With winter weather in full swing, 'tis the season of chapped lips and cheeks. Now's the time to shift gears and to concentrate on keeping dryness at bay. No one enjoys the itchy, inflamed skin that comes with cold temps and dry air, but here are six things you can do to keep from looking like something that Frosty the Snowman drug in.
Rethink Your Cleanser
When winter weather irritates your skin, the last thing you want to do is use a harsh cleanser. If your current cleanser leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, and not in a good way, switch over to a gentler version. EltaMD's Foaming Facial Cleanser contains enzymes to calm inflammation, and its oil-free formula is pH-balanced, so it won't strip away your skin's protective oils. Tip: If your skin is very dry or sensitive, limit face washing to once a day in the evening.
Pamper Your Pout
How often do you reach for Chapstick only to find your lips flaky and rough? Those waxy sticks are intended to prevent new damage, but they don’t hydrate at a deep level. If dry air and low humidity have left your lips less than lush, add a lip treatment product to your evening routine. Epionce Anti-Aging Lip Renewal contains healthy oils like flaxseed, safflower seed, and olive oil plus shea butter. For daytime, lock in that moisture with EltaMD’s UV lip balm, which also has SPF 30.
Mist Away Dryness
Have you noticed how your skin starts to feel dry and tight before the end of the work day rolls around? You can thank the heater for that lack of moisture. Since it's imperative to feel comfortable (and warm) when working, try spritzing a hydrating mist on your skin throughout the day. Just be sure to avoid plain water, which can dehydrate your skin further. Rose water, aloe, and squalane rehydrate and soothe, so look for these ingredients when adding facial mist to your routine.
Exfoliate Less, Hydrate More
To avoid adding agony to itchiness, limit exfoliation to once a week and consider using a gentle medical grade cleanser that contains salicylic or glycolic acid. IS Clinical's Cleansing Complex includes white willow bark extract and sugar cane extract to gently exfoliate skin without causing irritation.
Hydrate with Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is one ingredient we can't get enough of in skin care. It's a humectant, which means it attracts and binds water in the skin. Lots of other ingredients do the same thing, but hyaluronic acid can hold "6L of water in just lg." The body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, but adding a serum that includes it will help keep your skin plump and hydrated even during dry winter days.
Embrace the Night Cream
Your skin is in a constant state of renewal. In fact, "30,000 to 40,000 old skin cells" are sloughed off every day. To keep your skin producing healthy cells, it needs to rejuvenate daily. While the process is ongoing, it's important to seal in moisture, especially at night. If your skin is dry, consider switching to a cream in a jar, like Epionce's Renewal Facial Cream. It's perfect for "climate challenged skin" because it contains less water and has more occlusive properties, so it prevents moisture from escaping while the body works its nighttime magic.
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Dry air may make skin feel uncomfortable, but there's a lot you can do to avoid that in the first place. Put your skin's needs on your priority list and show it some love. You'll be rewarded for your efforts in the long run. And if you need any guidance or suggestions for medical grade skin care products that live up to the hype, just ask. We'll help personalize a skin care routine that will make your dry skin a lot easier to live with.
To your skin health,
Team Reflect
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