Winter is THE time of year for massive dehydration of the skin.
Follow these simple tips to help your skin stay radiant all winter long!
- Foamy cleansers may strip your skin too much during the winter. Try switching to a creamy cleanser during winter. Creamy cleansers actually cleanse the skin beautifully but don’t strip precious moisture! If you’re on the oily side but feel that flaky skin and tightness, consider cleansing in the morning with a light creamy cleanser and a foaming cleanser at night. My favorite creamy cleansers: Lira Clinical Mystiq Illuminating Cleanser and Circadia Amandola Milk Cleanser. These cleansers cleanse the skin wonderfully, but do not leave you tight or dry.
- Use a nourishing toner. Humectants in serums and moisturizers may actually pull water from within your skin when humidity levels are low in the atmosphere (think – dry heat in the house, dry heat in the car, low humidity outdoors). Spritzing with a non-astringent, nourishing toner before applying serums and moisturizers can feed your products water that they can lock on to and hold that moisture to your skin rather than pulling it out. This little step can go a long way towards keeping your skin plumped up and more hydrated.
- Warm (not hot) water. Hot water is a big factor in over-drying skin – especially during winter. Try to use warm water when you’re cleansing instead of piping hot!
- Water Quality is Important! Here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, we have extremely hard water and we tend to have very elevated levels of chlorine. Both hard water and chlorine are very drying to the skin. The very same heavy mineral content that causes your dishes to come out with the white mineral film on them, or your faucets to have limescale build-up is being splashed and sprayed on your skin every day. There is a definite link between the quality of the water you use and the health of your skin. A nice option is a shower filter that softens the water and removes chlorine. Both Sprite Shower Filters and Aquasana brand shower filters have versions that will both adjust the pH (soften the water) and remove chlorine and contaminants from your shower water.
- Exfoliate gently. Too much aggressive exfoliation can dry out the skin, cause irritation, and prematurely age your skin. Gently exfoliate once or twice a week to keep the skin smooth, and go for exfoliants that also have hydrating properties. A Dew Puff is a great alternative to other forms of exfoliation and gives you a gentle polishing every day as you cleanse.
- Increase Your Professional Spa Treatments. So many of us focus on skin care during the warm months, but the cool months can bring on a whole host of skin care woes. See your skin therapist for regular spa treatments during the winter months to focus on hydration and nourishment of the skin. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels both have a better result when the skin is nourished and hydrated beforehand. Additionally, the results of such treatments last longer when regular nourishing spa treatments are performed. Lastly, the nutrients that can be infused into your skin during a professional spa treatment combined with high levels of hydration can protect your collagen and elastin, plump fine lines, and serve to slow down the appearance of the aging process. Who wouldn’t want that!?