Baby it’s cold outside… Well maybe not for our friends in South Florida, however, during these winter months our skin goes through many changes. The drier and colder climate can dry us out like the desert. What do we do? Most of us apply some sort of moisturizer to calm the dryness. The number one complaint I get from clients at my esthetician practice is that their dry skin persists even with the daily use of the fanciest of moisturizers. What is the deal?
We will start with the obvious. Not everybody needs the same care.
In our looks obsessed culture, it is important not to fall into the advertising trap that is set to get you to buy more products. More products don’t always equal better skin. In our last issue, I broke down the skin care process into its four basic categories of products. Now we will expand on how to achieve moisturized skin.
When you have oily skin, often times this means that your skin has a compromised barrier function and it is harder for your skin to retain moisture. This can cause surface dryness also known as dehydrated skin. When the skin is dehydrated, it actually rushes to produce more oil. In order to fix this, one must find a way to rehydrate the skin and then seal in that hydration. The same can be said for chronically dry skin, however the type of moisturizer is much heavier and more emollient feeling for this type of skin.
Step 1: Rehydrate the Skin
Drinking more water is one way to rehydrate the skin, but that doesn’t work right away, drinking more water is a daily process that yields results later down the line. Hydrating serums work quickly and are effective, sometimes immediately, because they have smaller molecules that penetrate the skin on a deeper level. These can help significantly but only when the pores are open and can effectively absorb the hydrating serum. Look for serums with hyaluronic acid which will hydrate and plump unwanted fine lines. A fresh natural alternative is fresh aloe vera gel. For less than $2 you can pick up an aloe vera leaf and make your own serum.
Find a hydrating serum that you just love, love the way it feels on your skin, the way it smells, this will encourage daily use and help heal the skin faster. Apply the serum after cleansing and/or toning to optimize absorption, the skin should be slightly moist, not completely dry. Gently massage the serum all over face in small circles, also stimulating blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Remember, more serum does not equal more benefits, your skin can only absorb so much product so a dime size amount is usually plenty.
Step 2: Seal in Hydration with Moisturizer
Once you apply the serum, you must seal it in with your moisturizer. Ideally this would be done twice a day to keep the skin at optimum levels.
If you have oily skin you want to find a good water-based moisturizer that will feel light on your skin and won’t clog your pores. With the consistent use of a good hydrating serum some people can even do without moisturizer If you have very dry skin, look for a moisturizer that is thicker and has a heavier feel. The emollient-based moisturizers will sit on top of the skin and the larger molecules will seal in the hydration and moisture. A natural alternative could be olive oil which is an excellent makeup remover as well. It can leave a nice layer of oil on the skin that will work as effectively as most retail moisturizers.
Step 3: A Hydrating Mask
Once a week it is good to do a hydrating mask. Something that you leave on for 20 minutes and wash off. There are tons of masks on the market and they are now sold at the checkout lines in stores everywhere. Be careful with these as they sometimes contain harmful ingredients and can actually dry out your skin even more. Unless you are purchasing a mask from a licensed professional, I suggest looking into natural options instead. One of my favorites is manuka honey. This is special honey that contains higher than normal levels of antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties. A manuka honey mask will leave your skin feeling hydrated and soft. Follow me on Instagram for more skin care tips.
