February 2007 Special Advertising Section

A smart woman knows looking good means feeling good. She also knows a bright post-facial glow when she sees one, but she won’t schedule an appointment because she’s busy and tells herself it’s an indulgence she doesn’t deserve. This is where, although smart, she’s flat wrong. A good beauty regimen is as important to a life well lived as sorting the mail and making the bed each morning. It’s about feeling confident. It’s about shedding the guilt and making time for great-looking skin, gol’ darn it. Charles Crutchfield III, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota and owner of Crutchfield Dermatology, believes in four basic skin care components: gentle cleansing, hydration, protection, and skin correction. By following these steps, Crutchfield contends anyone can have healthy, glowing skin. Brian Zelickson, MD, medical director and owner of Cosmetic Care Center, insists on daily sun protection and also advises a visit to a dermatologist every one to two years for a thorough skin exam. Beyond these basic (and critically important) beauty tenets, our varied occupations and environments present unique challenges for maintaining a realistic routine. Here, we’ve imagined the lives of four women: an athlete, a chef, an executive, and a stay-at-home mom. After consulting the experts, we suggest tailored beauty programs that include everything from the everyday ordinary to the occasional (and earned) indulgence. After all, a true smart woman knows she looks her best when she’s taking care of herself.