Dry Skin 411

For many of us, cold weather makes the skin feel dry and appear dull.

Dry skin contributes to uneven skin tone and texture, which causes the skin’s appearance to look aged. If not treated properly, it can damage the skin’s moisture barrier over time, causing the skin to wrinkle and sag much faster.

What can you do? Here are some great tips:

• Exfoliate GENTLY twice a week. If you have sensitive skin, an at home enzyme solution works great. Apply a thin layer all over, keep on for at least 5 minutes. If you decide to use a scrub, use a gentle scrub, massage evenly all over the face in circular movements lightly- do not rub too hard! You will damage the skin and potentially cause inflammation, which contributes to the damaged moisture barrier.

• Use products with Hyaluronic Acid. It is a molecule that acts like a sponge for moisture- it holds 1000x its own weight in water.

• Avoid products that have alcohol in the ingredient panel. Alcohol strips the skin and makes it worse.

• Facials once every 3-4 weeks will help slough off dead skin and boost new skin cell rejuvenation. Keeping the pores cleaned out will help your skin absorb products better so that you are getting the maximum benefits.

• Include good sources of Omega 3 in your diet- flax seeds, avacados, fish are some good sources. If you decide to take supplements, it’s a good idea to check with your healthcare professional on how much to take.

• Make sure to drink at least half of your body weight in water every day. If you drink alcohol and work out, add at least 2- 3 more glasses to that.

• For dry lips, apply a dab of eye cream before applying a lip balm for extra soft lips.

Most importantly…see your Esthetician to review your skincare regiment. The skin is always changing, and things need to be tweaked through out the year!