Dive into the world of smart skincare with Dr. Mary Alice Mina on the latest episode of "Work Like A Mother Podcast." Discover the truths behind skincare myths, learn about the effectiveness of retinol, and unwrap the importance of sunscreen with our expert. Marina Tolentino spices up the conversation by discussing her mentorship for entrepreneurs and strategies to tackle professional overwhelm. Whether you’re seeking simplicity in your skincare routine or aiming to elevate your business, this episode offers essential advice for working women everywhere. Tune in as we debunk common skincare fallacies and share tips for maintaining timeless beauty at every age. Don't miss out on this blend of business acumen and skincare wisdom—perfect for anyone looking to thrive both personally and professionally. Access the episode now for your guide to smarter living and professional success!

Mentioned in this episode:

The Influential Personal Brand Podcast

Dr. Mary Alice Mina

https://www.theskinreal.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drminaskin

Marina Tolentino

https://www.marinatolentino.com/

IG: @marinattolentino_

YT: @marinatolentino

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Transcript:

Marina [00:00:00]:

Skin minimalism. It's like we see influencers who have a 20 step nighttime routine and a 15 minutes morning routine and, like, this whole thing. Why is less more like, tell me about.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:00:10]:

I use products from the drugstore, which people are, like, horrified sometimes when I tell them that. Keep it simple. You know, there's this big push for clean beauty. And in my opinion, clean beauty also means less.

Marina [00:00:23]:

The issue is trust. And we're in this influencer society where anyone can become an expert when they have a bottle in their hand, right? If they're just naturally beautiful, they have good skin. But it's genetics.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:00:31]:

More than anything, I wish more women understood that it's okay for things to change. We're not allowed to age. We're not allowed to get more distinguished with age like men. We have this, like, unrealistic expectation to stay looking 25 forever.

Marina [00:00:54]:

Okay, so today I have the one and only miss Mary Alice Mina. And she's an incredible woman to start. So I just read a quick backstory on her and a woman of many talents, but her main specialty is skincare. And I think really just giving an overview of what's right, what's wrong, and how do we make sense of all the messy middle. So you are a Harvard trained, double board certified dermatologist and dermatologist surgeon and a leading expert on skin health. Cutinous. Am I saying that right? Cutaneous.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:01:26]:

Cutaneous, yeah.

Marina [00:01:28]:

Aesthetics and skincare. And the host of the Skin Real podcast show we got introduced, the brand Builders Group, which is an incredible community of entrepreneurs. And you're a mom to a ten year old boy and a nine year old girl. So welcome to the show, Doctor Mina. Thank you for being here.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:01:46]:

Thank you so much for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. I love this podcast. I wish it were around ten years ago when my kids were little and I was a younger professional trying to really grow.

Marina [00:01:57]:

Yeah, absolutely. And I think this is the cool thing about the Internet, is we can connect with people like you, who. I mean, you're in Georgia, right?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:02:04]:

I think, yeah, yeah, you're in Hawaii.

Marina [00:02:06]:

And make this happen and share insight with these women across the nation, which is really awesome. So I want to dive in today, first off, with some myth busting because I feel like there's just so much misinformation and stereotypes and everything and just, who knows? Media, whatever. Like, give me some of your myth busting things that you talk to clients about.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:02:26]:

Oh, gosh, I feel like I actually just released a podcast on this because I ask these questions all the time, and it's overwhelming, as you know, and your listeners know, all the information out there, do this, do that, don't do this, do that. I mean, it's really conflicting, it's confusing. And that's really my goal with starting this podcast, because I know it's hard to get in to see a dermatologist, to really get good information about skincare. And so I want to at least be a voice, maybe a small voice out there on like, well, what do you really, really need to do? Because I don't like to waste time, I don't like to waste money, and I want to see results. So, gosh, I mean, there, there's so many myths out there. Um, uh, you know, it's like, where to begin? Um, I would say one, one thing that seems to be really popular right now is this, um, whole trend towards non toxic products, which, I mean, yes, that sounds great. No one wants to put toxic products on their skin, but it's gone kind of too far where people think anything natural is good or better. And there are a lot of, like, home remedies.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:03:37]:

And I get it. I put on an avocado mask on my face when I was a teenager. And so people are wanting to do kind of dIy, and they think, oh, apple's vinegar, like, that's natural. That can't harm my skin. It's flaxseed. That's natural. That's going to be a great substitute for botox. So I.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:04:01]:

There's this misconception that, oh, if it's natural, it has to be good, it has to be better, and it can't be unsafe. And that's really the main thing, is that, I mean, it's okay if you want to put avocado on your face, but I wouldn't recommend apple cider vinegar because that actually can burn your skin, the acid in it, and cause problems. So, um, I do see that a lot, that people just think it's natural, it can't harm me. But I'll usually say, well, you know, arsenic is. Is natural, mercury is natural, poison ivy is natural. And these are all things we would not want to put on our skin.

Marina [00:04:37]:

And as you're saying that, it just makes me think the issue is trust, right? And we're in this influencer society where anyone can become an expert when they have a bottle in their hand, right? If they're just naturally beautiful, they have good skin. Let's just say, like, I've always been complimented on my skin. I don't do much. I'm a very simple person, but it's genetics more than anything. Um, and so I could say, do this remedy and you're gonna. Someone's gonna go buy it, but I might not have ever tried the freaking product, and I'm just being endorsed. Right? So how do people find that trust factor? Like, what steps would you recommend before they actually go buy the product or do the thing? Like, what's the steps you would go through to filter that?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:05:10]:

Yeah, you're. You are so spot on, right? It's so easy for really anyone to have an audience, have a platform, and put themselves out there as an expert. And celebrities are a great example, right? They're beautiful. They devote their life to, and they have money, right, to invest in all these procedures and the latest things and exercise and all this stuff that normal, regular people don't have access to. And so they do look beautiful. They look amazing. And then they sponsor, they're sponsored by a company, and they promote this product. And so, of course, you're like, well, I want to look as beautiful as that person, and that person's probably not even using the product honestly, right? They're just getting paid by the company.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:05:55]:

So you're. You're so spot on with that. And there's so many, you know, influencers out there, and it's. It is hard to know who to trust. So, I mean, my advice would be, do your due diligence. I find that people will research the heck out of a light bulb, a battery, what? I don't even know what. Like, they'll research the heck out of a product they're gonna buy on Amazon, and then they don't really research who they are seen for their skin advice or their cosmetic treatments. It really blows my mind how people have this, this sort of blanket trust that, oh, well, my friend saw this person, or this person has a big audience on TikTok.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:06:34]:

They must be good. And they don't even really know. Well, what is their training? Um. Are they, are they even a medical professional? Um. And I'm just amazed how people just put this trust in someone they don't really know their credentials or their level of training. And with cosmetic stuff, I mean, you don't have to get it done, right. And so there's really no error for, or no margin for error, right. You want to look better, not worse, or have complications.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:07:02]:

So I would say do your due diligence, right. Just like you're researching to buy something. Um, talk to the. Find out where the person, you know, first of all, are they a doctor, are they a nurse? Are they a medical professional at all? What kind of training have they received? A lot of people will have certificates from, like, a weekend course where they learned how to inject Botox or do whatever procedure. And. And so you want to. You want to be seeing the person who does it all the time, who has a lot of training. If you have a darker skin, you want to make sure that person is trained in procedures in skin of color, because you can have more complications with pigmentation and scarring, and you want to make sure that they're not just trying to sell you something because they have it and it isn't necessarily the right product for you.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:07:50]:

So it's just being, you know, kind of think, well, is, you know, is this person really acting in my best interest, or are they just trying to make a sale? What are their credentials? How many of these procedures do they do? Those are all things I'd recommend asking before getting a treatment, a procedure. And if you're following people on social media, again, just kind of think, is this person really an expert, or are they just really popular and really beautiful?

Marina [00:08:19]:

Yeah. And I think the thing about social media, too, is it's so quick, and it's so easy to buy now from the app. You don't have to leave Instagram or leave TikTok to get a product. It's so easy. So I would say instead of that, add it to the cart. But before you buy it, go back on your computer and then start to look at reviews, go to someone's LinkedIn bio, and, like, are they actually a professional, or is it just the bio on their link? Right. Um, so I think that's huge, but absolutely. And I think just leading into the next topic about skin minimalism, it's like we see influencers who have a 20 step nighttime routine and a 15 minutes morning routine, and, like, this whole thing.

Marina [00:08:55]:

What? Why is less more, like, tell me about.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:08:59]:

For so many reasons, so many reason. So I'm, you know, a self proclaimed, very basic skincare person, and I use products from the drugstore, which people are, like, horrified sometimes, and I tell them that, but I'm not just using crappy products. Just because it's from the drugstore doesn't mean these, you know, neutrogena, aveeno, Larouche, posay. These are massive companies, and they have huge R and D budgets, and they do studies on it, and the products are tested. So, you know, this is not just, like, getting, like, the cheapest thing out there. I'm getting quality products, but there is this misconception that you have to spend a lot of money and you have to use a lot of things. And there are a number of reasons why I don't recommend that. Number one, you don't need it.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:09:45]:

So it's kind of a waste. It's a waste of your time, it's a waste of your money. But if that doesn't make you not want to do it, then it can make the products less effective. So when you are piling on tons of stuff, they can counter counteract each other. You know, one, then you aren't getting the benefit of the first product because you put on the second product and they can become ineffective. And then they can also be irritated and they can maybe clog your pores and actually worsen your skin, which is the exact opposite of what you're trying to do. So I always say, keep it simple. You know, there's this big push for clean beauty.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:10:24]:

And in my opinion, clean beauty also means less. Less waste, less products, less things to throw away. And you don't need a complicated routine. And if people listening are busy moms like you and I, right, who has time for a complicated routine at the end of the day or in the morning? And I just want people to know that you don't have to do that. You can free yourself of that. Take one less thing off your plate and just keep it really, really basic. And you can still have beautiful skin. I promise.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:10:58]:

Love it.

Marina [00:10:58]:

Yeah.

Marina [00:10:59]:

Hey, ladies, real quick, if you are looking for a mentor, I just wanted to remind you that I offer mentorship to entrepreneurs. So if you're someone who has a never ending to do list and you're spiling out of control and feel like your business doesn't have a track plan, I want to work with you every single week for a month at a time. It's super simple, but I come from over ten years of experience doing this myself, and now I'm willing to give that information back to people. So I've mentored real estate agents, I've mentored wedding photographers, I've mentored other business owners, and they've come from a place of overwhelm, mostly. And they really just needed clarity and a couple of action steps to move the needle. And we've seen gigantom leaps and bounds in their business. Like, I can't even tell you. So if you're interested and you want to know what that looks like, I want you to go to marinatolentino.com.

Marina [00:11:45]:

And there's a calendly link there to do a 15 minutes discovery call with me just to see if we're a good vibe check to make sure we're on the same page. And I would love to work with you one on one to really boost your business to the next level. Let's dive back in.

Marina [00:11:57]:

What would you say is, like, morning routine and must dos like bare minimums and then night routine bare minimums for someone in their thirties like me?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:12:04]:

Okay. Yeah. So it does depend, I don't like to necessarily divide it out by age per se, because there. Yeah, but, yeah, I get what you're saying. Like, someone in your thirties especially, you know, you're probably gotten over a lot of the acne that can happen in the teenage years, and you might be starting to think about anti aging and you might be going through pregnancies. And so really, the basic skincare for, I would say someone in their thirties would be a gentle cleanser. And if you tend to have oily skin, you're going to want to go with something that's more like a gel kind of cleanser or something that's for acne prone skin. Or if you tend to have more oily skin.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:12:46]:

Now, if you have dry skin, go with something that's a little more nourishing, a little more creamy. You could even double cleanse if you want. If you tend to have really dry, sensitive skin and use an oil based cleanser first and then follow up with, with a regular cleanser, but gentle cleanser. And again, I'm not a, you know, there are plenty of people who don't wash their face in the morning, so I'm okay with that. If you don't want to wash your face in the morning, you could just splash some water on if you like. Um, but you have to wash your face at night, right? That is non negotiable.

Marina [00:13:17]:

Makeup off.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:13:18]:

Yes. Get the makeup off. Even if you don't wear makeup, you've got your sunscreen, hopefully a product, any products on from the day, but you also have just the, the dirt and grime from the day. You have oil buildup. You have skin buildup on your face, and it's just good to cleanse that off. So definitely wash at night, but in the morning, moisturizer. And for a lot of people, if you tend to have oily skin, your sunscreen sometimes can be that moisturizer, so you don't necessarily need a separate one. But if you tend to have dry skin, then you're going to want to do a moisturizer.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:13:53]:

And then, of course, sunscreen, you have to do sunscreen. Um, SPF 30 or higher. This is going to make the biggest impact in your, how your skin looks in your fifties, your sixties, your seventies, and, um, and help prevent things like skin cancer. And, um, for people who want to get a little fancy, you can add a vitamin C serum in the morning. So you'll want to put that on right before you do your moisturizer or sunscreen. And that's a great way to also combat that oxidative stress from uv radiation from the sun. It can help even out your pigmentation and just keep your skin refreshed. So that's kind of all you need for the morning routine.

Marina [00:14:33]:

Love it. Yeah. Okay. And then nighttime, we're going to wash it off. Do we got to layer on things too or can we just moisturize?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:14:41]:

So it's really up to you? So, um, in the evening, you're going to want to wash your face. If you do wear a lot of makeup or you wear a lot of waterproof makeup or waterproof sunscreen, or I should say water resistant sunscreen, you may find that you need to either do a double cleanse. And so this is basically just using micellar water or an oil based cleanser first to really help get that makeup off, and then follow up with your regular gentle cleanser and, and then you can just do them. Moisturizer. If you want to get fancy, then you can do like a, well, I shouldn't even say fancy, right? Like, so you want to use a vitamin a cream. So people probably know this as a retinol or a retinoid. The retinol you can think of as the over the counter variety and then the retinoid is a stronger one and that is a prescription strength. And I think if you can get on, if you can get started with one of these in your thirties and you may even have been on it in your twenties for, for acne.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:15:38]:

But if you can start this now, again, just like with sunscreen, it's really going to make a huge impact on your skin for decades to come. It's a really powerful collagen booster. It helps even out your skin, your skin tone, any dark spots on your face, helps with cell turnover and helps unclog pores if you have acne. So it's really a great product. And in the grand scheme of things, it's super affordable and you don't have to spend a lot. I mean, you can just get a prescription or the over the counter and just do that. If not every night, do it a couple nights a week, and it really makes a big impact. And that's really it.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:16:20]:

Like, that's. That's my morning and evening skincare routine.

Marina [00:16:25]:

I mean, I love it. I've seen the retinol on the shelf, but I always think, and maybe this is because, like, in my brain, I'm 25 forever, I'm like, that's for old people. Like, I don't need that yet. I'm hearing you say, like, you should absolutely do it. It's for everybody. There's a couple nights a week. That sounds really great.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:16:40]:

Yeah. Start it before you think you need it because it doesn't work overnight. And I'll tell people it's like, weight loss. You don't just eat a salad for a couple days. And I'm like, why haven't I lost ten pounds?

Marina [00:16:51]:

Right.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:16:51]:

So you have to. It works slowly, and so you want to start it before you really think you need it, and you will see the benefits.

Marina [00:17:00]:

That's good to know. Talk to me about expiration dates. Like, do products expire? What does that look like? Because I think for all of us, we, we've binged all the things, right? Because we've been told to buy all this, and then before we know it, we have 50 products in our cabinets. Like.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:17:14]:

I hear you. I was actually just thinking, working with my social media va on a post about spring cleaning, because you're so. You're so right. Like, products do expire. These ingredients, they don't last forever. And it's. It is easy. I don't use a lot of products, but I am sent a lot of products.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:17:34]:

So I have a closet in my bathroom full of stuff, thinking, like, I need to go through and give away or if it's not expired or throw it away if they are. So, yeah, this stuff doesn't last forever. And this, I'm not sure when this is going to air, but it's springtime, right when we're recording. And so now's a good time to kind of go through your cabinet, look at stuff, and figure out if you haven't used it in a year, you're probably not going to use it. So maybe gift it, give it away, or, um, if it's expired, throw it away, get a new one if you use it. But, um, things do expire, so don't be using, like, a five year old sunscreen. Yeah. Um, the other thing to remember, too, like, these products can degrade in the heat.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:18:17]:

So sunscreen, uh, I used to leave it in my car, thinking that was a great way to always have it with me. And then it just like, you know, did not look good. Um, and it's, it can break down. So if you've left things in the hot car, get rid of it. Um, there's been a recent study about benzene from benzoyl peroxide products that were in, um, left in really high temperatures. And so any benzoyl peroxide type product, uh, if it's been sitting somewhere really, really hot, just get rid of it, get a new one. Um, but yeah, don't do, look at those. They, they are on the bottles.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:18:52]:

If you look and if you know it's sitting in your back, your closet and you haven't used it, you're probably not. So.

Marina [00:18:59]:

Yeah, absolutely. I think we could all free up some space and make room for something else.

Marina [00:19:04]:

Hey guys, I hope you're enjoying the podcast, but real quick, if you are someone that's super overwhelmed and you're worrying, how the heck am I supposed to do all this stuff, I want to tell you, I have a really good four week course for you. It's called core values of your calendar. It's super succinct to the point, filled with stories about how I've overcome, overwhelmed myself and the strategies and tools I use today to do all the things that I'm doing today. So I've been there, I've seen it. I mean, I still see it on my feed today. All the influencers who are telling us do this, sell more, be more, post twelve times a day, right? And it's freaking impossible. And so I want you to go to marinatolentino.com, scroll down and look for the course again. It's called core values of your calendar.

Marina [00:19:42]:

Read it, see if it's right for you. But I would love for you to dive in and literally implement the tools and systems and strategies that I've learned over the years that have paid thousands of dollars in coaching to get this information and give it to you in this course. Check that out and we'll get right back to the podcast.

Marina [00:19:56]:

Okay, next topic I want to get into is the c word, the cancer. And especially being in Hawaii where we're really close to the equator, I mean, all of us wear sunscreen, I like to say, but I mean, we don't reapply, that's for sure. And then what are some of like the best ways to prevent it besides sunscreen? Is there other things we can do?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:20:14]:

Yeah. So I'm glad you brought this up because I feel like sometimes this gets sort of pushed down the list of importance, and I see and treat a lot of skin cancers. And the number one I hear, number one thing I hear my patients say who are in their seventies, eighties, nineties, they'll say, we never had Sunscreen. We didn't know about this. And they'll say, I wish I had known. I wish I had known. So that's why I'm really passionate about getting the message out to people in teenagers, twenties, thirties, forties. Like, it's, it's not too late.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:20:44]:

And sunscreen is a great way to protect yourself from the sun. It, you know, I'm sitting right now in my office. There's a window is a lot of uva rays that are still coming through the window because it's sunny and the sun is setting over there. So people will say, well, I don't, I'm not outside, but even sitting inside by a window, you're exposed to those Uva rays. Um, not reapplying is a huge problem, and it's something I struggle with as well. So I, you guys, I, I'm with you on that, too. It's hard. It is really hard, especially when you're hot, you're sweaty, you're wet from swimming.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:21:19]:

It's like the last thing you want to do is put more sunscreen on. But it, it really does need to be reapplied every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating if you want it to be effective. Now, I also, I'm not, and people find this funny, but I don't love putting stuff on my skin. Um, so I don't love, like, smearing sunscreen on either. But I, of course, I do it every day and I, and I try to reapply, but one of the things I love is sun protective clothing. And if I was in Hawaii, I would. Or when I went to Hawaii, right. I love the, like, sun shirts, the rash guards.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:21:54]:

Like, my whole family wears them. I feel like there's a lot of cute clothing out there. They have like, little shawls you can throw on if you don't necessarily want to mess up your outfit with a shirt. And I always have a hat. A hat with a brim, like about like a three inch brim. And that way, if I have makeup on, I don't have to mess it up when I reapply. Um, you do just have to be careful, you know, if you're swimming and you got your hat on, it will reflect off the water. But I love sun protective clothing.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:22:24]:

Look for a UPF factor of 50. That's going to give you about 98% protection from the sun and the clothing. I know it sounds like, oh, my gosh, like, I don't want to wear long sleeves in, in the heat of the summer, but it's like, um, athletic wear nowadays or yoga clothes, right? They wick away the sweat and they really actually keep you cooler than if you just had the sun, like, beating directly on you. So, yeah, I mean, the more you can be aware of that, sit in the shade instead of right under the sun, have an umbrella. Like, those are all, like, great ways to prevent not just sun damage that can cause aging, but sun damage that can cause skin cancers. And the sun damage for skin cancers, it's cumulative. So it's slowly, like, adds up over the years. And so you may be fine for 40, 50 years, but if you are getting a lot of sun, it can and can and will catch up to you.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:23:25]:

So the more proactive you can be, like, in your thirties, the better.

Marina [00:23:29]:

That's a good reminder. And even as a mom, I'm thinking I am horrible about reapplying it on my kids. And so I just need to be mindful of, like, like, I noticed year old has freckles that are building, and I'm like, I really need to put sunscreen on his face every day because I don't right now. Just, like, out of sight, out of mind. I take care of myself, but I don't put it on.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:23:44]:

Yeah, you know, I hear you. It is hard with kids. And that's why I do love, like, the bathing suits. And I laugh. Cause my ten year old, he thinks it's, like, indecent to not wear a sun shirt. So even inside or in an indoor pool, he always has his sunshirt on. And my kids are now old enough that they can start putting it on themselves. So what I do is I leave bathroom a little.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:24:09]:

They like the stick sunscreen. They find that it rubs on. Um, they like, it's not as cold and they like it, so they will, you know, now in the morning before school, they put their sunscreen stick on and, um, you know, I still have to, like, wrangle them at the beach and stuff like that because, um, you know, but it is a struggle, the struggles real with children. But that's why I do love the clothing, because then I at least know, okay, like, I don't have to necessarily rub it in every little nook and cranny. They've got the shirt on now.

Marina [00:24:39]:

That's true. What's the brand of the sticky like?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:24:41]:

Oh, gosh. Um, I think right now we're using neutrogena. They like that one. It's a mineral based sunscreen, and I've tried the ulta one I like. Um, I also love sprays for kids. So, um, the trick with sprays is don't just spray it directly on the kids. Spray it on your hands and then kind of rub them. And then.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:25:01]:

And then spray it. Um, or then rub it on them. Or if you do spray it directly on them, make sure you rub it in. But sprays are good for covering, like, a wide surface area, too.

Marina [00:25:10]:

Yeah. Um, yeah, that's good. Okay, so super good advice about sunscreen, I think. Next thing I want to know, and this is a selfish question, but, like, does everyone need to see a dermatologist or just certain people? And how often do we need to see one? Like, I. The misconception in my head is I only need to go if there's a problem. Right.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:25:27]:

Yeah. Well, and you. You're not wrong, right. Um, the reason I would. I would say it's good to kind of establish a relationship with the dermatologist is that when you get something weird or funky or a rash, you've got, you know, you're already an established patient, it's usually much easier to get in and, um, you know, because that kind of stuff comes up. Right. And you don't want to have this horrible rash, and then you can't get in to see them for a couple of months. So that would be one reason to kind of get established earlier.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:25:59]:

I would say people who have had a lot of sun, maybe even have, like, a lot of moles, a lot of freckling, they should probably get in just for all over check, make sure there's nothing funny going on. And then the dermatologist will probably say, you know, annual checks for someone who has not had a lot of sun damage, not a lot of moles, they should probably check in every few years. But if you're interested in sort of like, well, how do I keep my skin healthy and youthful, or you're interested in, like, cosmetic stuff, then getting sort of established before you really think you need it is helpful as well. But I know it's hard to see dermatologists. I think there's only, like, 10,000 of us in the US, and they're booked up and everything. So that's kind of why I say just, like, get that foot in the door. So that when you do have a rash or something weird pops up, um, you can get in to see them, but the, the biggest thing would be people with a lot of sun damage, I would say, really, by the time you're 40, if you've never been to the dermatologist, you should probably go see a dermatologist just to make sure there's nothing, um, you know, hidden or on your back or in your scalp. Um, and then if you've had a lot of sun damage or you have a lot of moles or you have a personal or family history of skin cancers or melanomas, and you're going to want to be seen a little more regularly.

Marina [00:27:24]:

Yeah, that's a really good reminder. And I love the 40. If you haven't done it yet, let's do it once. That's good.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:27:29]:

Yes.

Marina [00:27:30]:

You mentioned some cosmetic stuff, so let's kind of roll into that. Like, I feel like it's all over the place where everyone's getting botox and everyone's doing this and fillers and whatever. Like, what's your overall advice for that?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:27:41]:

Yeah, so it's, it's all. It's such a personal choice. And I think sometimes this can be really polarizing. Like, oh, you're. You're putting toxins in your face, and then other people are really, you know, they're really health conscious, but they, they love their botox, and there's everyone in the. In the middle. Um, I personally love botox. I think it's a great product.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:28:01]:

It's, um, it makes your skin brighter, and, um, there's just like a glow you get from it, I think, where people get scared, a, it has the word, you know, toxin in it, but it is. I like to joke. I mean, it is a totally natural product. It is from clostridium bacteria, and that produces this natural toxin. And people have been trying to harness it for decades and centuries, mostly for combat and war, to paralyze your opponent. But what's funny is some ophthalmologists were using it to treat a condition called strabismus, where the muscles get really, really tight in the eye and they can't see clearly. And when they were injecting it around the eye, they noticed that the people couldn't scale as easily. And they would tell the people, oh, you're good.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:28:56]:

You know, we've treated your strabismus. You don't need to come back anymore. And the people would say, no, but I want to come back because you smoothed out my lines here. And that's when they kind of put two and two together, like, oh, my gosh, you know, this is also helping those muscles there. Um, so it's, it, there's been, there's so much data on it. It's, it's being used for medical things, is being used for cosmetic stuff. Um, so I think it's a great, especially if you're just thinking about getting procedures. It's a great one to start with.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:29:22]:

It's not permanent, so if you don't like it, you don't need to continue on with it. But it's totally up to you. Right? Like, it's natural to have wrinkles. So if that's not your jam, don't do it. Don't feel pressure to do it just because your friends are getting it. But I would say the time to start, if you're wondering, you people talk about, like, baby botox and stuff like that. Um, it's, I would say it's a waste to do it before you start having lines that don't go away when. So it works on what we call dynamic muscles.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:29:53]:

So when you're, like, raising your eyebrows or scowling, it will soften those expressions. But when you start to notice that those forehead lines don't go away, even though you bring your eyebrows down or, like, the. Around your eyes that, um, we call them the crow's feet, those lines stay there even when you're not squinting. That's when you, you know, not before, but that's when you should start thinking about, well, maybe. Yeah, maybe I'll, I'll try it out. And it wears off in about three to four months. You probably get a little more longevity the more consistently you do it. So if you don't like it, you don't ever have to do it again.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:30:27]:

But it's, it's kind of like coloring your hair. It's a little more of a commitment and upkeep because it does wear off.

Marina [00:30:34]:

Sure. Yeah. That's good to know. What's your thoughts on facials? Are they a scam? Should everyone do them? Like, what's the thing? Like, they're expensive. To me, it's like the same as a massage. So I'm like, when do I.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:30:46]:

This is my personal thing. First of all, I have never had a facial in my life, okay? So. And people are like, you've never had a facial? But to your point, if I. They're expensive, I don't really know what it would do for me. So I don't have a lot of clogged pores and stuff like that.

Marina [00:31:03]:

I.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:31:03]:

So to me, um, if I, you know, people say, well, it feels good, but, you know, I would rather get a massage, honestly. So if I, and I, if they're equivalent in price, I'm going to go with a massage all day, every day. Again, I don't like a lot of stuff being put on my skin. Um, if you're doing it because you think it feels good and you like how your skin looks afterwards, great. But is that really going to be like, what totally treats your acne? No, they're better things. And, and I just think if you're going to spend, I don't know, $100 or however much they are there, there are other procedures I would personally rather do, and I feel like you would get more bang for your buck, but if you like how they feel and you think they're helping your skin, there's no harm in it. But, yeah, I guess I have to say, I've never personally had one, so I can't really elaborate more than that.

Marina [00:31:51]:

So I actually grew up in a beauty salon. My mom's a nail artist, and then there was a facialist in the building, and so she would barter nails for facial. And so in middle school, I would go like once a month. I was so spoiled. I was like, I had this great skin anyways, I didn't need it. So it was more like a massage and an experience than anything. But now as an adult, I'm like, I really have to question, is it worth the 120, the $150, or would I rather go to the spa and get the whole day's experience with the massage instead?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:32:20]:

Yeah, I'll take the full body massage any day. Or to me, I would say, think about doing something like micro needling. Right? I mean, cost wise, they're pretty similar. And micro needling is going to like, help boost collagen and even out scarring. Um, it's just going to give you a little more, um, impact. So, you know, it, that's what I would, I would choose. I just think there are other things you can do if you're really looking to amp up your skin.

Marina [00:32:47]:

Yeah, okay. That's good advice. Um, okay, last advice is, what's something you wish more women understood and actually lived out?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:32:54]:

Oh, gosh. Um, I wish more women understood that it's okay for things to change. You are going to look back on pictures of yourself in your twenties, and I'm in my almost mid forties. Right. So you're going to look back at pictures and you're going to be like, oh, my gosh, like, I can't believe how young I look. Right. But when you're in the moment. You never feel that way, right? You never.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:33:19]:

When you were 30, you didn't feel that young. Um, and now I look back at pictures in my thirties, and I'm like, oh, my gosh. Like, I didn't, like, appreciate what I had then. And I think we're super, super critical, especially as women. And it's not all our fault, right? There's so much pressure to look a certain way, to have it all together. We're not allowed to age. We're not allowed to get more distinguished with age like men. We have this, like, unrealistic expectation to stay looking 25 forever.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:33:50]:

And a lot of the stuff we're consuming online, and we see this, this filtered life, these filtered people that are not. It's not real, but we're trying to live to that standard. And it's super frustrating. It's super discouraging. And so I just wish we could focus more on healthy skin and not so much on fighting every line, fighting every change that we see, because it can get to be a slippery slope. And I'm. I'm not a natural. Like, I like, I like doing aesthetic treatments and stuff like that, but it should be sort of the icing on the cake, and it shouldn't be this relentless pursuit for youth, because you're just always going to be disappointed.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:34:36]:

And that's no way to live.

Marina [00:34:38]:

No, it's an uphill battle. And even so, I started getting, like, white hairs around my temples, and I'm like, oh, no, it's coming right. Um, so I've started to dye my hair every, like, three months. But it is. It's something I have to keep up now. And if I'm adding more and more and more, and then it's like, what is the point? This is an uphill battle. But I've started. I don't know if it's just being 35 this year or whatever.

Marina [00:34:57]:

I'm starting to see women who have gray hair or, like, they've gone full white. And instead of, like, a criticizing, I'm appreciative of it. And it's a different kind of beauty that we don't see enough. So when we see it, it's really rare. And it's like, whoa, that's what a salt and pepper head looks like. I haven't seen one of those in two months. Like, they're so rare. Everyone colors their hair nowadays.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:35:15]:

Yeah, now I color my hair. I haven't quite gotten to the point where I'm like, okay, I can do this. But, yes, I love that we are seeing different examples of beauty.

Marina [00:35:27]:

Right.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:35:27]:

We're seeing different ethnicities, different. It's no longer that sort of cookie cutter. And we still have a long way to go, trust me. Right? Like, I'm not saying it's all perfect, but I'm with you. I follow a lot of these women who are silver, and they have beautiful, beautiful hair, and I love that. And I hope we see more of that. And as I start to, you know, hit perimenopause and menopause and beyond, like, I want to. I want to be a good example, too, for my daughter that, yes, I want to look and feel my best, but it's okay to maybe have some gray hair or have some wrinkles or, you know, it's okay that my cheeks aren't super full like they were at 25, that it's okay for things to change and.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:36:13]:

And to sort of work within the parameters of whatever stage of life we're in. So, yeah, I just. I think sometimes we're. I don't think. I know. We're so hard on ourselves. We're so critical, and, you know, we would. We talk to ourselves so harshly at times that we never talk to someone else the way we talk to ourselves.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:36:33]:

So I do hope that we start to appreciate aging a little bit more and also just, like, learn how to maximize our health for as long as possible, too.

Marina [00:36:46]:

So good. Yep. Longevity, the whole thing. Living a full present life is so important. This is so good. I hope everyone took notes. Like, honestly, they need to go back and relisten and take a bunch of notes with some of the things you recommended, like morning routine and stuff. Do you have a shop or a resource with all of those products you like to recommend or anything like that?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:37:03]:

Yeah, I do. So I've got lots of great information on my website, the skinreal.com shop for the store. And then also, if you are like, what do I do for creating healthy skin habits for myself? You can get a. I have a PDF that you can download, and it's at theskinreal.com habits. And I think that just gives some good advice on figuring out what kind of skin you have, what. What skin type you have, and then what. What you should be doing for your particular skin needs.

Marina [00:37:36]:

Amazing. Yep. And everyone needs to go follow you on social media, too, and listen podcast. It's going to be so good. Well, every end of the episodes, I like to do a rapid fire. So just some fun Q and A to, like, get to know you a little bit better. But what is your Starbucks order?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:37:50]:

Oh, my gosh, you know what? I don't go to Starbucks, but if I did, I always. I have my. My mug with me. I make my coffee at home. I always have. But I would just be a, like, medium dark roast with a little bit of whole milk.

Marina [00:38:06]:

Easy. So simple. What do you make for dinner if it's last minute and you're in a bind?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:38:11]:

Oh, gosh, I guess whatever is in the house. But I used to be vegetarian up until about three months ago, and so there'd be some sort of vegetables. I love salads. Some sort of salad. I did eat fish, so I guess pescatarian. So I'd probably, like, thaw some frozen salmon and whip up a quick salad.

Marina [00:38:33]:

Easy. Love it. What's your favorite? Go to department. And do you have a favorite designer?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:38:39]:

Go to department.

Marina [00:38:40]:

Oh, of target. Sorry.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:38:42]:

Oh, my gosh. Well, I don't really go to target either.

Marina [00:38:46]:

You're so good.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:38:48]:

Well, I just find it is, I am not a shopper, I have to say. And so, yeah, like, I'm trying to think and really, I try to go online. I really try to avoid going actually into the store, but I know I sound really boring, but I really don't go to target either.

Marina [00:39:06]:

You have boundaries. That's what you have. Awesome. Okay. Name a book or a podcast you'd recommend to the audience and why?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:39:15]:

Oh, well, of course. Your podcast, for sure. I get so much value out of that, and I've been loving. I'm going to say the name wrong. The personal brand. AJ and Lori Baden, the personal. The influential personal brand podcast. I love.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:39:31]:

What else am I listening to? But I also love podcasts about mysteries, especially, like, unsolved ones or cold cases, things like that I can really get into.

Marina [00:39:42]:

I haven't dove into that world of. There's so much storytelling on podcasts, too. I'm all about, like, personal development, but there's a whole nother world out there that's good. TikTok or Instagram, do you prefer?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:39:53]:

Well, I would say Instagram because I am maybe a little bit older than the typical TikTok age, and I just find I've used it more. And so probably TikTok. I'm sorry.

Marina [00:40:06]:

Probably Instagram. Yeah.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:40:07]:

Yeah. Okay.

Marina [00:40:07]:

And then last thing, send us your. What's your instagram d or your handle? How do they find it?

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:40:12]:

Oh, okay. Yes. So it's at doctor Minaskin, but I am on TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn. You know, it's funny, actually. Really, the. I'm a Facebook girl. Like, Facebook started when I was in college, so I'm. It's like the the old school, so.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:40:29]:

Yeah.

Marina [00:40:30]:

Yeah.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:40:30]:

But, yeah. At doctor Minaskin, and I'm on all the. All the platforms, and the podcast is the skin reel.

Marina [00:40:36]:

Amazing. Well, thank you so much. I'm so excited to get this out there and just help cut through again. All the noise that's in our heads and our phones, they do all these things. Less is more. We don't need to spend all this money. And that's such a freeing thought to think so. Thank you so much for your time.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina [00:40:50]:

Oh, thank you, Marina. I love this podcast. I love what you're doing to help professional working women with the overwhelm that we all experience. So I love it. Thanks so much for having me.

Marina [00:41:01]:

No problem.

Marina [00:41:02]:

See you soon.