Growing up, I always thought my grandmother had soft and beautiful skin. Well, I was right. Even well into her seventies, Grandma Susie still has amazingly soft and nearly wrinkle-free skin. The other day, I asked about her skin care regimen and how she kept looking so young. Her answer? She washes her face three times a day with warm water and a clean wash cloth. No soap, no chemicals at all!



But as we all know, most people are not as lucky as Grandma Susie when it comes to skin care. For a lot of us, it takes work and help to simply get clear skin. I will not even bring up what it takes to get soft and smooth skin or to keep back the signs of age.

For me, I am well into my thirties now with pretty decent skin (thanks to Grandma Susie and her genes). Although, every once in a while, acne rears its ugly "black-head" usually when I am stressed or eating poorly. But most of my acne problems start when I work out heavily. It seems the more I sweat, the more I break out.

I tend to break out more where my hairline meets my forehead, around my nose and under my chin. My break outs do not last long, but they are noticeable especially to me. It is really tough to be taken seriously as an adult when a teenage problem creeps up on my forehead. That is why I really try to take care of my face when I am working out, stressing or indulging in that greasy Double-Double from IN-N-OUT! And while soap and astringents were my cure of choice in my twenties, At this age (37) I look for options that are not so harsh on my skin, but will show positive results.

After a recent break out, a friend recommended that I give Obagi Skin Care a try. So, I logged onto Obagi Skin Care to learn more. Once their, I found a product that looked for me ... Obagi CLENZIderm M.D.?. There are two types of Obagi CLENZIderm. There's Normal-to-Dry Skin and Normal-to-Oily Skin. Given my sometimes oily skin type, I chose the latter.

From the website, I learned that using CLENZIderm M.D.? every day, people like myself can reduce the visible signs of acne in as little as two weeks and prevent new breakouts, allowing me to maintain clear and healthy skin.

Here is how it works over the two week period for Normal-to-Oily Skin

Step 1: Cleanse with Daily Care Foaming Cleanser

You will start by wetting your face with warm water, and squeezing out a dime-sized amount of Daily Care Foaming Cleanser into the palm of your hand. For 20 to 30 seconds, you will lather and gently your entire face before rinsing and pat drying your face. Before starting step 2, you will need to wait about 15 minutes before

Step 2: Pore Therapy

Following Step 1, grab a cotton ball or pad, moisten with the Pore Therapy and apply over your face. Be careful to avoid your eyes, nose and mouth. Once your done, let it dry ... don't rinse off. Make sure your entire face is dry before moving to step 3.

Step 3: Serum Gel

During Step 3, apply one pump of Serum Gel onto the cotton pad provided in your kit. Begin applying the gel evenly to entire face. Of course, keep it away from your eyes or in nose and mouth. Once you're done, make sure to wash your hands ... but don't take any of the medication off your face. People with sensitive skin will feel some slight tingling or burning. That's ok, it will minimize once you use it a few more times.

Although I don not have dry skin, I understand it's a similar process for Steps 1 but things do change slightly in Step 2 and 3.

If you follow this regimen, daily ... you'll notice a big difference in the next two weeks. Although I have heard similar claims from other products, I found that Obagi made true on its promise. Now, thanks to Obagi Skin Care and genetics from Grandma Susie, I am pretty happy with my skin. Give it a try and you will see the transformation.