Get That Glow

If your New Year's resolution includes a fresher, brighter, more beautiful you—why not start with square one? (Your skin.) Here are three mind, body, spirit tips to shine:

1) Protect It:

Applying SPF-30 (or higher) to exposed skin in an elegant, non-toxic form is a daily must, even in the winter months. In our fair city, the UV index remains moderately high even in January. But brown spots, premature aging, and skin cancers can be prevented with a morning application of your favorite, carefully selected product. I say carefully selected because not all SPF ratings are the same (most don’t relate to UVA protection, only UVB), and mineral sunscreens (those that include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) deflect the sun without being absorbed into the skin, which is healthier.

Some of my favorite daily sunscreen products include two locally developed brands: Mission Essentials SPF-30 (we love this product so much, it is our “house brand” at my office) and Luca Max Sport Spray SPF-30, a pump spray and a favorite of my active male patients for its ease of application. I also recommend SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion and Sheer Physical UV Defense, which are both SPF-50 and have a light-as-air feeling, even while offering water resistance and oil-absorbing coverage.

2) Breathe It:

Did you know your skin looks and feels better when it is oxygenated? One of the best ways to ensure that all of your cells are getting the benefit of maximum oxygen tension is to exercise regularly, using a breath-based exercise practice such as yoga, pilates, or vigorous walking. A breath-based exercise practice pairs deep, conscientious breathing with movement. This does two things: the deep inhalation ups the oxygen content, bringing vitaility to all the cells of the body (in skin, this causes a glow), and a full exhalation decreases inflammation throughout the body (by raising the internal pH of the cells).

*Hint: Lactic acid is what causes muscles to be sore. Soreness can be a clue to breathe more deeply and slow it down a bit.

3) Meditate on Beauty:

I can not overemphasize the power of thoughts and images to create positive change in the skin and in our overall appearance. Culturally, we are trained to be critical of our appearance, but that is not our real truth. There’s a meditation that I do myself and which I highly recommend to restore the remembrance of beauty. Try it for just three minutes a day for about three weeks and see how radiant you feel.   Here ‘tis:

Close your eyes. Take several slow breaths and focus on the image of a pale, soft pink rosebud in the center of your chest. Feel your heart “smile.” Feel the smile become a little brighter each time you inhale. You can let the smile spread throughout your body and you may even feel it in your face and in your eyes as you see and feel the pink rosebud there in your chest.

Tah dah!! To a resplendent and beautiful you in 2013!!