Friday, October 14, 2011

What not to do to your skin in winter


Ever hear of Hydrotherapy? It's a widely suggested technique for skin care. However, by eliminating this technique and keeping your skin care regimen simple-you can have soft, glowing skin in the most harsh winter months.

Working With Winter Skin Ailments – What To Do and What Not To DoPosted By Ann Sandretto Comments (0)
Friday, October 14, 2011

Winter is coming and with it comes dry skin. Skin care professional, Sandy Alcide, has some great tips for facial skin care. Here’s what she says:

Around the country, climates vary. Winter is coming and our skin experiences are similar. Your skin is dealing with strong winds, indoor heaters, cold dry air, rain, snow sleet. You get the idea. Skin can become dull and dry – but have no fear. Your skin’s prevention of winter ailments are simple.

What NOT To Do:

There is a new buzz word going around in skin care called “Hydrotherapy“. It’s even suggested and used by skin care professionals. What is “Hydrotherapy“? They suggest you start your day with a hot steamy shower and when you finish showering switch to cold water for a few seconds. Then, repeat the process for 2 minutes. This technique claims to revitalize your skin by stimulating the flow of blood through skin.

What it actually does is “shock your skin” and the hot water dries the skin. Going from steamy hot to cold water can cause broken blood vessels. Your water temperature should be lukewarm. If you want your skin revitalized by stimulating blood through it – exercise.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!

If your skin is itching or you have dry patches, it’s because the dry air of winter causes the moisture in the top layer of your skin to evaporate quickly. Use an extra dose of moisturizer for these areas. Never use pure oils on your skin. This will clog your pores and only make your skin feel soft, but it’s temporary as your skin can’t really absorb them well for hydration. Use a good quality moisturizer specifically for dry skin. Anything else will leave your skin incapable of warding off dry skin.

Exfoliate!

At least twice a week exfoliate to remove dead skin cells which work as a barrier for moisturizers to penetrate your skin. Dry indoor heat plays havoc on the natural sebum our skin produces which makes skin lose water in the lower dermas layer of skin. In the winter you have more dry skin cells that need to be sloughed off. Those dry flaky patches are proof of this. Simply applying moisturizer on them will not cure it. You need to exfoliate them off and then apply moisturizer. Do not use exfoliators that contain nut shells or fruit seed as inexpensive exfoliating agents. This will abrade delicate skin tissue.

Showering:

Another suggestion going around in the skin care industry is to use hair conditioner on your body in the shower for dry skin. Hair conditioner is formulated for hair-not skin. If you want a film on your skin and a cause for possible breakouts than hair conditioner will do it. After showering or bathing, pat your skin dry and use a body creme. Motion Medica has launched a new body creme with lactic acid that breaks up dead skin cells with emollients to hydrate skin without oil and parabens.

And, yes, I admit I have a habit of repeating myself. Drink lots of water, continue with a healthy diet and use a sunblock on sunny days and as a skin protectant from extreme weather conditions-if you decide to go for a run or power walk outdoors in 10 degrees don’t use petroleum jelly, use a sunblock.

Keep it simple and your skin will be soft and radiant in the coming winter months.

For some more facial skin care tips, read what Sandy says about “How To Give Yourself A Facial – The Correct Way”

Sandy Alcide – Founder Motion Medica skin care
http://fitnessandskincare.blogspot.com
http://www.americanathleticskincareassociation.webs.com
salcide@fbscc.com
Filed Under Skin Care, Skin Care & YouWritten by Ann Sandretto Subscribe via RSS
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