Afrotrend Magazine # 2 May/June | Page 17

17 BEAUTY: SKIN 6 Steps on how to keep your skin moisturized Baby soft skin: Exfoliation By Charlie /Allthingsmodish.weebly.com I just stirred it and voila! It was ready to use. Directions for use: Wash as usual then scrub the salt mixture all the body in circular motion then rinse. P.S. For oil, you can use baby oil or any other oil safe for skin use. Olive oil is perfect but it has that funny smell. I used coconut oil mostly for its delicious scent and almond oil for its moisturising properties. Happy scrubbing! Charlie XO I was reading some recipe for body scrubs on a blog, can’t remember which, but someone commented saying they used a scrub on their new born babies to remove the shedding skin. As we all know newborns tend to shed skin excessively as they mature into strong little human beings. The excessive shedding is due to the difference in environments from the womb to the outside world and also because they tend to develop faster in the earliest days on earth. This mother used oil and salt(table salt because it is less abrasive and soaks well in oil) to massage her newborns consequently leaving their skin smooth and easing the shedding skin. This works well for adults too, we shed skin every week but sometimes the dead cells just stay on our body preventing it from absorbing the moisturisers we apply on our skin. To boost this moisture absorption we need a peeling or scrub. Asians, Japanese women in particular, use dry brushes to scrub off the dead skin cells in simultaneously helping blood circulation to the skin. Korean women also have a sandpaper like scrub that is used in bathhouses to scrub clients. In the Arab world there is the popular Moroccan bath which also consists a body scrub by a masseuse and then there is the Turkish bath also consisting of a body scrub. So why so much scrubbing? Well its simply to reinvigorate the skin, removing the dead skin with the impurities and allowing for deeper moisturising. A body scrub is best done once or twice a week depending on preference. Here is my simple body scrub recipe: All you need is one part oil and three parts sugar/salt (cheaper) I used: 6 tablespoons of salt/sugar mix 2 tablespoons of oil (extra virgin coconut oil with almond oil and 5 drops tea tree oil) 1. Find a daily body wash that suits your skin type. Assuming your skin is quite dry, try not to buy a cheap body wash, research a recommended product, with good reviews. Good body wash products normally contain essential oils such as: coconut oil, olive oil and jojoba oils that help keep moisture. If you can, visit shops that specialize in natural products, for example the Body Shop and Lush. Avoid soaps with alcohol and some soap bars, because even though they leave the skin 'squeaky clean', this strips the skin of its natural oils which may be the reason why you have dry skin. 2. Dry your skin properly. Some people are often in a rush in the morning and don’t dry properly which means your skin will dry out during the day. 3. Choose the right moisturizer. This is the most important stage. As mentioned everyone has a unique skin type. However the more natural the product the better! Less chemicals and less side effects. Many people use shea butter and essential oils based cream. This helps keep your skin healthy and moisturized. 4. Keep hand cream/ body cream in your bag. Make this one of your essential items in your bag. Depending on where you are in the world, some creams may need to have a good SPF to protect the skin. Keeping a cream in your bag also reminds you to moisturize your hands after you have washed your hands. Often people have dry hands because water dries out the skin. 5. To ensure your skin is smooth and healthy, every week or 2 weeks give your skin a treat. Use body scrub or a body mask occasionally to wash off dirt but keep the moisture. Doing this can help keep your skin moisturized, smooth and soft. 6. Become familiar with a daily skin routine. It is important to allow yourself time in the mornings ( or evenings) to pamper your skin. If you're in a rush you may not reach all the dry areas on