“For me, personally, skiing holds everything. I used to race cars, but skiing is a step beyond that. It removes the machinery and puts you one step closer to the elements. And it’s a complete physical expression of freedom.” -Robert Redford
What Skiers Need for Skincare
Normally when you go skiing, you are covered head-to-toe in snow gear. Because of this, most people don’t think about the need for skincare when hitting the slopes. We are here to tell you why it is especially important to use the proper skin care when skiing.
Skin itself
Our skin is made up of approximately 60% water. The sun, wind, humidity, and temperature can all work against keeping your skin hydrated. They can also cause issues with speeding up aging, pigmentation (brown spots), and even acne.
Cleanser
A lot of people think it’s ok to use any garden variety cleanser on your skin but this is not the case! A lot of over the counter cleansers contain harsh chemicals that strip the skin from natural oils. When this happens, your sebaceous glands (the ones that produce oil) go into overdrive and will push out more oil than normal. As a result, you can develop acne. And what snow bunny wants acne?
Serum
Ever heard of the term “free radicals”? These are produced when rays from the sun come into contact with your skin. Ultraviolet rays will penetrate your skin creating unstable atoms, and these unstable atoms produce free radicals. The best way to avoid this is to wear sunscreen and use a serum with antioxidants. Vitamins C and E top the list and can be the most helpful in preventing free radical damage.
Moisturizer
Not all moisturizers are created equal. In fact, most moisturizers have a lot of filler ingredients (i.e. water). In medical grade moisturizers, it’s common to find substances like hyaluronic acid. This is a substance naturally found in your body. What makes it so special is that one molecule of hyaluronic acid will attract to it 1000 molecules of water, which is a lot! So if you think about putting this on your skin, it does amazing things for keeping your skin hydrated.
Sunscreen
There are two basic types of sunscreens: physical and chemical. Physical block sunscreens use zinc or titanium which cause sun rays to bounce off your skin. They are generally more expensive but provide better protection. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, are absorbed by the skin along with the sun’s rays. They are much more common than physical sunscreens but will still work to block sunburns, etc.
Another thing to keep in mind when skiing is the altitude. According to the World Health Organization, “at higher altitudes, a thinner atmosphere filters less UV radiation. With every 1000 meters increase in altitude, UV levels increase by 10% to 12%.” While this might not seem like a lot it can make a big difference. This is even more of a reason to use sunscreen religiously when skiing!
What to use?
I’m glad you asked. We created a company that tailors customized skin care systems for people just like you. It’s done via a diagnostic we build just for you. It takes 2-3 minutes and can be done on your phone. The products selected are dropped to your door with instructions. Check it out when you get a chance (click here) and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
To great powder days,
Team Reflect
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