And so this is winter… It officially started on December 21st. For me winter means the onset of an annoyingly itchy back followed by flaky skin on my legs (which hints at the necessity to wear stockings). This is just the beginning of winter weather complexion issues. Tight, dry, flaky facial skin that increases the propensity for lines; a paler complexion which lacks life and radiance; or increased sensitivity that means red, chapped skin that can no longer tolerate your summer skin care routine (assuming you just marched along without thinking you needed to change products and start using a richer cleanser and a more emollient moisturizer. The key here is to act now, before these issues get out of control.
DRY SKIN:
Winter air is often arid and accompanied by harsh winds that rob your skin of it’s protective oil, leaving you with an impaired lipid barrier. Go for a moisturizer that’s extra-rich to protect your skin. Try using your night cream under your sun screen/moisturizer. Look for a new, high tech ingredient derived from rosemary oil, called Ursolic Acid. this amazing ingredient boosts your skin’s natural production to produce more barrier lipids found in-between surface skin cells creating a cushion that calms, softens and protects your skin. Along with that, you need the perfect antidote for alipidic skin (skin that is not producing needed oil). Skin that is stripped of its own is oil should be using a facial oil. Extra gentle facial oils contain ingredients like Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Seed Oil which not only lock in moisture but help calm sensitivities.
Try Intensive Lipid Repair night cream ($55.50 at Elizabeth Renee Esthetics) or Environmental Protection for Sensitive Skin ($42.50 at Elizabeth Renee). If your skin is not too sensitive add a little anti-aging retinol to your oil with FijiGirl Facial Oil ($24.50).
DEHYDRATED SKIN:
Dryness and dehydration aren’t the same thing. Dry skin lacks oil while dehydrated skin lacks water. Indoor heating draws humidity out of the air. This lack of humidity can zap water from your skin leaving it flaky, tight and rough textured. For dehydrated skin, make sure you are exfoliating properly. Lactic Acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that also boosts the moisture content of your skin. Also, instead of adding extra oil to your skin try adding ingredients that attract and retain water, such as phospholipids and hyaluronic acid.
Try Hydraessence hydrating serum ($42.50 at Elizabeth Renee) and Moisture Infusion night cream ($48.50 at Elizabeth Renee).
BODY TROUBLE:
Flakey legs in winter need extra exfoliation as well as moisture. Legs encased in winter leggins become extremely dry and flakey. Before you apply your favorite body lotion (which should be daily) add a few drops of a glycolic acid serum to that lotion. The glycolic acid will dissolve those dead, dry cells on your legs. These cells must be removed because they’re past the point of rehydration. Glycolic Serum is also exceptionally effective for Keratosis Polaris, which is those goose bump looking things you get on your upper arms. Apply glycolic Serum neat, every day to the effective areas.
My favorite body lotion is our classic, Avocado Body Lotion (still only $18.50 at Elizabeth Renee) to which I add a couple pumps Glycolic Serum 15% ($48.50).
DRY HANDS:
In winter many of us suffer from dry, chapped hands. The best ingredient for winter dry hands is Shea Butter. Emollient and protective, try leaving your Shea butter based hand cream on your night table to apply every night before bed. Wearing cotton gloves over a your hand cream really improves its efficacy.
My favorite is the super rich and emollient formula is our Hand Revitalizing Treatment ($25.50 at Elizabeth Renee)
CHAPPED LIPS:
As soon as the dry, cold air appears clients are frantically searching for the best lip treatment to get them through another cold New England winter. If your lips are at the point of peeling you must exfoliate first. A gentle but effective way to do this is not by using your scrub (which may be too irritating for this gentle membrane). Try using gentle enzymes to dissolve dead, peeling skin. Follow with an effective lip protector that does not contain petrolatum. Petrolatum is okay as a short term fix but can perpetuates dryness over the long run. Instead choose vitamins (like vitamin E) for lip repair, and take advantage of the new lip peptide therapy (think ogliopeptides) to encourage real repair.
Try Elizabeth Renee’s Lip Exfoliator ($22.50) and follow it with our client’s top choice to fight chapped lips, our Lip Treatment ($19.50). I make sure to carry our Lip Treatment with me all the time, all winter long (and so does my grand daughter Ava).
While you’re considering the best products to treat your winter dry skin you should also be thinking about which facial to choose the next time you visit Elizabeth Renee Esthetics Skincare Spa. One of the most effective, with state-of-the-art cell therapy, to get dry maturing skin to act like a younger version of itself is our Cell Youth Facial. Click the link to find out more about this and other Elizabeth Renee Facials.
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