-by Mallory Leach, LE
Unfortunately, we’ve all experienced succumbing to an illness, especially in the winter months. We go right to herbal tea, over-the-counter medications, and other home remedies to help heal our bodies quickly and get back to our lives. But what about our skin?
Did you know that illness really takes a toll on your skin? The skin easily gets dehydrated and dry, our noses turn red and irritated from constantly blowing them, and our eyes develop puffy bags and dark circles; we start to look as bad as we feel!
How Do I Protect My Skin?
The secret to radiant skin is maintaining a healthy environment for our skin to thrive in. Our skin barrier is a protective layer that guards us against the environment and stops our skin from losing water. It thereby helps skin stay hydrated and in a healthy state. Getting sick, along with harsh environmental elements and medications, can disrupt this very easily, which leads to the breakdown of our skin’s health.
With consistency and by using the right products, you’ll be able to maintain this barrier, resulting in healthy-looking skin. Here is my go-to skincare routine and a few tips of mine to help you look better than you feel the next time you fall ill.
Stick To The Basics
Providing nutrients and hydration with skincare is a must, but we all know the basics are needed. Increasing your fluid intake, getting lots of rest to recover, limiting hot showers, and using a humidifier are just a few tips that can make a huge difference. Our skin could use a boost of extra help while sick.
Keep It Simple
Less is more. Focus on allowing your skin to heal. I like to keep up with a simple, gentle hydrating skincare routine. Once I’m feeling better and my skin’s in a healthier state, then I’ll re-introduce my corrective goodies. Using harsh ingredients could only further irritate your skin when it’s already compromised. If you feel like you do need a little something extra, give your skin a burst of the Avène Thermal Spring Water. It feels so refreshing and calming on my skin while I’m sick, and it has natural wound healing properties to help support our skin’s barrier.
Keep Skin Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is essential for our skin. I love using a gentle cleanser like PCA Creamy Cleanser to help exfoliate my dull skin without over-stripping it of its necessary moisture, leaving it soothed and soft. Using a rich moisturizer that hydrates and soothes, like our PCA Collagen Hydrator, is great for keeping the epidermis hydrated and helping it to retain its moisture. I love applying the Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream multiple times daily to more affected areas, like around my nose, for care and comfort. Protecting these areas will help prevent dry, irritated skin, and restore and promote a healthy environment for skin to heal.
Protect Your Lips
When our noses are difficult to breathe out of, we tend to breathe more with our mouth, causing dehydrated, dry, cracked lips. PCA Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster can help lock in moisturize, improving long-term hydration.
Don’t Forget Your Eyes
I definitely show sickness the most in my eyes, so I can’t go without my PCA Ideal Complex® Revitalizing Eye Gel. This is a comprehensive eye gel that can help tackle puffy bags, dark circles, and help strengthen the skin’s structure to maintain a healthy look. Pro tip: I love to keep mine cold in the fridge, to get a more cooling, soothing effect. It feels so amazing when applying.
Never Forget Daily Sunscreen
Yes, even while we’re sick and stuck indoors, we are always exposed to UVA/B rays and environmental stressors. I love using a simple hydrating sunscreen like the PCA Hydrator Plus Broad Spectrum SPF 30. It’s formulated with powerful hydrators, promoting healing and decreasing inflammation.
I know proper skincare may feel like the last thing on your mind while you’re sick. However, not only will it help give you a little perk and make you feel good about yourself, but you’ll thank yourself later. Keeping up with a simple hydrating skincare routine no matter how you’re feeling has benefits behind the length of any illness.
To learn more about or to purchase the products mentioned, call our office at 585.244.1010 or shop online. For a personal consultation to get started on a skincare routine, book an appointment today!
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