AND HOW DOES YOUR SKIN GO? QUICK TIPS ON 3 SKIN CONCERNS AS THE COOLER MONTHS APPROACH.

Some tips and direction for the biggies and littl’ns during the cross season to winter.
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How to do a great, streak free fake tan post summer?

Rule number one – choose fair to medium or medium to dark according to your skin colour. Do not go for the dark tan look if you are naturally fair.
Rule number two – always after testing and finding the right instant or fake tan product, mix it in the palm of your hand with either a suitable gradual tan moisturiser or body moisturiser of your choice. This way the intensity of the colour, but also the likelihood of streaks or uneven colour are avoided as application is then blended subtly and logically just like a moisturising lotion.
Rule number three – if you apply with hands (which I do) just get a nail brush immediately after application and scrub your fingers, nail and palms of hands with soap and water.
Rule number four – apply a small dab of instant or fake tan to the back of your DRY hands and spread across your skin using the back of your hands ONLY to distribute the colour/product. Do not allow any product to touch the palms or inside of your hands or finger nails in anyway. 

Voila! You should have a subtle, sexy and delicious colour without the tell-tale signs of instant gratification.
Try Richesse Body Milk Veloute  blended with your favourite instant tanner.

Itchy Skin?

Taking into account that your itch is not a symptom of some other more serious skin pathology such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis etc, travelling into a new season can often trigger very stressed, itchy and dry skin. A lot of people (men and women) also suffer from hormone related itch and histamine intolerance.

A very simple, non-drug related way to often help is the two step approach of exfoliation + moisturisation. Simple but effective.

Firstly exfoliation can be achieved in two ways – chemically or mechanically.

Chemical by means of doing it yourself at home is the simple use of AHAs or BHAs. These can be in the form of fruit acids / enzymes, glycolics and salicylics.

Mechanical is typical of anything from salt, sugar to walnut or any particles that can be felt on the skin and due to friction cause and exfoliation effect.

Never, ever, ever use a harsh mechanical exfoliant on your face…NEVER. Always opt for chemical exfoliants. ie. products that work chemically to remove dead skin.

For itchiness on the body (arms, legs , shoulders etc) not related to bumps or rashes, I would opt for mechanical exfoliation while in the shower then upon a light towel dry, applying a good occlusive (locking in moisture) body cream, oil or lotion. Unfortunately, the more occlusive (usually this means heavier such as shea butter based or pure shea) the better. The more pure the product the better it will work and not aggravate the condition.

REMEMBER the golden rule of water and hydration – when water evaporates from the body it takes existing moisture with it, which makes it even more vulnerable and itchy.

If the itch is accompanied by bumps and lumps that are not serious skin lesions or related to eczema etc, then once out of the shower, apply a chemical exfoliator to the specific area and then quickly apply a heavy and occlusive moisturiser. A thick cream or balm will do the job.

For the face…well if your skin can tolerate it, there is nothing like the veil of protection and glow of shea butter to protect, sooth and keep skin hydrated (by default).

For a mechanical exfoliant try Richesse Anago Cleanser and Exfoliant in one

For a rich emollient body butter try Richesse Shea and Vanilla Body Butter, or for a pure and really protective soothing veil for face and specific itchy areas try Richesse Shea and Aloe Super Emollient Balm.
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Irritated skin after Facial Cleansing or Shaving?
Again the law of protecting the skin against water being both dehydrating and irritating applies here.
Water alone can still disrupt the acid mantle of the skin (not matter what pH your cleanser is…a soap, a traditional cleanser, a non-soap cleansing bar etc.). The fact is that water a) changes the pH of the skin and b) that pH disruption creates vulnerability of the skin to lose the balance between natural oil and water of the skin.

A quick way to replace lost oil – absolutely imperative for healthy skin, EVEN IF YOUR SKIN IS ULTRA OILY and more importantly if your skin is ULTRA SENSITIVE is to apply sebum mimicking substances immediately after washing your face or shaving in preparation for your usual moisturiser or facial skin care product.
Jojoba is good, squalane is better! By adding two or three drops of squalane to your face and neck immediately after you have exposed your skin to water you will be quickly replacing any lost oils, soothing and calming any irritation and helping the skin to rebuild its defence against loss of moisture and further irritation.
REMEMBER a healthy acid mantle is a healthy looking and functioning skin. This is basic skin care for men and women.
For a quick skin rebalancer and primer for gaining the best out of your other skin care products try Pure Olive Squalane
Skin getting dry and lack lustre now the cooler months are setting in?
To help prevent the skin from getting dry now the weather is getting cooler, using hydration products (solutions loaded with humectants / water binders) is essential on a daily basis.
To keep that glow and look of a perfectly balance acid mantle (sebum / water balance), using nature’s greatest humectant “Lecithin” is a great solution for preventative moisture loss and maintenance.
There are many natural water binders out there….glycerin, honey, lactates etc, but lecithin adds the double whammy of also delivering any short fall in natural phospholipids to the skin. This is maximized anti-aging hydration for all skin.
Phospholipids in lecithin attract water (moisture) molecules from the surrounding air and bind that water to the skin. and help build the skin’s natural defence against water loss and irritation by “film forming” without congestion.
Best tips for daily recovery and maintenance are a) add a lecithin rich hydrator to your regime by spraying before you apply your daily moisturiser and, use products loaded with natural phospholipids in your moisturiser.
Try REMEDICA Hydra.Mist, for a kick start to hydration before applying your moisturiser and makeup.
Try REMEDICA’s Oleo.visage nutritive for normal and sensitive skin day/night, sensitive.visage as a standalone for young skin or as an acid mantle builder and restorer underneath your daily moisturiser for a dryer or more mature skin.

Both products are loaded with plant based phospholipids and antioxidants with the added benefits of small amounts of plant oils to help keep moisture there once it’s found you.
Full ingredient lists can be found on each product by clicking on the above links.