Armed with the right products, a little skill and a lot of know-how, us gals can fix a beauty blunder, create a whole new look and cover a multitude of sins in an instant. Then there are other beauty tasks that need a little more time to show results. Winter is the perfect time to start these long-term beauty treatments, so you can see the effects come summer (when you’re much more likely to be showing some skin and showing off the results!). Let’s take a look at the treatments you should consider starting, stat!
Anti-cellulite
Wouldn’t it be absolutely fab if you could get rid of cellulite instantly? Unfortunately, it’s a particularly stubborn beauty issue that takes a bit of work to get rid of. Cellulite can occur no matter what your body type and it’s certainly not a confidence booster come bikini season. Luckily, there are a few strategies you can start now to ensure your skin is smooth and firm by the time you step onto the sand.
Dry body brushing is a great and budget-friendly option that targets cellulite by stimulating blood circulation and smoothing the skin. All you need to do is brush problem areas for three to five minutes a day before showering – too easy! There are also topical creams that work to gradually break down fat deposits and smooth and tone the skin. These generally take anywhere from four to 12 weeks before you can see visible results, which is why it’s best to get a head start well before summer hits!
Hair removal
Grooming can be a total pain in summer. You can find yourself shaving your legs every day and who hasn’t been caught out with an unsightly bikini line after forgetting to take care of it pre-beach trip? The good news is, starting a long-term hair removal program like IPL in winter means that come summertime, you’ll have one less body maintenance step to worry about.
IPL (which stands for Intense Pulsed Light) is a proven Intense Pulsed Light technology that works to gradually reduce hair growth and achieve long-term hair removal for smooth, hair-free skin! IPL works by applying gentle pulses of light directly to the skin which target the hair follicle and reduce hair growth over time (with no ingrowns in sight!).
Devices such as the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL can be used throughout the winter months to achieve smooth, hair-free legs just in time for short-shorts and bikinis come summer! These treatments require an 8 week time frame to start with – another reason why winter is an ideal time to begin. During this time, you repeat your treatment once every two weeks for the first two months then every four to eight weeks after that to maintain hair-free skin! and to maintain results after the first 8 weeks, repeat treatments every four to eight weeks, and this will ensure that the hair root stays inactive and hair regrowth is inhibited.
The best part is, a treatment like IPL is pain-free and the device is cordless so you can use it from the comfort of your own home, and even in front of the TV (no professional therapist required!).
It is recommended to wait 24 hours after each treatment to expose the skin to sunlight. Since you’re much less likely to bare your legs during the chilly winter weather, it’s a pretty convenient time to get started! If that’s not enough of an incentive, you’ll start to see a 75 per cent reduction in hair growth after just four bi-weekly treatments. Cool, huh? Oh and did we mention the cost of IPL works out to be around $1.50 per treatment? Bargain!To find out about the range of IPL devices available check out Philips IPL website
Skin care regimen
It’s never too early to start protecting your skin from the signs of ageing. When it comes to anti-ageing ingredients, AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and retinol are two powerhouse ingredients that naturally plump the skin and work to encourage the skin’s natural renewal processes. There is one catch: when you start using products with these ingredients, your skin can become more photosensitive, meaning it can be more prone to sunburn when exposed to sunlight.
On the flip side, winter is an ideal time to start introducing AHAs and retinol into your regular skin care regimen, as the UV factor is lower throughout the day. Then, by the time the more intense summer sun comes around, your skin will be used to the ingredients and with the help of a little SPF, you shouldn’t experience any irritation.
Foot and nail fungus
It may not be glamorous but it is a real issue, am I right? And as if itchy, flaky feet weren’t annoying enough, getting rid of foot and nail fungus is no walk in the park, (which, ironically is how you might have contracted it). There are loads of topical treatments available to get rid of infections that cause these types of fungus, however most take at least four weeks to eliminate the problem altogether. Since foot and nail fungus causes some pretty unsightly side effects, and can take over a month to treat, getting it under control in winter when you’re wearing closed shoes is much more practical (and less embarrassing) than during summer when sandals and thongs are part of your daily uniform.
So beauties, while you’re camped out in front of the heater and enjoying countless rainy Sundays this winter, consider kick-starting these beauty treatments in order to reap the rewards come summertime.
What long-term beauty treatments have you tried? Would you consider starting something like IPL this winter?
