Winter Skin Secrets
Winter Skin Secrets
One more week until winter! The idea conjures visions of gently falling snow and a city blanketed in white, but the reality is a little different – biting winds and subzero temps, not to mention the slush. Ohhh the slush.
Or maybe you’re not local to NYC, reading this from a sunny porch with an iced coffee nearby. If that’s you, I’m jealous. But despite the differences in climate, as long as we’re in the same hemisphere we have some of the same issues that demand an update to our skincare. Enter my Winter Skincare Tips.
1. First things first, hydration is 🔑 key 🔑 The drier winter air saps hydration from our skin, and if you’re in a cold climate you have heating with which to contend. I like to layer hydration with lightweight serums like REOME Active Recovery Broth and Cosmetics 27 Essence 27. PRO TIP: Get a humidifier for your home and/or office to combat the parching effects of all that heating.
2. It’s time to level up your moisturizer. We recently welcomed French brand Cosmetics 27 to the studio, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. C27’s Baume 27is my No. 1 go-to for winter skin, and they have outdone themselves by recreating its sorcery in multiple weights. If you have oilier skin or tend to like gel creams best, Baume 27 Creme Legere is the option for you. If you have skin as dry as an armadillo’s armpit or like rich, dense creams, Baume 27 will be your savior. There’s even a Baume 27 Serum that somehow magically captures the restorative effects of my favorite cream in a soothing and barrier-friendly fluid.
3. Don’t skimp on your antioxidants. You might think that more severe weather calls for fewer actives, and you’d be partially right. In the cold, dry and windy seasons, our skin barrier needs to be protected from the aggressive elements, so scaling back exfoliation is typically advised. However, don’t scale back your antioxidants, as they will help neutralize the free radicals that do make it past your potentially compromised barrier. In layman’s terms: stay consistent with your Environ C-Quence Serums or Verso Super Facial Serum. If you’re contemplating stepping up to the next level of Environ C-Quence, it could be helpful to stick with your current level a little longer. Less UV exposure means less depletion of the Vitamin A stores in your skin, so increasing your dosage now could actually trigger a retinoic reaction. It seems paradoxical but that’s the science, so stick with your current level and stay consistent.
4. Speaking of UV, sunscreen is important ALL YEAR ROUND. Sure, the winter days are shorter and yes, the earth is tilted away from the sun, however UV is omnipresent. If the sun hath risen, UV rays abound. Cloud cover can reduce UV rays by up to 50%, so even a cloudy day isn’t an excuse to omit the SPF from your routine. Not to mention, if you’re engaging in snow sports, the reflection of the sun on the snow is even more damaging to your eyes and skin than just the UV rays emitted from the fireball in the sky. So wear your SPF, or wear a balaclava and sunglasses, and don’t say I didn’t warn you! My top picks are Mesoestetic Light Water Antiaging Veil SPF 50+ and Le Prunier Plumscreen SPF 31.
5. Don’t neglect your hands and lips! Our skin is dry, we’re washing our hands to avoid whatever illness is circulating atm, so snag a hand cream to restore that moisture. Environ Hand & Nail Cream is perfect to have on the go, and the DS & Durga I Don’t Know What pump bottle is excellent for your kitchen/bathroom counter or to keep at your desk. For dry, cracked lips, or to prevent them from becoming so, Verso Lip Serum is my go to. It strikes the perfect balance of juicy without being sticky, and it absorbs but still keeps the surface protected. Get one for each coat, it’s that good.
As always, should you find yourself in a skin predicament, we are here to help! We’ll be available throughout the holidays, however the studio will be closed on Dec 24, 25, 26, 29 and Jan 1.
xx Raquel
