Does the cold weather have your skin acting under the weather? Your skin can change due to changes in the weather and therefore your skin care regimen should change as well accordingly. We have some tips to help you get your skin back under control to make it through.
1. Exfoliate- When it is cold outside, and the heat is on inside, it can deplete your skin’s natural moisture making your skin dry, tight and flaky. People tend to load up on the creams and moisturizers during this time, which does not always solve the problem and can even lead to clogged pores. If your skin is dry, it means that you have a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of your skin. So rather than loading up on creams to rehydrate dead skin cells, increase your exfoliation to remove the dryness. Exfoliation helps to remove excess layers of dead skin and allows for serums and moisturizers to penetrate the skin more effectively. Exfoliating procedures such as Microdermabrasion, HydraFacials, and Chemical Peels are in-office procedures that can help to relieve dry, flaky skin and encourage healthier skin cells to the surface of the skin. At home you can exfoliate once or twice a week, in the evening, by using the following regimen: Cleanse with a gentle scrub such as SkinCeuticals MicroExfoliating Scub, then rehydrate skin with SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Mask (leave on for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water), then apply SkinCeuticals Retexturizing Activator (which provides exfoliation and hydration), and lastly SkinCeuticals Emollience Moisturizer.
2. Change Up Your Skin Care Routine- What works for your skin during the summer months may not be what your skin needs during the winter months, so it is not uncommon to need products to fit the weather that each season dishes out! In the winter, a more gentle cleanser and hydrating toner may be needed to address dry skin in lieu of foaming or gel type cleansers that are more suitable for the summer when your skin can be more combination or oily. We like SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser and SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner. And for goodness sakes, DO NOT USE SOAP! Soap is extremely drying, and the wrong pH to use on your skin, and will therefore wreak havoc upon your already dry skin by creating more layers of dead skin cells.
3. Avoid Harsh Products- Dry skin can be very sensitive to harsh products and ingredients. During the winter months, avoid using products that include alcohol or overly abrasive scrubs. Many over the counter scrubs include exfoliants, such as crushed fruit pits, walnut shells, and corn kernels, which are very jagged and can tear the skin and create irritation. Many people think that the more they scrub, or the more gritty the feel of a scrub, the better it will work which is untrue. Jagged scrubs will cause microscopic tears in the skin causing damage and allowing for bacteria to enter the skin. When your skin is dry, use gentle products that are alcohol free and scrubs that only contain spherical microbeads to gently exfoliate. Scrubs should only be used once or twice a week. One of our favorite scrubs is SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub.
4. Apply Serums and Moisturizers to damp skin- Serums and moisturizers are absorbed better within the skin when skin is damp. Apply these products after showering by gently patting the skin so that it is damp but not soaking. For facial serums and moisturizers, cleanse and tone the skin, then pat the skin with water so that it is damp but not soaking, then apply any type of serum first, followed by a moisturizer. A Hyaluronic Acid based moisturizer like SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel will help to absorb 1,000 times its weight in moisture and draw it into the skin to rehydrate and plump the skin.
5. Avoid using hot water- Hot water strips the skin of moisture and natural oils. When it is cold, hot showers always feel great. However, try to use tepid water when you can. If you absolutely love your hot showers, then try turning the water down to tepid when washing your face in the shower and minimizing the length of your hot showers to cut down on dry skin.
6. Use a hydrating mist- Hydrating mists are very helpful in setting makeup, especially mineral foundations, however they can be used throughout the day to give skin the added moisture that it needs. Moisturizers that are applied in the morning can evaporate as the day goes on, making hydrating mists very vital. Finding a hydrating mist that contains antioxidants like Jane Iredale POMMISST Hydration Spray or Jane Iredale Balance Hydration Spray is an added bonus!
7. Drink more water- This goes without saying, but we all know that water is good for not only our skin but our bodies overall. Water helps to hydrate our skin and flush toxins from the body that can cause inflammation. If plain water does nothing for you, then try adding some lemon juice, lime juice, or investing in a fruit water infuser bottle to give water some added flavoring.
8. Use a humidifier- During the winter months when the air is dry, it can likewise rob your skin of moisture, making it dry. Keep a humidifier running in your bedroom at night to keep moisture within the air, and in your skin.
9. Properly care for your skin after the gym- Sweat contains salts and toxins. When you let sweat dry on your skin, a crust of irritating salts and toxins are just sitting on your face mixing with dead skin cells, bacteria, oil, (and for those of us that wear makeup to the gym) makeup. Yuck! It is a disaster waiting to happen in the form of irritated, dry or inflamed skin. Make sure to bring a gentle cleanser and toner in your gym bag to rinse and rid your skin of sweat after a workout.
10. Don’t neglect other dry areas- Remember to exfoliate and apply products to the entire body during cold weather. The friction caused by layered clothing, turtlenecks, gloves and scarves can cause irritation, due to rubbing, and dryness. Your body, neck, hands and decollete are areas that can sometimes be overlooked. To exfoliate and hydrate these areas, we suggest the following regimen: try dry brushing prior to entering the shower to help exfoliate. In the shower, some of our favorite exfoliants to use are SkinCeuticals MicroExfoliating Scrub, SkinCeuticals Clarifying Cleanser, or Flora Body Scrub. After your shower, pat skin dry but leave slightly damp (moisturizers will absorb better with damp skin), then apply a moisturizer all over body such as Flora Body Moisturizer and for hands, neck and chest SkinCeuticals Neck, Chest and Hand Repair Cream or Obagi Neck and Decollete System. During the day, always remember to follow up with a good sunscreen such as SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion SPF 50, even on cloudy days!
11. Heal those chapped lips- Speaking of remembering to not neglect other dry areas, the lips are often an area that we overlook until they are sore and chapped. Cold weather for most often means an ongoing battle with chapped lips and the constant need of application of lip balms which never really resolve the problem. Antioxidants help to heal your skin and protect it from aging and are just as effective when used on the lips for preventing dryness and aging. SkinCeuticals Lip Antioxidant is one of our favorite treatments for the lips for all seasons to keep them hydrated and healthy. SkinCeuticals Lip Antioxidant fights the signs of environmental damage and effectively attracts and maintains water to replenish lip tissue. We recommend using this treatment first then following with Jane Iredale Lip Drink which is a lip balm that contains antioxidants as well as a mineral based sunscreen to further heal and protect the sensitive lip tissue. How often do you apply a sunscreen to your lips? That area is still prone to sun exposure which is why applying your sunscreen to the area or using the Jane Iredale Lip Drink is so vital to preventing aging lips, and maintaining the lips fullness and youthful appearance. Make sure to avoid licking your lips as well! Did you know that digestive enzymes that are in saliva can break down the skin, causing your lips to crack? So if you haven’t done so already, kick that habit!
12. Always follow your skin care regimen morning and night- Sleeping on your pillow at night, touching your face all day long, without intentionally meaning to do so means that morning and evening your skin is subjected to bacteria, dirt, oil, and pollutants…this makes your face one of the dirtiest parts on your body! Therefore, it is important for the health of your skin to cleanse in the morning, and at night, to reduce oil, bacteria, pollutants and dead skin cells. Also, moisturizers evaporate when on the skin all day, so even though you may be tired from the day, try to be diligent in cleansing and applying your products in the evening to ensure that your skin stays moist and balanced.
The Bottom Line: Following these tips is sure to make for getting through the cold winter days with gorgeous, glowing and healthy skin. Below is a condensed list of the procedures and products recommended in this article by our estheticians. And remember, skin care consultations at Dr. K’s Med Spa, with our estheticians, are always free!
- Exfoliating In-Office Procedures Recommended for Winter:
Microdermabrasions, Hydrafacials, Chemical Peels - Facial Cleansers and Scrubs:
SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser, SkinCeuticals MicroExfoliating Scrub - Facial Toners:
SkinCeuticals Bioconditioning Toner, SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner - Facial Moisturizers:
SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, SkinCeuticals Emollience - Facial Exfoliants:
SkinCeuticals Retexturizing Activator - Facial Masks:
SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Mask - Hydrating Mists:
Jane Iredale POMMISST Hydrating Mist, Jane Iredale Balance Hydrating Mist - Body Scrubs:
SkinCeuticals MicroExfoliating Scrub, SkinCeuticals Clarifying Cleanser, Flora Body Scrub - Body Moisturizer:
Flora Body Moisturizer - Hand, Neck and Chest Care:
SkinCeuticals Hand, Neck and Chest Repair, Obagi Neck and Decollete System - Sunscreen:
SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion SPF 50 - Lip Care:
SkinCeuticals Lip Antioxidant, Jane Iredale Lip Drink
We provide Free Consultations at Dr. K’s Med Spa. We encourage you to call us today at 727-888-6609 to set up your consultation to seek the right treatments for you and your skin care needs. We are conveniently located in Largo Mall at 10500 Ulmerton Road in Largo (next to the Yogurtland in Largo Mall)