Skincare Conversations

Many clients ask me why is their skin dehydrated? They drink there eight glasses of water every day. So, it should all be good. Shouldn’t it? Drinking adequate amounts of water each day is important for overall good health because water aids in digestion, circulation, absorption and even excretion. But what about drinking large amounts of water to get optimal hydration for your skin? Some beauty experts claim that drinking water gives you a radiant, healthy, younger looking complexion, while others say it has no effect on skin's appearance whatsoever. The fact is that skin is an organ, and just like any other part of the body. Your skin is made up of cells. Skin cells, like any other cells in the body, are made up of mostly water. Without water, these cells will not function well and may die prematurely. Without sufficient hydration your skin becomes dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. Water is excreted from your body in large amounts every day, you need to replace it by drinking water. The problem is that when drinking water, it unfortunately will go to all the other organs first or is excreted before it reaches the skin. So, it's really easy to become dehydrated, even if you are drinking lots of water. Drink your water but the best way to rehydrate your skin is to apply water to your skin externally and find a way to keep it there. Plumping up your skin with water this will not only change your skin from dull to glowing, it can increase longevity by keeping wrinkles at bay. What’s the best way to add water to the skin? For your body make sure to apply a hydrating body lotion or oil within 2 minutes of leaving the tub or shower. While bathing, your skin imbibes lots of water so it becomes temporarily hydrated. Because the air outside the shower is dry it quickly draws out water from your skin and you become drier than before. Trap that moisture in with a lotion or oil quickly after bathing to keep skin hydrated. Apply a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid prior to your moisturizer. Hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times its weight in water, thus attracting water to the skin and holding it there. This is particularly good for oily skin. Oily skin creates it own lipid layer to hold in moisture. If you are oily and dehydrated you should re-examine your skincare routine to make sure your products are not stripping your skin. A good hyaluronic acid serum should be oil free so it just works on the holding in moisture part. This effective serum still needs a moisturizer over it to make sure water doesn’t evaporate out by arid air. So for you, an oil free moisturizer is indicated. Cleanse your face with a milky cleanse r rather than a gel or foaming soap. Foaming cleansers rob moisture from the skin due to their alkaline nature. Choosing a milky cleanser creates a hydrating ritual that cleans and softens skin, allowing more moisture to hydrate your skin. Switch to a more emollient moisturizer. Moisturizers with emollients help prevent trans-epidermal water loss. This is because they reinforce the protective lipid barrier. A strong lipid barrier also reduces inflammation. When the skin becomes inflamed the junction between cells is damaged and moisture can escape more easily, leading to dehydration and irritation. Good emollients to look for include shea butter, squalane, cetyl alcohol and jojoba oil. Note: cetyl alcohol is an oily alcohol and not drying for the skin. Okay drink your water. Drinking those 8 glasses a day helps rid the body and skin of toxins. Every one may not agree that drinking this much water will improve skin, but it can't hurt. Many of my clients report that when they do increase their water intake, their skin has a more radiant glow. Weigh in on this water conversation. How much water do you drink and do you feel it helps your skin?

I’ll admit it, my skin is getting older (I’m signing up for Medicare next week). I always thought of my legs as being my best feature. I’m 5’10” and mostly legs. I haven’t felt that way lately because the skin on my lower legs have developed that crinkly, flaky look, which reminded me of my grandmother. I realize this is because as we get older circulation decreases on the outer extremities. But, you know, sometimes we are so focused on our faces, we forget to take care of the skin on the rest of our body. So, I pulled out my Avocado Body Lotion and Glycolic Serum . I started to use the Avocado Body Lotion every night with a pump or two of Glycolic Serum mixed in. In just three days the flakiness was gone. Woo Hoo!!! This is a treatment you’ve got to try! It’s what inspired me to write my blog on How to Get Smoother Legs note: Maybe I’ll try wearing skirts again.

Where should a young person start when introducing a daily skincare routine? As I've said before, "keep it simple". A healthy young skin should start with the basics and omit products that are geared to increasing skin metabolism. These anti-aging products will surely over activate a young skin and lead to breakouts or skin reactions. A younger skin's metabolism is already in high gear so my recommendation is a simple, three step twice a day routine. CLEANSER Your cleanser should not be too emollient, which will clog the pores. It should not contain drying detergents that will cause the skin to be tight and uncomfortable. Omit acne products if you don't have very oily , problem skin. Make sure your cleanser is free of sodium lauryl sulphate which is a commonly used detergent in foaming cleansers. The reason you don't want to use a drying cleanser is because when you create a dry, dehydrated surface layer you trap in oil which leads to clogged pores. TONER Yes toners are still an important step! The main function of using a toner is removing any traces of your cleanser so the skin is truly clean without becoming dehydrated. This is of course if you use a toner that is free from alcohol, menthol, witch hazel and other drying ingredients. A simple test here is, when you apply your toner does it feel cool and tingly? That is because those drying ingredients are evaporating and pulling water out of your skin, causing dehydration. A good toner balances your pH to minimize unwanted bacteria and it also removes chemicals found in the tap water such as fluoride, chlorine, sodium and bacteria. MOISTURIZER Young skin is usually not dry, but it can be dehydrated. It may not be lacking oil but deficient in vital moisture that keeps cells alive and healthier longer. Young skins will benefit from and oil free moisturizer that contains humectants that grab onto water and nourish your skin. To insure maximum hydration you should apply your moisturizer while skin is still damp. By the way... LONGEVITY now offers a Skincare 101 package that contains these three products together at a discounted price. Click: Skincare 101 for more information.