Why does this happen?

The oils and waters in and around your skin’s basal cells make up your lipid barrier. A healthy lipid barrier limits the possibility of bacterial infections thanks to its acidity.  The skin also prevents many chemicals from entering the body, keeping irritants out and moisture in.

But when environmental aggressors attack the outer most layer of skin, it’s like a sledge hammer going right through a roof.  This creates fissures or openings through which skin irritants can enter and also, moisture can escape.

So what’s the solution?  Here are a few tips:

1) Moisture is your friend! Add a humidifier to your bedroom, but avoid hot showers, steam rooms, and sauna baths which dry the skin out. Also avoid skin care products that contain alcohol, propylene glycol, and glycolic acids. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize the skin daily, especially after bath or shower, and every time you wash your face or your hands.

2) Use skin products for sensitive skin, specifically designed to repair the lipid barrier – ingredients like dimethicone and allantoin  are FDA recognized as over the counter skin protectants. Use an intense moisturizer at night – look for products with soothing ingredients like shea and murumuru butter. Products that contain aloe vera and chamomile, further de-stress red and irritated skin

3) Use sunscreen daily to protect skin from sun as well as more water loss. Avoid harsh physical or chemical exfoliants, but do use a gentle exfoliant that also conditions the skin to slough off dry, dead skin.

4) Keep temperatures moderate indoors.  Avoid using washcloths or loofahs,  and use only a smooth sponge on your skin.

5) Substitute a soap-free gentle cleanser for your daily cleanser.  For extremely irritated red patches, apply a skin lotion containing hydrocortisone to treat the underlying inflammation of the skin.

6) Whatever skin treatment you are using on your face, also apply to your hands. When the barrier is broken on your hands there is a huge opportunity for bacteria to enter the skin causing severe inflammation and redness.

7) Instead of frequently washing your face in the winter, blot away oil with blotting papers. The skin around the eyes is the most delicate, so be sure to use plenty of eye cream at night on the orbital bone above the eye (never on the eyelid) and on the sides of the eyes over the crows feet to hydrate and protect.

Look for skin care products that contain a new ingredient called RFp3.  It’s a new  peptide technology which actually shields the skin against biological and environmental aggressors that trigger inflammation, breakouts and aging.  Peptides are revolutionary ingredients with amazing results.

For your own free skin care consultation visit my skin consultation page.

There’s help and hope at the Skin Care Blog!

---
Related Articles at Skin Care Blog:

No related posts

Odds are, you are neglecting one or the other, skin routine or shaving routine, or both and that’s where your difficulties lie. If you’ll address your skin condition (i.e. oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blemish-prone skin) your shaving will be easier and less painful.  If you address your shaving techniques (i.e. what blade you use, what cream you use, what aftershave treatment you use) your skin will be smoother, softer, and healthier than ever.

Let’s start with addressing your skin condition.  Everyone, men and women alike, need to treat their skin with a basic regimen that includes a botanical based cleanser that contains an exfolliant, and a moisturizer that contains a broad spectrum sunscreen (minimum 15 spf).  Use formulas specifically for your skin condition.

If you have sensitive skin, which means you have to repair your skin’s lipid barrier, you will have to address that condition first, and then move on to treat oiliness, dryness, or blemishes.  Once the barrier is healed, your skin will be less sensitive.  You will then be able to use the appropriate skin care products that will help you manage your other concerns.

Your sensitive skin can be caused by many things, but primarily it will be caused from your shaving techniques – the wrong beard prep, the wrong blade, or the wrong after shave product, or all of the above.  You know you have sensitive skin when it tends to turn pink or red, or stings or burns when you apply products to it.

The good news is you can repair your sensitivity!  Try using botanical based products that contain some over the counter strength medicines, which are gentle but effective.  The gentle cleanser can also be used as your shaving cream.

Changing your shaving techniques will do wonders to improving your skin conditions.  The first thing I’m going to recommend is you go back to shaving the way your grandfather did.  I’m happy to report wet shaving techniques are making a big comeback because they are healthier, cheaper and greener!

Start with lots of heat and steam – shave right out of the shower, when your skin and beard have been softened and the pores are opened.  Then, get rid of your  lightweight, multiple blade razor, and that big aerosol can of chemically laden shaving cream.  They are costing way too much, and they are wrecking your skin.

Your shaving razor needs to be heavy enough so you won’t have to apply too much pressure to get the close shave that you want.  When you apply too much pressure, you are removing the top layer of your skin in addition to the beard, thus, the razor burn and ingrown hairs.  Those double, triple, and even quadruple blades – YIKES!  They are wreaking havoc on your skin.  You are damaging your skin every time you use them.

It’s time, men, to go back to the double edge, adjustable safety razor, that has some weight to it.  The replacement blades are recyclable and cheap, but better yet, they will not damage your skin. Replace the blade, at minimum, weekly.

Find yourself a botanical based cleanser, that you can lather up with a nice badger hair shaving brush.  This brush will last your entire life!  Here’s an excellent website to learn more about wet shaving and how to get started.

After shaving, it’s time to really pamper your skin.  Don’t ever use products containing alcohol after shaving, no need to feel the pain after shaving to feel all manly.  A good natural skin soother is an alum block – a clear crystal that you smooth all over the skin after shaving to soothe the skin.  Follow up with a natural fragrance if you like.

For your own free skin care consultation visit my blog page.

There’s help and hope at the Skin Care Blog!

---
Related Articles at Skin Care Blog:

No related posts