What Does Marcia Cross Use on Her Skin? How Does It Work?

Cross, Marcia, a photo by amartinezdb on Flickr.

Marcia Cross, one of the beautiful stars of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, has admitted to using Botox since the ’90s (Allure, April 2008). If my math is in fact correct, this means Ms. Cross has been using Botox since her mid-to-late twenties. Yet she is not alone. Check out the following photo of identical twins from Dr. William J. Bender (Allure, April 2008):

Both twins are 38 years old. The difference? The twin on the left had only two Botox treatments in the past 13 years. The twin on the right had regular Botoxinjections in her forehead for 13 years – since age 25. As a result, the twin on the right has almost no deep wrinkles, while her sister has “deeper and permanently etched wrinkles in the forehead,” according to Dr. William J. Binder, assistant clinical professor at UCLA Medical Center, who conducted the comparison study.

US Weekly has also reported Marcia Cross loves Creme de la Mer (About.com, 2011). As I pointed out in a recent post, the major strengths of Creme de la Mer are a slew of hydrating ingredients and algae-produced lactic acid. “Sonic chemistry” (ultrasound waves) are directed into the cream to ferment the main ingredient in Creme de la Mer, algae, accelerating the rate by which algae produces lactic acid (Japanese Journal of Applied Physiology, 2004). Overall, Creme de la Mer is an excellent cream, though similar effects are available from creams that cost far less with a high concentration of lactic acid, such as prescription Lac-Hydrin or over-the-counter Am-Lactin or Azfasst. (Read more: Is Creme de la Mer Worth It?)

Cross also reportedly has received Resculptor electrocurrent facial treatments, which claim to stimulate and tighten underlying facial muscles (TracieMartyn.com, 2011). The Resculptor electrocurrent facial treatments have received the honor of “Best Facial” two years in a row by New York magazine and have also been featured on the Oprah show. I find the technology interesting, though the research is limited. A review concluded small amounts of electric current (200-800 microAmperes) may stimulate wound healing of skin ulcers (Annals of the New York Academy of the Sciences, 2006), and others suggest that, because heat and light stimulate the absorption of skin care ingredients into the skin, perhaps electric current might do that as well. I personally find the technology interesting and promising, and hope to be able to talk to Tracie Martyn about it more in the future.