Skin Care 101 – Keep Your Skin Glowing – Part 2

“The morning sun when it’s in your face doesn’t show your age.”  Okay, so I slightly manipulated the words to Rod Stewart’s classic, “Maggie May,” but this will be sung of you if you follow the skin care tips from last week and the ones below.

Use a Toner after Cleansing

Toners remove all traces of dirt, grime, and any makeup your cleanser may have left behind.  By their nature, soaps and cleansers are alkaline.  Toners restore your skin’s pH back to its natural state — a slightly acidic level of five to six.  Pores generally shrink with an astrigent, and when they are closed, impurities and environmental pollutants find it harder to make their way into cells.  Some toners also function as humectants, binding moisture to the skin.  All refresh and revitalize, improving circulation. The one I like to use to calm, smooth, and impart a new lucidity is Ole Henriksen’s Balancing Cucumber™ Face Mist ($21.00 at Sephora) which is effective for all skin types.

Take Your Vitamins!

Yes, you heard this from your mother.  She probably also told you that “you are what you eat.”  She was right on both counts.  Drinking a glass of orange juice with breakfast and ingesting regular portions of fruits and veggies do not provide enough nutrients for optimal beauty and health — they merely prevent you from contracting diseases.  A potent supplement is necessary; I like Phyto’s Phytophanère Hair and Nails Dietary Supplement ($59.00 for 120 capsules at Sephora).  This formula is replete with Pro-Vitamin A (carrot oil), Vitamins C, E, and Omegas 3 and 6.  Together they promote healthy, strong hair and eyelashes, new nail growth, and illuminate skin.  Vitamin C is also essential for the synthesis of collagen.  Collagen, plentiful in our skin when we are babies and young children, dissipates over time.  It keeps skin resilient and wrinkle-free.

Sleep on Your Back — on a Satin Pillowcase

Skin expert Dr. Dennis Gross, founder of MD Skincare, says:  “Persistently pressing our faces into a pillow causes trauma to the skin.  Over time, this is aggravated by the friction of a cotton pillowcase and can create permanent creases as our collagen breaks down.”  Reduce the friction with satin; you’ll also notice less hair breakage and a reduction in allergies as satin coverings are not only luxurious but also hypoallergenic.

Does sleeping on your back sound impossible?  It’s not.  I trained myself to do it in my late teens and am uncomfortable in other positions.  Most people will notice improved skin appearance after just one night of successful back sleeping and your eyes will be less puffy (fluids drain away during the night).  You won’t find furrows caused by pressure and any creams or serums you’ve applied will be absorbed more readily by your skin — not your pillowcase.

Nix Caffeine and Soft Drinks — Learn to Love Water

Too much caffeine can be detrimental to skin, dehydrating it and dulling its appearance.  Due to the way sugar is processed by the body, skin loses elasticity and wrinkles more easily.  The authors of 7 Years Younger (the editors of Good Housekeeping) suggest drinking plain water at any time you are thirsty instead of reaching for another beverage.  It plumps the cells of the epidermis and eliminates toxins.  Begin with adding just one extra glass each day and adjust the level upward from there.  If you’re really craving flavor, try green tea.  It contains plant nutrients which are anti-inflammatory.  “Regular consumption — two to three cups a day — will result in better skin texture and inhibit wrinkling,” says Dr. Santosh K. Katiyar, a professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  Green tea also helps sun-exposed cells to repair themselves more rapidly.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is the worst thing you can do for your skin and your overall health.  Nicotine adds years to your appearance, creates lines around the mouth area, and depletes your body and complexion of valuable nutrients.  It’s better to be around for the ones you love and the gravity which John Mayer laments than not to be around at all . . . enough said.

Now go face the world — beautifully!