Prepping Your Skin for Spring
Getting your skin ready for warmer weather is pampering at its finest!
-Lora Condon, BettyConfidential.com
Tight, dry and itchy are the three magic words referring to winter-bruised skin. There is only one cure for quenching your thirsty skin: water. Even if you're drinking more than a camel, your skin can still feel the effects of harsh wind, dry heat in buildings and less moisture in the cold air. Here are a few tips and tricks to recover your silky skin from the effects from the harsh winter months.
Drink!
If you're not already drinking 64 ounces of water a day, start immediately. Cut down on the coffee, carbonated drinks, wine and tea. Even though coffee and tea are perfect drinks to warm the body, they also dehydrate the skin immediately. I also recommend eating water based food like cucumbers, celery and fruit to give the skin extra hydration.
Exfoliate!
The next step is exfoliation. I recommend a very gentle acid peel or rice powder and rinsing with tepid water. Hot water will dehydrate and irritate the skin. Removing the dead, dry skin will allow hydrating serums and creams to penetrate into the skin. Gentle exfoliation is the key here! Overdoing it dries out the skin even more.
Oil it (really!)
Once you're ready to lube up, don't be afraid to use an oil specifically for the face. You can use it alone or under a moisturizer during the day, as well as night. No need to worry about looking like an oil slick. Just put a few drops where you feel the most dry and listen to your skin say, "Thank you." I recommend something as simple as olive oil on your skin and hair to create the perfect palate for makeup and styling. If you don't have any extra virgin oil lying around, choose meadowfoam, jojoba or a Vitamin E based serum. Creams don't need to be greasy and heavy in order to work. They can be simple and preferably hyaluronic acid based. Hyaluronic acid is that gooey stuff you see in a cell under the microscope. This is the number one desirable ingredient in serums or creams because it holds and attracts 1,000 times its weight in water. Use these tips to keep your skin glowing, smooth and youthful. It's also a great way to prep your skin for summer and airbrush tanning, because we know to stay out of the sun, don't we?
Lora Condon is known as the Beauty Buster and the Lash Doctor. She's a national SPA WEEK Award Winner: three awards for "Best Facial" and four for "Best Treatment." To learn more about Lora, visit her sites. Make Up With Me and The Lash Doctor.
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