Why The Dull Skin?
Do you get to a certain part of the year where your skin looks dull, lifeless and just plain ol’ blah?
Where you feel the texture could improve, and….what’s that you just spotted?…
Fine lines that are beginning to appear! The horror!
The worst part is that no matter how much you hydrate and moisturize your skin, it doesn’t seem to help, so you go out and buy a more expensive cream. One that will surely work…right?
Wrong.
Or if you don’t like to use a lot of hydration for fear of breakouts, then what are you supposed to do???
Okay, take a deep breath and relax….I have some good news.
Your problem is your skin needs to be exfoliated.
You see, when you’re young, your skin naturally exfoliates every 28–30 days. This natural process begins to slow down as you get older though, and that dryness that you feel is the layering of dead skin accumulating, like shingles on a roof.
This will make your skin look lifeless and dull because it absorbs light, and worse yet, it’s a barrier that your moisturizer and skin care products cannot penetrate to work effectively.
So what’s the solution?
- Look for an exfoliating mask that has an alpha-hydroxy or a fruit-enzyme base to it, as opposed to a scrub (stay tuned for more explanations on this!)
- You want to be exfoliating twice a week (ideally), but one time minimum!!!
- Be sure to apply a decent amount of product. I have clients that spread the bare minimum on their face, which is not effective at all. The product will not work the same. Be sure to read the instructions for the proper amount.
- Leaving it on longer than the recommended time is NOT better. Please follow instructions carefully.
- Some products may tingle a bit. This is normal (burning is not.) Again, be sure to read the instructions and consult with your esthetician/dermatologist.
- I know there are those of you out there that think ‘If I can’t FEEL it, then it’s not working’ (I know your kind! ;-). Nothing could be further fromt the truth! Especially with AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), as your skin builds up strength and resistence, you will feel it less. However, THIS DOES NOT MAKE IT LESS EFFECTIVE.
- If you are using some type of Retinol (example: Retin-A), Renova, Accutane, or any dermatologist-prescribed exfoliating topical, YOU CANNOT USE ANY OTHER EXFOLIATION as you run the risk of burning your skin (remember: more is not better…stronger is not better…stay tuned for that explanantion!)
- AHA’s are great for all skin types (including Rosacea). Some people think they’re allergic because they had a reaction to it. The most likely reason for that is, you used too much, too soon. It is imperative to build your skin slowly to it.
- You will find that if you are going to begin a series of peels with your esthetician, they will have you begin using specific AHA-based products at home for a minimum of two weeks to build your resistence to the peel itself.
The benefits of using AHA’s and Fruit Enzymes are multiple, including speeding up cell turnover (which is anti-aging), diminishing the appearance of finer lines, allowing all your products to penetrate better, and cleaning out pores to clear up/prevent break-outs, just to name a few.
This is not a new thing folks. AHA’s are derived from natural sources, and have dated back as far as Cleopatra. She knew that bathing in sour milk (Lactic Acid) would leave her skin looking FABULOUS! It’s no wonder that throughout history she was known for her complexion…
So now it’s your turn…go ancient Egyptian on your skin!
Oh, and a final note: if you are not already using an effective sun protection on a daily basis, you should not begin exfoliating. These two things go hand in hand and are the ‘Book Ends’ that hold your entire skin care regimen together.
(If you are pregnant or lactating, be sure to consult with your eshtetician and/or dermatologist if the strength of your exfoliating mask is safe for you to use.)
To your skin’s health!
The Derma Divas.
