Surprising Beauty Habits that Can Ruin Your Skin

If you use your favorite beauty products faithfully but still see some things you do not like such as dry skin, dry and itchy skin, your beauty habits may be to blame.

1. Taking long hot showers.  Hot water strips your skin of the natural lipids.  Lipids is basically a storage for your cells to hold moisture, energy, and all this special stuff.  Hot water actually makes it evaporate from your skin leaving it feeling and looking dry.  
2. Using deodorant soaps.  Because deodorant soaps and face washes contain detergents like hot water they remove lipids from the skin and damage the barrier.  Not only does this allow water to evaporate from the skin, it lets irritants enter your skin cells which causes inflammation.  We all know what those scented bubble baths and soaps can do.  Can we say yeast infection!  It is said that shampoo contains this irritating ingredient so it is best to shampoo first, wash your face, then your body.  This irritant is called sodium lauryl sulfate. Alcohol is another harmful product to your skin as well as water based cleansers.  More options of oil based, unscented mild soaps and body washes are more soothing.  
3. Aggressively Drying after shower.  It is best to pat dry.  Apply your favorite moisturizer while your skin is still damp to lock in moisture.
4. Using a facial peel aggressively.  Using a good peel whether at home or as a spa treatment is definitely a great idea because it removes the top layer of your skin which allows moisturizers to penetrate more readily, however using a peel that is too potent on your skin when it is already irritated by wind or the cold.  You should choose a more soothing oxygen facial or try a moisturizing mask in colder months.  
5. Wearing Sunscreen in the winter.  The sun's rays are more intense at higher altitudes in the winter.  A SPF 15 lotion is fine to use in the winter.  Also, when choosing sunscreen, make sure the label contains UVA/UVB protection or is a broad spectrum sunscreen.

In addition to the products mentions, certain medical conditions can case dry skin such as diabetes.  

This concludes my blog.  I hope this article was very informative.  As always, consult with your physician/dermatologist with any concerns health wise you may have.  You can visit my website for more fashion, style, and beauty questions at www.pkfashions.net