Float Blog

Changing of the seasons…

Have you noticed during the winter months your skin may be a little drier and vice versa in the summer? You know that you’re doing all the right things for your skin care (hopefully) but nothing helps. Since your skin changes during these periods, so should your products / skincare routine. If your skin is normal-dry in the winter, then those are the products that you should be using not your normal to oily. If you continue to use the incorrect products at the incorrect time, it may have an adverse affect on your skin.  It is recommended that you come in to have a skin analysis done to ensure you are using the correct products for your skin.  What are you waiting for?  Make your appointment today!

Dry skin is a problem not just in the winter with its cold temperatures, and howling winds, but dry skin can come from using harsh cleansers, having too hot a bath or even getting on an airplane.

Here are a few tips to help you minimize that annoying, itchy dry skin:

Form a Barrier:
Moisturizers are designed to reduce water loss from the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). In addition to preventing further dryness, they provide a barrier against soot and dirt, make your pores seem smaller and offer a temporary feeling of smoothness.

Say “No” to Hot Baths Don’t take long, hot baths because this can exacerbate dry skin in the winter months. Instead try short, lukewarm baths or showers. When you get out of the shower, gently pat dry your skin and then moisturize right away.

Moisturize! Moisturize!
A moisturizer is essential – A moisturizer performs several important functions. It replaces lost water and water-binding ingredients (such as glycerin) help keep it in the skin.

Your Skin Wants Water!
Drink lots of water – Increase your body’s natural moisture level by staying hydrated throughout the day.

Dry lips?
Licking them won’t bring relief – it will only make them more dry and chapped. To keep your lips soft and smooth, apply a moisturizing lip salve, especially before bed.

Careful How You Cleanse With the cold, harsh, dry winter, using mild cleansers on the skin will help prevent against dry, itchy skin.

“Airplane” Skin Does your skin and hair feel tight or dry when you get off of an airplane? The humidity on a plane can reach as low as 1% humidity on long flights and it can take just a 3 hour flight to sap all the moisture from your skin and hair. So stay hydrated during and after your flight, limit your intake of coffee and alcohol – they just make things worse, carry your moisturizer in your hand luggage to slather on mid flight and before you deplane, splash your face with water and follow by your moisturizer.

Seal In The Moisture
Want skin that is soft and smooth? When drying off after a bath or shower, apply lotion or body oil while you’re skin is still damp. This will help seal in moisture and leave your skin feeling great.

Can It Be Contact Dermatitis?
Has your skin suddenly become red, itchy or inflamed? Maybe a red rash? You may be experiencing contact dermatitis. Remember that moisturizers can play an important preventative role by increasing the skin’s hydration levels and maintaining and repairing the skin barrier.. Inflamed skin is warmer so more water evaporation takes place therefore more moisturizing is needed.

Soothe Your Skin
Dry or sensitive skin, eczema and other factors can result in itchy skin. A traditional way to sooth the itch is to add oatmeal to your bath water.

Just when you start thinking it’s time to worry about wrinkles, adult acne can strike. Adult acne affects your skin after your mid-twenties, and can continue into your thirties, forties, and fifties. Some types of adult acne persist from the teen years into adulthood, and others come on suddenly during adulthood.

Why Do You Have Acne?

Acne appears when excessive oil, dead skin, and bacteria accumulate in your skin’s pores. Clogged pores can lead to blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, and nodular lumps in your skin. Acne commonly affects the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and arms.

There are many reasons adult acne may develop, including:

Menstrual cycle hormone shifts. Since acne can be triggered by hormonal fluctuations, some women experience adult acne outbreaks at certain times during their menstrual cycles, often around the time of ovulation.

Pregnancy and childbirth. Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth can cause some women to develop acne.

Menopause. Female hormone levels can fluctuate widely around menopause.

Birth control pills. Women who have been on birth control pills and stop may get acne. Also, certain types of birth control pills, especially pills that contain only the hormone progestin, can lead to the development of adult acne. Other birth control pills, however, can help keep breakouts under control.

Stress. When you’re under increased stress, you may be more likely to develop adult acne. This is thought to be because stress can trigger the production of hormones that stimulate the production of oil in the skin, causing acne to flare up. Medications. One of the possible side effects of some medications is acne.

Medications that have been linked to the development of acne include anticonvulsants and corticosteroids.

Skin care products. Certain skin care products, including some sunscreen formulas and hair styling products, can trigger a type of acne known as acne cosmetica in some people.

Medical conditions. Adult acne can be a symptom of some medical conditions, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (in women), adrenal hyperplasia (the failure of the adrenal glands to produce enough of the hormone cortisol), and certain tumors. Consult your doctor if you develop unexplained acne.

Genetics. If a parent, sibling, or child has acne, you are at increased risk of developing acne as an adult.

Antiagers to look for when purchasing products

Hyaluronic Acid: Naturally found in skin, hyaluronic acid hydrates from the inside. It’s presence decreases with age and applying topically helps attract and bind moisture to cells.

Peptides: When collagen breaks down, amino acid chains form peptide chains that signal skin to kick into repair mode. Products with multiple peptides are most effective.

Coenzyme Q10: In boosting cellular metabolism and turnover, it can enhance collagen production, help ward off free radicals and improve your skins elasticity and overall texture.

Vitamin C: This antioxidant plays a vital role incollagen production and helps combat enviromental damage. Vitamin C degrades quickly, so it’s most effective in products that come in single use or opaque packaging. Prior to applying, cleanse with a gentle exfoliator.

Understanding Antioxidants: The Anti-Wrinkle Crusaders

How can what you eat affect your body so positively or negatively? “Antioxidants are the key,” explains Dr. Breiner. “They are nutrients that are able to protect your body from the aging effects of free radicals, a nasty process called oxidation.”

Free radicals are formed through natural processes in your body and the environment — everything from exposure to sun, cigarette smoke, chemicals, even exercise. A free radical is simply a molecule or atom that has lost one of its electrons and, now unpaired, has become unstable. This instability causes it to seek other atoms or molecules (yours) to stabilize it, resulting in a domino effect of unstable atoms and molecules in your body.

This is a problem “because the end result is a change in your cells’ DNA, which includes your body’s largest organ, your skin,” Breiner says. “Oxidative stress and inflammation are two major causes of the aging process.”

The Anti-Aging Diet: Foods That Smooth Skin

“Eat a fiber-rich diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables,” suggests Breiner. “Eight to 10 servings a day will help keep you young. Fruits and vegetables are generally low-calorie and have the ability to detoxify and renew your cells.”

Add these great anti-aging food choices to your regular diet:

Colorful berries. The antioxidant anthocyanin is what gives berries their blue, red, and purple colors. To get a healthy dose of this potent antioxidant, eat plenty of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, pomegranate, cherries, acai berries, and blood oranges, to name a few of the best choices. Each of these foods has a variety of other powerful antioxidants that repair and protect your skin’s cells.

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Quercetin is another powerful antioxidant that is found in broccoli, along with other foods including cranberries, onions, and apples. It is a natural anti-inflammatory agent as well, fighting the No. 2 cause of aging. Broccoli sprouts have 30 times more isothiocyanates (yet another antioxidant) regular broccoli.

Spinach. Lutein is found in spinach, kale, corn, and other vegetables. It has the ability to give additional antioxidant capacity to your skin and enhances skin hydration.

Garlic. Allium is an antioxidant that packs a punch. Garlic, onions, and scallions are loaded with this free-radical fighter that is good for your skin and your immune system.

Beans. “Eat your beans, too,” says Breiner. Anthocyanin is found in very high quantities in black beans and black soybeans. Soybeans are also high in isoflavones, also linked to anti-aging properties.

Tea. Catechins, found in green tea, dark chocolate, and red wine, are another antioxidant that packs a wallop. “Have four to six cups of tea a day with lemon, which enhances the antioxidants’ activity in your cells,” Breiner advises.

Wine. In addition to those catechins, resveratrol is found in red wine and has many anti-aging properties. It is another potent antioxidant.

Yellow and Orange Root Vegetables. Put plenty of beta-carotene on your plate. These super-antioxidants are good for your skin and eyes. Good choices include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.

Tomatoes. Lycopene, in red grapefruit, tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit, is a powerful weapon against free radicals. It has the ability to inhibit sun-induced aging and can neutralize free radicals. Breiner suggests, “Fill your glass with tomato juice or V8 juice daily.”

Nuts. Eat a handful of nuts and seeds a day. They are loaded with “good” fat that helps “plump” your skin, antioxidants and lots of minerals that are good for your skin, too.

Salmon. “Eat salmon at least three times a week,” says Breiner. “It has a host of benefits for your skin, from the omega-3s to the high-quality protein. Make it a regular in your diet, and you will see plumper, more youthful skin in about six weeks.”

Water. Stay hydrated: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. (And if you are drinking decaffeinated tea, that counts.) Caffeinated beverages can dehydrate you, which can contribute to dry, sallow-looking skin.

Eat fruits and vegetables raw when possible. If you cook them, steaming is the best way to go to keep all of the anti-aging, anti-wrinkle antioxidants. At the same time, cut down on sweets. Avoid processed, refined foods and sugars, which can increase free-radical activity.

If you choose from all these wonderful anti-aging and anti-wrinkle foods as often as possible, you will be on your way to a healthier, younger-looking you.