How Winter Skin Care Works: Tips To Glow In The Snow

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By Elizabeth Rago

womanskinThe harshness of winter calls for a modified approach to skin care in relation to the summer months and even though we might be tempted to slather on moisturizer and call it a day, it’s best to know how your skin responds to the cold weather. Sure, the exposure to extreme elements takes a toll on the skin, especially if your profession warrants you working outside, but the bigger culprit is lack of humidity in the air and the dryness that heating units bring to homes and offices.

We all know we should drink more water and switch up our skin care regimen, but how can you kick skin care up a notch in winter? Here are 8 tips to glow in the snow:

1 – Enroll in Moisturizer 101

Figure out your winter skin type. You are one, if not a combination, of the following: normal, oil, dry, sensitive, or mature. If you are not sure, Mayo Clinic has a convenient guide that can help you determine the nature of your skin. Next, consider the definition of the two kinds of moisturizers: humectants and emollients. Humectants draw water from the middle layer of the skin and the environment to the outer layer, while emollients seal in moisture. Skin care manufacturers often create product where emollients and humectants work together in moisturizers to hydrate the stratum corneum (aka, the outermost of the 5 layers of the epidermis).

2 – Troubleshoot with a professional.

Take the guesswork out of your skin type and resist blindly selecting a cleanser and moisturizer appropriate for your specific needs by reaching out to a dermatologist or esthetician. These professionals are trained to dig a little deeper and help you get to the root of your skin care concern.

3 – Bust out the Vaseline for your body.

If you are not taking a proactive approach to moisturizing your skin during the winter and persist to scrape a razor blade over the top layer of your skin, no wonder you are seeing cracks similar to the parched floor of the desert. Petroleum jelly contains no colors or fragrances, is hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic and has a variety of uses to protect and soothe irritated skin. Classified as an emollient, petroleum jelly seals in moisture and can also help diminish the pain of plucking your eyebrows.

4 – What’s the big deal about humidity?

Bottom line, it’s dry in the winter. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors. Most likely heating units are firing quite often and when they do, moisture is sucked out of the air. Skin irritation arises right along with difficulty breathing and static electricity if indoor humidity is too low.

In the winter, humidity should be in between 30 and 40 percent. Any lower and you risk increasing the battle of dry skin and cold-like symptoms.

5 – Moisturize within 2 minutes of showering or washing.

WomanCreamAfter you wash, towel off and leave the skin a little damp. Moisturize using a fragrance-free product, one appropriate for the body and one for the face. FYI – men are not excluded from skin care maintenance, even if they have a facial hair. Under-the-beard skin maintenance means using a beard conditioner and weekly exfoliant. The all-male guide to fitness and health, Men’s Health, suggests using an aloe-based cortisone cream or soothing aftershave with vitamin E to calm the skin as opposed to a universal body moisturizer.

Other suggestions include buying a believable bronzer that is not too dark for your complexion and working a serum into your nighttime skin care regimen. Truth be told, a take-charge attitude and consistent strategy when it comes to treating dry skin is the key to glowing in the snow. Off with you now! Plug in the humidifier, size up your skin, moisturize and repeat.

– Elizabeth Rago is a writer working alongside Thrive Medical Spa specializing in health, wellness, and women’s lifestyle content, working with yoga studios, chiropractors, mental health, and wellness practitioners. Elizabeth writes the weekly column, The Circular Home for Chicago Shopping (an editorial partner of the Chicago Tribune) and is Senior Editor of All Things Girl, highlighting topics related to the modern domestic woman. She has been published in various online magazines. Connect with Elizabeth on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.