Virginia, What’s in your beauty bag?

At Dermatology Affiliates we are lucky to have a large staff made up of more than 50 thoughtful, fun, and interesting people. Our new blog feature, “What’s in your beauty bag?” will highlight one staff member and her beauty bag. These blogs reflect the individual experience and/or opinion of the staffer and are not intended to speak for the company as a whole or our individual doctors. Everyone’s skin is different and this series hopes to highlight that filling your beauty bag is a personal and unique experience. Enjoy!
Name: Virginia DeRosa
Position at DA: Front Desk
Number of years working in Dermatology: 1
1.I have had dry skin for as long as I can remember. Growing up, it didn’t matter what climate I lived in, what kind of moisturizer I used, or what season it was — I have always been on the flakey side. Eczema gave me a lot of trouble as a child, and I still experience it on occasion, especially in the summer.
2. The biggest issues I have with my skin are dryness, tone, and texture on my face. As a teen, I started wearing liquid foundation to try and cover up redness and other discoloration on my face. For the longest time, Dove soap was my go-to, and eventually I evolved to using Ponds moisturizer at night. They worked for my grandmother in her youth, so why wouldn’t they work for me? It took me about a decade to discover that these were not the best products for my sensitive skin, and that I needed a well-rounded regimen.
3. By using a combination of products recommended by our doctors and aestheticians here at DA, I have dramatically improved my skin’s health. I now feel confident being in public without makeup on — and in fact I have started to prefer it! Revision’s Brightening Facial Wash makes all the difference in the world for me. It is the first cleanser I’ve used that leaves my face feeling totally refreshed without drying it out. I can’t get enough of its light citrus scent!
At night I use Skin Medica’s 15% AHA/BHA (not pictured). I love this product because it exfoliates my skin and leaves my face feeling bright and hydrated in the morning. For someone with sensitive skin, this is a great precursor to a retinol. It helps to balance the texture and tone of the skin without over-drying. I’ll be graduating to a retinol soon though!
For a moisturizer, my absolute favorite is Neocutis’ Biocreme (original). I call it my “miracle cream” because my skin just soaks it up and feels smooth all day long. Some of that ‘baby skin’ feeling is definitely attributed to the aforementioned AHA/BHA, but Neocutis’ human growth factor is what really jump-starts cell turnover and keeps the skin ultra hydrated. Admittedly, this is not an inexpensive product, and I also adore our (very affordable) Smart Oil Free Moisturizer. It’s a great moisturizer for morning and night and it is a total steal!
Lastly, I’m trying to work on my under eye area. I just started using Teamine, which is new in the office. So far, I love it. It’s supposed to be the best thing for dark circles. I also really like Neocutis’ Lumiere and Skin Medica’s TNS Eye Repair.

4. Laser hair removal has had a huge impact on my life. I have always struggled with undesirable hair around my face (thanks to my Italian heritage), and when I started doing laser treatment, I immediately noticed a difference. It works best when I have time to come in every 4 weeks to have it done, and it literally takes 5 minutes. I have never experienced pain around my chin and face, and I would love to have more done on other areas! After a few more treatments, I won’t ever have to worry about embarrassing facial hair again.
Peels are also extremely gratifying. I was slightly skeptical before my first peel, but the results were undeniable. As I started a system of peels (once a month or so), I noticed the tone, texture, and overall appearance of my skin improving more and more each time. Scars and discoloration disappeared, fine lines faded, and people told me I was glowing! I’m totally hooked, and I always look forward to the next one.
5. I’ve learned a lot about skin care from working at DA, but without a doubt, coming in to talk to a doctor and/or aesthetician about your skin is always the best route. I’ve learned that my assumptions have usually not been correct, and that just getting a doctor’s advice always saves me a lot of time. All of our aestheticians have helped me create a great daily regimen for my skin, and it looks better than ever.
6. Although I have not personally had Fraxel done, I know a lot of people who have. I’ve never seen anything that helps with scarring or aged skin so dramatically. I recommend it to all of my friends with acne or other types of scarring.