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- [00:00]
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- [00:34]
Kirby
Glam Los Angeles hi Kirby.
- [00:40]
Sarah
Hi Sarah. Welcome to Los Angeles. Hello glams. We have a special episode today brought to you by our friends at Clinique. Thank you Clinique for sponsoring this episode. We have Dr. Mina Amin, who I'm a big fan of. Sarah is too. We both follow her on Instagram, love her content. She is a board certified dermatologist who was born and raised in LA. She completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA and Dr. Amin obtained her medical degree at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine. Graduating with high honors. She went on to specialize in dermatology residency where she obtained comprehensive training in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. She's your one stop shop. So if you come to la, make your way over to her practice in Brentwood, get your skin checked, get a little injectable. Yeah, do all the things. Welcome to Los Angeles, Dr. Amin.
- [01:37]
Dr. Mina Amin
I love your podcast and I love both of you. I feel like you, your conversations are always so great and so helpful to listen to and I love everyone you interview. So I'm just so honored to be here.
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Sarah
Oh, we adore you.
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Kirby
The honor is all ours, especially when we get a chance to have a true expert like you on here. And we have so many questions for you.
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Sarah
Yes, actually polled our listeners, we said we had a board certified dermatologist coming on. We didn't want to give away who it was. It was a surprise. So surprise. Glams. But they sent so many questions. Sarah and I have a few of our own that we actually we only have. We were like, let's get to the guests. Our to the listeners. We have one question that we wanted to kick things off with. But first we wanted to ask you what's on your face? What's on your hair.
- [02:21]
Kirby
Tips as well.
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Sarah
Yeah, yeah, I need the hair.
- [02:22]
Dr. Mina Amin
Clinique has this new product, it's the Moisture glow serum and it is incredible. So I have it on my face. I wore it last night. Wore it Today, it's the kind of serum that you wear it, and then you wake up in the morning, you're like, my skin looks, like, better, and I just don't know why. And I'm like, oh, yeah. Cause I use this new product, so it's really good, and I have really sensitive skin. And Clinique's the best for sensitive skin. All their products are dermatologist tested, allergist tested. This one has 5% lactic acid in it, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. So it's super hydrating to your skin and leaves your skin really glowy. And I love that it's so good under makeup, too.
- [02:52]
Sarah
Yes.
- [02:52]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I'm wearing that, and I'm wearing the moisture surge hydrator on top, so. And also wearing Clinique makeup because their makeup's just so good for sensitive skin. Otherwise, on my hair, I just had, like, a heat protectant, and there's a little blowout. So that always makes things look good.
- [03:06]
Kirby
AKA it's her DNA.
- [03:08]
Sarah
Yeah. Usually when it's like, just a little this, it's like, yeah, genetics, maybe.
- [03:13]
Dr. Mina Amin
Thank you.
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Sarah
Love that. No, this. We, Sarah and I, have been testing a lab sample of this new serum for. I mean, we got it, what, in December?
- [03:22]
Kirby
Yeah, for months.
- [03:22]
Sarah
November. We've had it for a while. I love it.
- [03:25]
Kirby
Me, too.
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Sarah
I use it daily. I think it's a really gorgeous formula. I feel like Clinique is having a comeback, which, rightfully so tried and true, but also, I feel like people. I saw a video actually, on TikTok where somebody @ Sephora who used to work at Sephora, she's like, I've been freed from the chains. I can say whatever I want now. And she was talking about how these brands that don't necessarily hop on the trend bandwagon are the brands that you typically want to go for.
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Dr. Mina Amin
That is so true, in her opinion.
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Sarah
Because she was like, they're not trying to keep up with the Joneses. They have longevity. They've been around for a long time. There's a reason they have been around for a long time. And I thought that was. I agreed with it because a lot of times, you know, I love trending products and trying trending products, but I always end up going back to my tried and truth.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, it's so good, and it's been around for so long, and for a reason, like, for a really good reason. It's just so good for the skin, so hydrating, like, beneficial ingredients within their makeup and everything. So it's really good. Do you guys like black honey, too? Oh, my God.
- [04:24]
Sarah
Oh, gee.
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Kirby
It's literally one of the few lipsticks where I actually, like, finish it. You know what I mean? Like, it's just so good, so wearable. And then I just want to say I love this product so much because I feel like we were talking. It's, like, so universal. Anyone can use it.
- [04:38]
Dr. Mina Amin
Totally.
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Kirby
And it has. It hits all the points that you need where you're like, I'm super dry. I need hydration. Need a little bit of exfoliation, but nothing too harsh.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Exactly.
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Kirby
So I love the lactic acid in that. And I feel like everyone is just so busy and we just need one serum to use. And this, like, hits all the points.
- [04:56]
Dr. Mina Amin
It does it all. And I've even gone without moisturizer because I forgot, and it was still hydrating. And that would never happen for me in wintertime with my dry skin.
- [05:03]
Sarah
I was gonna say this is actually a really good base. So if you are doing your makeup and maybe. I mean, I know we all wear sunscreen, but like, at night when you're getting ready to go do something, I've been finding, like, the less I need something moisturizing, but something that's not so thick that it can move my makeup around, I always find that something that dries down a little bit more looks better. And this does the trick. It's so, so beautiful. I love lactic acid in general.
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Kirby
Same.
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Sarah
And then I. I was a little worried with the vitamin C element, but.
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Kirby
I. Oh, right, yeah, Vitamin C. So.
- [05:34]
Sarah
The glams have been testing this product as well. And when we put them in the group, initially, we're like, you're trying this secret serum. You're not gonna know what the brand is until you receive it. They were also psyched. And a lot of the feedback we've been getting is that, oh, it has lactic acid and vitamin C. And my skin is still looking like my pores look. Appear smaller. Like it's not interacting in a way that. Cause, you know, some people are susceptible to reactions, the vitamin C specifically, and.
- [06:02]
Kirby
Then plus the lactic acid. It can be, like, a little scary.
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Sarah
Yeah.
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Kirby
But, yeah, it's so beautifully formulated.
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Dr. Mina Amin
It's just the formulation, it's just really top notch. It really helps hydrate your skin, but also does all the great things of exfoliating and everything else. But, yeah, I agree totally.
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Kirby
Formulation matters.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Formulation is key.
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Sarah
Yes, yes. Do you know what you have on your lips by chance?
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Dr. Mina Amin
I have. Oh, I have it with me. It's a clinique lipstick, actually.
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Sarah
Yes.
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Dr. Mina Amin
I love it.
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Kirby
Thank you. Okay, here we go.
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Sarah
She's a Clinique ambassador, but she's like, actually using Clinique.
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Dr. Mina Amin
It's so good. So I'm wearing a petal pop matte.
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Sarah
It's like a. It's a rose.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Like a pretty universal brown.
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Sarah
Yeah, brown.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, it's really, really pretty.
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Kirby
Really pretty.
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Sarah
And then there's a gloss.
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Dr. Mina Amin
There's a gloss. This one was bubblegum pop.
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Kirby
I love that combo.
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Dr. Mina Amin
That's so fun.
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Kirby
Okay, should we get into the questions?
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Dr. Mina Amin
Let's do it.
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Sarah
Yes.
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Kirby
Okay. This is a question from Kirby and myself. In terms of skin issues, what are you starting to see more of and why?
- [06:59]
Dr. Mina Amin
So the thing I'm seeing the most is an impaired skin barrier. And everyone's using all their exfoliants all on the same night, like all of them together. And that's just like destroying your skin barrier, drying out your skin. So that's probably the most common thing I'm seeing because an impaired skin barrier can cause your skin to be dry, irritated, red burning sensation. Also acne breakouts, eczema. So your skin barrier is key. So you want to use products that really hydrate your skin barrier.
- [07:22]
Kirby
I hear people using all their exfoliants.
- [07:25]
Dr. Mina Amin
I know, I know, I know. I think it's just that there's a lot of, like, hype around certain things online, like, oh, you should be using aha. Bha. All these great ingredients and sometimes people just combine everything at once and make a ten step routine. And that can just really irritate your skin. So less is more. Yes, that's what I feel like. I'm like always telling people, but yeah.
- [07:45]
Kirby
That'S our 2025 skincare mantra. Less is more, guys.
- [07:49]
Sarah
Yes, totally. This is from Courtney Listrand. She says, is it important to keep your skincare routine consistent with the same skin set of products or is it okay to mix it up as long as they have the same end purpose? Example, using different moisturizer serums on different nights.
- [08:05]
Dr. Mina Amin
I think it's a really interesting question. So I do think it's beneficial to switch things up sometimes if you want different benefits from your skincare. So you don't need to be using multiple AHAs at the same time, like retinol and lactic acid. You can use them on alternate nights if you really want your benefits of retinol. But let's say it's too drying or too irritating. You can use it once or twice a week to get the benefits from that. And then you can use your lactic acid the other nights. So you'll still be having exfoliation every night, but with different products. And then in terms of moisturizers, you don't necessarily need to be switching it up unless you really, like, look at your skin and see, oh, my skin's really flaky. I really need that heavier one.
- [08:40]
Sarah
I'm curious, how did you interpret this question? Because that makes sense. The way you answered it makes sense to me, but the way I read it, I thought she was asking, like, could I use a brand with an aha on one night and then switch up to a different aha on a different night? Or, like, one moisturizer, one night, A different moisturizer, a different night. Like, as long as they have the same end purpose, is it okay to mix it up? As long as they have the same end purpose.
- [09:06]
Kirby
I see what you're saying. Yeah. So if we have two water creams or two hyaluronic acid serums that we're testing, is it okay to mix and match, or is it more important to use the same set of products every single night?
- [09:20]
Dr. Mina Amin
So, in theory, it's okay to mix and match, but I feel like you won't really know what your skin likes and what ingredients are most beneficial for you. Even if the ingredients are the same, the formulations are so different. So I think it's better to be consistent and then even just use a product up before you're like, oh, you know what? I think I'm just going to switch something else. Because it's so hard to know what's helpful or not if you're using different stuff on different nights.
- [09:42]
Kirby
Totally.
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Sarah
Yeah, we agree. That's actually a part of Los Angeles Confidential is telling them, do not use another lactic acid product on an alternating night.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Right.
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Sarah
Because then you're not going to know if it's the Clinique product that's working or another product. So I think that makes sense.
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Kirby
Yeah. Yeah. And obviously, like, it's fun to test new things all the time, but isn't the goal to just find the one product?
- [10:03]
Dr. Mina Amin
Exactly, exactly.
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Kirby
You know, just keep using it. So, okay, let's talk about hair. Tell me. This is, like, a question people ask me all the time.
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Sarah
And I'm like, that's why we included it. Because we were like, okay, let's see if Dr. Rabin wants to get into the weeds.
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Kirby
Paloma wants to know, tell me the tea on neutrophil and will it actually help with hair growth?
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Dr. Mina Amin
Okay, so Nutrafol is great. It's Definitely. Really, really great. And it works. So. And we can talk about the ingredients of it if you want to, like, get into it, please. So basically it has saw palmetto. It's one of the main ingredients and that blocks dht. DHT is, you can think of it as the male hormone that we all have that kind of attaches to the hair follicles and tells it to stop growing. So we don't want DHT around in our hair. So women have it and men have it too. So you can block DHT with certain, like, oral medications like finasteride, but Nutrafol does it from a more natural way with supplement. So it's interesting. They have, like, really unique ingredients that are clinically proven but work differently than, like, pill medications. Otherwise they have antioxidants in them. Resveratrol and then also curcumin, which is, like, derived from turmeric. And that helps, basically, antioxidants help decrease stress and allow your hair to grow. Has biotin in it. And biotin by itself is not what we recommend, but in the, like, a mix of ingredients, it's good. And yeah, so I think it works. And there's like, clinical studies that show it works.
- [11:22]
Kirby
Yeah. So question that we get all the time, and, you know, we've talked about this on a previous episode, is that amount of biotin in Nutrafol, and I think that scares a lot of people, especially for those who have, you know, found that it can cause, like, you know, acne or, you know, breakout. It says Nutrafol contains 3000 micrograms of biotin per serving. This is 1000% of the daily value. So it's like, a lot more than our body needs. But is our body just, like, processing, like, what it needs? How does that work?
- [11:49]
Dr. Mina Amin
So with B vitamins, they're water soluble, so you, like, urinate it out if it's, like, too much. But if we have too much of certain vitamins, they can trigger acne. And I feel like it's hard to know if that would happen to everyone. So I feel like you kind of have to try it before you know if it'll make you break out. But I don't see a lot of breakouts with it.
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Sarah
Okay.
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Dr. Mina Amin
I think it's a good one with.
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Kirby
Nutrafol specifically, but you have to take it consistently to have the benefits. How long would you say?
- [12:12]
Dr. Mina Amin
So that is, like, one of the most common discussions I have with my patients about hair loss, because everyone wants a quick fix, and there's no quick fix with hair loss. So Neutral. You just kind of have to like, honestly keep taking it. Unless the reason why you have hair loss is temporary. Like, let's say you just had a baby and you're having hair loss afterwards, a lot of people jump to Nutrafol for it. And that's probably temporary, that hair loss that you have because it's associated with the. Basically it's called telogen effluvium, where time of birth, it puts all your hair into the shedding phase and three months later you start to see that. But people are proactive and they start taking it right after delivery. But basically that's a temporary situation, so you don't need to take it forever. But if you. And having hair loss, possibly from androgenic alopecia, which is just like the hair loss we get as we get older, or traction alopecia, like you had a lot of slick hair buns, you kind of want to keep taking it to keep having its effects. Okay, got it.
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Kirby
Can I add on a personal question? Yeah. Does it help with any of the graying of your hair, like premature? Can you take Nutrafol to help anticipate that?
- [13:12]
Dr. Mina Amin
I haven't seen it work for that. Maybe because of the antioxidants. But I think there are like, more new things on the rise to target gray hair that we'll like, learn more about that are still being researched.
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Sarah
We've been asked a lot about array gray. Have you heard of this?
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Dr. Mina Amin
I've heard about it and I'm like looking at the research, but I don't. Not comfortable enough to say that it works yet. But I think as we learn more about it, it'll be really interesting and exciting because it's such a common thing that we all wonder about. Can we reverse our grays?
- [13:42]
Sarah
Yeah. If you haven't heard of this, it's. It is essentially they call themselves like a wrinkle cream for your hair. Like an anti wrinkle cream for your hair. Targeting grays, essentially.
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Kirby
Because the gray hair is like. What I have learned is that the texture is so different.
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Dr. Mina Amin
I know. It's like.
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Sarah
Oh, is it?
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Kirby
Yeah, it's like wiry and hard.
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Sarah
Oh, wow.
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Kirby
Okay, so that makes sense. The wrinkle cream. That's a good.
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Sarah
Apologies to anyone listening that has gray hair.
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Kirby
I know. They're like.
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Sarah
I was not aware of the texture of the gray hair. They're like, kirby, shut up. You didn't know this. Rude. Sorry, guys. Anya Turner says, what is your favorite ah, product? This is kind of a gimme. What is your favorite Ha. Product. And what step of the routine would you include it in? My skin is so dry this winter and loves this ingredient. So I feel like we are talking about.
- [14:29]
Dr. Mina Amin
We have to get around this one. This is so good. So after you cleanse your skin, that's when you would use this.
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Kirby
And do you like to use it after, like, a toner or.
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Dr. Mina Amin
I don't like toners.
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Kirby
Okay, you don't like toners?
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Dr. Mina Amin
I don't use toners.
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Sarah
Why don't you use toners? Tell us.
- [14:44]
Dr. Mina Amin
So the traditional. It's probably controversial, but the traditional use of toner, like the traditional ones were thought to be really, like, drying and alcohol based. There are some that are like, more milky and more like serums. And I think they're kind of just like misnamed as toners, but they're more of like a serum. So I just go more for serums. I'm all about hydration. I don't want to dry out my skin, so I don't really like toners for that reason.
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Sarah
Even with someone that has. That comes to you with acne, you wouldn't suggest, wow, okay.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, not a toner for me.
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Kirby
It's like, too drying, too stringent.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, the traditional additional ones. Yeah. There are certain formulations that are a little bit better with it, but I just say opt for serums instead.
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Sarah
Got it.
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Dr. Mina Amin
Cool.
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Kirby
All right. Okay. Elizabeth Barnes Hanson would like to know what are the most important things to add in as we age, starting in our 30s, from someone with a pretty set skincare routine. What should she start integrating?
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Dr. Mina Amin
So I'd be interested what she's already using. I'm always asking patients, like, what are you using? Tell me, like, morning to night, everything. I want to hear it. But you would want to do an aha. Like, you want to exfoliate your skin. Exfoliation is key, and I think it's important to discuss why Exfoliation is key. Is basically our skin barrier. The outermost layer of our skin is the stratum corneum. And if it is not exfoliated, products can't really get in. And so if you want glowing skin, you want to exfoliate it, but you also want to hydrate at the same time. So exfoliation is key. We do that with aha. You can also do that with BHA as well. Retinols also can exfoliate the skin too. But not a lot of people can tolerate retinol. But for her, she could do an aha.
- [16:14]
Kirby
Do you think it's important that people find a retinol that works for them or like an alternative. Because I just know, like, ever since we started in the beauty industry, it's like hammered into our head. It's like when you start to see, you know, signs of fine lines and wrinkles, like, use a retinol. And like, I think both Kirby and I, like, we can't use it. Like, it's just too harsh.
- [16:35]
Sarah
We use retinols in products you could get at Ulta, Sephora, wherever. But in terms of some of the more hardcore options out there or prescriptions, I really, my skin does not tolerate it. There's the preaching of the retinol uglies and things like that. And I used to be a believer of like, just suffer through it, but then I realized I was suffering and not seeing any benefit. Yeah, it just was like this long road of no success. And unfortunately, especially with skin care, if you don't see something after trialing for four weeks.
- [17:08]
Dr. Mina Amin
Right? Yeah.
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Kirby
You're like, you're like, why am I.
- [17:09]
Sarah
Still succumbing to this?
- [17:11]
Dr. Mina Amin
It makes sense.
- [17:12]
Sarah
Yeah, it doesn't.
- [17:13]
Dr. Mina Amin
Was your skin like dry and irritated?
- [17:14]
Sarah
Dry, irritated, irritated and breaking out.
- [17:16]
Dr. Mina Amin
Breaking out a lot, like, non stop.
- [17:18]
Kirby
So what do you recommend to your patients who come in and they just can't tolerate a retinol?
- [17:22]
Dr. Mina Amin
So if you can't tolerate a retinol, then I would discuss AHAs and BHAs, just because the exfoliation process is really helpful for your skin. And also they can do like lasers and microneedling and other things. So AHAs, you think about lactic acid, you think about glycolic acid. So those are all like really good alternatives to mandelic acid. BHA is more like salicylic acid and those work a little differently in the skin to exfoliate. So I think if you're using those, then you're gonna really good benefits. And then sunscreen for sure. We always want to wear sunscreen every day, even when it's raining like it is right now. And also vitamin C is like really good too. Such great benefits with it. And brightening too.
- [17:58]
Sarah
James Reynolds. Would using an AHA physical exfoliant enzyme before a BHA product make it work better? I'm guessing yes, as the AHA would clear away some surface dead skin cells or as a bha, not inhibited by skin cells.
- [18:15]
Dr. Mina Amin
I think it's a really interesting question. So you don't need to use an AHA for BHA to work. And I worry about using too much on the same night just because that can really damage your Skin barrier. So I don't necessarily tell people you need to be using Aha and then use your bha. I actually just say use one or the other on a night that you want to exfoliate just so you're not like, really harsh on your skin. What I do sometimes is salicylic acid cleanser with an exfoliant leave on afterwards if you don't have, like, super sensitive skin. Like, my skin can tolerate that, but maybe someone with even drier, irritated skin can't. But that's kind of the most I would do with a combination.
- [18:50]
Kirby
Okay, so obviously there's a million products out there, and all of them have a million claims. Gina wants to know, what do you look for when you're evaluating products? How do you cut through the noise to know what's needed and if a product is going to do anything?
- [19:05]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I always look for dermatologists tested. I look at how they test their products. Are they using clinical studies? And I'm always looking at every single ingredient, too, just because I kind of want to know what's in everything. But the formulation is key, like how they formulate these ingredients together along with what they use. So I would just look to see if they're using any studies, if they have any claims that can back up what they're saying with research. So I would just look for those.
- [19:33]
Sarah
I actually want to tack onto this because I feel like there's a conversation right now around derm influencers and how there's so many of them now and how a lot of them are talking about a lot of different products. Like, I know there's a big controversy around derm influencers promoting rosemary oil as a hair growth option. Even though the background on that, there's not a ton of studies on it, there's not a lot of research on that. How do you make sure that you're not just hopping on a bandwagon when. Because, I mean, some of these brands have huge, huge budgets and they're coming out and they're saying, like, we're gonna get this whole gaggle, I mean, for lack of better words, these dermatologists to approve these products. How do you make sure that you're separating yourself in terms of your practice?
- [20:19]
Dr. Mina Amin
So for me, I feel like my community is key. So if I say something that contradicts what I've said before, like, people will lose trust in me, and I don't ever want that. So I think that it's important to only really say things that you feel like are true. And you would recommend to your friends or family. So that's like, my philosophy on things that I actually like, really want to help people. I don't want to say things that don't work. I don't want to ever promote something that doesn't work. So that's like my whole thing. On top of that, I'm really particular with what I say because I'm like, my patients will see this, everyone will see this. Like, I don't want to say things that are not research based. So I appreciate that you notice that. But yeah, so I'm very particular with what I say online. But in terms of everything that's out there, I think people want to provide info that's helpful that people can do at home. Like, rosemary oil is so easy. Like, you can apply it at home. Issue I have with that is there's only one study that showed that the rosemary oil was helpful compared to minoxidil. But I also see a lot of allergies with rosemary oil, pure rosemary oil on the scalp. And a lot of people are getting like, dandruff or flaking of their scalp with using it. I think it's just difficult. It's a very, like, interesting space to be in. You want to be really helpful and want to provide as much free tips as possible, but it has to be backed by some sort of science.
- [21:34]
Sarah
Yeah. And I don't think one study is really that beneficial. I wouldn't, like, if it was something really just like a child or something like that, I would be like, there's only one study I'm not going to Totally. Yeah. Okay.
- [21:47]
Kirby
Do you feel like this rise of, like, derm influencers also? Skincare influencers? These people who aren't really, you know, they didn't go to school for it and they're just speaking based on, like, research that they do on their own or just, you know, the fact that they've been in the beauty industry for a long time. Do you feel like that's affected, like, your patients in any way? Like, do you see people coming in and being like, I heard that this, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah. A lot of misinformation is what I think.
- [22:11]
Dr. Mina Amin
There's a lot of misinformation. That's kind of why I created my account in the first place. I was like, there's a lot of misinformation out there. And there weren't a lot of dermatologists online when I started. So I really wanted to, like, provide good education and kind of contraindicate some things that people were doing, like, they were putting, like, this was like 2020. They were putting like yogurt and like all these different things on their skin trying to get benefits. And I just see more harm than good sometimes with more natural, like, DIY type of skincare. But otherwise, what was.
- [22:42]
Kirby
I mean, I'm sure there's like, pros and cons to it. Do you feel like people are coming more educated or more misinformed?
- [22:49]
Dr. Mina Amin
So a bit of both. I feel like people are. There's a lot of really great information. People are getting a lot of education. Like, I feel like people know what HA's are BHAs are, and I think that's. But I do think that there are. There's some misinformation out there and some people are following it because someone has like a huge follower count or something, and then they're kind of ruining their skin. So I feel like it's a good thing. And then some parts of it are not as good.
- [23:15]
Kirby
Yeah. But I feel like Kirby and I always recommend because obviously, like, we're not experts, but we know a lot of stuff. But we're always like, go see a derm at the end of the day if you can.
- [23:25]
Sarah
If you can. I know, it's just hard. It's hard. Like, especially, like a lot of our listeners are not based in a huge city, you know?
- [23:31]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah.
- [23:32]
Sarah
So they may not have. That's why we do this podcast, to try to provide some, you know, context and insight. But I do try not to be, you know, go see a derm because, like, it's not the most democratized way to fix your skin.
- [23:47]
Dr. Mina Amin
Right.
- [23:47]
Kirby
Yeah.
- [23:48]
Sarah
Yeah. Pedro Spoli says, what are the biggest skincare mistakes you see that people might be surprised by?
- [23:54]
Dr. Mina Amin
So we talked on one. But basically using a bunch of different actives all at once, ruining their skin barrier. That's something that a lot of people think that they need a ten step routine. And some people online are really glamorizing it. Like, you know, like, wake up and then do a million things. And I'm like, I don't have to.
- [24:10]
Sarah
Morning shifts.
- [24:11]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes.
- [24:11]
Sarah
I want to get a grip.
- [24:13]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I think that's the main thing that I want people to always keep in mind is you don't need to do a lot of steps in your routine. And then another is kind of the recent obsession with beef tallow.
- [24:24]
Sarah
Oh, can you go into this? Can you please go into this? Okay.
- [24:26]
Kirby
Billboards all over LA.
- [24:28]
Dr. Mina Amin
I know.
- [24:28]
Sarah
So if you're not familiar, Dr. Amin, will you explain what this beef tallow.
- [24:33]
Dr. Mina Amin
Thing is, yes, so a lot of people online are using beef tallow and they're using it to moisturize their skin. But the issue is really comedogenic. So you can get a lot of acne breakouts and also it's like rendered from cows, so it's animal based. So I just don't want to be using an animal based ingredient. I've never used it, I never would use it, I don't recommend it. And so I've seen a lot of breakouts from people using it. A lot of people swear by it and I think those people don't have as triggering of like acne prone skin. But I wouldn't use it really.
- [25:05]
Sarah
Why, why did this come around?
- [25:07]
Dr. Mina Amin
I think so there's like fatty acids and lipids within it. I'm not sure how it like first came out but I think that people are using it for the moisturizing effects of it. But you don't need to use that to have like a.
- [25:18]
Kirby
Maybe it came from like the fact that people were like drinking bone broth and they were like how can I extent?
- [25:24]
Sarah
And then like the raw. And the raw milk.
- [25:26]
Kirby
Yeah. Oh my God.
- [25:27]
Sarah
I feel like that's pipeline.
- [25:28]
Kirby
Okay, so in addition to that this like surprise things that surprise you. Can we talk about maybe some of your like younger patients like coming in with like this, these ten step skincare routines. Like are you like shocked that they even know what like no, that is. And like obviously like we were talking about less is more and the fact that these like 15 year olds are trying to use like these super active ingredients. Like are you seeing more of that?
- [25:55]
Dr. Mina Amin
I'm seeing a lot of that. And I think people are often like why is this not working? Like I've spent all this money on all this great stuff. Why is it not working? Why is my skin red and why is it like not better? That's why I always wanna know everything someone's using. Cause something in there can really be triggering them and they don't know what it is. So that's why we have to like go through it all.
- [26:12]
Sarah
But yeah, okay. Melody Kelly. What kind of laser treatments are good for getting rid of dark circles for skin of color and what skincare routine should be followed in between laser treatments? Any product. Rex.
- [26:24]
Dr. Mina Amin
So for dark circles, the go to treatment isn't actually a laser unless it's so there. Let's talk about dark circles and the different causes of dark circles, why someone has it. So one could be vessels, like vessels underneath your eyes that are more Apparent that make it look like you have like a bluish color or some darkness underneath your eyes. So there is a laser that can treat that, but it's not always like a great option for everyone. So it's not like my first go to recommendation. Another reason why someone has dark circles is actually just like puffiness underneath the eyes can cause your skin to like look tired and have dark circles. And that could be due to allergies. It can be dehydration or for traveling. So I like caffeine as an ingredient in eye cream for that. And then it can also be due to hollowness. So hollowness underneath the eyes can lead to dark circles. And that happens with time. It can also be genetic too. So you can wanna build collagen there like using a retinol eye cream. And also vitamin C is antioxidant, works well. Peptides too are. And so that's all really helpful underneath the eyes too. So in terms of lasers, if someone was lighter skin, they could do a CO2, but it's more of an involved like laser. Sometimes you need eye shields if you're getting really close to the eyes. Fraxel laser is really good too for anti aging and for pigment. But it's something that you have to figure out the cause of the under eye circle before you start doing the treatment.
- [27:45]
Sarah
What treatments do you think give you the most bang for your buck?
- [27:48]
Dr. Mina Amin
Ooh.
- [27:49]
Sarah
For any type of skin ailment or whatever.
- [27:53]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I think that lasers 100% like, I feel like sometimes skincare can only use much. And then you want to do like a laser treatment or an office treatment, but that's obviously not accessible to everyone like we were saying. But lasers are really beneficial. I really like clear and brilliant. I don't know if you guys have heard of this one. It's so good. But it gets your skin really glowing. Micro needling is really helpful too. And microneedling is a safer option in darker skin tones too. And there's a lot of studies that actually show that it stimulates collagen by 400%. So. So it's really fascinating and really great for darker skin tones too. Otherwise I think those are kind of like my go to CO2 lasers and lighter skin cones and apraxil sculpture is really great too. I was so excited. Like a lot of celebrities are doing this.
- [28:32]
Sarah
Yeah. Can we talk about Sculptra? Because I feel like it's really popping off.
- [28:36]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes.
- [28:36]
Sarah
And I truly. I feel like this is a injectable. I don't know much about, but it's not an injectable, right?
- [28:43]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes, it is.
- [28:45]
Kirby
Is it like an altern? Is it a filler?
- [28:48]
Dr. Mina Amin
Not a filler.
- [28:48]
Sarah
Okay, okay.
- [28:49]
Dr. Mina Amin
That's okay.
- [28:49]
Sarah
It's not a filler.
- [28:51]
Dr. Mina Amin
Injectable.
- [28:51]
Kirby
But I think I associate it.
- [28:53]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes, yes.
- [28:53]
Sarah
So that's why they really do. I feel like the messaging is, this is not.
- [28:57]
Kirby
Not a filler.
- [28:58]
Sarah
It's not a filler. That's what it is. It's not a filler. But then if you're injected. So I'm like, what the heck is it?
- [29:03]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, yeah. So it's a bio stimulator, so it kind of. It's injected into your skin and it stimulates your collagen. Okay. So it's injected in a similar way that filler is, but it's. It gets absorbed by your body, and then the collagen stimulation lasts. So. So you don't get the overfilled look with this. And basically it's just, like, really great. I think a lot of celebrities are doing it like 100%, but it helps tighten your skin. And basically it can be injected around the cheek areas, on the jawline, on the temples, and it kind of has more of a lasting, stimulating effect, whereas filler and I feel like a lot of people are hating on filler. Filler's not bad, but there's definitely, like, some people have gotten it so much where it's not really looking that great, and they're like, overfilled face. But yeah. So when you compare the two, sculpture has more like long lasting collagen stimulating effects, whereas filler is just replacing volume loss, and it kind of just like, is staying there.
- [29:58]
Kirby
Okay, so then does it dissolve the sculpture? Like.
- [30:01]
Dr. Mina Amin
So it's kind of like. So it's like mixed in either a water or saline base so you're. You look puffy that day, but then your body absorbs it, and then that collagen stimulation will, like, be there to, like.
- [30:12]
Sarah
Because it's not a hyaluronic acid base. Is that right? Yeah. So that's what makes it different from a filler.
- [30:17]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes.
- [30:18]
Sarah
Okay.
- [30:18]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah.
- [30:18]
Sarah
Got it. Yes. Because it's not like puffing up the skin.
- [30:21]
Dr. Mina Amin
No.
- [30:22]
Sarah
Okay. Okay.
- [30:23]
Kirby
So you're seeing more of your patients asking for this.
- [30:25]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, I'm doing it a lot, and it's really, really helpful. And it, like, people notice their skin's like, tighter with it. So if someone's like in their 30s or 40s, and they don't want to do a facelift, they can, like, turn to this instead. Bad.
- [30:38]
Sarah
Do you Would that be something you could do under your eyes?
- [30:40]
Dr. Mina Amin
Usually people don't really do it too much under the eyes.
- [30:43]
Sarah
Okay.
- [30:44]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah. But under the eyes PRP is like really popular right now too.
- [30:48]
Kirby
That sounds so painful.
- [30:49]
Dr. Mina Amin
It's not painful. That's not too bad.
- [30:51]
Kirby
Okay.
- [30:52]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, you have a numbing. Okay.
- [30:55]
Kirby
Speaking of pain, micro needling you mentioned, what are your thoughts on, like, micro needling at home? Like using the little at home micronutrients?
- [31:02]
Dr. Mina Amin
I'm really against those. Okay. Yeah.
- [31:04]
Kirby
Do you feel like it's because that they don't really do anything or because people are improperly using them?
- [31:10]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I feel like one of my main reasons is I don't think it's sterile to do any procedure at home. Another thing is for microlink, like, you have to go deep enough for it to actually have its effect. And I feel like at home you're not. So I will never recommend that.
- [31:23]
Sarah
And if you are going deep enough, it's going to cause a problem.
- [31:25]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah. You might be bleeding at home and you don't want that. Got it.
- [31:27]
Kirby
Yeah. And then one more jumping off of what you were talking about for lasers, hyperpigmentation, dark spots. Would you recommend lasers for those?
- [31:37]
Dr. Mina Amin
So if someone. It depends on if the dark spots are melasma or not and also someone's skin color. So if you have lighter skin, you can do IPL for brown spots, but not for melasma. Because it can make melasma worse because of the heat. Yes, exactly. Fraxel, I've noticed, helps a lot with melasma and also brown spots cause it reverses sun damage, but it can't be done in really dark skin tones. I would see your dermatologist for this one. Just because I don't want people to get issues. And then clear and brilliant is really good for melasma and dark spots. And that can be done in darker skin tones.
- [32:11]
Kirby
Is that something you need to do consistently? Like, it's not a one and done?
- [32:14]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah, it's not a one and done. Unfortunately, you would do it once a month, usually three times, and then maybe like a maintenance once every six months or a year.
- [32:21]
Kirby
Okay.
- [32:21]
Sarah
Is there a treatment that you see people doing that you're like, either it's not gonna be beneficial for them because they're not doing it enough, or they're not not doing it properly, or you.
- [32:31]
Dr. Mina Amin
Just know it doesn't work like an office treatment.
- [32:34]
Kirby
Controversial.
- [32:35]
Dr. Mina Amin
I know. I'm trying to think. I'm trying to. I first think of the things that I do. I'm Like, I would never not, like, not think that anything I would be doing in clinic is helpful. Is, like, not helpful. I don't think so.
- [32:45]
Sarah
Okay. I was just. I'm thinking of, like, coolsculpting and, like, kybella, so.
- [32:50]
Dr. Mina Amin
Kybella. Sometimes I've seen it cause, like, uneven fat loss. So it's kind of like. And it's also painful. So I don't do Kybella, actually. Otherwise, coolsculpting. That can also trigger that, like. I don't know if you saw that. Was it a model that had, like.
- [33:05]
Sarah
Yes. Linda Evangelista. Yeah.
- [33:07]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I. I don't do that one, actually. Yeah.
- [33:09]
Sarah
Yeah.
- [33:09]
Kirby
Is there anything else you don't do or offer?
- [33:11]
Dr. Mina Amin
I'm trying to think. There are. I just can't think of them.
- [33:13]
Sarah
Yeah, but because there's so many now.
- [33:16]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah. There's so many things.
- [33:17]
Sarah
Oh, I was gonna ask you, do you prefer Botox or do you prefer.
- [33:21]
Dr. Mina Amin
Why am I playing, like, Discord?
- [33:24]
Sarah
Thank you.
- [33:25]
Kirby
But then what's the other one?
- [33:26]
Sarah
The Juveau.
- [33:27]
Dr. Mina Amin
Hold on.
- [33:29]
Kirby
What's the Jojo Z?
- [33:31]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yeah.
- [33:32]
Sarah
Do you. I actually heard a word that that would happen, so we're gonna keep that in.
- [33:36]
Kirby
We're also like, the Joe Jonas one.
- [33:38]
Sarah
The Joe Jonas one. I was thinking the Gwyneth Paltrow one. That's what it is. It's Zeman. Okay, so Botox, Jeuveau Z Men, or Dysport. Do you have a favorite?
- [33:48]
Dr. Mina Amin
So my go to is Botox been around for a long time. And I kind of turn to the other ones if someone really wants the other one or if they're starting to have some resistance. Cause you can get resistance to Botox if you keep doing it. And so sometimes people have a better effect with another one.
- [34:03]
Sarah
Okay, wait, we're going back to filler.
- [34:05]
Dr. Mina Amin
I have a question.
- [34:07]
Sarah
I do think filler has been demonized. And I've actually talked to my dermatologist about this, about how everyone's now like, you just gotta get a facelift. And she's like, I guarantee you, in five years, everybody is going to demonize facelifts. And then we're gonna be back on the filler train again. It's just because people are overdoing it. And that's what's causing these problems. It's more democratic in a way, because more people are doing these services. So when it comes to filler. Filler, how often should you be going in to. Because now we've learned that some of these fillers don't absorb or disappear or dissolve, whatever. How often should you be going in, let's say, to get your lips done, which I know is different from, like, your cheeks or maybe your chin or something like that.
- [34:50]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I notice cheek filler lasts a lot longer than, like, lips. So cheeks, I would say once a year. Lips once. Once a year, too, honestly. But sometimes people want to touch up sooner. Like, six months. I think the issue is when people are doing too much at once. Like, there's not enough skin tissue to really handle all of it, and that's when it starts migrating and causing all these other things. And I think that it gets a really bad rep. But honestly, filler works great. And I think the studies just show it's been, like, lasts longer than we thought, but it's still hyaluronic acid, so it's not something super foreign to your skin. And. Yeah, Yeah.
- [35:25]
Kirby
I feel like if you're doing it once a year, you should be fine. But I feel like the.
- [35:28]
Dr. Mina Amin
You know, and also the amount too, like, if you're doing, like, a syringe or less than a syringe. Right.
- [35:32]
Kirby
I think the, like, cases that we're seeing where people are like, oh, my God, like, I. I will never do fuller again. It's because they were probably just overdoing.
- [35:40]
Sarah
They weren't told to go on this schedule of, like, every three months. Yeah, we're hearing, like, every three months for Botox and every six months for filler. And so they're going at least twice a year and maybe even bumping that up to, like, three times a year, which I think especially, like, with. I feel like when I think of migration, I think of lips.
- [35:57]
Dr. Mina Amin
I think of.
- [35:58]
Sarah
Of lips specifically just because you can see, like, it, like, the duck. Like, I think everyone's just scared of getting duck lips 100%. But then when you. When you see a really good lip that has filler in it, you're like, oh, yeah.
- [36:13]
Kirby
Are there other alternatives for your lips besides filler?
- [36:17]
Dr. Mina Amin
Like Botox?
- [36:19]
Sarah
Yeah, the lip flip.
- [36:20]
Dr. Mina Amin
Lip flip.
- [36:20]
Kirby
Okay.
- [36:21]
Dr. Mina Amin
So. Wow.
- [36:21]
Kirby
And do you feel like that's. You're seeing a lot more of the lip?
- [36:24]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes. And that's. If someone smiles and their upper lip kind of goes away, then they're a really good candidate for it because it's an overactive orbicularisaurus muscle and also can be done on the bottom, too, to kind of, like, flip out the lip, too. But we talk about it a lot with the top lip. I think that's really nice. If someone's like, I don't want filler, then they can do that too. But if you do less than a syringe of filler, it can really have a nice pumping effect.
- [36:46]
Kirby
Less is more, everyone.
- [36:47]
Dr. Mina Amin
Yes.
- [36:48]
Sarah
Less is more. Amazing. Dr. Amin, thank you so much. We loved picking your brain. This was amazing.
- [36:53]
Dr. Mina Amin
This was so fun.
- [36:54]
Sarah
Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, available now. If you're listening to this, because we did record this early, but so we have this available.
- [37:04]
Dr. Mina Amin
It's the best.
- [37:05]
Kirby
It's derm approved and Kirby and Sarah approved.
- [37:07]
Sarah
Yes. We both love this product. I just want to read off a few of the things regarding what people saw. People instantly, 100% of them had a boost in skin radiance, 97% had an improvement in skin hydration, and 94% demonstrated smoother feeling, healing skin. In eight hours, it clinically improved skin's radiance. And in 28 days, 90% of people had visibly improved skin texture. And you're going to be able to read everybody's reviews. All the glams that got to try this product early, you'll be able to read their reviews. So be sure to click the link in our show notes so you can go read those. Dr. Amin, thank you so much. We love this conversation. Where can everybody find you online?
- [37:51]
Dr. Mina Amin
So Dr. Mina MD on Instagram, and.
- [37:54]
Kirby
Then if we want to come see you.
- [37:56]
Dr. Mina Amin
So I'm in Brentwood and then there's a link through my Instagram.
- [38:00]
Kirby
Perfect.
- [38:01]
Sarah
Awesome.
- [38:02]
Dr. Mina Amin
Thanks for having me. It was so much fun.
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