Winter Skin Care Tips

The dry air, windy conditions and freezing temperatures that come with winter cause peeling, noticeable wrinkles, and even broken capillaries. Here’s the scoop on what you need to do to hydrate and save your skin during the winter doldrums:

1. It starts on the inside. Drinking enough water during the day does wonders for your skin. How much water should you be drinking? Take your weight and divide it by two to get the number of ounces you should be drinking per day!
2. Add moisture to the air. Not only is the air outside dryer during winter months, but the use of heaters inside wreaks havoc on your skin. Using a humidifier will help combat that dryness and add some moisture back to your skin!
3. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Harsher conditions mean that your skin needs extra love this time of year. Be sure to moisturize day and night with a heavier moisturizer than you would choose in the summer months. Look for moisturizers that contain jojoba oil and ceremides which help balance sebum and protect your skin’s delicate barrier. Moisturizers with these ingredients absorb nicely and do not clog the skin.
4. Avoid pore clogging products like mineral oil or petroleum as they can lead to breakouts. This rule also applies to lip balms and makeup.
5. Avoid harsh cleansers and over exfoliating. Cleansers with alphahydroxy acids (AHA’s) and scrubs strip the skin of its natural oils. Save those for the summer months. A light exfoliation is okay during winter as it will help sloth off dead skin cells and help products to penetrate. Just be mindful of irritated skin. If your skin is red and tender, lay off the exfoliating for a few days.
6. Sunscreen still applies. Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean the sun isn’t still strong. Apply SPF every day after you moisturize!

If you follow these tips, you will save your delicate skin and come out of the cold winter months glowing!

Winter Skin Product Recommendations

Now that we’ve addressed easy tips and tricks for combating the harsh elements of winter and how they affect your skin, here are my favorite products:

• Cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser, like PCA SKIN Creamy Cleanser, that will not strip your skin of its delicate barrier.
• You can incorporate a Clarisonic brush once a day to help sloth off dead skin cells and brighten your complexion.
• Moisture is key. For normal to oily skin types, I recommend a moisturizer like PCA SKIN Hydrating Serum which contains soothing aloe vera and is anti-inflammatory. For normal to dry skin types, you should consider Glymed Plus Cell Science Daily Repair Mega-Moisture Cream
• Use a yummy hydrating mask once a week to really boost your skin’s defenses. I recommend, Glymed Plus Cell Science Ultra Hydrating Enzyme Masque. This mask will gently exfoliate your skin while leaving it soft and hydrated.

Trust me…if you want to have skin that is healthy, hydrated and glowing, try a few of these recommendations and you will see the results!