Scrub Season!

What better way to embrace autumn then a visit to the spa J

As autumn approaches, it’s the perfect time to shed some of that dry, weathered, sun damaged skin. It’s body scrub season!! If you have never experienced one of these magical treatments, you have to treat yourself! This is probably my favorite treatment to receive and I guarantee you’ll be hooked. Using either a salt or sugar based oil scrub your therapist will slough off the dead skin cells from neck to toes and then perform a mini facial using separate products from the scrub as it can be too aggressive for the delicate skin on your face. The scrub is then rinsed off in the shower leaving oils behind for a little added nourishment. Your skin will be refined and smooth leaving you feeling like a whole new person. Your therapist will do a body lotion application to ensure your skin is properly hydrated. Last but not least, depending on your skin type, appropriate moisturizer and eye cream are then applied to your face.

Now if a visit to the spa is not quite in your budget, I will share with you a quick and easy scrub you can make at home. All you really need is either sea salt or sugar (I prefer white sugar) and some sweet almond oil. Pour about half a cup of sugar (or salt) into a bowl followed by half a cup of sweet almond oil and mix (this is plenty of product to cover your entire body and have some left over). You may add some essential oils to this mixture for some aromatherapy benefits (only a few drops as they are very potent!).  Step into the shower and do your regular routine. When you’re done everything you normally do, turn off the water and grab your scrub. Taking small amounts, work the scrub over different parts of your body until you cover everything from toes up to your neck. Turn shower back on and rinse off. There is no need to use soap or anything to wash it off, the oil is great for your skin and you want to let it absorb.  Be sure to wash out the shower once you are finished, as the oils tend to make the tub really slippery, no injuries please! 

Freckles

            Freckles are a group of pigmented cells contained within the skin in small groups that may overlap each other making them vary in size. They’re usually small, flat, tan or light brown. They are not harmful nor an indication of a health concern. They can be found on anyone no matter their genetic background. Freckles are predominately found on the face, although they can appear on any skin exposed to the sun.

They are most common in children with a fair complexion. Being outside in the sun may cause freckles or make them darker. People with a lighter complexion have less melanin in their skin. Melanin is a chemical produced by melanocytes that helps protect the skin from sun damage by reflecting and absorbing UV rays. The more melanin in your skin the more tanned you look. People with fair complexions have less melanin in their skin to begin with, but some of their melanocytes make more melanin when exposed to the sun so instead of getting a suntan, they sometimes get freckles. Sometime freckles fade almost completely in winter and appear again in summer. Sometimes people have freckles that can be seen year-round. But for the most part they tend to fade, as people get older. 

Product Profile: Bio-Oil

Now typically I wouldn’t promote a product that contains mineral oil as one of the main ingredients but I have been using Bio-oil to help treat some scarring and I swear by it. I believe the essential oils and vitamins in this product override any negative effective that the mineral oil may have on the skin. 

It’s commonly used to treat scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, dehydrated skin and aging skin. Since seeing the benefits of this product on my scars, I actually started to use it on my face to help treat some reoccurring breakouts. I used it to help speed the healing process and reduce the potential for the breakout to scar. I saw huge improvements right away J I have a couple of friends who have also used this product to treat fresh scarring as well and it’s worked wonders! When I say fresh scarring I mean while the scars are new and still pink. Use it on your scabs to keep them hydrated and continue to use in on the new, fresh, pink skin once the scab has fallen off. Be sure to protect your skin though, you must be wearing an SPF or keep the injured area covered because the new skin is very vulnerable to UV damage which can lead to pigmentation.