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5 great skincare tips for cooler temperatures
(BPT) – It’s that time of year again, the time of year when you forget about sunburns and start worrying about windburn. Yes, sadly, the cooler months are here and winter is in full swing. That means long coats, scarves and an entirely different skincare routine.
Skincare you say? True, it’s easy to forget about your skin when it’s covered by all those extra layers, but dermatologist Dr. Anne Chapas, who is the founder and medical director of Union Square Dermatology, says cooler months are when skincare, particularly lip care, is most important. “The skin is our first line of defense against environmental elements, but the skin on our lips has extremely unique properties. It is one of the most sensitive areas of skin, so they require special attention in order to maintain a healthy appearance,” says Dr. Chapas.
With that in mind, Dr. Chapas offers these tips to help you keep your lips and the rest of your skin feeling and looking healthy no matter the temperature.
* Nurture your lips. The cooler months are hard on your lips. Not only are they exposed to cooler temperatures daily, behavioral habits like biting or licking your lips can also be damaging. “What most people don’t realize is that common behaviors such as drinking wine or coffee and eating salty or acidic foods can dry out the lips,” says Dr. Chapas. “But drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and applying a moisturizing lip balm can help counteract the effects of these activities and improve your lip health.” Chapstick Hydration Lock Moisturize and Renew is a dual-ended lip balm that delivers long-lasting moisture to the lips and works great to keep the skin on the lips moisturized and replenished in the cooler months.
* Protect your hands. Your hands are often left exposed during the cooler months, especially if the cold air has dried your skin, making gloves or mittens painful to wear. Dr. Chapas says products that contain shea butter and lanolin are great for counteracting the abuse your hands endure.
* For your scalp. A thicker, moisturizing shampoo will reduce dryness on your scalp and prevent itchiness as temperatures drop.
* Remember the time of day. Don’t use the same skincare products for day and night. Instead, use products with protective, moisturizing benefits to guard your skin during the day. At night, switch to heavier creams that offer more hydration. Your skin will absorb this extra moisture while you sleep. For example, ChapStick Hydration Lock Day & Night contains two distinct formulas specific for day and nighttime use.
* Don’t forget the sun. Just because you’ve traded in your sunburn for windburn doesn’t mean you don’t need SPF. “UV damage can happen year-round,” says Dr. Chapas. “In fact, we are closer to the sun in the wintertime, and the sun can reflect off the snow, further amplifying its rays and causing sun damage. This makes it so important to incorporate sun protection into your skincare routine, regardless of the season.” Areas like the lips where skin is thinner will need even more attention and protection, since they are so sensitive.
On those coldest days when you’re bundled in layers, remember your skin needs extra protection and these simple tips will help your skin stay healthy during the cold weather season. To learn more about protecting your lips visit ChapStick on Facebook or Twitter. For more information on Dr. Chapas visit the Union Square Dermatology website.
Lynch Eager To Use Newfound Knowledge With Raptors
by Brent New
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
There’s an awakening in Steve Lynch’s eyes — a feeling that after a seven-week journey in rugby-stalwart New Zealand, Lynch has grasped onto a whole new level of understanding for the sport that he has loved for more than a quarter of a century.
The longtime Glendale Raptors coach was encased in something of Rugby Rhapsody, calling his recent trip to play in the prestigious Four Nations Maritime Rugby Cup one of the most valuable experiences of his coaching career.
“I learned more about rugby in the past seven weeks in New Zealand than I have in the past 10 years I’ve coached,” Lynch said. “The experience and the people I met were unbelievable. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
As far as what it means for the Raptors’ growth and success, time will tell. And when and if it does, it will probably be hard to sort his experience from all of the other happenings that will go on to define the organization.
Nonetheless, Lynch is eager to spread his newfound knowledge in an effort to help better the Raptors.
“We realized what things we really need to focus on with our guys,” Lynch said. “We saw what it takes to be elite ruggers and I am excited to bring that experience back here.”
Lynch, who is also the Director of Rugby for the Navy, transformed 28 active-duty service men with rugby experience into full-time ruggers to compete in the 30-year-old tournament in Devonport, New Zealand.
Certainly a slim-to-none favorite in the tournament, and maybe even less than that, his patched-together team actually held its own through most of its matches against the seasoned navy teams from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. But eventually the U.S. fell in all of its matches and watched rugby power New Zealand upset the United Kingdom for the tournament championship.
The next Four Nations Maritime Rugby Cup will take place in 2017.
“We kind of knew that these were teams who were on another level than we were,” Lynch said. “We had players who played on different temporary club teams around the world, while these teams were full of full-time players that have been together for years. These players have been playing the game their whole lives. It’s like being Alabama in football and playing the Broncos.”
Didn’t feel like a loss though. At least once things settled.
Josh Barry, a homegrown Raptors youth star who played on the U.S. military team, said the tournament helped him realize what it takes to compete at an elite level. When asked about it, he vowed to learn from it and bring his skills to the Raptors’ organization this winter.
“Just the technique and skill of those players was unbelievable,” said Barry, who finished his service two months ago and is currently trying out for the Raptors’ Pacific Rugby Premiership team. “We weren’t elite like the other teams. We definitely saw what it takes to be the best.
“You never want to lose, but we were able to take away experiences that changed all of us for the better. We’re better and smarter players because of this trip, even if we didn’t get the result we wanted.”
The U.S. team’s biggest prize may have come before the tournament anyway.
The makeshift squad spent more than three weeks of training for the tournament, some of it with the likes of international rugby talents such as former New Zealand All Blacks captain and renowned rugby coach Buck Shelford.
The feedback was eye-opening, Lynch said. The international stars said they were impressed with the conditioning and athleticism of the U.S. players, but were just as astounded with the lack of technical skills that accompanied that raw talent.
The team’s focus was clear from there.
“Shelford is a celebrity in the rugby world. To work with him was so invaluable,” Lynch said. “These guys helped us really see that we don’t have the fundamentals down like we need to. I mean the great players perfect it and practice the fundamentals relentlessly. We aren’t close to where we should be in those skills.”
Lynch, who returned to Glendale late last year to coach the High-Performance Academy and help with the men’s team, has already been a pioneer in growing the game of rugby in the United States.
Now, he said he is eager to help take the sport he loves to the next level. And luckily for the Raptors, he’ll start in Glendale.
“Had a couple of drinks with the coaches over there and they believe America is kind of a sleeping giant in rugby,” Lynch said. “If we start perfecting the fundamentals to go along with our superior athleticism, we would dominate the sport. That’s exciting to hear.”