Winter Skin Blues

Winter Skin Blues

     Sub-zero temps, forced air, fireplaces and low humidy season is upon us.  If winter has you feeling and looking as parched as a fasting pickle, you're not alone.  There are some tried and true skin fixes that will give your skin the hydration and moisture it is lacking and plump you right back up.  The keys are to add humidity to the places where you spend the majority of your time and to make simple yet significant changes in your skin care routines and ingredients to help your skin adapt to the harsh environment.  

     I love old, vintage homes, especially the kind with the beautiful, clean, non-drying radiant heat.  I'm not too mechanical and am not sure why we don't warm our homes this way any longer, but the truth is...most of us dwell and work in environments that continually blast us with dry, hot air.  This is not doing our skin any favors.  Cozying up to the fireplace is a true blessing of winter, but with the same drying effect on our skin.  This last year, we added a whole house humidifier, because we do not live in a vintage home and our fireplace is well used...very well used.  It really has made a difference.  My youngest daughter has very low-lipid skin (bumpy,you can see her skin flake kind of skin).  She is the baramoter of humidity in our home as it reflects greatly on the dryness of her skin and her overall comfort.  Her skin is loving the whole house humidifier.  It is certainly easier than filling, cleaning and refilling humidifiers in rooms too!  You can even buy a humidifier for your car... for under $20....awesomesauce! 

     Lets talk about skin care.  You will want to boost the exfoliation of your skin in the colder months.  Skin is constantly renewing and shedding.  Layers of dead skin accumulate.  This does two things, impedes all those lovely moisturizing ingredients from entering your skin and doesn't allow your skin to "breathe" or take in moisture from the air.  It only makes sense to remove that build up.  (Your skin will look brighter and more radiant too..bonus!)  Now is the time to schedule a deep exfoliation with your esthetician and perhaps a sugar or salt scrub for your whole body.  Skin is an organ of elimination.  Keeping it fresh and exfoliatied will enable it to more efficiantly get rid of toxins. 

    Add additional exfoliation for your face and body in your home-care routine will keep your skin soft and supple.  Using a skin renewing alpha hydroxy cleanser every other day will boost exfoliation.  My favorite body exfoliant is Buff, a combination of papaya enzymes and skin scrubbing jojoba beads.  When showering, use a natural made soap.  Most commercial soaps remove much of the glycerin (humectant) from the soap.  Hand made natural soaps retain all this glycerin and often contain many moisturizing skin-loving oils.  You will notice a big difference.  Try not to linger too long in that hot shower, switch to cooler temperature for a bit before leaving and don't dry completely before applying your moisturizer.   This also makes your hair smoother.  A moisturizer with a good balance of fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol will protect your skin's barrier.  Humectants, such as hylauronic acid or algae applied in a serum before your moisturizer or added to your moisturizer will lock that moisture in.  A skin oil, customized to your skin type will also help further lock in moisture.  If your skin is prone to breakout, consult with your esthetician as to which oil is best for you.  Some oils are comedongenic, but there are a few that dry, acneic skin will tolerate.  

     You can beat the winter skin blues and retain healthy glowing skin even in the coldest of months.  If you have additional skin questions or wish to schedule a face and body exfoliation, contact us here!  Happy New Year!