This wicked winter weather seems to be never-ending! Given the ongoing below-freezing temperatures and the snow piling up, people are spending more and more time in the drying heat of their homes. As a result, we’re hearing quite a few complaints about dry, itchy, crusty skin. While an early spring would bring an end to the misery on many fronts, here is a quick review of how you can get dry winter skin under control fast.
- Humidify your home. Adding a portable humidifier to your bedroom will start correcting the problem at its root and will give your skin a break while you sleep.
- Eliminate products containing fragrance for the time being. This includes perfumes, body products such as lotions that are scented with any fragrance other than essential oil, and fabric softener. Most of the time, you can begin using your favorite products after the warmer weather returns, but synthetic perfumes are going to be nothing more than an additional irritant to overly-dry skin.
- It’s certainly not appealing on a ten degree morning, but keeping your shower short and cool will also help enormously. Hot showers promote further moisture loss from the outer layers of your skin. If you just can’t give up this part of our routine, then apply a fragrance-free body lotion immediately after showering while your skin is still damp, and cover it up right away to trap moisture next to your skin.
- Ease up on the alcohol; increase H2O. Exchange that second glass of wine for water – and hydrate from within.
- Don’t scratch. Pick up a tube of 1% hydrocortisone at the drug store and slather it on before bedtime. This over-the-counter strength is not harmful, but avoid long-term usage (more than 10 days). Hydrocortisone will ease the itchy feeling, and most brands are available in an emollient base that will also help moisturize.
Great Cold Weather Skincare:
Here are our ‘staff picks’ for heavy-duty hydration through the next month:
NIA Intensive Recovery Cream - This is a best-seller that not only inhibits moisture loss, but also delivers pro-Niacin directly to the skin. Niacin is a strengthener – and the result is firmer, stronger, supple skin. Great for face, neck, chest and hands; and we’ve heard it puts LaMer in the corner when it comes to hydration. 110.00
Jan Marini C-Esta Cream – Time and time again, guests return to this tried and true favorite during the winter months. The heavier base is great for all but oily skin types, and makeup glides on over the top of this cream making it as ideal for day as it is for night use. We’ve not found a product yet that beats it for firming. 90.00
Aveda’s Tourmaline Hydrating Cream – This product gets kudos for being a great bargain as well as a super treatment cream. Tourmaline is ideal for giving skin ‘radiance’ – or that glowy look that we crave in the dead of winter. As a cream-based product, this one also hydrates extremely well – great bang for your buck. 35.00
For more information on treating your ‘winterized’ skin, please contact us today!
Andréa Bradley-Stutz, Director
Ology Spa/Aesthetics/Medicine
