeps up on us, most of us are getting ready to go back to school or are helping our kids get ready to go back. It’s a busy time. We know. But don’t let it sidetrack your skin care routine! “The biggest thing I see is as we get busy, everyone wants to skimp on skincare because there’s just not enough time,” David says. “But it’s important to keep up that routine and to take care of your skin. One of my favorite things is to exfoliate the dead skin cells... Whether it’s through a serum with glycolic [acid] in it, or some other enzyme.” 2. Ditch the Toner Here’s a little-known secret in the beauty industry: if you’re using good skin care products, you actually don’t need a toner. Not just in the fall. Ever. “If you get properly formulated products, you don’t need a toner,” David says. High quality products are going to clean your face and keep it at a healthy pH balance - which is all a toner does. So this fall, try dropping your toner from your daily skin care routine and see what happens. (Hint: Probably nothing.) Listen for #3 (Plus Bonus Beauty Tips This Season)! Like what Just Ask David has to say about beauty tips and the industry? Follow Just Ask David on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @JustAskDavid for more!