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Can you feel it? Summer’s in the air. You know what that means time to shed those layers, and get out to enjoy the sun. NOT!
Insert token ‘Sun Protection’ lecture here. If you’ve been living in a cave and aren’t aware of the sun’s danger it’s time to get educated. Wrinkles, sun spots, and skin cancer are a result of too much time in the sun without proper skin protection.
I’m a sunscreen addict, truthfully it borders on obsessive. I don’t leave the house without being completely lathered in a 30SPF. My tanning-booth-addicted roommate is subject to daily lectures about the damage she’s inflicting on her skin. Warnings of, “Although there’s no wrinkles today, one day you’ll wake up and freak because you resemble a wrinkly prune.” Alas, my scare tactics have not yet penetrated her beautifully, tanned head.
Okay, okay, I admit it … I do like to look tanned. Even though I’m a self-proclaimed sun-screen addict, I don’t allow myself to roam the streets looking pale and sickly.
A tan makes me, and I’m sure many women, feel healthy, glamourous, and sexy. A healthy glow makes me feel alive. So in an effort to help educate, bronze, and bring a glow to the women of Canada, I begin my mission in search of the sunless, healthy glow.
Step 1: Be brave and bold
Seek out the beauty experts in your local pharmacy or department store. Talk to a beauty consultant who makes you feel comfortable and has a superior knowledge of skin types and the products available for each.
Step 2: Know what you want
Do you want your skin to have a delicate, healthy glow; or are you going for the ‘I was just in Mexico’ look?
Step 3: Know your skin type
Each skin type responds differently to each product. A good beautician will do a con-sultation before recommending products. So, be honest about your daily beauty regime.
Step 4: Cleanse, tone, moisturize
Experts recommend these essential steps to a glowing complexion. Remember, day time products protect your skin while night time products regenerate and renew.
The ultimate ‘skin sin’ is going to bed with makeup on. No matter how late, no matter how many glasses of wine do not, I repeat, do not hop into bed with makeup on. It stops your skin from breathing. Skin sweats as you sleep and will get trapped in your pores under the foundation. The result ‘feared’ acne!
Step 5: Exfoliate
To have beautiful, glowing skin you must add this crucial step to your skin care regime.
Imagine your skin as a gorgeous, delicate lampshade. Now, if there’s dust on the shade, how will the light shine through? The same is true for your skin. There are many things that cause our skin to look less than lustrous pollution, weather and cigarette smoke all wreak havoc. Exfoliation whisks away dead skin cells, fine lines and blackheads leaving a smooth, glowing skin surface.
An esthetician can professionally exfoliate your skin, but today there are creams, peels, and scrubs that will do a wonderful job in the comfort of your own home. Use the appropriate product for your skin type as recommended by your beauty consultant.
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3 ways to exfoliate:
Hydroxy Acid Kits: Glycolic (alpha hydroxy) and salicylic (beta hydroxyl) creams dissolve the bond that adheres dead skin cells to the skin’s surface making it look dull and grey. The clear and concise directions are easy and safe for home use, a chemistry degree isn’t required to use these pre-mixed solutions. Brushed onto your face, this liquid mask is washed away after a few minutes. Follow directions for recommended use.
Best for normal-to-oily skin, cleans pores to prevent occasional break-outs. The strongest of at-home exfoliation kits hydroxy acids are not recommended for sensitive or dry skin.
Enzyme Peels: Gentler than hydroxy acids, enzyme peels are safe for all skin types es-pecially sensitive or dry skin. The enzymes break down the protein in the dead skin cells so they can be peeled or rinsed away easily. Peels are also known to decrease the ap-pearance of fine, facial lines.
Microdermabrasion Scrubs: Recommended for normal-to-oily skin types. These grainy scrubs are massaged gently into the skin for two minutes to slough off dead skin cells. My personal favorite, applying the scrub and massaging it myself gives me control over the areas of my face I want to concentrate on, mainly my t-zone. I love the smooth result.
Step 6: Moisturize
This vital step nourishes your new, glowing skin after exfoliating. Use a moisturizer rec-ommended for your skin type.
Step 7: The fake tan
Now don’t be afraid. With the right product for your skin type and the proper technique, you won’t end up a ‘walking tangerine’.
These new, technology sprays react with your skin’s amino acids to penetrate the skin’s surface instead of sitting on top of it, as the earlier skin tanners.
Important tips for first time self tanners: apply after showering; use a high-quality body scrub to remove all dry skin patches (self tanning lotions stick to dry areas heels, knees, and elbows). Rub the spray or lotion into your skin until there’s no more visible product. Which, if not rubbed completely into your skin, will leave a mean streak … literally.
Some products take a couple of hours to produce results, while others bronze instantly and darken more the longer it’s on. Read the directions thoroughly before applying to know what to expect. A wide variety of self tanning sprays and lotions are available at beauty counters everywhere.
Are you ready for something more adventurous? Try a spray tanning booth. Many of the traditional tanning boutiques have added these safe tanning booths to their services.
It’s not as scary as it sounds, I promise! Show up freshly showered, exfoliated and ready to tan. The boutique I frequent has first-time-spray-tanners watch a video explaining the process. It’s so fast the total spray time is under 20 seconds! Each visit costs approximately $30, and lasts three to five days. Pricier than a bottle of self tanner you use again and again, but for a special occasion it’s well worth it. Twenty seconds in the booth, and I’m feeling tanned and fabulous!
To the women of Canada I say do it now! You now have the perfect steps to achieve that sexy glow. See you on the street looking healthy and glamourous. H&L |
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