"August is the Sunday of summer."

Late summer is almost a season all its own- fresh off the memories of summer breaks and vacations, with the structure and routine of fall starting to inch closer and closer. We're somewhere comfortably between looking back and a busy season to come. For this month's Founder's Edit, I'm sharing my thoughts and goals for this season, a product I'm getting lots and lots of questions on, the stylist whose socials I'm constantly refreshing, and the (easy) late summer recipes you'll find on repeat in the Beacham household.

On my mind.

I personally find joy in routines. It is calming for me to get into the flow of a new season or a new week.

For me, planning and thinking through logistics for all the things allows me to feel in control.  I am able to look at the week in advance and realize I put too much on the calendar, instead of waking up and realizing I can't be in three places at one time. If I don’t have a plan sometimes I feel that all I am doing is putting out fires. 

I try to look at the week as a whole and plan out a "margin" in my schedule. This margin over the years has become my saving grace. This margin allows me to put out whatever the latest fire is - an extra grocery run, a last minute pediatrician visit, a poster board for a school project. If I get really lucky and there is no fire to put out, I get to use that time to go for a walk, catch up on emails, call a friend or squeeze in a foot massage.

As a working mom I have tried to fit it all in over the years, maxing out my patient schedule and cutting down on childcare hours. I was meticulously planning out grocery orders, getting gas on lunch breaks, doing charts after the kids went to bed.  Life rarely goes according to plan and my plan was not working. I was trying to be all the things all the time with no margin. Without my margin, I was overtired, hungry, cranky and stressed.

One of my best friends recently reduced her hours at work. I could hear the excitement in her voice and quickly reminded her - this adjustment simply gave her a margin, and not to put anything else on her plate. Take that time to catch up, take a breath, sit down, and drink a cup of coffee.

Do you have a margin? Could you create a margin in your schedule? How are you going to rest or take care of yourself this season?

Some things I am doing for “Sunday” this August: attempt to eat a family meal on weeknights, five minute journal at night, morning pages, and walk daily.

On my text thread.

Instafacial Plasma. My skincare junkies have already texted to ask my thoughts on this new product.

What is Instafacial Plasma?

This is a human identical growth factor product with added peptides, growth factors. They are showing clinical trial data only on the use of their plasma and emulsion products together (retail value $550). The clinical trial included 28 participants, seemingly only utilizing these two products. The objective data (meaning the clinical investigator) saw 91% improvement in crows feet at 8 weeks and 77% improvement in elasticity in the under eye area.  The subjective data (meaning the opinion of the people that used the products) shows that 91% of participants reported their skin texture was smoother and more refined.  They have not yet done clinical trials on these products independently. 

Dr. Diamond founded this based on great results he was seeing with in-office procedures using patients' own platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for lasers and microneedling. He realized that bioregenerative treatments (PRP, stem cells, exosomes) were gaining traction and started research and development on products that incorporated them.

What are growth factors?

Growth factors are chemical messengers that travel between cells and direct them to turn on or off specific cellular activities. Topical application of growth factors can reduce signs of photoaging by promoting fibroblast and keratinocyte proliferation. Growth factors are not new to the skincare industry.

One of the biggest concerns about Growth Factors is that they could promote the growth of premalignant and malignant cells. Growth factors trigger cell growth, which could also cause cancer cells to multiply. Many individuals who are using growth factor products have actinically damaged skin, which could lead to the growth of early actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinomas.

What does this mean to me? If you are up to date on your annual skin cancer screening, do not have a history of pre-cancers or skin cancer, and are willing to invest the $550, this product could be worth a try! I personally would recommend utilizing this as a "treatment" doing it once or twice a year or before a big event, instead of utilizing this as a daily staple. 

We will be following this product as additional clinical trial data comes out, but for now, this will not be something we will carry at SHOPDERM due to both the cost of the product, and my personal hesitation around recommending growth factor technology.

On my socials.

I cannot get enough of Allison Bornstein. I recently read her book “Wear it Well” and have gone through as many of her reels and TikTok videos that I can find. She is the brains behind the ‘Three Word Method’ of dressing. The idea is that you choose three adjectives—one practical, one aspirational, one emotional—that encapsulate the way you want to show up in the world. (A fun exercise for our closet that's great for self reflection, too.) She encourages you to hone in on your own personal style and to shop your own closet. Here's a good starting place to see if you can figure out your own three words:

On my menu.

I am trying to eat dinner as a family on weeknights, but my kids are still very picky and we are trying to eat healthy. We, of course, participate in many of the staples - taco tuesday, pasta night, make your own pizza, etc. to keep the little ones happy. I also really enjoy trying out new recipes and we cannot get enough of these two salads from New York Times Cooking - Chopped Wedge Salad & Chopped Salad with Jalapeno-Ranch Dressing. Great options for late summer heat that give you a little less time cooking, and a little more time making memories around the table. Enjoy!