Spring Cleaning for the Skin: Repair the havoc weaked by summer while strengthening the skin against future aggressions
Out with the old, in with the new—any clutter lying around should be dumped to make room for better things. The same adage applies for your skin. You’ve had fun under the sun last month, but you should only hold on to memories, not dead skin cells. Prolonged sun and wind exposure results to uneven skin tone and drier, even flaky skin. Warmth and humidity open up pores, making them likelier to be clogged by oil, thus resulting to breakouts. Deep cleansing, exfoliation for skin renewal, rejuvenation, and protection against UV rays are the remedy.
CLEANSE THOROUGHLY AND GENTLY
“Using 2 mildly acidic, hydrating cleanser for both body and face is the perfect way to thoroughly remove all build up white replenishing lost moisture without causing tightness or dryness afterward.” recommends integrative medicine expert Dr. Frank Lipman, whose approach focuses on sustainable wellness instead of quick fixes. “Dead skin cells need to be rehydrated in order to be effectively loosened up. Rinse with purified water or a mildly acidic toner to restore your skin’s acidic mantle, never with heavily chlorinated water.”
HELP YOUR SKIN RENEW ITSELF
The skin naturally sheds in 28 days but oilier complexions tend to bold on to dead skin cells, thus clogging pores and causing breakouts. Dr. Lipman recommends using gentle natural exfoliants two to three times a week to loosen dead skin cells and reveal a brighter complexion. Gentle acids like rice phythic and lactic acid aid skin renewal.
He warns, “Steer clear of scrubs. They can cause teeny tiny scratches, which can further irritate your already sensitive sun exposed skin. Avoid using chemical peels. They can exacerbate the problem by disturbing your skin’s acid mantle and lead to hyperpigmentation problems
Dr. Lipman adds “Emphasize your rough areas like the elbows, knees, and heels, They also need to be tended.”
ARE YOU MOISTURIZING PROPERLY?
Moisturization is key to keeping the skin in good shape through protection and repair Moisturize twice a day with nourishing, gentle, and non-clogging formulations. Layer your moisturizer: apply it immediately after toning while the skin is still damp,” Dr. Lipman advices
WEAR A BETTER SUNSCREEN
Choose a sunscreen containing biological filters such as shea butter, avocado oil, raspberry oil, and coconut oil. These filters act as free radicals scavengers and they also help restore our skin’s natural oils, explains De Lipman.
DEEP CONDITION YOUR SKIN WEEKLY
Natural masks that offer purifying, hydrating, and nourishing solutions can speed up your skin’s recovery process. Relax while you leave your mask on as some aggressions like hives can be triggered by stress.
Images from Pixabay
Text: Marbbie Tagabucba
This article was originally published on Garage Magazine June 2014
