dermHA's Hydrating Lip Butter~ the beauty of hydrated lips...

Do you have trouble with dry or cracked lips?  It's a complaint that we have heard often at dermHA, a skin care problem that affects everyone at one time or another. It's important to know that lip skin is very different from other skin because it is very thin.  Moisture rapidly evaporates from the lips causing them to dry out very easily.  Unfortunately, as we age, the elasticity in the lips break down, causing a loss in fullness and less definition in the lines that surround the lips.  The good news is that keeping lips moisturized and hydrated helps lip skin to naturally exfoliate and feel and look soft and smooth. 

To help you keep your lips beautiful and soft, dermHA has created the dermHA hydrating lip butter.  Our hydrating lip butter is the ultimate lip treatment packed with nourishing, protecting and hydrating ingredients that will help soothe dry, chapped lips leaving them looking and feeling softer and smoother.  Smooth and creamy shea and cupuaca butters help to protect the sin against the damaging effects of the sun, while ultra hydrating hyaluronic acid and aloe helps restore moisture. The antioxidant, vitamin and essential fatty acid rich oils of coconut, tamunu, grapeseed, and avacado helps to nourish and soften dry and scaly skin.

Don't miss out on this treat for your lips, a great addition to your skin care regimen!

Stay beautiful,
Millie

Summer Skin 101

Summer skin needs special care to stay healthy looking and prevent damage. Although we all can derive benefits from the sun’s seductively simmering rays, we have to use care when we’re exposed to it or you can do more harm than good.  A sun screen of with UVA & UVB protection of SPF 15 or more is non-negotiable. If you’re in the sun for long periods of time, reapply sunscreen every two to three hours.  Pay special attention to areas where the skin is thinnest, like the nose, forehead, earlobes, chest and shoulders. Make sure that you are also paying attention to your lips, where skin is even more vulnerable.

Although the sun feels great, stay in shaded areas whenever possible. Wear a hat (there are some really cute ones that can add to your 'look'), and sunglasses with UV protection to prevent damaged to those precious eyes.


All summer skin needs hydration, even oily, acne skin. dermHA’s Therapeutic Crème is a must-have for summer skin care. High concentrations of hyaluronic acid provide skin soaking moisture, while healing aloe, calendula, arnica montana, plus a combo of vitamins help to soothe, calm and protect sun stressed skin.
In addition to daily use, apply dermHA’s Therapeutic Crème immediately after prolonged sun exposure to soothe irritation and help prevent peeling. Reapply as often as needed to soothe and moisturize.
No matter what your skin color, you will burn if you get too much sun. Symptoms of severe sunburn don’t always appear while you’re in the sun, but usually occur within twenty four hours and usually peaks in two to three days. Extreme reddening, swelling, blisters and pain need immediate care. Dehydration, chills, fever, nausea and/or delirium often accompany severe sunburn and so does dehydration. Avoid the sun completely until the burn is repaired.

**Sun Burn Alert-- For severe sunburn consult a physician.  Sunburn is especially dangerous in children so make sure they’re protected and limited their exposure to direct sunlight. A child having more than two or three serious sun burns will be more likely to develop skin cancer as an adult.

Summer Skin Regimen

for additional skin protection:

**If you take medication ask your physician or pharmacist if it may increase sun sensitivity.

• Eat raw fruit and veggies as well as protein for tissue repair.

• Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water.

• Try to avoid the sun between 10 AM and 3 PM.

• Cloudy or hazy days have 80% of UV rays passing through clouds- so keep your guard up.

• Avoid alcohol based fragrance on exposed skin as it could lead to discoloration or heightened skin damage

• Wear light colored, lightweight, tightly woven material that breathes for maximum comfort.

• If you are sun burned, avoid further exposure until the skin has healed.

• Use dermHA Vitamin C Therapy to help repair and protect dry, dehydrated environmentally damaged skin

Stay Beautiful,
Millie

Managing Dry Winter Skin

Dryness, Acne & the Winter Blues...

It's particularly challenging to manage acne during the winter months.  The outdoor cold coupled with dry heat from homes, businesses and cars cause moisture loss and skin becomes tight and dry.  This dryness stimulates the oil glands to produce more oil.  The excess oils subsequently accumulate and solidify in the pores, mixing with dead cells on the surface to form waxy plugs.  Add bacteria and you've got blackheads! 

An acne breakout can take the form of blackheads, pustules, cysts or any combination of those.  It can negatively impact a person's life by lowering their self-esteem and changing the way they are perceived by others because of their altered appearance.  But you can battle winter dryness and the acne associated with it by following a simple skin care routine and changing some basic lifestyle behaviors.

Daily cleansing and hydration is crucial in winter months.  Look for products without major irritants like fragrance, alcohol, lanolin, dyes and propylene glycol.  Use an exfoliating cleanser that's gentle but effective. Wash and rinse your skin in cool water, not hot, because hot water tends to dehydrate skin even more.  If you are using a topical prescription, you might want to try a gentle cleanser without exfolients and use a tonic with ingredients like multi-fruit acids, zinc and non-alcoholic witch hazel after cleansing. 

Hydration is the most important part of your winter regimen.  Use a water based moisturizer with hyaluronic acid (they should be the first and second ingredients listed to ensure high concentrations of both) and apply a thin film dail in the AM and PM to keep skin healthy and hydrated.  An enzyme mask used once or twice a week is a gentle way to lift dead cells and dried surface skin without dehydrating or irritating the skin underneath.

Other tips for battling winter dryness and acne:

• Use a humidifier to keep moisture in the air of your bedroom
• drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, every day
• Don't rub skin and avoid tight turtlenecks and scarves, because friction causes pimples
• Keep hair out of your face
• Wipe your cell phone often to remove oils and bacteria
• Don't use topical or oral steroids since its known to aggravate acne
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially ones that have zinc

If you do get a pimple:

• apply a dot of pure tea tree oil on pimples or pustules to kill the bad bacteria but not the good
• Dont touch the affected areas unless your hands are clean
• Don't squeeze the skin beneath!

Don't let winter dryness and acne get you down, follow a winter regimen like the one above to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.  If you are not already using it, dermHA's enzyme mask is a perfect addition to your winter skin care regimen.  Go to http://www.dermha.com/ to learn more about our other hydrating products. 

Stay Beautiful,
Millie

dermHA's Dry Skin Help Series: The Importance of Hyaluronic Acid in Skin Care

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most amazing ingredients in skin care. It is safe, versatile and effective. HA has the ability to hold 1000 times its weight in water and is the most powerful natural moisturizing ingredient known to science. HA's unmatched hydrating ability plumps the skin, resulting in an increased smoothness, softening and a decrease in wrinkles. Any skin care formulation targeting anti-aging and the restoration of damaged tissue should include this valuable ingredient.

Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in our bodies in connective tissue and it contributes to the elasticity of the skin. Medical grade HA is used to replace fluid in joints and is commonly used in cosmetic injectibles to fill in wrinkles. As our skin ages, hyaluronic acid dimishes, resulting in a loss of elasticity that leads to the formation of wrinkles. However, HA can be applied in order to provide anti-aging assistance. When applied topically, hyaluronic acid holds water onto the surface of the skin while allowing the skin to breathe.

In the article, 33 Secrets to Perfect Skin on MSN.com's Lifestyle page, Dr. Shimamoto emphasizes the importance of HA. "Your skin needs its daily dose of water, which is more than your intake of H2O, " says Dr. Shimamoto. "Sodium hyaluronate, more commonly know as hyaluronic acid, helps balance your skin, bringing it to a normal pH level. Balanced skin is optimal for all healthy skin functions. When this ingredient is used in cosmetic formulations at a high concentration (check the ingredients list and make sure it is some where in the middle or toward the top of the list), it will leave your skin plump and dewy looking."

All of dermHA's products include this miracle of nature and science, helping you create healthy, beautiful skin. Go to our website http://www.dermha.com/ to find which products will be most helpful in achieving your skin health goals!

Stay beautiful!

Millie