In comes the cool weather of fall. Out goes the moisture in your skin. Unfortunately, for most of us this process is unavoidable due to the ever changing extreme temperatures in the winter months. Combine that with low humidity, wind or snow and you are doomed to see some changes in your skin. Instead of seeking a doctor consultation for a full body skin replacement procedure, there are a few things that we can do to keep our skin looking its healthiest.
Often times, when your skin changes, your skin care regime has to change as well. Let’s say you’re experiencing dry skin. With that can come sensitivity to some of your favorite, foamiest cleansers.
Dry skin happens from a lack of oil in the skin and now you’re using a cleanser whose purpose is to rid your skin of oil as well. It only makes sense that some of your cleansers will leave your skin feeling parched after washing your face. A couple of cleansers that you may want to give a try would be Cetaphil, Cerave, or Mac’s Cleanse-Off Oil. Personally, I have sensitive skin which becomes dry and easily irritated. I am happy to report these products gave me zero irritation. Sometimes they worked so well I’d forget to moisturize as I wasn’t experiencing that normal, dry, pulling feeling after cleansing.
Now that you’ve made an adjustment in your cleanser, you may have to make an adjustment in your moisturizer as well. It could be that your skin is requiring more moisture or more oil than before. Save yourself some hard earned cash for holiday shopping and sample some options before buying. Moisturizers can be expensive to invest in and there’s nothing worse than being left with a bottle full of moisturizer that stings your face. Sure, you could return it I suppose. But why even go through all that? As always, once you get home with your baker’s dozen of samples, don’t go crazy. Sampling works best when you try one product at a time, for a few days in a row. You could also consider going natural with moisturizers such as shea butter, olive, apricot, or jojoba oil which are my personal favorites. Remember moisturizing in the winter months is key in helping to create a barrier between the harsh world and your delicate dermis.
Stay hydrated. Your skin will look healthier and it will thank you by showing you. Mayo Clinic recommends your daily water intake should be around 13 cups if you’re male and about 9 cups if you’re female. However, this is just an estimate and intake requirements vary from person to person.
Hello, exfoliator. Meet your new best friend- me! During the winter our skin gets dry creating an abundance of dry, dead skin cells that love to hang out and make you look even more wrinkly. There are two ways to exfoliate your skin- either by chemicals or physical exfoliation. During the winter months, I’d invest in a skin scrub or microdermabrasion scrub as their chemical-exfoliating opponents can be rather irritating. There are a ton of chemical exfoliators, but common ones include retinols, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, lactic acid and glycolic acid. Just remember to scrub cautiously and softly as we don’t want to irritate our skin more. Most advice out there will say to scrub 1 – 3 times per week, again varying from person to person and their sensitivity to it.Finally, invest in a face water spray or face setting spray. With dry skin comes the look of dry skin when makeup is applied. Even the best makeup blenders can’t blend in that mineral powder foundation without looking dry. Using a spray will not only help set your makeup but will also moisturize your dry skin. There’s nothing worse than looking too powdery. A few sprays I recommend are Evian Facial Water Spray and Mac’s Fix+ Spray. Fix+ has a really nice scent as well. It’s kind of like aromatherapy in a can. You could also make your own rose water and get your own sprayer if you’re a D-I-Y diva. Sprays are great for airplane traveling or for whenever you need a little instant refreshment.
Vaseline Lip Therapy can not only be used as a lip balm by both you and your little ones. It can also be used as a makeup remover when traveling, therefore reducing your luggage size. That’s a huge plus. In a pinch, you can also use it as a hand moisturizer or to tame your hair’s crazy fly-aways. Another product to try is Lanolin. New nursing moms know about lanolin all too well. I use lanolin as an intense hand cream and lip gloss all the time. It’s also great for boo-boo’s and it’s natural to boot.
Stay warm and moisturized this season as we take in the nostalgic smells of the holidays. May visions of gumdrops dance in your heads.
