Hey

Hey, everyone!

They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, here in Chicago it’s more like in like a lion and out like a cub -still a little harsh. Nevertheless, March is a good time to start preparing your skin for the upcoming week of spring and the boiling hot couple months of summer.

Over the next few weeks, when you are updating your spring and summer wardrobe, take a minute to think about updating your skin care regimen as well. When you look at your regimen, chances are it is filled with products that may be a little too rich for the sweltering summer. You don’t need to throw these away, just seal them up tightly and store them in a cool, dry place. They can hang there until fall when the chill comes back.

So, you may be asking, what the heck does it mean to “update” your skin care regimen? Never fear, I am here to guide you. As always, please tell me if you have specific questions as to how this info pertains to you and your skin.

1) Moisturizers – during the winter, it’s necessary for some of us to slather on what amounts to axle grease to keep our skin pliable and hydrated. Axle grease may be good for 10-degree weather, but it’s not so hot when the thermometer is 60 degrees warmer. Switching to a light, oil-free moisturizer is key during these months.

2) Exfoliation - bring out the fresh new skin that’s hanging out behind the winterized shell you’re calling your face. Any product with alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids or fruit enzymes will do the trick. Some of you might be asking what the difference is since you already use these products. Use them a little more often for the first few weeks of warmer weather (i.e. 45-50 degrees), then go back to your former winter regimen. They will give your skin a springtime freshness because there won’t be any nasty cold blasts to immediately crust up and dry out your skin.

3) SUNSCREEN – now you all know that I advocate sunscreen year round, but since springtime will bring all of your butts down to the lakeshore, a baseball game or the Lincoln Park Zoo, it is so important that you have a sunscreen with a minimum spf of 15. 30 is better, but I will take 15. Sun is the number one cause of skin aging. It breaks down collagen, causing wrinkles and leathery skin, not to mention the various carcinomas that can come of sun worshipping. That is all I will say on this subject (or else I won’t have a June newsletter).

4) Cleansers – if you are prone to oily skin in the warmer months, you may have to switch to a gel cleanser. When the weather warms up, our skin starts making oil at a faster clip. Gel cleansers will help control it when you start looking like the Exxon Valdez.

See, updating your skin care regimen is painless, PAINLESS, I say. Start working on your skin now and you will be skin-tastic on the beaches this summer (fully coated with spf 45 of course, and a hat).

Again, ask away if you have questions. I relish them.

Yours,

Liz