Early Morning Skin Care Shortcuts

Courtesy of Flickr user Carolyn Coles

Wake up. Brew coffee. Wait impatiently as it drips. Brush your teeth. Take out the dog. Wake up the kids. Cook breakfast. Search for the lost keys. Wait in the carpool line. Then pull into work to have your boss counting down the seconds before you’re late. {Repeat}

Although your morning may vary in its method of chaos, we are all busy and, many times, leave little room for taking care of ourselves, especially our skin. For those of you who relate all too well with this routine of morning madness, here are some “skincare shortcuts” that will help you to feel refreshed and your skin rejuvenated. 

Cripple the Pimples

• To reduce inflammation, blot 1 percent over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream onto blemishes and reapply as needed.
• It’s important to note that you shouldn’t use hydrocortisone cream on a pimple for more than six days. If it persists longer, see a dermatologist!
• Apply Visine to blemishes. It reduces the redness the same way it works to reduce eye redness.
• Cover an ice cube with a light towel that is dipped in lavender oil and hold it on the blemish for three minutes. The cold will decrease inflammation while the lavender oil will dehydrate the blemish and kill the bacteria. \

Puffy Eyes

• Brew two green tea bags and let them cool before placing them on your eyes for 10 minutes in the morning. The caffeine in the tea will tighten the skin tissue and reduce swelling.
• Apply 2^nd Skin Circles gel pads for two minutes in the morning.
• Elevate your head at night and let gravity drain the extra fluid underneath your eyes that can build up and cause swelling.

Kicking Crow’s Feet

• Apply a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 30 to reduce sun damage to the very susceptible thin skin underneath your eyes.
• Choose facial products that contain retinol to wash your face. This vitamin A derivative will help moisten and repair deep lines in the skin.
• Hold a damp washcloth underneath your eyes for a few minutes, then pat on a lightweight moisturizer to keep your skin nice and hydrated throughout the day.
• Keep a pair of sunglasses handy and try not to underestimate the amount of squinting you do when you’re in the sun without protective eyewear. 

Reducing Rosy Redness

• Apply a face mask that includes anti-inflammatory ingredients such as activated charcoal and castor oil.
• Soak a washcloth in milk and ice cubes and press it onto blotchy red areas. The cold temperature, pH level and protein in the milk will relieve the blotchiness.
• Break open an evening primrose oil capsule and gently rub it over red areas.  

Penciling in just a little bit of “me time” during your morning routine is a great means to feeling refreshed and having radiating skin. Test out a few of these skincare shortcuts and let us know what you think!

The Truth About 10 Common Beauty Myths

Anti-aging, beauty solutions and skin care tend to attract a lot of rumors. We’ve addressed some myths related to acne in a previous post, but here, I’ll offer expert advice on 10 of the most common rumors out there. Here’s The Skinny on whether they’re true or not.

1. Use a little toothpaste on a nasty pimple to help clear it up.

True.

Technically, a little toothpaste on a pimple will help dry out the oil, which is the root of the problem. It serves a similar purpose to benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid solutions. That said, I still don’t recommend it as a long-term solution to the problem. While it may dry out a zit within a few days, it doesn’t provide any healing properties and could also dry out the skin around the zit too much. Not to mention it’s messy, and toothpastes with whitening beads could be too rough for your skin.

2. Cucumbers can help reduce puffy eyes.

True.

We addressed this claim in our post about puffy eyes not too long ago. This is probably more related to the fact that the cucumbers are cool and help reduce any swelling, because cool strawberry slices, cotton balls soaked in cold milk or even a chilled spoon will do the same thing.

3. Lemon juice can lighten your hair.

True.

Lemon juice can act as a bleaching agent, not unlike peroxide. While it can help, keep in mind that you and your lemon juice are not the same as a professional with long-lasting chemical solutions. While the juice may help lighten your hair, it may not be the right color, it may not be as intense as you’d like and it may look blotchy or unnatural. It also may not work at all if you have very dark hair.

4. Caffeine can help reduce puffy eyes.

True.

But probably not in the way you’re thinking. Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning won’t help reduce the puffiness, but an eye cream with caffeine in it will. The caffeine, when applied topically, can help draw water away from the skin and create a tighter appearance.

5. Rubbing egg whites on your skin can help stop or prevent cellulite.

False.

Unfortunately, rubbing egg whites on your skin will just leave you with a big mess on your hands. Actually, nothing will cure cellulite. It develops when fat deposits get caught between the fibrous bands connecting the skin’s tissues. Not even liposuction will completely cure it. And it is almost always genetic – if your mother had cellulite, you’re more likely to have it. Rubbing egg whites on your skin may make the skin look smoother, but it won’t cause any drastic changes.

6. Use dryer sheets on your hair to help quell flyaway strands.

True.

Just like they do for your clothes in the dryer, these sheets reduce the static effect – also known as the culprit behind these pesky flyaway strands. Ever notice that when you try to smooth them down with your hands, they just get worse? Try keeping a dryer sheet in your purse. They’re also great for static on clothes that are sticking to each other!

7. Massage olive oil into your hair to help it grow faster.

False.

Sorry if you’ve pinned something that says olive oil mixed with honey or vinegar or some other common kitchen product will result in long, beautiful locks. I pinned that to my “Myths” board. It’s really the massaging motion that helps your hair grow faster, because it increases blood flow to the scalp. If you want to stimulate hair growth, just wash your hair with regular shampoo. You’ll avoid the oily mess that results from coating it with olive oil.

8. A little hairspray on your face will help your makeup look fresh for hours.

False.

This probably came about by accident when someone with oily skin noticed they didn’t need to blot as often after using hairspray. While hairspray may help quell the oil a little, it won’t actually keep the makeup on in just any condition. You may be better off washing your face (with the right soap!) before applying, using a good oil-free moisturizer or just carrying a little powder with you.

9. Wash your hair with cold water to make it look shinier.

False.

Hot showers can dehydrate the hair shaft when it evaporates, which may actually seem like a good thing if you have persistently oily hair. While a little cool water may help your hair lay flat and appear shinier, it won’t actually change anything – much like those egg whites won’t change anything!

10. Sleeping on your back helps prevent wrinkles.

True.

This is one of the stranger myths out there, but it’s worth remembering! While there is no guarantee, the reason this works is that you avoid spending eight or more hours a day with your face smashed into a pillow. Sleeping on your back is not only good for your face, it’s good for your spine and posture too.

Have any questions or rumors I didn’t address here? Leave them in the comments and I’ll be glad to help!

Home Remedies: Puffy Eyes

Chances are, you’ve woken up at some point with puffy or “tired” eyes, which is a fast-track way to make you look worse than you feel. The good news is there are some things you can do at home to get rid of them. Here are a few tips for soothing away your puffy eyes before your next early morning meeting.

Everyday Treatments
There are several at-home remedies that can help dissipate those puffy eye problems without having to resort to a visit to the doctor. These include:

• A chilled tea bag – The cold and ingredients in the tea will help reduce swelling and help you look more awake.
• Egg whites – Whip an egg white or two until they’re stiff, then brush it under your eyes. This will help tighten your skin.
• Cold cucumber slices – Not just for the movies, these slices help the puffiness fade.
• Cold strawberries – Avoid this treatment if you’re allergic to strawberries. Otherwise these fruit slices can help relieve swelling.
• Cotton balls soaked in cold milk – A few minutes with these on each eye will work wonders for that tired look.
• Chilled spoons – If you prefer to avoid turning your face into a salad bar, a couple of spoons chilled in the refrigerator and allowed to rest on each eye work just as well.
• Splashes of cool water – If you’re in a rush, a few splashes of cold water to your face can help. The cold blast will help reduce swelling as well as provide a chilly wake up call!

Long-Term Changes

If puffy eyes are a persistent problem, long-term changes may be necessary. Consider the following:

• Sleep – It isn’t called “beauty sleep” without good reason! If you aren’t sleeping enough or you’re getting poor quality sleep, it’s going to show. Strive to get eight hours of good quality, uninterrupted sleep to help keep puffy eyes at bay.
• Elevate your head while sleeping – Try keeping an extra pillow under your head to keep it elevated while you sleep. Just like an injury, keeping your head elevated will help keep down any swelling.
• Reduce your sodium intake – As you’ve likely heard from numerous doctors, consuming too much salt can lead to a number of health issues. Overconsumption will make you retain water, even in your face, leading to those puffy eyes.
• Drink more water – By drinking more water, your body will stop retaining water, and you should feel better by flushing all the other toxins from your body. Drink 64 ounces per day to make puffiness no more!
• Take a break from the screen – It’s highly likely that you work and/or play with a computer, tablet, smart phone or other device for hours each day. This can contribute to puffy eyes, not to mention eye fatigue. For every hour you are on a computer, take a five to 10 minute break and rest your eyes, or even get up and walk around for a minute. Your eyes and body will thank you for it.

Have questions about puffy eyes not answered in this post? Leave them in the comments, and I’ll answer them there!