WINTER SKIN CARE

The weather outside may be unsightly, but your skin doesn’t have to be. How to banish dry skin and give your winter skin care regimen a boost?   For many people, the cold days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. They also bring uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. For some people, the problem is worse than just a general tight, dry feeling: They get skin so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed).

As soon as you turn the heat on indoors, the skin starts to dry out.  It doesn’t matter if you heat your home using oil, wood, or electricity. The skin gets dry.

Sound familiar? Read on to get tips for boosting your winter skin care regimen, so that your skin stays moist and healthy through the winter months.

1. Seek a Specialist

If you go to your local drugstore, you’ll be hard put to find a salesperson who can give you good advice. That’s why going to an esthetician even once is a good investment. Such a specialist can analyze your skin type, troubleshoot your current skin care regimen, and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using. Book a facial today to prep your skin for the cold months ahead.

2. Moisturize More

You may have found a moisturizer that works just fine in spring and summer. But as weather conditions change, so should your skin care routine. Find an “ointment” moisturizer that’s oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. (Hint: Many lotions labeled as “night creams” are oil-based.)  But choose your oils with care because not all oils are appropriate for the face. Instead, look for “nonclogging” oils, like avocado oil, primrose oil, or almond oil. Shea oil — or butter — is controversial, because it can clog facial pores. And vegetable shortening, is a really bad idea. It would just sit on the skin and be really greasy.

You can also look for lotions containing “humectants,” a class of substances (including glycerine, sorbitol, and alpha-hydroxy acids) that attract moisture to your skin.

3. Slather on the Sunscreen

No, sunscreen isn’t just for summertime. Winter weather — even combined with an overcast day — can still damage your skin. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face and your hands (if they’re exposed) about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply frequently if you stay outside a long time.

4. Give Your Hands some TLC

The skin on your hands is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it’s harder to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather. This can lead to itchiness and cracking. Wear gloves when you go outside; if you need to wear wool to keep your hands warm, slip on a thin cotton glove first, to avoid any irritation the wool might cause.  Another tip is to apply a thick moisturizer to your hands and put on cotton gloves before going to bed

5. Avoid Wet Gloves and Socks

Wet socks and gloves can irritate your skin and cause itching, cracking, sores, or even a flare-up of eczema

6. Hook Up the Humidifier

Central heating systems (as well as space heaters) blast hot dry air throughout our homes and offices. Humidifiers get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. Place several small humidifiers throughout your home; they help disperse the moisture more evenly.

7. Hydrate for Your Health, Not for Your Skin

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Drinking water helps your skin stay young looking. In fact, it’s a myth. Water is good for your overall health and the skin of someone who is severely dehydrated will benefit from fluids. But the average person’s skin does not reflect the amount of water being drunk.  It is a very common misconception.

I see clients who drink their 10 to 12 glasses of water a day and still have superdry skin. It just doesn’t do that much.

8. Grease Up Your Feet

Yes, those minty foot lotions are lovely in the hot summer months, but during the winter, your feet need stronger stuff. Try finding lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine instead. And use exfoliants to get the dead skin off periodically; that helps any moisturizers you use to sink in faster and deeper.

9. Pace the Peels

If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin. Instead, find a cleansing milk or mild foaming cleanser, a toner with no alcohol, and masks that are “deeply hydrating,” rather than clay-based, which tends to draw moisture out of the face. And use them a little less often. beauty girl on the snow background

10. Ban Superhot Baths

Soak in in a burning-hot bath feels great after frolicking out in the cold. But the intense heat of a hot shower or bath actually breaks down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture. “You’re better off with just warm water,” LaPlante advises, “and staying in the water a shorter amount of time.”

A lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda, can help relieve skin that is so dry it has become itchy, Bielinski notes. So, too, can periodically reapplying your moisturizer. If those techniques don’t work, go see a dermatologist. “You may need a prescription lotion to combat the dry skin,” Bielinski says. “Or you may have a condition that isn’t simply dry skin and that requires different treatment.”

Whether it’s spring, summer, autumn or winter; our skin needs special attention. Summer and winter are two seasons in which extreme environmental factors prevail: the sun, the dry air and the snow can all take their toll on our skin. Spring and autumn, on the other hand, represent the perfect time to renew, to recover from previous environmental aggressions and emerge restored and refreshed whilst prepping the skin for harsher climates. Autumn is here, and you can definitely notice the changes in the weather. The drop in temperature has already started to cause issues for our skin. The skin becomes dryer throughout autumn and winter as it attempts to recover from the vast amount of summer sun. Luckily, Jane and Dick Waxing has come to save the day! Here are a few things you can do to prepare your skin for autumn. Repair Your Skin After the Sun

1. Going out in the sun is great, but the sun can actually break down collagen and elastin in the skin, due to UVA and UVB rays. This can lead to premature ageing. Also, EAT your cosmeceuticals. Foods rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants such as polyphones, Vitamins A, C and E can help reverse summer damage, prepare it for the challenges it will face during winter and boost the skin’s immune system while preserving its quality and restoring its natural glow.

Make Sure to Exfoliate  Moisturizing is a fantastic way to add moisture to your skin. After your skin has been exposed to the sun, it becomes harder for this moisture to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, which is the layer that is most affected by the breakdown of collagen. This is where exfoliation comes in. Exfoliating gentl   y every day will help to reveal smooth skin. By removing the top layer of dry, dead skin cells, it will also improve the absorption of skin products. Make Sure to Keep Up the Sunscreen Sunscreen is a product that is used very frequently is the hot summer months, but barely at all when we head into autumn and winter. This is a bad idea – the purpose of sunscreen is that it protects your skin from the harsh UVA and UVB rays and, since these rays are still present all year round, it is vital to ensure that you protect your skin all year round too! Make Sure to Drink Lots of Water Water helps to keep your skin and your body healthy too. Drinking plenty of water, such as the recommended eight glasses of water a day, can help to moisturize your skin, and it can also remove and eliminate any toxins that may be present within your body. These toxins could come from food, or they can come from sun exposure. When toxins come from sun exposure, they are known as radicals and continue to the process of breaking down collagen. Once you have implemented these into your autumn skin routine, you will be ready to tackle the cooler autumn weather

It is important to know right from the get-go that activated charcoal is not the same thing as charcoal for your grill or charred wood from the fire. Please don’t try to substitute or make your own!

Activated charcoal consists of some substance—usually bamboo, wood, coal, or my preference, coconut shell charcoal—burned without oxygen to create char. The char is then heated to a high temperature and exposed to certain gases through a multi-step process to make it extremely porous. This is the “activation” part of the process.

Once activated, the increased surface area of the molecules can bind powerfully to any substance. This process of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) is what makes charcoal so powerful. True activated charcoal is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic.

There are many benefits of activated charcoal use.  Studies show that activated charcoal may be the most effective GI tract decontaminant available. It can adsorb up to 50-60% of unwanted substances in the stomach and intestines when taken quickly after ingestion.

The same properties that make charcoal beneficial for removing harmful substances in the digestive system also make it beneficial for oral health as well. It doesn’t neutralize toxins, but rather binds them to the many tiny pores on its surface.

When used in toothpastes, powders, and oral health rinses, it can bind to bacteria and other harmful substances and remove them from the mouth. Many people like using it in this way because it also binds to substances that stain the teeth and can whiten the teeth in only a few uses.

Activated charcoal is showing up in many beauty products lately too. This is because it is effective at removing bacteria, chemicals, dirt, and build-up on the skin.

Charcoal is also used to whiten teeth. Just dip a wet toothbrush in a high quality charcoal and brush gently. Alternately, you can swish with charcoal water by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of charcoal into a small amount of water.

Ask a face mask or cleanser, I love using charcoal on my skin.  Fair warning, it looks a little bizarre to paint this stuff all over your face, but it does wash off and leaves skin super soft!  Your skin is the largest organ of the human body and as such, it deserves to be taken care of too. You’d be amazed with what your skin manages to collect each day, some of which is not beneficial to your health. Dust particles, dead skin, fumes from cars and buses and sweat all have the potential to build up in large quantities on the surface of the skin. If left untreated, these toxins may begin to affect your health.

Activated charcoal can be found as both a facemask and a general body washing solution. The large surface area of activated charcoal molecules is used to remove these toxins from the surface of the skin, opening up pores to allow for effective and efficient perspiration. The pores that are activated into the charcoal molecules also add a coarse texture to the mineral, which many use alongside thorough exfoliation to help clean skin.

Charcoal has been showing up in shampoos for the same reason people love it in facial products. It removes build up and impurities.  Charcoal’s porous structure makes it great at removing odors, harmful chemicals and allergens from the air. This is why you’ll often find charcoal in air purifying products.

Remember, activated charcoal is NOT the same thing as the ashes from burning wood or other fires at home, so please don’t try to use those type of ashes for these or any other uses!

In the beauty universe, you know you’ve reached peak adulthood once you’ve amassed a full collection of makeup brushes and know how to use each one correctly. But not all of us have a personal makeup brush guide to help us get there, so if you’re still applying powder eye shadow with your fingers, I get it. With so many makeup brush shapes and sizes on the market, it’s hard to know where to start. Who has the time to sit down and memorize which brush does what (and which ones you actually need)?

It is quite useful to have multiple makeup brushes in your arsenal. Using the wrong brush can throw off your whole look. Makeup brushes are specifically made to target certain areas of the face. So if you choose one that’s too big or the wrong shape it won’t place the product where you want it or apply it in a natural way. It’s truly amazing how much better your makeup can look just by using the right brushes.

Now there are so many incredibly useful sorts of makeup brushes out there, but not every last one is necessary to your collection. This foolproof makeup brush guide covers just the need-to-know basics. Keep reading to learn which brushes are worth having in your collection and how to use them!

The first weapon in your beauty arsenal is a good foundation brush. Don’t use sponges.  Sponges absorb more product, which just means you’re going to go through your foundation more quickly. Brushes don’t waste product, and you can build coverage more easily.

A concealer brush is essential. It allows you to apply and blend the product without wiping it off.
Which brought me to a bonus-round question: Exactly what color of concealer should we be using? For your undereye, think ‘liquid and light’. You want it to be slightly lighter than your skin tone in order to highlight the area.

What about blemishes and skin imperfections? Same color as your foundation, tap it on with a smaller brush and blend gently. You can cheat and use a lip brush if you want since it’s about the size of most spots. Just be sure not to wipe your foundation off by blending too hard.

A powder brush has long, fluffy, and soft bristles made to distribute loose powder evenly across your face without dispensing too much product and making your makeup look cakey. Depending on the size, you could also get away with applying blush or bronzer with this type of brush.  you can utilize the same brush to apply powder (loose and/or pressed) as well as blush (cream and/or powder.) “Look for a brush that’s soft and round with a head about the size of a silver dollar.”

When it comes to applying powder, stick to the T-zone and inner cheeks.  Leave the outer face alone. It’s more natural that way. Also, use cream blush on creamy foundation-covered skin, and go for powder blush on skin that’s been powdered.

A blush brush is smaller than a powder brush and features a dome shape with long, super-soft bristles. This brush allows you to apply more concentrated product than a powder brush, while still allowing you to blend and build color.

If you define your brows with a pencil, skip the brush.  But, if you’re using brow powder, apply it with a small, stiff, angled brush so you can mimic your brow hairs.  Invest in a brow/spoolie combination brush to properly groom your brows.

You need a medium eyeshadow brush to spread eyeshadow over the lid and under the crease.  You can use it with cream or powder shadows, it doesn’t matter.  You want to use a smaller, angled eyeshadow brush to get definition.  They’re good for getting into the crease of the eye to define looks, day or night.

You’ll recognize a Kabuki brush by its flat top and ultra-soft, voluminous bristles, which work for applying powder, bronzer, or blending out pretty much any product.

Contouring brushes are typically angled and have soft, dense bristles that allow you to apply a concentrated amount of bronzer without any fallout. The brush should fit nicely under your cheekbone, almost doing the contour work for you.

Some people have the whole lipstick-from-a-tube thing down, but if you don’t, a lip brush is your new best friend. “They spread pigment more evenly. You can use them to get a defined lip or a stained effect just by the amount of product and pressure you apply.

Personally, I can’t work without brushes as they can make a massive difference to the way things blend, the precision of application, and the shapes and styles I achieve with my make-up.  Brushes are also necessary for the finer points of make-up application. If you have less than perfect skin, concealing a spot without a brush is very hard as you need to feather lightly to keep the product in place – using your finger will keep removing it.  Use brushes for the things you’re not so good at (for me, that is anything to do with my eyes). Lean on the brushes for where you need the expertise – from my list, pick and choose according to what your beauty concerns are and what it is you want to achieve with your make-up.

What are the worst ingredients in skin care products? They’re ingredients you should always avoid, either because they’re harmful to your skin in the long run – or worse, strongly suspected of being dangerous.

First a confession: There are a lot more than the 7 bad ingredients listed in this article. And exactly how do you measure the worst? Put a panel of seven top scientists together, and they’d probably have seven different opinions. The difference is this: My 7 Worst Ingredients list includes facts (not just my opinion) on why they’re included.

1. Petroleum jelly. No, it’s not a terrible hazard. I include it because it’s so common, it’s got so many names for basically the same chemical, and it worsens the main problem that people use it for – dry skin. It’s also called petrolatum, mineral oil, liquid paraffin and paraffin wax. It’s a petroleum byproduct that coats the skin to keep in moisture. It clogs the pores and strips the natural oils from your skin (causing chapping and dryness, making your skin dependent on more, always more).
2. Fragrance. Two problems. First, it can mean so many things; the term “fragrance” can refer to 4,000 separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Second, if you like some fragrance, please, please, use a little perfume or body spray – much safer than rubbing these unknown and potentially dangerous chemicals into your skin.
3. Triclosan: Antibacterial, widely used in skincare products and deodorants (also weed killers). Triclosan has been found in public water supplies and may contribute to creating strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, due to its wide use in skincare products.
4. Polyethylene glycol (PEG). Widely used emulsifier (keeps incompatible liquids in suspension) and humectant (moisturizer). Suspected of interfering with reproductive hormones and of being carcinogenic.
5. Parabens. Mostly listed as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and ethylparaben – all preservatives in skincare products (including moisturizers). May cause allergic reactions and skin rashes, and possibly interfere with the body’s endocrine system. Accepted by the FDA, but under ever-growing challenge as new studies come in.
6. Alcohols. Ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol. All very drying and irritating to your skin. Petroleum-based alcohols all fit this description. Vegetable-based alcohols, actually waxes, are safe and effective skin care ingredients.
7. Dioxane. Derived from coconuts. Widely used in skincare products. The most serious problem is that it can contain high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, considered a chemical “known to the State of California to cause cancer.”

The most important fact to know about my Worst Ingredients is that they aren’t necessary. Most people don’t realize there are very toxic, cancer causing ingredients in their favorite skincare and beauty products.  For those of us who are already aware, it’s still hard to know exactly what to avoid because most of the ingredients added to skincare and beauty products these days, are hard to even pronouce or figure out what it means.

The FDA does not regulate personal care products ingredients and companies are not required to disclose all the ingredients used to make these products.  Therefore, cheap, toxic, cancer causing ingredients have made their way into our skin care and beauty products without us even knowing.

Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs anything applied to it, which then enters the bloodstream.  So take some time out of your routine to review the back of the ingredient’s lists next time you shop for your favorite skincare and beauty products.

What are the main ingredients in today’s skin care products and how do they improve the skin? There are a lot of skin care products on the market. This article will help you understand the latest ingredients in skin care products that may benefit your skin. If you’re still unsure which skin care products are right for you, consult with your esthetician or dermatologist.

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs)

Over-the-counter skin care products containing alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids) have become increasingly popular in recent years. Creams and lotions with alpha-hydroxy acids may help with fine lines, pigmentation and age spots, and may help shrink enlarged pores. Side effects of alpha-hydroxy acids include mild irritation and sun sensitivity. To avoid burning, sunscreen should be applied in the morning. To help avoid skin irritation, start with a product with a maximum concentration of 10% to 15% AHA. To allow your skin to get used to alpha-hydroxy acids, you should only initially apply the skin care product every other day, gradually working up to daily application.

Beta-hydroxy acid (salicylic acid)

Salicylic acid removes dead skin and can improve the texture and color of sun-damaged skin. It penetrates oil-laden hair follicle openings and, as a result, also helps with acne. There are many skin care products available that contain salicylic acid. Some are available over-the-counter and others need a doctor’s prescription. Studies have shown that salicylic acid is less irritating than skin care products containing alpha-hydroxy acids, while providing similar improvement in skin texture and color.

Hydroquinone

Skin care products containing hydroquinone are often called bleaching creams or lightening agents. These skin care products are used to lighten hyperpigmentation, such as age spots and dark spots. Your doctor can also prescribe a cream with a higher concentration of hydroquinone if your skin doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments. If you are allergic to hydroquinones, you may benefit from use of products containing kojic acid instead.

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is also is a remedy for the treatment of pigment problems and age spots. Discovered in 1989, kojic acid works similarly to hydroquinone. Kojic acid is derived from a fungus, and studies have shown that it is effective as a lightening agent, slowing production of melanin (brown pigment).

Retinol

Retinol is derived from vitamin A and is found in many over-the-counter “anti-aging” skin care products. Tretinoin, which is the active ingredient in prescription Retin-A and Renova creams, is a stronger version of retinol. If your skin is too sensitive to use Retin-A, over-the-counter retinol is an excellent alternative. Here’s why skin responds to skin care products with retinol: vitamin A has a molecular structure that’s tiny enough to get into the lower layers of skin, where it finds collagen and elastin. Retinol is proven to improve pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, skin tone and color, and your skin’s hydration levels. Retinyl palmitate is another ingredient related to retinol, but is less potent.

L-Ascorbic Acid

This is the only form of vitamin C that you should look for in your skin care products. There are many skin care products on the market today that boast vitamin C derivatives as an ingredient (magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or ascorbyl palmitate, for example), but L-ascorbic acid is the only useful form of vitamin C in skin care products. With age and sun exposure, collagen synthesis in the skin decreases, leading to wrinkles. Vitamin C is the only antioxidant proven to stimulate the synthesis of collagen, minimizing fine lines, scars, and wrinkles.

Hyaluronic Acid

Skin care products containing this substance are often used with vitamin C products to assist in effective penetration. Hyaluronic acid (also known as a glycosaminoglycan) is often touted for its ability to “reverse” or stop aging. In news reports, you might have heard of hyaluronic acid as the “key to the fountain of youth.” This is because the substance occurs naturally (and quite abundantly) in humans and animals, and is found in young skin, other tissues, and joint fluid. Hyaluronic acid is a component of the body’s connective tissues, and is known to cushion and lubricate. As you age, however, the forces of nature destroy hyaluronic acid. Diet and smoking can also affect your body’s level of hyaluronic acid over time. Skin care products with hyaluronic acid are most frequently used to treat wrinkled skin.

Copper Peptide

Copper peptide is often referred to as the most effective skin regeneration product, even though it’s only been on the market since 1997. Here’s why: Studies have shown that copper peptide promotes collagen and elastin production, acts as an antioxidant, and promotes production of glycosaminoglycans (think hyaluronic acid, as an example). Studies have also shown that copper-dependent enzymes increase the benefits of the body’s natural tissue-building processes. The substance helps to firm, smooth, and soften skin, doing it in less time than most other anti-aging skin care products. Clinical studies have found that copper peptides also remove damaged collagen and elastin from the skin and scar tissue because they activate the skin’s system responsible for those functions.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

You may have heard of alpha-lipoic acid as “the miracle in a jar” for its anti-aging effects. It’s a newer, ultra-potent antioxidant that helps fight future skin damage and helps repair past damage. Alpha-lipoic acid has been referred to as a “universal antioxidant” because it’s soluble in both water and oil, which permits its entrance to all parts of the cell. Due to this quality, it is believed that alpha-lipoic acid can provide the greatest protection against damaging free radicals when compared with other antioxidants. Alpha-lipoic acid diminishes fine lines, gives skin a healthy glow, and boosts levels of other antioxidants, such as vitamin C.

DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol)

If you’ve heard of fish referred to as brain food, you can thank DMAE. This substance is naturally produced in the brain, but DMAE is also present in anchovies, salmon, and sardines. DMAE boosts the production of acetylcholine, which is important for proper mental functions. DMAE in skin care products shows remarkable effects when applied topically to skin, resulting in the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.

My recommendation is to ignore all the hype and whatever it says on the front of the packaging. Unfortunately, beauty marketers will use every trick in the book, such as lists of benefits. Sure, it’s expected for brands to call out what’s great about their product. But don’t let that deter you from doing your due diligence with the ingredients list. The worst is when a brand tries to give the impression of a natural product, but then you realize it’s still got the usual mediocre fillers.

Since the full ingredients list is only required on the actual product label, I’ve seen brands disclose just the cool-sounding, active ingredients on their websites or retailers’ websites—omitting the rest. If an ingredients list seems too short, they’re probably not telling you something! Alternatively, some brands with make their ingredients lists hard to find, such as under a sticker.

Having a seal of approval from a dermatologist is pretty meaningless, as there’s no standard industry definition of what that entails. The same goes for “clinically proven.” Even a plain bland moisturizer can be proven to make wrinkles look better, simply by puffing up the skin with water!

The one that bothers me the most is when brands call out a benefit that is actually the norm for that type of product. This sleight of hand usually happens with companion products such as shampoos and conditioners. Think: “silicone-free” shampoo and “sulfate-free” conditioner. (Shampoos tend not to contain silicones, and conditioners don’t have sulfates!)

So, instead of taking all those claims at face value, I suggest you head straight to the ingredients list on the back to see EXACTLY what’s in there. The next thing you want to do is zone in on the first five ingredients listed.  Brands are always required to disclose their ingredients in the order of highest to lowest concentration.  As a general rule, the first FIVE ingredients compose most (roughly 80 percent) of the product. So those are the most important ones to check. I usually look at the first five to 10, to be on the safe side—although some ingredients, like synthetic fragrances, I prefer not to see in formulas at all.