Janell Loving
I am convinced that there is nothing
worse for skin than a long cold winter. The low humidity in
conjunction with the dry heat, and lack of fresh air leaves my skin
looking dull and drab. Fortunately, my esthetician has a way of
reminding me that beautiful summer skin is closer than I think.
Since Spring is officially here, it seemed an ideal time to share a
few ideas for skin renewal.
Exfoliate
To get my skin moving in the right
direction for spring, I start with an all over exfoliating treatment.
The gentle massaging action that comes from an exfoliating treatment
is as inspiring as the resulting soft, silky skin. Who doesn't love a
little massage? If you are like me, and haven't done the best job of
maintaining optimum skin health over the winter months, experts
recommend that you start with a gentle exfoliant. The skin is easily
irritated or damaged so it is better to be cautious then overly
aggressive when receiving the first exfoliating treatment of the
season. Most spas have specifically designed exfoliating treatments
to renew winterized skin. They are generally infused with herbs and
oils to aid in the body's transition from winter to spring. My local
day spa has a divine Blue Corn Body Polish for sensitive skin that
exfoliates while moisturizing, leaving my skin silky smooth with a
beautiful glow. To maintain that radiance and silky feeling between
spa treatments I have a couple of tricks. When I am pressed for time,
I use an exfoliating Sage body soap by Pre de Provence.
They have many delicious soap fragrances and are gentle enough to use
daily. When I have a little more time, I create a homemade body scrub
using brown sugar, olive oil, and a little ginger. This is a mild
scrub that helps maintain moisture & smooth skin while extending
my spa experience at home.
Moisturize & Protect
Moisturizing is imperative to maintain
healthy skin. As the weather begins to warm, our skins' moisture
needs change as well. Check with your esthetician or dermatologist
to determine what sort of moisturizer is right for you skin. I
alternate between the Calendula Cream and the Viola Cream
by Jurlique.
I love both of these moisturizers because they are perfectly
balanced to match my skin's moisture needs without leaving it feeling
heavy or oily.
Protecting your skin is as important as
moisturizing. Most dermatologists and estheticians recommend using
sunscreen protection with a minimum of 30 SPF all over your body.
Sunscreen is important all of the time, but as the days become warmer
and you spend more time outdoors, be sure to reapply it on a regular
basis during activities.
Hydrate
Replenishing the body's water supply is
an essential component to healthy radiant skin year round. A little
trick that I use to assist with my daily intake is to add a couple
slices of cucumber, frozen melon chunks, or slice of any citrus fruit
to my water bottle. This small addition somehow adds just enough
encouragement to help me replenish and hydrate my body to maintain
healthy skin.
As Spring blossoms, think about ways to
awaken the body and embrace the lengthening days and warmth of the
sun. Allowing time to rejuvenate your skin is a great start to
replenishing your body, mind and spirit after a long cold winter.
