3 simple strategies to smooth skin when life gets rough
A few days ago, I had to close the doors to our spa because the world is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. This whole ordeal has put the world on hold until we can starve this virus to death. I was in the midst of training for a bodybuilding competition. I had been dieting for 10 weeks straight and only had about 4 cheat meals that entire time. I woke up at 4:15 every morning to train. My life was one big routine.
Then the coronavirus hits. My life, and everyone else’s, has been turned upside down. This has left people off their normal schedules and when that happens, we find it difficult to adapt. I’m telling you all this because no matter what you are feeling and experiencing, it’s VERY normal in an abnormal situation.
Women across the globe are freaking out because we can’t keep up with our beauty routines. Haven’t you seen the meme’s on social media yet? All joking aside, these are important to us because it’s something we do to feel good about ourselves. I have a theory about being a “polished” woman. It’s when we put all our ducks in a row, our hair, make-up, skin, clothes, nutrition, training, house or whatever it is that makes us feel invincible as women. This is no easy feat and it’s rarely obtainable. However, when we do things for ourselves it makes us feel whole, beautiful, powerful.
While on lock-down, OK- maybe I shouldn’t call it that. While we are on this shelter-in-place to destroy this virus, we can set ourselves up for success and maintain our youthfulness. To continue to feel beautiful inside and out.
Here are 3 simple steps to keep you feeling amazing in your skin.
Schedule it! We are experiencing something we’ve never been through before. In my own life, I have set up a daily routine to stay on point and don’t lose my mind. Put down in your agenda YOU time! This time can be used however you want. If you want to workout in your basement on your dusty workout equipment, schedule it. If you want to go for a walk, schedule it. If you want to pamper yourself with a pedicure, schedule it. Take care of your skin, schedule it.
Exfoliate it! Head to toe. Starting with the face, I recommend a gentle enzyme. We’ve got some nice enzymes at the spa. My favorite for beginners is our Gentle Brightening Mask. This very low dose glycolic mask that will remove a few layers of dead skin cells and will leave your face hydrated and glowing. It’s great for all skin types, even mild acne. Feel free to call the spa to order and we are offering free shipping during this pandemic. You can do this in the shower or the tub. If you are a bath gal, then I would recommend using a loofah or one of our Buff Puff’s. All you need is a little soap and water and you are good to go. I also want to talk about soap a bit. I’m not a huge fan of liquid soaps. They tend to be harsh and drying on the skin. Get yourself a good bar of locally made cold process soap. These are filled with nutritious oils and often soften the skin and leave the skin a little hydrated for the next step. If you are a shower gal, then using a loofah or a buff puff is great, but you can also take it step further with a nutritious body scrub. Hint, you can do both, just use the loofah or buff puff first. If you have a body scrub on hand, great, if not, you can create one at home with ingredients you already have. I’m a big fan of avocado, olive (not extra virgin as it has a very strong odor) or coconut oil. For a quick body scrub mix ½ cup white or brown sugar with ¼ cup of your favorite oil. If using coconut oil, soften it but not completely melt it. Add in 10 drops of your favorite skin friendly essential oil (optional). Put in a glass mason jar and you are good to go. Be sure to be generous when scrubbing your body. You will be left with silky skin. Please don’t use this scrub on the face. The face and body need to be treated differently when it comes to exfoliation and hydration.
Moisturize It! It’s time to dig into your medicine cabinet and pull out the big guns. What do you have in there for serums & moisturizers? Treat this like a trip to the spa. Be decadent and use up those expensive products. If you feel like you want to freshen up some things, give us a call at the spa. We can offer some advice and even ship something out to you. No need to break the shelter-in-place rules. Starting with the face, use a serum first. Serums are our friends and the powerhouses in correcting many skin conditions. Finish off with your favorite moisturizer. If you are doing this ritual in the evening, then use a heavier moisturizer. For daytime use, something lighter will be just fine. For the body, be generous with your moisturizer. I love doing this before bed. When I wake up in the morning, my body looks softer and more youthful. Here’s a quick tip if you are crunched for time. After getting out of the shower or tub, and your body is still a little damp, use a body oil. It will spread easily and won’t be greasy because a little goes a long way. Gently pat yourself dry and you are done. It’s faster than using a moisturizer and is an excellent way to hydrate the body. Don’t do this for the face. Many oils don’t agree with the tissue on the face. Use serums and moisturizers for the face unless you have a specific facial oil that you know your face can handle.
This is a wonderful time to step back, relax and do something for ourselves while we don’t have to be out and about. Hang in there ladies! We will get through this and the silver lining is that we get to be home more taking care of our health. I’ve included a quick and easy scrub recipe you can make right at home. If you don’t have the lime essential oil, either just leave it out or substitute your favorite essential oil. Don’t like coconut, use avocado oil or a light olive oil.
By Elizabeth Steffen, Master Esthetician
Chief Beauty Officer @ Vanilla Sugar Face & Body
Island Style Sugar Scrub
Mix together: 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 softened organic virgin coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon lime essential oil. Place in a glass jar or a plastic container you won’t use with food. The cute little pineapple was made with melt & pour soap and a silicon mold I found at Walmart.