With the coldest months are behind us, spring is the beginning of new life. It’s also the perfect opportunity to update and “spring-clean” your skincare regimen. Out with the old and the ineffective and in with the latest and greatest. But what exactly should you do, what treatments should you perform at home, and what improvements should you turn to the professionals for? We have you covered with everything you need to know right here.
Healthy Skincare Routine – Best Home Skin Care Regimens
To start, you want to make sure you’re properly hydrating yourself. Healthy skin starts from within, and the best way to do this is to stay on top of the water you’re drinking. At the very least, you need to be drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (although more is better). Soft drinks, juice, coffee, and anything else you might drink don’t matter. In fact, you’ll be better off not drinking these items (although black coffee and unsweetened tea are fine to drink and have several health benefits, just don’t count the beverages towards your water goals). You should also stop smoking and cut down on the consumption of alcohol. Nothing dries out your skin more than alcoholic beverages, and nicotine, so keep this to a minimum.
Next, you need to make sure and exfoliate daily. A gentle facial scrub can work wonders here. We don’t mean sandpaper, a polish is more like it. It’s important to remove the dead skin, dirt, oil, and other gunk from your face, both in the morning and at night. This clears up your skin and makes it easier to absorb moisturizers and other products. It’s best to avoid alcohol and other harsh cleaners because when you use it twice a day, an alcohol-based facial scrub will dry out your skin. You want to clean it, not dry it out.
You’ll also want to use a natural moisturizer. We can help point you in the direction of products that work well. Many drug store brand products are packed with chemicals and other undesirable ingredients which can irritate your skin. With an all-natural moisturizer applied in the morning (ideally one that includes SPF), you’ll give your skin the necessary moisture boost it needs. Then, at night, apply a night cream. Your body regenerates itself the most while you’re asleep. Bodybuilders will consume an added protein shake before bed to give muscles nutrients to repair and grow. A night cream is basically a protein shake for your skin, as it gives your skin additional nutrients to repair and nourish.
Spring Clean Your Old Products
Skincare products can go bad. Active ingredients lose their strength and intensity when left dormant for long periods (especially after being opened and the air can reach it). Most skincare products have some kind of expiration date listed, so check the products and pitch anything that’s expired. Your skin might react to expired products and develop a rash or break out. If your skin care product doesn’t have an expiration date listed, you should still pitch it if you haven’t used it in a few months. Out with the old and in with the new. Plus, it is the perfect time to take stock of what you have, what you’re using, what works, what doesn’t, and what you should consider adding (or taking away) from your healthy skincare routine.
Lighten up. Once the temperature gets warm you will want to use lighter weight products to avoid breakouts and heat rash. And don’t forget to clean or replace your make-up brushes. They are full of bacteria that can cause skin issues too. Time to toss out any sunscreen and SPF products you purchased last year. The protective elements of your SPF products will no longer hold up and need to be replaced.
What’s Safe and Not Safe to do At Home
If you look up DIY beauty secrets, you’re going to find all kinds of tips and examples people swear by. The problem is, some of these examples you should absolutely not follow. You might have seen video clips of a woman using a brand superglue on her scalp this past winter. That’s an extreme example of something you should absolutely not do, but there are other skin care suggestions you should avoid.
Lemon juice (or any citrus juice) to brighten your complexion, for example, is something you should avoid. You can’t control the acidity, and you might end up burning your skin (or causing other damage). Always avoid attempting to remove moles at home on your own, or using raw animal products, such as eggs, on your skin, as this can lead to all kinds of problems. You really will have an egg on your face.
There are some recommended skincare products though that you can consider performing at home. There are some basic, gentle chemical peels that do work. These are extremely mild when compared to the chemical peels used by professionals. The at-home peels don’t physically dissolve the top layer of skin, but they can help with occasional exfoliation when used as directed.
Sometimes it can be a bit tricky in figuring out what skincare techniques you should use at home and which ones you should have a professional perform. The best way to figure this out is to simply ask us. We are happy to review which are fantastic DIY home treatments and which may lead to more serious skin problems if not done properly. Our staff at The Skin Center By CPS are here to help you with all of your skincare questions.
Schedule Your Skin Consultation Today
One of the best ways to kick off your fresh and healthy skincare routine is to schedule a skin consultation with our staff at The Skin Center By CPS. Here we can analyze your skin, determine what you need to improve and how you can go about improving it. We can also pinpoint any possible services you should consider scheduling.
Whether it is a traditional facial or something more along the lines of tightening and toning, we will walk you through the process of improving the look of your skin. With spring and the warmer months right around the corner, this is the perfect time of year to begin your healthy skincare routine anew. So give us a call and let us schedule your skin consultation today.
