Summer’s hard on your skin and now that summer’s over it’s time to reclaim the moist and soft skin that you used to have; soften and hydrate it now so that it feels great during the winter and looks its best this holiday season.
Your skin is exposed to the elements all summer long causing it to become rougher and leathery - when you’re outside, wearing skimpier summer fashions, your skin has to hold up to the sun and the elements. The impact depends on your activities and climate but in general your skin leathers-up as a form of protection. Sun exposure especially causes your outer skin layer to thicken (a protective response to help lessen UV ray exposure); it’s handy, but not the most attractive look or feel!
Feet and hands also leather-up during the summer too, becoming rough, dry and older looking:
- Your feet thicken from wearing sandals or going barefoot
- Your hands toughen up from gardening, sailing, playing tennis etc.
What are the best DIY home remedies for after summer skin rejuvenation?
The mantra here is hydration and exfoliation! And yes, you can do a lot of this at home without cosmetic surgery or expensive spa treatments.
The challenge:
Your skin’s outer dead cell layer has thickened up, leaving it feeling rough and looking dull, weathered, wrinkly and older than it should. Age spots and freckles may be darker and crustier. Enough said, there is a fix!
The fix:
Hydration means adding water to the outer layers of your skin. You can’t do this by drinking water, you can only add water to your skin from the outside. Adding water will make your skin dewy, moist and soft – and it will just feel better.
Exfolation means sloughing off the dry leathery stuff that’s built up on your skin to protect you from the elements; it brings new life to your skin. Exfoliated skin looks brighter, smoother and uneven pigment is less obvious … and your skin feels velvety soft, honestly!
What simple DIY at-home skin regimens can you do to get the deep hydration and exfoliation that will transform and rejuvenate your skin?
Change how you bathe and moisturize
1. Use gentle, hydrating glycerin soaps for general bathing so that you don’t over-dry your skin. There are many glycerin soaps available at speciality shops. My favorite is Whole Food’s 365 glycerin bar which will set you back a mere $2 or so. Plus, only use soap on the parts of your skin that are really dirty, excessively oily, or that produce body odor (armpits, groin, buttocks and feet). Don’t forget to use warm, not steamy hot water when you bathe because hot water pulls more of your skin’s natural oils out, which you don’t want.
2. Exfoliate in the shower or bath using an exfoliating shower cloth or shower mitt. My favorites are the Salux Cloth and the Buf Puf Body Sponge. Even better is to use this cloth or sponge with a gentle AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) cleanser such as Glytone Body Wash. This is as good as a full body exfoliation treatment at a spa! The Glytone Body Wash and a Salux Cloth are part of my Anti Aging Body Kit which I and my patients have depended on for years to keep our skin hydrated and exfoliated.
3. Moisturize within 3 minutes after toweling dry by using a rich moisturizer. You could use a pure oil like jojoba oil or extra virgin coconut oil, or a richly hydrating commercial body moisturizer like Cetaphil Cream and Aquaphor Ointment. Even better is to moisturize and exfoliate with a professional AHA moisturizer, and the best of the best is Glytone Body Lotion, which is why it’s what I’ve chosen for my Anti Aging Body Kit. Remember, AHA’s help lighten uneven pigment such as darkened sun freckles, and they soften crusty age spots too.
To buy or read more about my Anti Aging Body Kit click here
You can use similar tricks for your face too. AHA products will also help unclog your pores as well as hydrate and exfoliate your skin. Pores often get clogged in the summer from applying layer after layer of sunscreen when you’re outside in the sun (this is a good thing, remember sun protection is good, sun damaged skin is bad). Now is a great time to work on unclogging your pores. Find the right Facial AHA Rejuvenation Kit to fit your skin type:
Click here for my Facial AHA Kit for Normal Skin
Click here for my Facial AHA Kit for Dry Skin
Click here for my Facial AHA Kit for Oily Skin
Feet love to be exfoliated and hydrated too. You need tougher and stronger products for the feet though and there’s nothing more effective than Glytone Heel and Elbow to give your soft, healthy, sexy feet asap!
Click here to see Glytone Heel and Elbow Cream
Lastly, if you have extremely sensitive facial skin and can’t use AHAs products then use my favorite richly hydrating and safely exfoliating products for dry sensitive skin:
Use the Buf Puf with your Toleriane Cleanser to safely exfoliate dead skin cells
Replenix CF Cream binds water and soothes inflamed skin because it contains more green tea, caffeine and hyaluronic acid.than any other product I’ve ever found. Apply Replenix CF Cream after washing and under the Glycolix Elite Face Cream
Pick the Glycolix Elite Face Cream to fit your skin type
We don’t have a Whole Foods in our area. Do you have other glycerin soaps you would recommend? Thanks for all your help!
Hello Ginger,
I’ve also been pleased with the L’Occitane soaps and you can order them online. As I understand it, they are naturally saponified meaning that the glycerin is retained, but I have not actually had a conversation with the company about that. I have used their soaps and find them gentle and non-drying. Their soap link is http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/french-soaps.htm Your local health food store may have a glycerin or naturally saponified soap too.
Warm Regards, Cynthia Bailey MD