Amazing Organ
Skin is an amazing organ: strong enough to provide a barrier against the elements and sensitive enough to register the slightest touch. Skin helps us regulate body temperature, protects underlying blood vessels and muscles and aids in synthesizing vitamin D from sunlight. But it accomplishes all this at a price.
Radiant Skin Skin is the first layer against defense it takes quite a beating, especially in winter. Dry, cold air literally sucks moisture out, leaving skin parched, tight and flaky, which in turn makes it less flexible and more susceptible to cracking. Fortunately, this isn't inevitable. By incorporating the following simple steps into your daily routine, you can
enjoy healthy, radiant skin all winter long.
Winter Skin Care When it comes to winter skin care, the most important thing is to keep your skin from drying out in the first place," says Margaret Weiss, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md. "And the
best place to start is with your cleansing routine, since washing removes the protective surface oils from your skin. "First, avoid makeup removers that contain alcohol or witch hazel, because these chemicals dry skin out, especially around the eyes.
Tips For Skin Care
Instead, use plain vegetable oil, suggests Pratima Raichur, N.D., author of Absolute Beauty Through the Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda and owner of Tej Ayurvedic Skin Care Clinic. Then wash your face. If your skin is normal, you should use a non-soap cleanser like glycerin or Cetaphil once a day, advises Weiss. If it's dry, you can forego products altogether and simply rinse with warm water. Those with oily or combination skin should choose a cleanser in the normal to oily range and wash twice a day. Then follow with a moisturizer.
Oily Or Combination Skin Skin that is oily or combination skin, you may be shaking your head at this advice. Don't. "Even if your skin is oily, you still need protection," says Joni Loughran, author of Joni Loughran's Natural Skin Care (North Atlantic Books, 1998). Look for a noncomodegenic product (meaning one that won't clog pores) containing 4 to 8 percent alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and use just a little where you're driest. If you have normal skin, use a light moisturizer, again only where you need it (usually just on the cheeks and neck).
The Moisturizer
For dry skin,
look for a medium to heavy moisturizer and apply all over your face. The colder and drier the air around you, the heavier a product you should use.And absolutely everyone should use a moisturizer around the eyes. Since there is very little muscle or fat to support this area, it's one of the first parts of the body to show the effects of aging. Be sure to apply moisturizer with your middle or ring finger so that you aren't as likely to tug or pull at the skin.
Take Skin Care Seriously Skin care should be taken seriously you should keep in mind when selecting a moisturizer: Products that contain humectants (urea, lactic acid) will attract moisture from deeper tissues in your body. Plant-based ingredients like safflower, canola, shea butter and sweet almond oils will penetrate the skin, while also making it appear smoother.
Petroleum & Minerals As for mineral oil and other petroleum products, they've gotten a bad rap, according to Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me: An Eye-Opening Guide to Name-Brand Cosmetics (Beginning Press, 1998). She points out that there is no research proving that mineral oil is bad for your skin and that it is in fact a totally benign smoothing and softening agent. Still, petroleum products aren't readily absorbed into the skin; instead, they work like a kind of sealant that "locks in" moisture by preventing water from evaporating off of your skin.
Avoid Dry Skin
Skin that is dry could get damaged further if moisture remains the same. Another way to draw and hold moisture to your skin is with a hydrating mask, such as the one suggested by Pratima Raichur (see "Pamper Yourself with a Winter Facial"). These
masks are especially good for dry skin, which will benefit from weekly treatments. Look for "hydrating" or "for dry skin" on the label.