A Wonderful Drink to Aid Body and Liver Detoxification!

First, I rediscovered the deliciousness and benefits of carrots whenI fasted last year. I bought a juicer and tried making carrot juice for the first time. It was incredibly delicious! I never knew freshly made carrot juice could be so sweet and tasty. Since then, I've been drinking carrot juice, sometimes with celery, about three times a week. By the way, I eat the leftover carrot pulp from juicing, seasoned with a little shio koji. It's also delicious and has become a favorite of mine.

Why did I decide to make carrot juice during my fast? Because Asako Matsuda, a leading figure in "Natural Hygiene," and Dr. Norman Walker, an expert in juice therapy renowned worldwide, both emphasize in their books (Asako Matsuda's "Super Health Revolution from Your 50s," Gusukou Publishing; Norman Walker's "Enzyme Power: The Key to Rejuvenation," Tokuma Shoten) that carrot juice is a wonderful drink that stimulates the purification of the body and liver. Many books on fasting also recommended carrot juice.

As you know, carrots are rich in Vitamin A. This vitamin boosts skin metabolism, prevents dryness, enhances hair health, protects against vision decline, and maintains mucous membranes. It's also an antioxidant vitamin that neutralizes free radicals. In short, it's a nutrient that benefits beauty and anti-aging. However, if you start consuming it excessively, remember the proverb, "Too much is as bad as too little." Please keep in mind that moderation is key to achieving the best results.

This is the first time I've truly felt the effects of retinol.

By the way, Vitamin A functions in the body in three active forms: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Hearing this might make you think, "Oh, like the ingredients in cosmetics?" Yes, I've become quite taken with cosmetics containing retinol or retinoic acid. The results have been so astonishing that I find myself asking, "Is it really okay for my skin to change this much?"

My first experience with the power of retinol was with a product called "Transderma A." Its main ingredient is retinyl palmitate. The morning after I first used it, my skin felt incredibly firm and lifted, more so than ever before. It also had a wonderfully smooth texture! I had used retinol-containing products before, but this was the first time I experienced such dramatic effects. This product is apparently a serum that uses a unique technology to deliver the ingredient in a pure, oil- and water-free form, allowing it to be stably absorbed by the skin, which likely accounts for its remarkable efficacy. The brand also offers "Transderma C" and "Transderma Spot Shot," which have high whitening effects, and using them together further enhances skin beauty. A note of caution: "Transderma A" should only be used at night, after applying "Transderma C."

What I Learned from Using Retinol and Neo-Retinoic Acid

As I became more interested in retinol, I discovered another excellent product. It's "VA Emulsion," a neo-retinoic acid from the cosmetic dermatology clinic "Matsukura Clinic & Medical Spa." Like retinol, retinoic acid promotes skin renewal by shedding old, excess keratin, increasing collagen production, smoothing skin texture, and normalizing cell turnover. However, while it offers these significant benefits, traditional retinoic acid had a drawback: it could cause peeling for about two months. Neo-retinoic acid was developed to overcome this.

This product comes in concentrations of 0.025% and 0.5%. The 0.025% concentration is usually sufficient. When using it, the instructions are to mix it in a 5:5 ratio with "HQ Cream," a whitening product containing ingredients like hydroquinone and vitamin C derivatives, and then apply. A doctor's prescription is also required. Furthermore, like "Transderma A," "VA Emulsion" should be used at night. This is because retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. I recently learned this the hard way: I went for a run around 9 AM for about an hour on a sunny winter day, thinking the sunlight wouldn't be strong enough, without applying sunscreen. I ended up getting a light tan. While it's not something to be overly concerned about, Vitamin A is highly effective against dark spots and uneven skin tone, but it requires caution regarding sun exposure.

One more thing to note: although neo-retinoic acid is an improvement over the traditional form, its high efficacy means some peeling will occur. I've been using it for about two months now, and I feel my skin is constantly renewing itself, with mild peeling and recovery cycles in various areas. They say that after four months of continuous use, the peeling stops, and beautiful skin is achieved. I'm eagerly anticipating that result.

For Mature Women or Those with Skin Concerns

On the other hand, "Transderma A" has the advantage of working gently without causing peeling (though its effects are still remarkable). Therefore, I now use these two products alternately, depending on my schedule. I typically use neo-retinoic acid, but switch to "Transderma A" two days before important public appearances or when experiencing significant peeling. I also apply them to different areas: "Transderma A" on my neck and neo-retinoic acid on my hands.

My skin has changed so much that I can divide its history into 'before' and 'after' using these products. The firmness and smoothness are distinctly different, my skin is brighter and more translucent, the scar on my cheek from when my dog bit me last year has healed without me noticing, and it's now glowing with a radiance that makes me feel like I've returned to my younger skin. In other words, these products are likely to be more effective and noticeable for mature women whose skin is starting to lose its firmness or those with skin troubles, rather than for young people who naturally have firm, radiant skin.

How far can I turn back time?──I'm incorporating the benefits of Vitamin A by enjoying my carrot juice and diligently applying retinol, all while anticipating that very outcome.