Fabulous Fall Skin

It's that time of year again. Days grow shorter, weather gets colder and for most of us our skin feels these effects.

When the weather changes and we start dressing for colder weather many people forget to still care for their skin. This is a huge no- no. Your skin is your largest organ and should always be maintained to keep it healthy and glowing. Here are a few ideas on things you can add to your healthy well beautiful skin routine.

-Keep hydrated. Just because its getting chillier outside does not mean you should skimp on your water  intake. A great calculation to determine your water intake is the following

Take your body weight and divide that number by two.

Divide that number by eight. 

Your answer its the approximate amount of 8 ounce glasses of water you should be drinking every day. 

If you lead a very physical lifestyle, working out etc you can add an additional two glasses of water into your final answer above.

Be sure to stay hydrated but don't over do it on the water intake. Water just like all healthy life style habits is about moderation. You don't want to be out of balance with water levels.

- Switch up your cleanser. Using a soapy gel based cleanser can leave your body feeling stripped of moisture during the Fall. Going soap free and switching up to a creamy body wash to scrub up can leave your feeling and looking its best. 

- Protect your hands and lips. Seek out a fabulous lip balm and a fantastic hand cream. These are two hand bag must haves for myself. I love having soft kissable lips and as a massage and skin care therapist I pride myself on my always soft hands. 

-Exfoliate I can never stress enough the importance of exfoliating your skin. Exfoliating sloughs off dead dry skin cells, revealing fresh skin. It will also help you with circulation and waking up your lymph system . I recommend exfoliating during your morning shower to increase lymph drainage. An oil based scrub is always a great way to go during the colder months.

Here is a quick DIY body scrub you can make at home.

Hello Autumn Body Scrub

1/ 2 cup of coffee grounds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup carrier oil (olive, grape seed, kukui oil, sweet almond, avacado)

6-8 drops of clove essential oil

6-8 drops of  myrrh essential oil 

6-8  drops of sandalwood essential oil

Aromatherapy!

The term “aromatherapy massage” refers to a popular method of relaxation and healing following a set of effective massage techniques.  Tracing back time, ancient peoples made use of different types of natural oils extracted from the plants and herbs they believed assisted in healing.   It is well known today that this method promotes mental, physical, and emotional relief. The secret to the effectiveness of aromatherapy massage is due to the aroma of the different essential oils used.   While each essential oil has different healing properties, the oils used in aromatherapy massage activate the nerve endings in the nose and which in turn deliver the impulses to the brain, stimulating memories and emotions. Many common aromatherapy oils, like lavender, have a soothing and calming effect which aids in relaxation

.Some documented benefits of aromatherapy massage are:

 Aids in fighting off the symptoms   of illnesses.

 Relieves stress.

 Tones down attacks of depression.

 Promotes sound sleeping. 

 Helps discomfort in pregnant women. 

 Helps fight off colds. 

 Contributes to a person's alertness. 

 Alleviates pain.

I use aromatherapy in my every day life. In practice and in my home aromatherapy  relieves muscle aches, head aches, it helps to induce sleep on a little person that won't agree to bed time. I very rarely reach for an aspirin. If I have a headache or pain anywhere in my body I reach for my collection of essential oils and use natural remedies to heal my body.