Wordless Wednesday

There is another angel around the throne...

Do’s and Don’ts for After Your Shower

Do apply moisturizer/lotion.

Applying moisturizer after taking a shower will help to keep the moisture in and the dryness out.

Do those eyebrows.

After showering is a great time to tweeze your eyebrows. It makes for reduced pain and less resistance. Pluck in the direction of hair growth for best results.

Don’t blow dry.

Let your hair air dry until slightly damp. Blow drying right out of the shower can lead to frizzies.

Don’t use mascara.

Putting on your mascara in a steamy bathroom can lead to smudging.

For using the blow dryer and/or mascara clear the bathroom by opening a window or turning on a fan first.

Do push back your cuticles.

Your cuticles are at their softest so they’re unlikely to tear. Just gently nudge them with your towel.

Wordless Wednesday

Doesn't this look like fun?

Keep Those Tootsies Happy

As I am getting ready to do a 5K race I am realizing how important it is to take care of our feet. Here are some tips to keep your tootsies happy and healthy.

1. Keep calluses and other rough spots under control with regular maintenance. Use a pumice stone as needed. If allowed to remain unchecked, hard, thickened areas can become painful, dry, cracked, or infected, making walking difficult.

2. Give your feet a treat with a foot bath. Add a cup of marbles to the water and roll your feet around on top of them to stimulate nerve endings. Pick up marbles with your toes, flex and contract feet and toes, and then release the marbles to stretch arches and muscles. 

3. Ask for a foot massage. Solicit the help of a friend or significant other. A vigorous, lower-leg and foot massage just can’t be beat for deep relaxation.  

4. Moisturize! The skin on the soles of your feet, like your palms, contains no oil glands to lubricate and soften, so moisturizing is up to you. Slather on a thick coat of cream each night before bed or before working out, put on socks and let the conditioning ingredients pamper your piggies!  

5. Measure your feet. Don’t assume you will wear the same size shoe from year to year. The shape of your feet changes with age, reflecting the cumulative affects of pregnancy and various types of daily impact. In fact, by age 45 your feet may be a whole size larger than they were in your early 20s. Feet tend to widen and lengthen with age. Make sure you have your feet measured while standing–not sitting–when you buy shoes.

6. Get new shoes. Worn-out shoes have lost their support mechanisms, which can lead to foot, leg, and back fatigue and problems. If you exercise frequently or your job demands that you be on your feet all day, it is important that you replace your shoes at least every 6 months. (Runners should replace their shoes more often.)

   

Soothe aches, remove odors, and soften rough skin with this basic foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom Salts to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry.

Fun Additions to Your Soak
Lime slices and mint leaves             Sprigs of rosemary
Rose petals or lavender                    Marbles
***Adapted from How to Feel Fabulous Today! by Stephanie Tourles (Storey Books, 2001).

Wordless Wednesday

Are you ready for some football?

Wordless Wednesday

When do I get to play?

Habits for Perfect Skin Recommended by Dermatologists

My niece just took her boards to become a Pediatric Dermatologist. I think she'd agree with all of these habits.

*Shake your booty. Twenty to 30 minutes of any aerobic exercise will give you a glow. Exercise increases blood flow, which brings more nutrients to the skin. Shower as soon as possible after working out.

*Night Serums - Get some rejuvenating night serums. Night serums give your face nutrients making it glow in the morning; and the best thing is the serum works while you sleep so no hassle. 

*Check your birthday suit for spots. Any sudden or suspicious-looking bump, mole, or other growth is reason to see a dermatologist. The American Cancer Society recommends that between the ages of 20 and 40, people have a cancer-related checkup, including a skin exam, every three to four years. Once you hit your 40s, begin having a cancer-related checkup, including a skin exam, every year. You should also be doing monthly self-exams to keep an eye out for changes and growths. (For step-by-step instructions on how to do a head-to-toe self-exam  visit www.cancer.org.)

*Eat healthy. Antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E) -- which help reduce sun damage and fight certain cancers, including skin cancer -- are essential to your health.

*Don't wear your makeup to bed. We all know it, but we sometimes do it anyway. Layers of foundation, powder, and blusher left on overnight can clog  pores.  Take it all off before bed with a mild non-soap cleanser. 

*Get your shut-eye. Most of us don't get the 8-9 hours we need to avoid sleep deprivation   Budget in sleep time, including a short afternoon nap whenever you can manage it. The downside: Sleeping in the same position for years on end can lead to wrinkles. Look for special pillows that help prevent sleep creases on your face. (I have to do this...)

*Adopt "water, water, every day" as your mantra. Yes, drinking water does keep you hydrated, which helps skin look and feel better.  Get in the standard 6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses throughout the day -- more if you're a heavy exerciser. 

Fairly simple things that can become good habits for your skin!