itchy?

In my blogs I usually cover facial, neck, and chest skin.  I leave the body skin out time after time.  My apologies, body.  Well this blog is putting an end to that right this very minute.  So with that said, in these cold, dry winter months, people get some serious itchy body skin on their normally silky, smooth skin.  I'm here to tell you there are things you can do to redeem your velvety summer skin.  Phew, thank the Lord for me.  First and foremost, exfoliate.  This is exactly what I said to do for facial dryness too.  However, you can get more aggressive with the bod because the skin below the chest is remarkably tough. 

My favorite exfoliating vehicles:

Riffi Mitts:  These feel like brillo pads on the skin.  At first, this doesn't conjure up the most pleasant of feeling, but I promise your body will crave it's hurt-so-good approach.  You can squirt your body wash right on this guy and scrub away.  This fella also works wonders to minimize or prevent in grown hairs.  So if you're fixin' to get a bikini wax- use him!  Riffi mitts are also superb because they stimulate the lymphatic system, which means you get sick less.  These guys are also easy to clean- just throw them in the washing machine, but do not dry. Woo Hoo!

Another, more aggressive, exfoliating tool is a skin brush.  If you really like the hurts-so-good feeling, then  you will be pleased as punch with this guy.  If you think you will not be a fan of the hurts-so-good feeling, I urge you to think about your itchy skin an how much you want to scratch it.  Well, this is one big scratch- but in a really good way.  Just writing about them, makes me want a rub down.  I hope that's not weird.  Skin brushes, also are big on stimulating blood flow, which means your body will heal faster.  Skin brushes also assist in minimizing cellulite.  Whata guy!  Technically you are supposed to use this stellar feller on dry skin, prior to showering, but I have to admit, that I am too lazy to do such things.  Instead, I throw body wash on it while in the shower and call it a day. 

Of course another form of exfoliation, comes in the form of AHA's.  If you would rather get a body wash with glycolic, lactic, or malic acid in it, then that could be used in place of a riffi mitt or a skin brush.  Or you could go nuts and put your AHA containing body wash on a riffi mitt or skin brush.  Bye, bye skin.  I wouldn't recommend doing this on a daily basis, but once a week would be a great treatment.  A great body wash for this is Image's Ageless Cleanser or Glytone's Exfoliating Body Wash Both of these cleansers work wonders on Keratosis Pilaris- those red bumps on the back of your arms.

My favorite after exfoliation treatments: 

After you've exfoliated, whatever lotion you want to apply will work oh-so-much better because you've just removed a layer of dead skin that was acting as a shield to your lotion of choice.   As far as body lotions, one of my favorites is Alba Organics Very Emollient Body Lotion for Dry Skin.  This lotion has a few AHA's in it, so you're getting an additional exfoliation, but it is a mild one.  I like the lotion because it goes on so quick and is not thick and greasy.  However, some of you may be after thick and greasy.  If that's the case, go for good old coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a wonderful emollient and will make your skin glow, plus you will smell, faintly, like the beach.  Yes, please!

Happy Scrubbing!!

how to extract sir zit

If you spend hours analyzing and digging at your skin, then you, my friend are a picker.  Most pickers pick in hopes of doing something to help speed up the healing process or to find some way to control a lesion. I've been there I totally understand the motivation. I understand the urge to pick, but oftentimes picking makes acne worse.  Most people when picking, squeeze the pimple, which can actually cause the bacteria to spread to nearby follicles. When bacteria spreads this equals more pimples- exactly what we pickers do not want.  Furthermore, most picking causes a scar, which makes it look like the acne is there for far longer than it actually is.  With that said, people will still pick.  It's human nature.  I know better and I still cannot control the urge to get in there.  So if you must pick at least pick in a way that warrants the best possible outcome.  I've I used the word pick enough?

Here's how to pick (there's that word again):

1. Cleanse your skin in the shower for 1-2 minutes- preferably with a salicylic acid based cleanser.  Salicylic acid helps to loosen the debris in the pore, so you can get at it.  Salicylic is also antibacterial, so you're lessening the chance of any bacteria getting into the pore you're about to open.

2. If you're feeling extra skin savvy, while in the shower use an exfoliating mask. If you have lots of white heads and several lesions, then do not use a mask with grains or beads.  A manual exfoliant can spread bacteria on skin with several acne lesions.  However, if you have a few blackheads or 1-3 lesions, then a manual scrub would work.  I am a big fan of masks containing alpha hydroxy acids.  A few of my favorites:  Cellex-C betaplex clear complexion mask.  Warning:  this mask is not for sensitive skin.
Image's total resurfacing mask. Again, this mask is not sensitive skin.  If you have more sensitive skin, go for a mask with enzymes, they are gentle exfoliants.  A few great masks containing enzymes are: Image's hydrating enzyme mask and June Jacob's papaya purifying mask.  Leave this mask on while in the shower for 10-15 minutes.  The steam from the shower helps to soften the pores, so they are more pliable.  The more pliable your pores are the less likely you are to rupture a follicle while picking, which means bacteria will not travel to the next follicle over.

3. After getting out of the shower, prepare to extract (aka pick) by wiping down the area of attack with witch hazel.  Witch hazel kills the bacteria on your skin without striping it.

4.  Clean your hands very well then wrap your finger tips in kleenex to prevent your nails from digging in to your skin and cause scarring as well as preventing any bacteria in your nails from entering the lesion.  Instead of squeezing the lesion, come on either side of the lesion and stretch the skin out then apply pressure.  Note:  cystic nodules are NOT extractable, so don't even try!  Only go after white heads and black heads. 

5. After you're done extracting, cleanse the skin with witch hazel again, to ensure you've cleaned up any existing bacteria on the skin.

6.  Apply an antibacterial, clay-based mask to soak up any existing oil and bacteria.  A great mask is  Astara's blue flame mask.  Leave this mask on for 10 min or over night if you're extracting at night. Note: you may only want to apply the mask to only the extracted lesion because it could be too drying for the rest of your skin.   If you don't want to walk around with a glob of clay on face, apply an antibacterial ointment containing sulfur, tea trea or benzoyl peroxide.  A few good recommendations for this are: Image's medicated acne lotion.  And Good old Persa Gel.  Note: both of these products contain benzoyl peroxide, which means they can bleach your linens, so use white linens when using these products.

7. Try not to put any additional products on your newly extracted lesion and keep your paws off of it until it heals!

dry skin got you down?

No matter where I live, every winter my skin is dry.  I thought with living in rainy Portland, this problem would not occur.  No such luck.  I have to change my routine up a bit to avoid sir dry skin. 

Here are some things you can do to bring that dewy skin back:

First and foremost, exfoliate.  If your skin is covered in dead skin cells, you can slather all the moisturizer on you want, but only a small percentage will reach your thirsty skin.  Best exfoliants are glycolic acid and lactic acid.  Both of these exfoliants hydrate as they exfoliate- two for one!  Hooray!  If you have more durable skin, aim for the glycolic acid.  If you're skin tends to err on the sensitive side, go for lactic.  My favorite cleanser that contains glycolic acid, Glytone's mild gel wash.  If you really want to shake things up, go for Image's ageless cleanser.  My favorite lactic cleanser still remains PCA's facial wash.  

After you have exfoliated, your skin is ready to absorb some hydrating goodness.  Keep in mind there is a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin.  Dry skin is lacking oil and, often times, water too.  Dehydrated skin is just lacking water.  Dehydrated skin can be oily, but still be flaky and tight.  In the winter most people are both dry and dehydrated, so to combat dehydration go for a serum containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate (plant derived hyaluronic acid), or B5.  I'm a big fan of Image's total pure hyaluronic acid.  This product can be added to your cream of choice to up the moisture ante or used as a serum underneath another product.  If you're struggling with acne or acne prone, skip doing a serum and cream and go for a hydrating lotion.  My all time favorite is Image's Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum.  This serum is loaded with goodness.  It has has oodles of vitamin c to brighten and protect your complexion.  If you're on a budget and desperate for a good hydrator, I'm a big fan of all of CereVe's moisturizers.  These can usually be purchased at any drugstore.

If you're truly dry (meaning lacking oil) then you need a cream with emollients.  There are oodles of emollients out there.  Some of my favorite are Vitamin E ( topherol), avocado oil, carrot oil, olive oil, and shea butter. Shea butter and olive oil can be used on Acne prone skin with out inducing a breakout.  Two of my favorite emollient laden products are:  Image's hydrating repair cream and Sweet Blessed Bee Magic Cream.  I seriously put the Sweet Blessed cream everywhere.  I use it has eye makeup remover, chapstick, hand cream and face cream.  I love this product!!

To further alleviate your dry skin, get a hydrating facial!!  They can do wonders in 60 minutes!