When I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I took my great skin and hair and weight management for granted. I thought my skin would always be that smooth and glowing and I would never gain more than 5 or so pounds. Boy was I wrong! Now my skin gets dry at the drop of a hat and I have gained a few extra pounds I am finding harder and harder to get rid of! My husband commented that I may be part alligator since my skin was so dry. I guess that was a big enough hint that I needed to take better care of my overall health. Here are a few tips I am following on how to have smooth skin all year long:

How To Have Smooth Skin All Year Round

• Wear sunscreen all year round. The sun can give you a pretty bad burn int he winter as many people forget to apply in the colder months.
• Soap can strip your skin of essential oils that keep your skin soft. Consider using a water free cleanser instead.
• Take a good Omega-3 supplement. This keeps your hair and skin soft and supple from the inside out!
  Drink plenty of water as it hydrates your skin.
• Just say no to a toner in the winter. Because many are alcohol based, this can dry out your skin.
• Watch out for wind chapped lips and skin. Wearing a scarf and a moisturizing chap stick will help protect it.
• Change out your old razor every few months to avoid razor burns.
• Watch that eczema. In the winter, it can flare up. Make sure you have some hydrocortisone cream on hand and use it liberally.
• Watch your water temp. If you are using the wrong temperature water in your shower or bath, it can adversely effect your skin. Recent research which was presented at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting determined that 103ºF (± 2ºF) was the ideal temperature range for maintaining optimum skin condition.

I was always under the impression that cooler water was better for your skin. Imagine my surprise when I found that cold water can cause pores to tighten, making it difficult to thoroughly clean skin. If your water temperature in the bath is too hot, it can dry out your skin. Either way, you can kiss goodbye that soft and glowing skin of your youth! WHen I try to get the perfect water temperature, I feel a bit like Goldilocks. Either my water is too hot or tooc old, but it is never just right. At least until a few days ago when my husband installed the Delta Temp2O shower head. With the Temp2O Technology, I can dial in my optimum temperature every time I take a shower.

With the Delta Temp2O shower head, which sells for $85, I can dial my water temperature to 73 degrees (cold), 103 degrees (warm) or 113 degrees (hot.) With the Delta Temp2O shower head, you get:

• LED digital temperature display, which can be powered by three AAA batteries or by water!
• Better water conservation, based on the WaterSense certification.
• The Soft, rubber spray holes makes it easy to wipe clean. Say goodbye to calcium and lime build-up!
• 6 spray settings include, Full Body, Full Spray with Massage, Massaging, Shampoo Rinsing, Shampoo Rinsing with Massage, Soft Drench

Watch the temperature change in my shower from Hot (red) to Cold (blue) and the different water flow settings here:

You can purchase your Delta Temp2O shower head as well as other Delta products from your local Home Depot. Be sure to follow Delta Faucet on Twitter and like them on Facebook. One USA reader will win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card! Good luck!

What do you do to get back the skin of your youth?