Spring Cleaning for Health & Beauty
1) Purge. Get rid of old cosmetics, brushes, sponges and products that are expired or just collecting dust. Old products are a breeding ground for bacteria as well as lose their effectiveness.
2) Sunscreen. Although we should be wearing our sunscreen year-round, its best to ramp up sunscreen application as sunnier days arrive. Try using a one step product such as Vital Assist Make UP Primer Sunscreen or Osmosis Harmonized H20 UV Neutralizer. It's recommended to reapply several times throughout the day to ensure maximum protection. Adding antioxidants to your skincare routine will help boost your sunscreens ability to protect you from UV damage.
3. Exfoliate. As our skin gets oilier during warmer months, we may need to increase exfoliation to avoid build up and clogged pores. Scrubs tend to strip the skin of precious lipids, I recommend using gentle AHA blends or retinoids to balance oils and speed up cell renewal, keeping skin looking fresh and dewy. AHA's should always be used at night and regular use of sunscreen is always a must. Most products containing retinol will make you sun sensitive so I recommend my clients use Retinol Palmitate or Retinaldehyde found in Osmosis and Environ products and can (and should) be used during the day to protect against damaging UVA & UVB rays. For the body, try dry brushing to decrease dry skin and flakiness while increasing circulation getting us ready for bathing suit season!
4) Hydrate. Since our skin tends to produce more oils during warmer temperatures, switching to a lighter moisturizer will help alleviate that greasy feeling heavy feeling. Keeping the skin hydrated with hyaluronic acid and stem cells will also protect against environmental damage. Also, increasing your water consumption will help prevent dehydration as well as excessive oiliness. When the skin dries out, your oil glands work harder to produce oil. This almost always results in overproduction, clogged pores and breakouts.
5) Detox. Spring is a natural time for our bodies to detox. First thing in the morning drink a cup of warm lemon water, dash of cayenne, pinch of stevia and a few drops of apple cider vinegar. This helps digestion, metabolism and helps to alkalize the body. When you are detoxing it's best to eliminate sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, gluten and soy to provide a clean environment for our bodies to let go of stored toxins and mucus. Instead of coffee, try Dandy Blend! It's a great coffee substitute and is made from water-soluble extracts of roasted roots of dandelion, chicory and beets and gains of barley and rye. But don't worry the gluten is extracted from the barley and rye during production. More information on this process here. Dandelion root is a highly valued herbal medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine and contains over 50 trace minerals to help boost metabolism.
6) Nourish. The color green is associated with Spring, a time of renewal, refreshment and vital energy. Greens help strengthen our circulatory and respiratory systems, reducing our reaction to allergens in environment. Drink plenty of green juices and eat more raw veggies such as dandelion greens, spinach, parsley, watercress, asparagus, peas, fennel and mustard greens. Chlorophyll helps detoxify the blood and high amounts of antioxidants and minerals will help boost your bodies ability to ward off environmental damage.