Friday, January 23, 2009

Tips for Girls on the Go

I was talking with my coworker today about the horrible toll that traveling takes on your skin. She just came back from abroad and was complaining about her really dry flaky skin. She said it was getting worse since she had no exfoliant on her trip with her and she was in a place where she couldn't just go out and buy any old facial scrub.

I have totally been in this situation... a few months ago when I had to spend a few weeks in Boise, ID. My skin is used to the humid moist air of Portland, and wasn't ready for the cold dry air of Idaho. After a couple of days there my lips where so chapped and my skin was really starting to get flaky. I had armed myself with some great moisturizers, but the problem was I still had all the dead dry skin stuck to me. It was really late at night when we were done working and nothing was open, so I was trying to figure out what to do to help with what I had. And here is my miracle travel exfoliant:

Take the little sugar packets they leave in your hotel room by the coffee maker; one or two should do for face and lips. Add a little of your own moisturizer to it and make a paste (or you can use the moisturizer they leave in the bathroom, too). You can also use the little plastic cups and coffee stirrers as a mixing container so your hands don't get all gross and so you don't get sugary lotion all over the place. I used a little of my facial moisturizer and also some Vasoline. Once you have a gritty paste, gently rub on your face and lips to buff away the dead skin. Then rinse and moisturize. VOILA!

For sensitive skin, use less sugar and more moisturizer so you don't irritate the skin. For really chapped lips use straight Vasoline with the sugar and make a thicker paste.

As I think of these odd tricks and tips, I'll post more!

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