Industry Secret

One of the best things about being a magazine editor is that you get to know people who are at the tops of their fields, and get to pick their brains. On a recent photo shoot I asked our makeup artist David Tibolla what his favorite skincare line was. He replied without skipping a beat: “SK-II! The first time I used one of their masks, my agent asked, ‘What did you do to yourself? Your skin looks great!’ Now I have the whole office hooked!”

Now I’m about as low-maintenance as they come — I moisturize most nights (when I remember) but the chances of me doing a mask are slim to none. So I tried some SK-II Signs wrinkle serum instead, which I put on at night … when I remember. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I’m definitely noticing a difference in my skin: it’s clearer, blemish-free and looks a bit … well, I’ll say it — less wrinkly. (The secret ingredient to the Japanese brand is something called Pitera, devised from fermented yeast after a scientist noticed that the women working in sake breweries had incredibly young-looking hands.)

Warning: SK-II ain’t cheap. My serum costs $200, and the masks run $85 for a set of six. But to make it last, I only use a small amount. And my skin is so clear I can skip the foundation, so it’s a tradeoff. Wanna try it out yourself? You can find it in select Saks Fifth Avenue or Bloomingdale’s stores, or online.