Is your skin feeling dull? Do you need a pick me up? Don’t worry you are probably not alone. Winter can remove a significant amount of hydration from your skin. Due to the dry air that lingers for months, coupled with dry indoor heat, this can really be problematic for your skin. Experiencing extremely cracked, flakey and dull skin can leave you at a loss when it comes to figuring out how to resolve the issue.
The good news is that you don’t need expensive creams or treatments to start addressing the problem. Most importantly, don’t ignore the signs! Rachael Pontillo, an on-air Healthy Skin Expert and author of Love Your Skin, Love Yourself explains “Hydration is very important for preventing early signs of aging, as well as protecting the skin from the elements. Once skin is hydrated, it is also important to seal that moisture in with a nourishing and protecting moisturizer. This will fortify the skin’s acid mantle and prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).”
Below are 3 inspirational ideas that will get you excited about your skincare routine this winter.
1. Start adding oils
Natural oils like coconut oil and avocado oil are an excellent option for making your skin feel smoother or less dry. Incorporating oils can reduce fine lines, shrink the appearance of large pores and address acne problems.
Try adding an oil to your favorite moisturizer or liquid foundation. Oils also help to create a sealant to keep moisture in your skin. “My go-to ingredients would have to be jojoba oil and squalene. Both oils can be added to a moisturizer, used alone and applied to the body, face or hair. They both are similar or mimic the sebum naturally produced by skin and hair, anti-aging, eliminate scars and have a vast amount of properties that moisturize and retain skin hydration. Hydration is the key to youthful skin!” shares Gabriela Babila Founder of Matana Organics.
Keep in mind oils only keep the skin’s water content, not add to it.
2. Add this key ingredient to your routine.
You might be missing a key ingredient to get your skin feeling it’s best. Nicole Pearl the founder of The Beauty Girl says you better grab your Hyaluronic Acid. “Hands down Hyaluronic Acid. It retains 1,000 times its weight in water. If you’re looking for moisture, this is the holy grail ingredient. I love it as a serum, but you can find it in all types of formulas including creams, lotions and gels” Sejal K. Shah, MD Board-certified Dermatologist says that hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant. Some of Shah’s other top ingredients include Ceramides and Niacinamide which can be found in products geared towards dry skin.
3. Get creative with food
Eating certain foods and using them on your skin can help boost hydration! Leticia Huston a Licensed Esthetician says give your skin some relief from frigid winter temps and dry indoor heat by winterizing your skincare with this simple mask recipe.
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2 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt
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1 tbsp of honey
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apply to skin and neck for 7-10 minutes, then remove.
Huston explains that the lactic acid in yogurt dissolves dead skin cells while honey draws moisture to the skin for a healthy glow. Now that’s a win!
Want to find ways to double the impact through your diet? Obviously water is a must but there are other ways to give your skin a little attention from the inside. “Instead of incorporating different foods into your diet to support hydration I love a healthy green smoothie in the morning to help support my body and skin. My favorite has to be Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie which contains spinach, celery, apple, pear, banana and lemon. She is the smoothie guru and all her smoothies taste delicious with the perks of leaving your skin hydrated and glowing.” Explains Babila.
With these three steps you will be on your way to glowing hydrated skin this winter.
