As Autumn approaches this year, ask yourself, “what have I done for myself, lately”? All summer long, there were pool parties where you weren’t wearing a swim cap, you didn’t use as much sunblock as you promised yourself you would, and you often needed more than one shower a day. The sun, salt, chlorine, wind, dirt, free-radicals, and water wreak havoc on your body. So, what do I intend on doing? Repairing what I can with what little time I have.
I depend heavily on my nighttime routine and want to do as little as possible in the mornings. Every healthy routine begins with what you put in your body. Yes, yes, we all know we need to eat healthy and exercise. Every single article you read conflicts with the last article you read. Coffee has antioxidant super powers, but next week it will kill you. Remember when margarine was the most important food item to replace? Gross. According to Consumer Reports, your skin needs Vitamins A, C, and E to prevent rough and scaly skin. Your hair needs Omega-3 fatty acids and biotin to provide healthy shine and prevent eczema and hair loss. You should talk to your doctor about the correct dosing for maximum benefit and best brands for best absorption. A healthy intake of foods that contain these vitamins are most beneficial since that would mean a diet of more fruits and vegetables, fish, and less processed foods. The most important thing you can do for your skin and hair during this time, is up your water intake. Really, it’s the most important thing you can do for your whole body. Period.
Speaking of water, I have been experimenting with water. I love a good experiment and learning by doing is the most fun . . . sort of. My latest experiments have been with ice water. For the past week, I have been making an ice bath for my face. The ice baths are miserable and intoxicating at the same time. Here are some reasons why I am putting myself through this tortuous but surprisingly delightful beauty strategy.

• Allergies are high and my face has been swollen.
• My skin has been aging rapidly this year (probably stress)
• My pores look like the terrain of that Shia LaBeouf movie, Holes. In other words, no matter how many Biore strips I use, my pores are gigantic
Not surprisingly, my skin feels tighter, less puffy, and smoother. A great side-effect is I feel more refreshed afterwards. We have always heard about how terrible hot water is for our skin and hair, so, cold showers are next. I am working my way up to it. .
This ice bath is a part of my morning skin routine. After my face is washed, I go for the plunge. This takes about 30 seconds of 10 second increments. I pat my face dry with a cotton towel and quickly finish my routine of rose water spray and moisturizer. That is it! Done. If I am going to be outside, say, for a day of hiking or fishing, I will add sunscreen to that routine. I did promise myself I would wear it more often.
Evenings are slightly more intense. After washing my face with a pea-sized drop of Clarisonic Deep Pore Daily Cleanser on my cleansing brush, I pick out which mask to use. Every night, I use a different face mask so that I am not using the same one too often. I recommend using a mask that your skin desperately needs the first night and a moisturizing mask the second night. Bioelements makes a great line on masks that feel great, are easy to use, and definitely do the job. I am doing this for probably a week or two until my skin gets back on track and I can ease up to once a week. Think of it as a skin detox.
• If you are young with problematic skin, choose a mask designed for acne. And please remember that moisture is not the same as oil. Your skin will get too thin using acne medicated masks every night and over drying your face will cause more problems and can even intensify acne.
• For those of us with both aging skin and acne, I choose a mask that suits my needs for the day. If I am a bit hormonal, I will need to grab a mask from my twelve-year old’s side of the vanity. I buy it and she’ll never know. The next night, moisture mask. The third night, anti-aging with things like antioxidants and retinol. Again, not every night due to the high potential for a thinning of your skin.
• Women with mature skin can use a moisture mask every night or switch between the anti-aging and moisture masks. Collagen masks are great for plumping up any lines you may be wary of and can soften the texture of your skin. After you rinse your mask, a quick spritz of rose water tones, cools, and refreshes your skin. Finally, you are ready to moisturize. I have not had a problem using oils on my acne but I do understand the hesitation. If you do suffer from acne, pick an oil-free moisturizer. DO NOT SKIP your moisturizer. It is a crucial step to encourage graceful aging. For those of us with aging skin, this is my oil recipe:
• 2 drops of Frankincense essential oil
• 3 drops of jojoba oil (easily absorbed by the skin and doesn’t clog pores)

• 6 drops of Vitamin E oil (to repair and hydrate)
This summer has been particularly difficult for everyone’s tresses. And I mean, everyone! Long, short, color-treated, naturally-curly, and straight alike. I suspect it has something to do with the water. The tell-tell sign is when I clarify someone’s hair, I get a distinct metallic odor coming through the bubbles. This means the person has been exposed to chlorine, copper, and hard water. Not all my clients are swimmers, so I have deduced that they are bathing in hard water. To get your hair back into fighting shape, you first must start by getting all the metals and build up off. You can either use a clarifying shampoo or treatment.

• Most websites would tell you to use baking soda as a natural treatment. This was a fad not too long ago and saw severely damaged hair. Baking soda has a very high pH which opens the cuticle of your hair to wide. it will take everything out but the grit of the soda will rough up the cuticle of your hair too much, causing irreversible damage.

If you are a user of shampoo, use a good clarifying shampoo like Purify by Pureology or, my new favorite, Clarifying Rescue Treatment by Mop Top. These do the job well and give you a clean canvas to build on.
Next, deep condition your hair. A good hair mask that is thick and has healing properties like Pureology’s Strength Cure Restorative Masque will do the trick. It helps to heal micro-scarring like those caused by hard water and that bleachy blonde hair color we love so much. You can also find great diy recipes on Pinterest that include things like yogurt, avocado, and egg whites. These provide great shine and protein to your weakened strands. While you’re at it, give yourself a good scalp massage to release tension in your scalp and encourage hair growth. After you rinse your mask, condition your hair and rinse with cold water. This will slam down the cuticle, add shine, and tame frizz! Who doesn’t love that?If you do this on your day off and you don’t have to do your hair, don’t. Put a leave-in conditioner in your hair or, you can also add a few drops of jojoba and some essential oils like rosemary, lavender, or cedarwood to the palms of your hands and evenly finger-comb them through your wet hair. Then, let your hair air dry. This break from heat and wind is crucial at least once a week, even when you aren’t treating it to all this spa wonderfulness!
With your skin and hair feeling rejuvenated and renewed, take a breath for yourself and fill up on pumpkin spice everything (if that is what you are into). Don’t forget that these need to be routines. That means habit. I must remind myself every day that this is for the long haul and I deserve to treat myself. I have to admit, most days it feels more like a chore and less like treating myself. It is the same pep talk I have with myself before yoga or salad, ‘It is good for me and I will appreciate it later.’ Or, like Nike says, “JUST DO IT!”c