To receive exceptional and effective skin care. one shouldn’t have to spend more than they can afford. Based on this reasoning, Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd, a dermatologist, made it her mission to a develop an affordable and therapeutic skin care line, designed to treat dark spots and uneven skin tones for people of color.
“My specialty is skin of color, and, specifically, with problems like hyper pigmentation, uneven skin tones, brown spots and Melasma,” offers the Miami-based physician. “Specific Beauty is a skin care line that I developed to meet a need in my practice. As I mentioned, most of my patients are people of color who complain of uneven skin tone and brown spots. One of the main ingredients to treat those are Hydroquinone and, although it is very effective, I didn’t have any alternatives for people who aren’t good candidates for Hydroquinone. I wanted to create a product, specifically, to treat dark spots that was effective [and] without all of the side effects and complications. It was like having Motrin and no Tylenol. You really need an alternative.”
Specific Beauty products are fragrance- and Paraben-free.
“I am a strong a believer that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on skin care to get really good results. I wanted to be able to provide people a way to get really good therapeutic skin care at a good price,” she shares. “I first developed the skin-brightening serum, which is a unique combination of licorice, Retinol and anti-oxidants that have been very effective in clinical trials. Then, I decided that people do better with a skin-care regimen. I decided to include cleansers and sunscreens so that if you were my patient, you would get the best results. Acne cleanser, exfoliating cleanser and gentle-cleansing wipes that also exfoliate, daily hydrating lotion, the night treatment with Retinol and, for hydration, the professional moisture complex.”
Also, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd insists sun worshipers apply sunscreen before stepping out to get their dose of sunshine. “Sunscreen is so important when you are treating skin of color and pigment. Even if the treatment to fade those dark spots works, if you go out in the sun, they will come right back. A big part of my practice is educating patients on how important sunscreen is. If you don’t use sunscreen, you are fighting an uphill battle. Sunscreens are absolutely essential and should be a part of your daily regimen.”
Just how does one determine which SPF is best? “I recommend for the face a minimum of SPF 30 because we don’t apply as much as we need to to get that required SPF. An SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of the sun’s rays. SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of the sun’s rays. If you only apply a small amount, your coverage is reduced, ” she explains.
Dr. Woolery-Lloyd serves as director of Ethnic Skin Care for the University of Miami Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and has private practices located in Miami Beach and Midtown Miami. –yvette caslin
Specific Beauty can be found at select Walmart and Target stores, on specificbeauty.com and major online retailers such as drugstore.com, soap.com and dermstore.com.
