For Hair
If sun, sand and chlorine were your three best friends this summer, read on for tips to help fix those split ends and dry strands. After all, nothing ruins the relaxed look of fall more than sun-baked strands.
Use shampoo and conditioner formulated to repair sun damage. Many products contain nourishing ingredients like Panthenol, Jojoba Oil, Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Silk Protein and naturally moisturizing ingredients like Aloe Vera. These can help repair UV damage and repair follicles, strengthen strands and restore lost moisture.
Try a hot oil treatment or deep conditioner. They revitalize and replenish hair’s moisture levels, often after only a few treatments. Most can be left on hair for 5-15 minutes while you shower, but for an extra-moisturizing experience, you can apply the treatment to damp or dry tresses and wrap hair in a shower cap just before bedtime for deeper penetration and reparative affects.
Ditch your brush for a wide-toothed comb. Brushing and tugging at sun damaged hair leads to breakage and more split ends.
Use a leave-in spray conditioner or other heat-protecting product prior to blow drying or heat styling, making sure it reaches the ends where the strands need the most conditioning and repair.
For Skin
As the sun begins to set on summer and we gear up for a fashionable fall, one beauty problem that tends to take center stage is dry, abused, parched and sometimes even sunburned skin.
From overexposure to natural elements – like high temperatures, the sun and salty ocean water and air — to the manmade signs of summer, like air conditioning, insect repellents and chlorine in pools, it’s clear that by the end of the season, your face and body can show signs of wear and tear. As free radical and sun damage take their toll, here are a few tips for reversing the signs of a summer spent having fun in the sun.
Help ramp up skin renewal with a gentle exfoliation. Sugar scrubs are a great post-summer alternative to harsher exfoliation as they gently polish skin and remove dead cells without harming irritated or inflamed skin. You can also try a gentle Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) to lift away dead skin cells.
Look for products to regenerate, replenish and rebalance skin with soothing, nourishing botanicals like Olive Oil, Wheat Germ Oils, Lipids,Hyaluronic Acid, as well as essential fatty acids.
Infuse skin with deeper moisture with an overnight mask or night repair treatment. Skin does most of its healing as we sleep, so look for a night cream that help rebuild skin’s defenses and boost Collagen production with ingredients like DMAE, Vitamin C Ester, Peptides and Proteins.
Experts say a very specific type of seasonal skin irritation can occur if you spent your summer doused in insect repellent, particularly one with high concentrations of the active ingredient DEET. To combat the problem, moisturizers may help, but more often than not you may need a 1% cortisone cream to calm the inflammation.
Related posts:
- Repair Your Skin While You Sleep
- Soft Summer Skin
- Quick Fixes for Problem Hair
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