Skin and Hair Repair
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| Kim Vo is available at Montage Laguna Beach for color appointments every other weekend; call 949.715.6010. For more on Spa Gregorie's, visit spagregories.com. |
Summer is officially over and the season of flaky, dry, scaly skin and frizzy hair has begun. Because I'd like to be able to go out sometime in the next few months and not feel like a lizard with an afro – since that's what tends to happen to my naturally curly hair when it's dried out – I sought the guidance of celebrity hair colorist Kim Vo, who owns Kim Vo Salons at Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Beverly Hills and The Mirage Las Vegas, and Spa Gregorie's esthetician Shannon Taylor, who has been working in skincare as an esthetician for 20 years.
Here's what they had to say:
Why does the skin and hair suffer in summer?
Vo: Elements of nature are always challenging. Between sun exposure, dipping into the ocean and the chlorine [in] pool water, your hair is bombarded by many shine-stripping elements. The easiest way to protect and fortify is by using a weekly conditioning treatment like the Kim Vo Moisturizing Masque.
Taylor: Sunburns subject us to skin cancers, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, and an overall rough texture to the skin. Even with SPF protection, we still absorb the sun's dangerous rays and are aging the skin. Saltwater and wind also add to the dehydration of our skin.
How do we get them healthy again?
Vo: 1) Avoid using heat whenever possible (i.e. no blow dryer, flat iron or curling iron when possible).
2) Use a UV/color-protecting product line. Also, hair sunscreens are always a good idea when in the sun.
3) For extra damaged hair, trim on a regular basis to keep length while eliminating damaged ends.
Taylor: A great way to repair the skin after the summer is to get a facial that has a good exfoliant – not while you are sunburned – such as [the Spa Gregorie's] Organic Enzyme Peel by Arcona and to use some nurturing products at home. Arcona's Chamomile is really restorative and can be kept in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. Another wonderful facial is Epicuren's Enzyme Facial – it has a cinnamon peel and two wonderful healing/firming enzyme masks. If you have just recently been in the sun, a gentle hydrating facial is the best.
A body scrub or body facial is a fantastic way to repair the skin all over the body from sun and wind. The [Spa Gregorie's] Lavender/Tangerine/Honey Body Scrub is great or the Plush Papaya Body Facial.
I think that a body scrub in the shower makes a huge difference with sun-damaged skin. A great scrub is one from Mountain Glow, it has salt and oils
in it... that way you are exfoliating and moisturizing at the same time... Doing a soothing mask at home is ideal. Epicuren has a hydrating mineral
mask that is good for all skin types.
What are some tips to prevent summer damage next year?
Vo: A great trick for swimming is to bring an extra bottle of distilled water to the beach or pool and wet your hair with it before you go in the water. It fills the cuticles before you hit the saltwater or chlorine. The natural oils along with the distilled water will make a nice buffer.
Taylor: There are so many ways to get SPF [since] now we have many wonderful choices: from having it in our moisturizer [and] tinted moisturizer to... mineral makeups, which offer 20 or so protection. There are also great hats and swim clothes that have sunscreen built into them – these are great protection. Even if your hat does not have protection, a hat is a must while out in the sun, especially if you are using any alpha hydroxides or glycolic acids in your skincare regime.
