If all your skin care products are in the bathroom, you’re doing it wrong. Dr. Paul Hazen, dermatologist at Associates in Dermatology in Westlake, picks out three items found in your kitchen that can benefit your summer complexion.
Milk: Sure, it’s good to drink for your bone health, but try bathing in it whenever your skin starts to feel dry. Rich in lactic acid, which is part of the alpha hydroxy family, milk offers a natural refresher. “Cleopatra was well ahead of her time,” says Hazen. “Using milk baths full of lactic acid, that acts as a gentle peeler for your skin.”
Adolph’s meat tenderizer: With summer barbecues come unwanted guests: mosquitoes. Use the grilling staple, Adolph’s meat tenderizer, to soothe the unavoidable bites by adding a little water to and massaging it into the affected area. “It contains a chemical called papain,” Hazen explains. “When applied early on, it denatures some of the toxin that has been injected and can significantly reduce the intensity of the reaction.”
Coffee: Coffee has always been a trusted pick-me-up, but the caffeine affects our skin too — and not in a I’m-perky-in-the-morning way. “If folks are fair-skinned and have caffeine, which expands blood vessels, it can cause a fast heart rate and flushing of the skin,” Hazen says. If you can’t quit caffeine, green tea has a lower dose that can help get you through the morning blahs.
