Afternoon beauty fix: Give your skin a boost with exfoliation

I’ve heard Madonna is a fan of oxygen skin treatments—and despite a few missteps, she always looks great! Should I follow her lead and partake in regular oxygen facials and body treatments?
Scientific theory states (vaguely) that oxygenation is the process of amplifying the availability of air to certain areas (your skin and bloodstream, for example) and allowing them to “breathe.” Well, your skin doesn’t actually breathe because you’re not an amphibian, you’re a human—meaning your nose, mouth and lungs do all the work. What oxygen cosmetic products and procedures are actually doing is helping clear your pores so they can absorb more nutrients—which is indeed a good thing! While the odd blast of oxygen to your skin may help it appear more youthful, the science remains controversial to scientists who believe the effect is actually a temporary swelling of the pores and not long-term plumping like poor Madge probably wishes for. Instead of splurging on a spa treatment, why don’t you try to disencumber your pores of anything disruptive by way of exfoliation? I like the Renaissance Body Glove ($25, danielehenkel.com) because it improves the microcirculation of your blood and eliminates dead skin cells on both your face and body. It’s a non-surgical, natural and inexpensive way to improve your skin’s tone and texture, and also an alternative to Madonna’s beauty ideals which, as we all assume, are a little out of our league anyway.

In need of an afternoon beauty pick-me-up? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.

The post Afternoon beauty fix: Give your skin a boost with exfoliation appeared first on FASHION Magazine.