 With
warm weather upon us, and bare skin coming out from hibernation, your
skin and hair might need a little rehab along the lines of the highly
evolved pampering usually saved for your face. Today, nearly every inch
of you – from your scalp to the soles of your feet – has a product
or treatment geared towards improving its condition. Here’s our head
to toe starter guide to all regions that aren’t your face:
Scalp: Next time you head for the shower, consider starting with a scalp
treatment. Grind up a half dozen aspirin tablets (for those of you
without an aspirin allergy) and add them to a cup of warm water. Soak
your scalp in the solution for a few minutes giving the salicylic acid a
chance to lift dead skin cells. Salicylic acid after all is none other
than BHA (beta hydroxy acid), commonly used in dandruff shampoos to help
remove unwanted flaking. Using the pads of your fingers, gently massage
your scalp using small circular motions. Follow with a clarifying
shampoo and deep conditioner. Another option - go for a dandruff shampoo
containing salicylic acid, such as Ionil
Plus Conditioning Shampoo Salicylic Acid Formula or turn to an AHA
(glycolic acid) as in Aqua
Glycolic Shampoo & Body Cleanser. Both will help lift those
flakes away and leave your scalp squeaky clean. If your scalp is
irritated or dry, try a scalp treatment such as Free
& Clear Shampoo - New Improved Formula and Ionil
Rinse a few times a week.
Hair: Summer is tough on hair. Chlorine, sun, increased washing, and
wind can dry it out and make it brittle and roughed up. Essentially they
strip away the protective acid mantle that coats the hair, pulling the
cells of the hair shaft apart. Conditioners can help restore moisture
and proteins can prop up the structure while the acidic pH balanced
product will smooth those prickly cells back down making hair shine. Try
a regular deep conditioner such as Tricomin
Deep Conditioning Treatment after every shampoo if your locks are
constantly under assault.
Décolletage: Sad but true, your décolletage may be aging faster than
you’d planned. While you spent time slathering sunscreen on your face,
you probably ignored the skin peeking out of your v-neck t-shirt and now
it’s mottled and dry. No need to invest in a dozen turtlenecks, this
area responds well to spa treatments like light peels and exfoliation,
and super hydrating masks like those with paraffin. Many spa treatments
include the entire area from the neck down. To get started at home, line
up your antioxidant for a.m. use (think SkinCeuticals
Serum 20 or Cellex-C
Advanced Neck Firming Cream) and alternate a retinoid (like Afirm
3X with a potent glycolic acid treatment such as M.D.
Forte Facial Cream I). Periodic home microdermabrasion with DermaNew
will remove signs of dead dry skin. If you’re struggling with spots,
go for DERMAdoctor
Immaculate Correction Revitalizing Skin Tone Equalizer . And don’t
forget to include the area when applying sunscreen!
Hands and feet: The DermaNew
Hand and Foot Rejuvenation System is the closest thing to having an
on-call manicure/pedicure expert at home. The kit comes complete with a
callous and roughness busting microdermabrasion cream and battery
operated tool to help scrub off roughness and mega-hydrating and
soothing oils to pamper newly revealed skin. To keep feet soft, before
bed lubricate them liberally with Peter
Thomas Roth AHA Exfoliating Foot Cream (the peppermint will make
tired feet feel great) and then slip them into clean cotton socks to
protect sheets. You wake with supple feet. Give hands the same treatment
with a rich moisturizer and clean, cotton gloves (find them at beauty
supply stores or just grab a pair of clean cotton socks).
If you can squeeze in a trip to a spa or salon, myriad options are
available to spoil hands and feet. Exfoliating scrubs will soften, light
peels will help lift age spots and fine lines, and opt for a paraffin
dip if you can. After a rich moisturizer is massaged into hands and
feet, they’ll be dipped into melted paraffin which seals in the
moisture. Next they’ll wrap your feet in plastic, and then heated
towels, to increase the effect. The result: ultra moisturized skin and
plumped up fine lines. Another option to consider-some daytime TLC with
a battery of rejuvenation with Cellex-C
Skin Firming Hand Cream and Cellex-C
Hydra Hand Cream SPF 15. Make life simple and layer them, to provide
moisture, antioxidants and an SPF.
Not into the manicure and pedicure route? If you go in for an
exfoliating facial, many spas will whip up an extra batch of what you
are using on your face and apply it to your hands. It’s great way to
jump start treatment to diminish age spots and discolorations.
Full body: No longer is your face the only patch of skin that deserves
the restorative attention of an alpha beta hydroxy peel. M.D. Skin Care
has formulated an Alpha Beta Body Peel that can be used daily to speed
up the turnover of dead skin cells revealing the fresher cells beneath,
dissolving discoloration, and prodding your collagen to rebuild itself
for firmer skin. Known as M.D.
Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Body Peel, the two-step program starts
with alpha and beta hydroxy spiked pads that you wipe over you skin, and
then you follow with an oil-free moisturizer. You get results after the
first use, and with continued use the benefits pile on.
Love the sensation of a mud mask drying on your face? You can treat your
entire body to that sensation by slather on AHAVA
Dead Sea Mineral Mud (no need to be neat; your scalp will appreciate
a dose as well. But skip your face with this high power product). This
magnesium, potassium, and calcium packed mud will help soothe skin,
slough off dry skin, and soften
Back: Breakouts from sweaty workout and chaffing clothes has made
“bacne” a problem for many women. Worse yet, the “back” may
actually mean your buttocks. Spas offer treatments that mimic those for
facial acne. Steaming, exfoliating, extractions, and masks are part of
the regular drill, but since the skin is thicker and sometimes tougher
to treat in these areas, at-home treatment needs to vigilant. Make sure
to cleanse sweat-soaked areas a.s.a.p. after working out (stash a PanOxyl
Bar 10% in your gym bag. It’s formulated with acne bacteria
fighting benzoyl peroxide) and use an over the counter acne medication
to treat individual pimples. A medicated acne masque (Peter
Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Masque) is another pampering yet
therapeutic way to get at this scourge. If you can’t get it under
control this way, a visit to the dermatologist is in order.
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ESCC, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
