Save Your Skin... Transitioning from Summer to Fall

Whether you live on the East Coast, West Coast or somewhere in between - this is the time of year we start getting ready for the holidays. The most noticable difference is the weather and our schedules.

Here are a few quick fixes your skin will love you for...

Face:
Try cleansing with a foam cleanser (these usually give your skin a squeaky clean feel), apply a toner (love Epicuren Protein Mister and Bio Elements Equalizer), then follow with a thicker moisturizer to balance the change in climate. If only applying once a day, choose the evening (this is when your skin rests and regenerates - just like our bodies). Keep those lips kissable with your favorite lip balm before hitting the hay.

Exfoliate one more time a week. If you don't exfoliate, now is a great time to start. Eliminating dry skin will help keep your pores unclogged. If you have acne, check out the BYE BYE Blemish line. One of my MUST haves is the drying lotion (sulfur based). It gets rid of breakouts and even soon to be breakouts in 1-2 days!

Hands/Nails:
Nails tend to adjust to the change in weather abruptly. They become more brittle, dry and have more snags. Try keeping nails a slightly shorter functional length. Put cuticle oil at the base of your nails every night to moisturize and help new growth (try China Glaze Orange Cuticle Oil, smells great too) then follow with your favorite creamy moisturizing lotion (try Body Drench Body Creme', yum).

If you want the most youthful hands this recipe works great...
Exfoliate the tops of your hands and lightly mist with a toner. Apply a thick layer of creamy moisturizer and oil at your cuticles. Cover your hands with gloves, socks or mitts for at least 30 minutes.
Upon removal, massage remaining cream into your hands and drift off to sleep. You will wake with wonderfully smooth baby skin.

For severe cracking and chapping of hands or feet during winter months try personal paraffin dips once a week, they work great!

Body:
Better shaving and smoother sexy legs. Exfoliate with a body scrub the day before you plan on shaving to remove dead skin and loosen ingrown hairs. Use moisturizing shaving cream not soap. Shave after being in the shower for awhile (shampoo first), hair follicles are softer. Follow before leaving shower with an oil based moisturizer (Skin so Soft or Bath Dessert at bathjunkie.com).

Dry brush your entire body once a week before showering... your skin will thank you and be as smooth as butter!