Lets Talk Skin

We often hear about how we can have supple and youthful skin by doing xyz. However, most people apply such treatments and remedies to their hands and face. We often neglect our biggest organ, the skin. Today, I will be sharing my skin rituals I do on a daily and weekly bases mostly focusing on the skin covering our entire body. These are the things that I have tried and tested that work for me. They may not be for everyone. Please use your best judgment and consult a doctor before practicing anything mentioned below. And always to do a test patch whenever trying something new.

1. Dry Brushing

Dry Brushing is a form of exfoliating using a brush. Many of you have seen a bamboo or wooden brush with soft bristles often next to the shower gels or physical exfoliaters in the drug store that most people use in the shower. Well that same brush is used for dry brushing. I personally do not like using them in the shower. I think they are most effective when used dry.

There are many studies and research done on the benefits of dry brushing, such as reducing the appearance of cellulites, removal of toxins, etc. However, today I will be sharing things that I have noticed. I have been practicing this technique for about 4-5 years, on and off. It leaves my skin healthy and smooth. I haven’t noticed a decrees in cellulites or many of the other benefits it calms. That being said I would still highly recommend it. I like the feeling of a smooth and healthy looking skin.

What do I do?

I dry brush my skin before I get into the shower. It is best if you do this while standing in the bathtub. Since dead skin will be coming off its nice not to have it in your entire bathroom especially if you just cleaned. Although you don’t see actual dead skin cells but they are definitely there. Start at your feet and work your way up going toward the heart. You want to work in small circular strokes without applying any pressure. You also want to avoid going over the same area more than three times. I do this about 2-3 times a week. Some say to do this everyday I personally feel that is excessive.Your body naturally gets rid of the dead cells therefore, you do not want to disturb the natural pattern of the body but provide a little boost. The first time I did this I felt a little uncomfortable. My skin began to turn red. Getting use to it takes about one – two attempts. Some people suggest using coconut oil while dry brushing. I think it should be used dry hence, the name but if you have dry skin that can be helpful. I personally haven’t tired it with oils. Once you have completed dry brushing you can shower as normal, just keep in mind not to use anything that exfoliates your body such as a loofah, exfoliating gloves, and physical/ chemical defoliants. Once you get out of the shower Alwaysfollow up with a moisturizer.

Things to avoid

· I would not recommend this to people who have a skin disorder/problems or sensitive skin.

· Avoid the face and neck

· Avoid going over the same area more than three times

2. DIY body serum

The recipe that I am about to share is a very well known three-ingredient concoction that almost everyone in Pakistan and their mama knows it. It is simply mixing fresh lemon juice, rose water, and vegetable glycerin. This must be stored in the fridge otherwise it will go bad and you will not be able to use it. Like most things that you use on your skin you want to do a patch test. It is best to test new products on your inner arm or thigh. Wait 24 hours to see if any irritation or reaction occurs before proceeding with it.

Warnings

Lemon is potent when it comes to skin and should neverbe used on its own. This is a tricky ingredient. If you misuse it you can damage your skin in a way that cannot be reversed. For this recipe you want to use fresh lemon juice. Fresh is always better. I don’t mean to scare you but there are things you should never due when using lemon.

You always want to dilute lemon juice. It should never be used on its own. Little goes a long way. You only need a drop or two to reap its benefits.

Never go under sunlight while exposing the area with lemon juice even after you have diluted it. Doing so is extremely damaging to your skin. Therefore, you never want to use it on your face regardless of if you are going under the sun or not. The skin on your face is exposed to a lot.

Never use it on your face unless you are diluting it and then mixing few drops into a DIY facemask. You want to leave it on no more than 10 minutes. Followed by cleansing your face with water thoroughly.

Using the mixture

Now you know the don’t. Lets make the serum. You will need

· 1 part fresh lemon juice (1 Tablespoon)

· 1 part glycerin

· 3 parts rosewater

I have a small squeezable bottle that I mix it in. I roughly eyeball the ingredients. You need to store this mixture into the fridge. If you leave it out it will go bad. You want to give it a good shake before using it. I usually take 1-2 pumps of my lotion and I mix in 3-4 drops of the mixture and then I apply it on my body excluding the sensitive areas. If you are going to be wearing a short dress, or sleeves, avoid the exposed skin. Typically, I apply this 3-4 times a week.

Benefits

Using this serum will leave your skin soft, supple, and bright over time. Anything that is natural takes a while to show results, so if you give this a try you have to be patient. Overtime, it will begin to lighten blemishes and acne marks. However, it is not strong enough to tackle hyper pigmentation or dark patches such as underarms and knees. I don’t use this under my arms because of my deodorant. If I were to put this under my arms, I would skip the deodorant for that day.

3. Moisturize

I moisturize my skin my skin on the daily with conventional lotion from the drug store. Therefore, my skin is well hydrated. However, during the colder months, my skin usually needs extra hydration, especially when I lived in harsh, frigid climate. In order to combat the ashy skin, I would use oils as moisturizer twice a month. Typically, I alternate between almond oil and coconut oil and apply it all of over my body excluding the face. I would leave that on for few hours before I showered and followed up with a conventional lotion. Keep in mind that whenever you are using oil it will stain your clothes. I would recommend wearing PJs you don’t really care for or a robe.

4. Protection

If you are someone who likes taking care of your skin, I am sure you have heard about using sun block. I am giving this a separate category because it is that important to apply sunscreen when you are out and about. It is important for everyone to expose their skin to the sun to get Vitamin D but that should not exceed 10-12 minutes a day. After that the sun’s rays can be very damaging to the skin. Almost always, I am covered when I go out so I don’t need to worry about applying sunscreen all over my body. However, I don’t skip wearing it on my face.

Before you apply any kind of sun block check the expiration date. Typically cosmetics have a little jar on the bottom of the container with a number in it (usually it 12 or 24). That number tells you that after you have opened the product it will expire after 12 or 24 months.

In my personal experience, I have noticed that I don’t need to wear a foundation if I wear sunscreen. It blurs out the imperfections. I can simply use a little bit of my concealer. I also like to wear a little bit of powder over my sun block to prevent looking shiny.

I hope you find something here that you can implement into your skin care regime. All the best!