Exfoliation Before Hydration

Dry and dehydrated skin can become raw and painful in winter without proper care. Slight routine adjustments to help with hydration can make a world of difference. Winter is the time for exfoliation, followed by deep layers of hydration. Body scrubs and rich shea butter massage can relieve uncomfortable winter skin. For the face and decolletage moving your hydration facials up from four weeks to every two or three weeks remedy the extreme weather ailments that winter brings. A good routine is a gentle cleanse followed by chemical or physical exfoliation and serums aided by ultrasound to penetrate into the deep layers of the skin. A rich mask in a steamed room for 10-15 minutes and then followed by a replenishing moisturizer before sleeping can do wonders for your complexion in the morning. The morning routine slightly adjusts by replacing your cleanser with a massage of grapeseed, apricot, or avocado oil and wiping off the excess oil before applying moisturizer and sunscreen. Remember to hydrate internally as well. Dehydrated skin is a symptom of a dehydrated body. You can become a kitchen chemist this winter and create your own healing moisture masks. Here are a few to alternate with during the week.

Yogurt Matcha Mask

Mix 4 teaspoons of your favorite plain yogurt and 1.5 teaspoons of matcha powder. Mix with a heavy coating and sit in a steamed bathroom for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off and following with serums and moisturizers. This mask has naturally occurring lactic acid in the yogurt, which behaves as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. At the same time, the enzymatic properties give the skin a chemical exfoliation that dissolves dead skin layers allowing the moisture to be better assimilated into the skin. The matcha is a tightening and lifting agent, making this one powerful but gentle mask.

Honey Water Mask

Take a Tablespoon of your favorite raw, local honey and dilute it with warm, distilled water to your preferred consistency. Sit in a steamed bathroom for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off and following with serums and moisturizers. Honey has natural clarifying and hydrating properties and can be used as an antiseptic for abrasions or acne. A great nightly mask for acne or skin with rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis. Follow the honey water mask with the Yogurt Matcha mask for the ultimate treat. This method is called double masking and is utilized in the industry for severe imbalances.

Avacado, Banana, and Oatmeal Mask

Mash 1/4 avocado, 1/3 ripe banana, and 2 Tablespoons steel cut oats. Add warm distilled water for your preferred consistency. Sit in a steamed bathroom for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. You can double mask with the honey water first if you so desire before applying serums and moisturizers.

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