Skin Central - Body care

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Your skin is the largest organ of your body, serving as an indicator of your overall health and wellness. So, it's only natural that you would want to create a body-care regime to keep your skin looking healthy and glowing year-round.

Since your skin covers such a broad area, it requires effort to keep it in tip-top shape. Hard-working hands and feet bear the brunt of the stresses of daily life and occasionally need some high-quality pampering in the form of a relaxing manicure or pedicure. After constant styling, your hair also requires time to de-stress with an intense conditioning process or a good scalp massage. And then there are smaller, easy-to-forget zones, like the backs of knees, elbows and neck that sometimes get overlooked.

Establish some sound body care routines and practices for your own skin with the following helpful hints:
• If you want your skin to look nourished, you must exfoliate regularly. Exfoliation removes the top layer of dead epidermis cells, and will enhance circulation and make your skin appear smoother.
• Choose an exfoliating cleanser designed for your skin type—fine or gentle for sensitive skin and coarse or grainy for normal to oily skin.
• Thoroughly wet your skin before applying the exfoliating cleanser. Use small circular motions to gently scrub the body.
• Exfoliate areas of the body that are waxed or shaved. Use a loofah or body scrub on the bikini line and legs to prevent ingrown hairs. Afterwards, use a moisturizing cream or lotion that contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) to help reduce ingrown hairs.
• Use a natural bristly body brush before you enter the shower or bath. Start at the soles of your feet and work your way up your body, avoiding the breast area. Dry body brushing helps remove toxins and stimulates circulation.
• Soak your legs for a few minutes before shaving and then use a moisturizing shaving cream or gel. To avoid razor burn, keep a bottle of face toner in the fridge. After shaving, spritz the toner on your legs to sooth irritated skin.

Basic body care for your skin type Normal skin: Use a rich body cream or lotion to moisturize normal skin. Be sure to apply the moisturizer to your body before fully dry—and don't forget your elbows and knees. Oily skin: A light, moisturizing body spray works well for oily skin. A milk body mist or toning mist sits lightly on the skin, without stimulating your glands to produce more oil. Combination skin: Although this skin type normally applies to the face, there is one area of the body that may be affected—the neck. Your neck tends to be dry if you have combination skin. During the day, use a lightweight moisturizer that counteracts the dryness and has SPF 15. You will want the sun protection to prevent wrinkles—which can form quickly in this sensitive area. At night, use a rich nourishing or firming cream to keep your neck soft and smooth. Dry skin: Use a deep, penetrating cream to nourish dry skin. Try almond oil or olive oil as an alternative to cream to leave the skin feeling silky smooth. Sensitive skin: Sensitive skin requires special care. Ensure the creams you use are formulated to address your specific needs.