Pride News Canada's Leader In African Canadian & Caribbean News, Views & Lifestyle
By Jean Pierre
Pride Health Columnist
It is that time of year where every mass camp is abuzz with carnival preparations. Costumes are beautiful and well fitting and some leaves nothing to the imagination. However let us think of the bodies they will adorn.
BEAUTIFUL FACE – GREAT MAKE UP – HEALTHY SKIN:
Makeup on eyes and lips will bring out the beauty of the face. However skin should be flawless and not need much makeup, as the heat of the day and perspiration usually fades the makeup as the long day passes. Masqueraders, you should start taking care of your skin now. Visit your aesthetician for a consultation if your skin is not in top condition. Your aesthetician will recommend the appropriate products and treatment necessary for your skin type and condition. Otherwise, skin in excellent condition only need a simple treatment of exfoliation or enzyme peel a few days prior to the carnival, which will have you glowing all day long.
BEAUTIFUL BODY: Be Bare As You Dare (Clean bikini line and underarms)
Everyone wants to put their arms in the air and jump-up to the music, but not with hyperpigmentation, razor bumps or scarring of the underarms. Laser Hair Removal can give the underarm a smooth, clean look. Check with a laser technician and be sure that the laser is the right strength for the use on black skin and the technician has experience working with black skin. Check out the bikini area which may be exposed by the type of costume one is wearing. A series of laser treatments on the bikini area will leave the bikini line clean and smooth.
The other alternative is shaving, tweezing, depilatories, sugaring and waxing. All temporary forms of hair removal and can leave discoloration of the area, the dreaded ingrown hairs and unsightly razor bumps. If you are sensitive to any of these temporary forms of hair removal then laser should be your treatment of choice.
Everyone will agree that this winter was a very harsh one. We can also agree that the layering of clothes that is necessary to keep us warm and comfortable prevents circulating air from entering the body, causing excessive dehydration of the skin. This excessive dryness leads to itchy, ashy and flaking skin. To bare it all, opt for an exfoliating body treatment that will remove dead cell build up and hydrate the skin leaving it silky, soft, smooth and glowing for the parade.
BEAUTIFUL FEET IN DANCING SHOES: (Good Pedicure – no calluses or corns)
Begin treatment now. Comfortable shoes and great feet are necessary to jump-up and enjoy the parade. The parade route can be very taxing on the feet, so they should be free of corns and calluses. Now is the time to visit your nail technician and start pedicures which will whip your feet into shape to withstand the grueling hours of the parade. With feet free of corns and calluses you will be able to jump-up and enjoy the music, fun and festivities all day long.
GLOWING HEALTHY SKIN: (Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate)
A word of caution to masqueraders and spectators: summer heat causes loss of water and some salts through the skin. This is the mechanism of cooling the body temperature. However increased activity and being in the heat all day can cause one to feel tired, create lack energy and allows individuals to become irritable. Whenever this occurs it is generally a sign that the body is losing too much salts and water and is slowing becoming dehydrated. When we feel thirsty we usually drink lots of water. However when the loss is severe we can get muscle cramps, stomach pains and even faint.
During the grueling hours of the parade masqueraders should equip themselves with electrolyte fluids such as real fruit juices, Lucozade, Gatorade and Pedialyte etc. These liquids will prevent excess loss of fluid from the body. Since you may not enjoy the taste of some of these electrolyte fluids, you can eat an orange with a tad of salt, or lots of orange and cantaloupe the day prior to the parade. Drink to your health.
Follow these simple instructions and you can be as bare as you dare on the parade route with skin that glows from head to toe and be very well hydrated.
Photo by Anthony Sladden.
