Skin Care Tips You Can Take From The Baseball Field
As the old adage goes, spring has sprung. Just a few of the perks of the season include sunny days, cold drinks and baseball. If you’re a baseball fan, you likely caught Opening Day of the 2015 MLB season this week.
Of course those immaculate fields didn’t come together over night. So in the spirit of America’s favorite sport, let’s talk about the practices we can borrow from field prep and apply it to the skin.
PRIME THE INFIELD SKIN
It feels like we just got the hang of caring for our skin during the coldest months of the year, but sure as the seasons change, we must respond too with a switch up of the routine. As it is with most things in life, in order to start anew, we have to say goodbye to the old. In prepping the field for play, the infield skin has to be cleared of debris and excess dirt, and given a once over with the nail drag to smooth it. So how does this translate to skincare you might ask? One word – exfoliation.
Start the transition into spring by cleansing and exfoliating away the dull, dead skin and debris that has built up over the winter. Granular scrubs that use ingredients like bamboo and jojoba, will help you ready your skin for the nutrients you’ll apply next to rebuild it. Professional peels and facial treatments are also great for a post-winter clean up. Also, seek out products with ingredients like retinols, lactic (L) acid or salicylic acid, as these all work to give the skin a fresh start.
REBUILD THE DAMAGED AREAS
During every game, damage occurs to the areas surrounding the pitcher’s mound and home plate. Aside from removing debris, these areas are often rebuilt with new clay and strengthened with soil conditioner and hydration. At this point, your goal is to also rebuild and strengthen your skin cells. The best way to do this? With ingredients that aim to regenerate, strengthen and nourish the cells, such as epidermal growth factors (EGF), peptides and antioxidants. Look for these in serums, toners and shave oils.
MAINTAIN THE TURF
Last, but not least, the turf on the field must be adequately hydrated and protected from weeds, pests and disease. On the field this is done with irrigation and in many cases environmentally safe forms of weed and pest control. Luckily in our case, we don’t need to turn to pest control. Instead we can turn to zinc oxide to protect the skin and deuterium oxide (D2O) to keep it hydrated. D2O (nicknamed ‘heavy water’) relies on its density to richly moisturize, and zinc oxide, a natural mineral, blocks harmful rays while providing antimicrobial and anti fungal support. These heavy hitters should be a part of your daily routine.
Just as professional baseball fields are maintained daily to prevent extreme damage and costly repairs, if you make your skin a top priority, focusing on cleansing, rebuilding and protecting, you’ll have healthy skin for years to come.