Getting Started with Skin Care - Part II (Patreon)

This is part two of my Getting Started series focusing on skin care! Last time we focused on your face skin and definitions. This time we’re getting into the rest of your body. Your skin is by far the hardest working and largest organ on your body and it’s often mistreated because of our daily exposure to it. But it can require a lot of care, especially if you are prone to skin issues. See your dermatologist for more in depth and personalized advice on your skin.

In my last article, I touched base on two body lotions that I personally use and really enjoy. I’ve been using both of these products for years and love how they make my skin feel.

1. Body Lotion: Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion  
2. Deep Moisturizer: Yu-Be Lotion Deeply Hydrating Moisturizer 

I use the Aveeno daily, applying lotion to my entire body right after I towel off from a shower and throughout the day if my hands or other areas are feeling particularly dry, then I lotion my body again before I go to bed so that the lotion has time to really absorb without me moving around too much. When I say apply to the entire body, I really mean that. Don’t forget areas like your neck and underarms. If you sweat a lot while asleep, moisturizing your skin before bed can even reduce the amount you sweat throughout the night!

I usually don’t use the Yu-Be Lotion much unless my skin is particularly dry and rough, which can happen easily on your feet, hands, elbows and knees. For thick callused areas, I like to keep a pumice stone in the shower. All it takes is a few minutes in a steamy shower to soften the skin up a bit, then you can rub the pumice stone in a circular motion against the rougher callused areas, gently exfoliating and filing down the hardened skin. I focus mainly on the heels of my feet, but if you have rough knuckles or elbows, this works on those areas as well. After showering, I apply the Yu-Be Lotion to the areas that I exfoliated in the shower with the pumice stone, then apply the Aveeno all over my body. If I’m not on the way out, I like to apply a little extra to my feet and slip on a pair of socks so I don’t lose all my lotion on the floor as I walk around.

What about hand lotion or the perfume-y stuff you get in a gift basket from Bath and Body Works? They smell great and do little for actual full body moisturizing, so I mainly keep these in my purse for on-the-go touch-up moisturizing. They’re meant to be a bit lighter in feel because companies are expecting you to use your hands and wash them often. Usually after I use the bathroom and wash my hands, I’ll squeeze out a dime sized portion onto my hands and rub any excess into my neck and elbows. It works two-fold to add moisture back into your hands after using harsh public bathroom hand soap and feels like a fresh spritz of perfume before you head back out to your activity.

Something a lot of people don’t think about involving skin care is the deodorant or antiperspirant that they wear. Are your underarms extra dry and itchy? Or maybe no matter how much antiperspirant you wear, you are still sweating through your clothes? It could very well be the fault of your deodorant! You could be allergic to some of the chemicals in the products you are currently using. Companies sometimes use aluminum or zinc in antiperspirants to clog the sweat glands and reduce sweating, but over time the pores can get a bit too clogged or your skin may even become allergic to the aluminum or zinc. Bacteria and dead skin build up can cause discomfort and even hyperhidrosis! (The technical term for excessive sweating not related to temperature or exercise)

I myself became allergic to the aluminum in my deodorant after years of using the same brand and scent. To combat the itchiness and dryness I felt, I first exfoliated my underarms very gently with the pumice stone in the shower to remove any excess dead skin and caked on product, then I applied nothing but the Aveeno lotion to my underarms after my showers and in the morning. The skin needs time to heal, clean itself out, and shed the dead skin. After about a week, I noticed my underarms were not itching at all, and started applying Schmidt’s Aluminum Free Natural Deodorant. I personally like the Rose+Vanilla scent, but it also comes fragrance free and I love the option for those who need to be in boy mode. Deodorant and antiperspirant are not a replacement for lotion and you must moisturize before applying.

Last but not least for skin care essentials, is sunscreen. Nothing ages your skin faster than excessive smoking, drinking, and sunlight. You’ll need at least an SPF 30 for the majority of your body. I have tattoos/body art, so the first step for me is to put Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 100+ on my tattoos, then I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 Body Mist Spray and spray over all my other parts that will be exposed to the sun, and I finish off with Burt’s Bee’s 100% Natural SPF 15 Lip Balm on my lips. (Bonus Tip: Exfoliating lip scrubs are really easy to make at home with stuff you probably have lying around. Here is a great article with tons of recipes so you can make your own!) I apply sunscreen to my face before I apply my makeup and usually use the SPF 100+.

Why the SPF 100+ on the tattoos, isn't that overkill? Sun bleaches color. The American flag on the moon is currently completely white due to years of exposure to UV rays from the sun. Over time, that will also happen to your tattoos. To keep your body art as impressive as the day it finished healing, moisturize the tattoo daily and apply SPF 100+ to keep UV rays from breaking down the inks.

The earlier you start moisturizing the younger you’ll look and the longer the natural elasticity in your skin will last. I can attest to that personally, I started moisturizing in my teens, using my mother’s anti-aging cream, even though I was told I was “too young” to need it, but now strangers age me between 10-15 years younger than I actually am and I expect my skin elasticity to last me well into my senior years. So skip the botox and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Follow this link to a full list of articles!

xoxo,
thelibrarian