Take a Beauty Break and Look your Best!

Usually, once a year, I spend about a week at the beach with my family.  When I do the beach thing I tend to abandon anything that reminds me of my every day routine, and that includes applying makeup and blow drying my hair.  During this week of taking a beauty break, so to speak, I noticed that my hair shined and my skin looked luminous.  Now I attribute much of this to the fact that I wear sunscreen on my face daily and I use good quality products on my hair, so every day care definitely makes a difference.  But taking a break from hair styling tools, daily application of hair products and daily layering on of makeup truly does give you and your looks a much needed breather.
 
Help for Your Hair

Did you know that one of the main causes of dry scalp is the brutal heat that screams out of your blow dryer?  While this is certainly not the case for every person, if you have dry scalp issues and blow dry every day, taking a break can show you if the blow torch, um, blow dryer,  is a culprit.  A lot of blow drying is also dehydrating to the hair strands themselves and is a frequent cause of split ends.  A great thing to do during your 'break from blow drying period' is to apply a deep conditioner and comb it through from roots to ends with a wide toothcomb.  Leave it on over night or while you are exercising.  A few rounds with a clarifying shampoo would be ideal too, as this break from applying hair products, coupled with the chelating shampoo, will really get your tresses truly clean and void of any build up.  And here's a smart tip when it comes to using your blow dryer:  dry your hair to about 80% percent, then you're done.  If you can let the last 20% air dry you will really be doing your locks a favor.
 
Face Reality

Think about all we do to our face in a normal day.  Cleansing, toner, moisturizer, some women apply foundation, concealer, blush, eye makeup, powder and brow related cosmetics.  That is a lot of layers of beauty products on top of the skin, so it's no wonder sometimes pores get clogged.  When you take a beauty break and don't apply makeup (continue to use your normal skin care routine), it's as though you are taking your skin on its own vacation!  You know how every day life piles up on you and you can sometimes feel like you could really use a break from all that weighs you down?  Well that is how your skin feels sometimes, with day after day and week after week of makeup suffocating it almost constantly!  When you are free of makeup for a week or even a few days, it gives your skin needed rest and a chance to 'detox'.  When I get a facial my skin feels so clean and healthy.  You can do your own steam, scrub, and mask at home, mimicking a spa visit.  Your skin will love this ~ trust me.
 
One Step Further

Why not take your beauty break one step further and remove all nail polish so your nails can rest and recuperate?  Use nightly doses of a rich hand cream and push back cuticles to keep them supple and healthy.  Soaking in a little lemon juice can help if your nail tips aren't as white as you'd like.  You can also massage in whitening toothpaste to help nails look brighter or soak in fizzy denture tablets with whitening power!
 
While much of beauty has to do with maintenance and constant grooming, leaving every thing alone can work wonders for you looks and your confidence, too.  After going a few days without the everyday makeup and hair helpers you rely on, you will come to appreciate what you were born with so much more.  The foundation is always what all else is built upon anyway, so take care of what you have naturally and let your own beauty shine through.

Photo Credit © Andi Berger | Dreamstime.com