Since I get asked the following questions a lot, I thought it might be helpful to list my answers on the site.  :-)

Q:  Can you give me personalized advice for my skin?

A:  Unfortunately, as much as I would love to help, I am still a medical student and therefore am not licensed to give medical advice as of yet.  (For the record, any general recommendations I do give are written with the best intentions of a beauty blogger, not a medical professional).  With that said, there is an excellent free personalized service by Dr. Neil Schultz, M.D., a board-licensed dermatologist, on DermTV where he reportedly answers every skin care question.  I highly recommend it!  

Q:  Will you review a specific product or skin care line for me?

A:  I’d love to accommodate everyone’s requests, and I certainly take every recommendation to heart.  Unfortunately, I receive a lot of requests by e-mail (about 50/week), and so I end up writing about what I believe the most readers would be interested in.  Some of my most popular posts have ultimately come from reader requests, however, so please, keep them coming!  Your input really does mean a lot.

Q:  How is it possible that you have a blog and write books in medical school?

A:  It is true that medical school is one of the most difficult periods in a future dermatologist’s training – it is not out of the norm to study 60 hours a week or more.  With that said, I am surrounded by a multitude of talented students at my school who find a balance through an “outlet”, like music performance, dancing, intramural sports, or parties (yes, medical students can be very social too, haha).  It just so happens that two of my biggest outlets are writing and browsing for books and beauty products.  I absolutely love to write – it puts me in a time-free zone, resharpens my focus, and just makes me happy.  Things worked out well for me!

Q:  Will you give an interview for my school?

A:  Due to my rather demanding medical school schedule, I do not travel for speaking engagements at this time.  However, I am willing to answer questions if it would benefit a student in some way.  Please keep in mind that I am still a medical school student and not yet a dermatologist; therefore, I can only answer questions about doing one’s best in high school, college, and medical school, not in residency or beyond as of yet.

Q:  Is there a conflict between being a medical student/future resident and being a blogger? 

A:  I don’t think so, and I’ve given this one a lot of thought.  First of all, having a blog has granted me many professional opportunities I would not have had otherwise, from traveling, interacting with readers, and interviewing numerous dermatologists, skin care company CEOs, and R&D scientists at the forefront of their fields.  To me, these experiences are priceless and I believe they will ultimately contribute to my skill set as a dermatologist, not detract from it.  Second, many people wonder why I use my full name with the blog, but truth be told, I’m proud of it and the work that I have done here.  I absolutely want my name to be associated with it.  And lastly, as blogging is becoming a more respectable form of media, many fantastic dermatologists have blogs themselves – from Dr. Leslie Baumann, M.D., one of the nation’s finest research-based dermatologists, to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, M.D., a renowned dermatologist who has been regularly featured in Oprah magazine.  To me, blogging is a hobby and a part-time job; I love it, and I’m proud of my work.

Q:  What do you use on your skin?

A:  I currently use Love Renaissance Sakuyahime cleansing oil and foam, Skinceuticals CE Ferulic, and Clinique City Block SPF 50 every morning.  I also apply Olay Quench body lotion and Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere before leaving in the A.M.  

My make-up is Neutrogena SPF 20 concealer, Clinique pressed powder, Clinique eyeliner in black-brown, Diorshow mascara, Chanel blush in Rose, and Estee Lauder Elizabeth Pink lipstick.  I vary my lip gloss regularly, but it always has an SPF.

At night, I am currently using the Kinerase skin care system and Green Cream, but I also like NIA24.  

I’m always on the lookout for new prod