Skin Care Tips for Red Heads

If you ask around, almost everyone has their own skin care tips to share. Red heads are no exception. But they DO have special considerations when choosing skin care. Why?

Red heads tend to:

• Have freckles
• Have very fair skin tone
• Sunburn easily and never or rarely tan

A simple daily skin care regimen is vital to keep your skin healthy.
It takes extra effort to take care of your skin properly so don’t be lazy. Keep your routine simple so you will stick with it.

GUYS TOO! Good skin care isn't just for the ladies!

Here are some BASIC SKIN CARE TIPS / STEPS to follow:

(1) Wash.

Wash your face in the morning and evening AND after you've worked out or sweated. Use a gentle cleanser using a soft cloth. Do NOT scrub your skin hard.

Skin on the face should be treated differently and more gently than your skin on the rest of your body.

Because your skin acts as a barrier, don’t over-cleanse your skin or you’ll strip the skin of its protective oils that keep your skin healthy. People with oily skin especially tend to overscrub so easy does it!

After cleansing you want your skin to feel moisturized and a little moist or dewy. If your skin feels tight or dry, it may mean you’ve overcleansed or are using a harsh cleanser.

Some effects of overcleansing may include: redness, itching, adult acne, seborrheic dermatitis (red flaky skin), or rashes.

Types of cleansers include liquids, gels, creams, pads, and soaps and so try different ones to find your favorite.

(2) Exfoliate.

EX-WHATt? This is just a big word that means to shed cells from the skin or mucous membranes. (See my
Skin Anatomy page to explain the skin layers.)

Dermatologists explain this is a natural process that occurs that is performed by enzymes in the skin. As we get older, our skin loses the hydration needed to activate these enzymes to shed the cells. So, as we age we need to exfoliate and moisturize.
(It's one of the skin care tips often forgotten.)

Don’t scrub the skin vigorously to exfoliate because it can irritate it or cause complications when bacteria or fungus get pushed down into the skin. Don’t use loofah sponges because they breed bacteria. Dermatologists recommend cleansing using a gentle cleanser with no fragrances, preservatives, or detergents with just a soft cotton washcloth. Lots of products to choose from!

(3) Moisturize.

Use a moisturizer several times a day or when skin feels dry/tight. Do not use moisturizers with a strong fragrance as they can irritate the skin (plus other people can be sensitive to fragrances as well).

Best time to apply a moisturizer? Immediately (a few minutes) after showering or bathing. Take your time and use several handfuls of lotion to cover your entire body. Don’t skimp on moisturizing because this helps protect your skin and keep it youthful.

Keep your bathing/showering to just a short time using lukewarm water. Unfortunately, those nice long hot baths/showers remove the oils from your skin, which is what we DON’T want! (I love long hot baths/showers, so this is one of those skin care tips that is a tough one for me!)

Products: Dermatologists often recommend Lubriderm, Eucerin, Aveeno, Nivea, Cetaphil, and others. Shop around and ask others in your family or check with a dermatologist.

Make it a priority to go to bed at night and wake up in the morning with a clean face and moisturized skin.

(4) Drink water.

Lots of water every day! Staying well hydrated supplies your body with the fluid it needs at the cellular level plus keeps your skin healthy -- one of the neglected skin care tips! -- (I'm not talking about drinking soda pop or coffee/tea here, but pure water). If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

I’ve read differing opinions about whether drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily really matters regarding skin care. It’s true that the outer layer of skin is dead cells and it’s moisture level is mainly determined by our oil glands, hot or cold air, heat, and so on. Exfoliation and moisturizing is very important in this regard.

However, I tend to agree that drinking water is very important, especially after stumbling upon a book called “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water” by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. His scientific evidence shows how important water is to us! He found that drinking water helped reduce pain and disease because we’re dehydrated and the cells are reacting to that.

He recommends drinking a minimum of six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. He found the best times to drink water were a glass 1/2 hour before a meal and then about 2-1/2 hours after each meal, plus throughout the day...(not caffeinated or sugary stuff…just plain water)...
I consider this one of the most important skin care tips....SO, I carry my water bottle around with me all day and drink up!

(5) Eat a healthy diet.

They may taste good but foods high in sugar, fried foods, fatty animal products, and processed foods are essentially 'dead' food with no live enzymes to feed the cells. Eat natural raw 'live' foods whenever possible. Your skin will be happier! This skin care tip works from the inside out and works!

Eating live, raw foods are good for your teeth too!

(6) Don't smoke.

One of the best skin care tips I can give you... Odors from smoking get into everything, including clothing, hair, and skin. But worst of all, smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that gets to your cells and tissues.
So, imagine what it does to your skin.....

(7) Skin massage.

Do this on a regular basis (daily or several times a week for 5 minutes).

Why?
Because of your skin anatomy, massage helps blood circulation so the cells get oxygen, which then carries away impurities in your skin. It encourages lymph circulation and helps get rid of puffiness. It helps oily skin or dry skin because it distributes the sebum (oil) better. It removes dead skin cells to reveal the healthier skin underneath.

Result? More healthy resilient skin, which means fewer wrinkles. Some skin care tips are hard to follow but this one just feels great.

Other skin care regimens include: Saunas, facial peels, and masks. Visit your professional skin specialists for tips for your specific skin needs.

(8) Limit sun exposure.

For your skin to produce vital vitamin D from sunlight exposure, you only need 10 to 15 minutes 2 to 3 times per week to the face, arms, hands or back without sunscreen.

Tanned skin may be 'in' and popular but wasn't always the case. Times past and in other cultures, fair white skin was considered desirous, thus staying out of the sun. Tanning increases wrinkles, skin damage, and skin cancer risks. Stand firm. Resist the tanning craze. Tanning buddies ending up with leathery wrinkled skin will envy your youthful complexion. If you must 'tan', try a sunless lotion.

(9) Use sunscreens.

SPF30 or higher to help protect your skin from sunburn and sun damage. Don't forget a lip balm sunscreen as well.

Redheads with Type I or II general whole-body
"Skin Types" need extra UV protection due to their lower levels of melanin.

(10) Makeup for your facial skin type. To find out more about the different FACIAL skin types, CLICK HERE. This will help you figure out if your face is oily, dry, etc. Once you know this, you can use cosmetics that are oil-free and non-comedogenic and fit your specific face skin type.

Bottom line?
Start young and make these skin care tips a habit, part of your routine. You’ll be glad you did as you get older!

An example: My mom had beautiful skin at 83 with freckles and fair skin but very few wrinkles. I look back now and realize why...it wasn’t just good genes. She stayed out of sun (she just burned and made her feel icky), was constantly moisturizing, and had a religious skin care regimen to clean and moisturize every a.m. and p.m.....Well, it paid off!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR SKIN?

-- IF you want to know what causes freckles and skin shades, click on "FRECKLES"

-- IF you want to see the layers of skin, and stuff in the skin, click on "SKIN ANATOMY"

-- IF you want to learn about sunburns, precautions, and danger signs, click on "SUNBURNS"

-- IF you want to learn about skin cancer and warning signs,
click on "SKIN CANCER"

-- IF you want to learn about ultraviolet light and how it affects skin, click on "UV RADIATION"

-- IF you want to learn about Vitamin D and why it's important, click on "VITAMIN D"

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