The holidays can either be a blessing or a curse. Seasonal snacks can feel like a treat, but that limitless bowl of candy tends to do a number on your teeth and stomach. Now sugar may get a bad reputation in sweets, but it is an excellent component in caring for the skin.
Here are a few beauty benefits it can offer:
First and foremost, sugar is a naturally occurring humectant, meaning it draws humidity from the environment and pushes it into the skin system. So when you rub in products with sugar or sugar byproducts, they will essentially help hydrate your skin and lock moisture in.
Second, sugar is a naturally occuring source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that enters the skin and breaks-down the adhesives that bond skin cells, boosting cell turnover while creating renewed, younger-looking skin. Glycolic acid is normally incorporated to treat sun-damaged and aging skin. However it can be irritating to many types of skin, therefore over-the-counter products usually contain less than ten percent of the concentration of glycolic acid in their formulations. Health spas and dermatologists can usually offer more progressive glycolic treatments with absorptions above ten percent, but those should be overseen by a professional. Since glycolic acid — and all AHAs — exfoliate the uppermost layers of skin, it is vital to follow-up with a sunscreen when going-out during the day to avoid damaging fresh and tender skin.
Lastly, sugar and its small particles make an exceptional topical exfoliant, and are found in a lot of body scrubs to slough away dead skin cells and expose the glowing, radiant skin beneath. Scrubs made from sugar also have some benefits over salt scrubs. Smaller granules from sugar are generally milder than salts, which can cause minute tears to the skin; also, as a result of sugar’s natural humectant properties, these scrubs offer added hydration over salt scrubs, which tend to strip the skin of its natural oils.
When you are choosing a service or home sugar scrub, consider the key ingredients. Brown sugar is softer than refined sugar, so can usually be used on the face and for use on sensitive skin. Raw sugars, also known as turbinado sugars, are naturally more abrasive, these are typically reserved for the body. Do small patch tests if you’re not sure how your skin may react.
Do not let the title of this column trick you: A high-sugar intake will not do your skin any favors, but if you incorporate it into your topical-beauty regimen, it will deliver some sweet effects.
About the Author: Thai Morrison, superstar esthetician and founder of her very own day spa & skin care collection, understands that ideal skin is seldom attained with a “universal approach.” Thai’s 20 years as a luminary esthetician and as one Dallas’s favorite skin care professionals, has generated a “real life” answer — products & services that are geared towards each of the different, individual skin types so you get precisely what is needed to look and feel your best.
About the Spa: At Koffee Day Spa, we wish for our clients to be well-informed before enjoying any of our services. We hope your experience will be better once you know what to expect, have more realistic ideals and goals, as well as understand what we are focused on doing for you. If there are any other questions or concerns you may be having, please contact us at (214) 428-9696 I info@koffeedayspa.com I www.koffeedayspa.com I 1118 S. Akard St, Dallas, TX 75215
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