www.dryanilu.com www.justusskincare.com “We’ve had two other brands before this, but I feel this one really has a purpose, and that purpose is to help people feel good from the inside out; not just from the outside in,” says Gibson. “That purpose was inspired, first by my mother, but also by our appreciation for living well since moving to Palm Springs.” They also recognized that there were no premium hair care products using functional mushrooms, so they created Hyper Shroom Complex, a proprietary blend containing chaga, reishi, lion’s mane, tremella, and cordyceps with two mushroomderived peptides that will be the anchor for every hair, skin and body care product they make. “The blend is designed for hair and skin wellness, repair, softness and shine across all hair textures,” says Backe. They plan to introduce their first products later this year. Converging the wellness and beauty communities The Convergence Summit in May is designed to reflect a shift in the beauty industry. Their goal is to bring consumers and professionals together for education and conversation that elevate luxury beauty and wellness from both sides of the chair. Featuring longevity doctors, scientists, mycologists and top beauty-industry professionals, they aim to also elevate Greater Palm Springs’s beauty and wellness industries. “For a long time, beauty lived in divided worlds,” says Gibson. “There was professional beauty behind the chair and consumer beauty at home. Somewhere along the way, those lines began to blur, not because standards changed, but because curiosity did. Consumers are more educated and invested in their health, and professionals are being called to evolve into leaders in wellness and science. Convergence was created to honor that moment.” They feel Palm Springs is the right place for the summit as the audience here appreciates education and quality. “Like many who move here, we have all done big things, and there is so much we can contribute in an effort to strengthen the community.” “As the valley continues to grow, the clientele is looking for quality, and local professionals here don’t necessarily have access to the hands-on education,” says Backe. “We will be providing premium education that they can bring back into their salons to elevate their business, and in turn elevate the local beauty industry.” Lauren Del Sarto is founder and publisher of Desert Health. To learn more, visit www.tedgibson.com. (Photos by Roberto Ligresti) At night, before you head to bed, wash your face again. Then — at the very least — put something with lipids on your skin. If you get grumpy thinking about spending money on skin care, use Vaseline, olive oil, or whatever you already have on hand. Rub a baby back rib across your cheeks. Whatever. Lipids are the best friend your skin can have in this climate. Remember: Cleanse. Mist. Lipids. Sunblock. It's that easy. It isn’t about vanity; it’s about spending three minutes taking care of your skin so the only time you see your dermatologist is at a cocktail party or your yearly skin check. Now you’ve evolved. You can be one with the bighorn and stand tall on the golf course, on the court, or at the bar knowing you may not be as adaptive as a sheep, but you can read and learn. And that counts for something. Brook Dougherty of Indio is the co-founder of JustUs Skincare and welcomes your questions. She can be reached at (310) 266.7171 or brook@justusskincare.com. For more information, visit www.justusskincare.com. Have you ever admired a bighorn sheep, perched on the edge of a boulder, coat glowing in the sun, not a care in the world? No eczema. No rashes. No itching. No worries about what last week’s wildfire smoke might have done to its complexion. Our desert wildlife is perfectly adapted, built for heat, wind, dust and sun. Humans, on the other hand, are still catching up. We love desert living, but our human coat can be a bit temperamental, which is why there are more human dermatologists than sheep dermatologists. Heat isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s inflammatory During periods of extreme heat, we sweat more, we lose fluid, and bacteria flourish. We itch, we rub, we fuss, and by the time we finally see the dermatologist, the situation may have already calmed down. Then another heat spike hits, and we’re triggered again. For older, thinner skin, these effects are amplified. Aging skin is bad enough, but when you add heat, dust and smoke, it’s quite the challenge — especially now that so many of us are choosing to live here year-round. Wildfire smoke: the most challenging skincare season Wildfires are no longer rare disruptions. They’ve become a recurring part of life in the West. Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter that triggers oxidative stress; essentially a chemical assault on the skin’s protective systems. For people with eczema or psoriasis, whose barrier function is already compromised, pollutants penetrate more easily. Even healthy skin can become reactive under repeated exposure. The Salton Sea: a local environmental skin stressor Here in the Coachella Valley, we also live with a profoundly local environmental issue: the Salton Sea. As the sea recedes, it exposes dry lakebed dust containing fine particulates and agricultural residues. When winds pick up, those particles become airborne, contributing to poor air quality across nearby communities. Most of the conversation focuses, rightly so, on respiratory effects. But skin is also an interface with this environment. What are we desert dwellers to do? All the usual recommendations apply: stay hydrated, stay inside, wear a hat, wear sunblock. Nothing new here. But there are a few things that are easy to do, and easy to forget. In the morning, wash your face. Yes, even if you’re a man. Yes, even if you don’t wear makeup. Using an oil cleanser or balm cleanser might seem counterintuitive, but once you’ve tried it, you may find your skin already feels moisturized by the time you’re done. Then comes the mist. If you like the idea of products that actively care for your skin, morning is the time for vitamin C, green tea, and algae-derived extracts, which may help reduce oxidative stress from pollution exposure. These gounder sunscreen, never over it. Whatever your routine, the last thing you reach for is a zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreen. Mineral sunscreens don’t just block UV, they create a physical barrier against environmental particles like dust and smoke. In desert conditions, that matters. And if you shave, don’t worry: zinc doesn’t sting compromised skin. March/April 2026 www.DesertHealthNews.com Simple steps can help protect your skin from harsh desert stressors. Gibson hard at work with Orson by his side. The Palm Springs summit will elevate the local beauty industry. Health & Beauty The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 15 Looking for a more natural weight loss option? Individualized medically-directed program using: Acupoint Embedding • Cupping Acupuncture • Lifestyle Medicine Herbal Remedies Introducing an effective holistic program that helps regulate metabolism, improve digestion and enhance skin elasticity while supporting weight loss and body tightening. 760.674.7178 41750 Rancho Las Palmas Drive, Suite P1• Rancho Mirage www.dryanilu.com Family Medicine | Medical Acupuncture | Functional Medicine YANI LU, MD, PHD Medical Director Before Lost 20 lbs. and 6 inches in 3 months After Holy Smoke and Other Challenges How our skin fares in desert climates By Brook Dougherty Beauty from the Inside Out Continued from page 10
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