Three Steps for Skin Hydration

to Treat Dry Winter Skin

A lot of people notice their skin going through changes as the weather turns cold. By understanding how the shifting environment impacts your skin, you’ll know what to do to keep looking great and prevent dry sensitive skin that often happens when the weather turns cold.

Dr. Anne

Three Steps for Skin Hydration to Treat Dry Winter Skin

Dr. Anne

Why We Get Dry Skin in Winter

When the heating systems come on to keep our homes warm, they can dry out the air, which then pulls moisture from our skin. When you notice your skin looking dull, or you suddenly see fine lines on your face, it’s likely caused by the drop in humidity and increased water loss from your skin. While drinking water is important for staying hydrated, there are many other steps you can take to keep your skin looking fresh as the temperatures drop.

Focus on Skin Hydration as the Weather Turns Cold

People with dry skin may already know what extra steps they need to take to keep their skin hydrated. But this is the time of year when people with all skin types benefit from paying attention to skin hydration. The three ways to help your skin at this time are:

Change How You Wash

Your Face

Update Your Skin Care Products

Increase the Humidity

in Your Home

Try a Dry Skin Face Wash Routine

Your skin has a natural protective oily barrier. When you wash your face with warm water and harsh soaps, it may feel “squeaky clean” but it is not healthy for skin since you just washed away your acid mantle. Washing with warm – not hot – water allows your cleansers to be effective without dissolving the natural protective oils on your skin.

Look for facial cleansers made with glycerin, a hydrating ingredient that attracts water to your skin. Also look for cleansers made without sulfates, foaming chemicals that can be too harsh and wash away the protective barrier of your skin.

I recommend our Hydrating Gel Foam Cleanser because it is gentle and made with glycerin. It is also designed to match the natural pH levels of skin to help it from becoming dry and irritated.

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Ingredients to Hydrate Skin

You can keep your skin hydrated by using products to boost water levels in your skin, and then layering an oil-based product on top to seal in the moisture. Products made with hyaluronic acid are great for bringing added moisture to skin. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in skin and used in many cosmetic products because it attracts water and can bind more than one thousand times its weight in water to keep skin hydrated. Using a toner with hyaluronic acid everyday is one of the best ways to keep skin hydrated and looking smoother in the dry winter months. Since hyaluronic acid does not clog pores, it can also be used by people with oily skin.

In low humidity settings hyaluronic acid can actually attract water from the skin instead of the air. So, it’s best to apply it to damp skin after washing to attract water that’s on the skin surface.

Ingredients to Hydrate Skin

The Best Products to Hydrate Your Skin

Balancing pH Toner with Aloe

I recommend our Balancing pH Toner with Aloe because it is loaded with hyaluronic acid and is great for hydrating skin. Since you use it after cleansing, this toner helps to hold moisture that comes from face washing. Plus, the aloe is ideal for calming skin.

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Skin Refining Night Oil

Once your skin is cleansed and hydrated, layer an oil on top to seal in the moisture. I recommend sealing skin with our Skin Refining Night Oil. This is a blend of six oils,plus retinol and is great for holding in moisture without clogging pore.

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If your skin gets really dry, don’t be afraid to use petroleum jelly (Yes, your Mother’s Vaseline!). I recommend this for patients with eczema to help seal and hydrate their skin after bathing.

When it comes to beauty, a K-beauty practice for dewy skin is “slugging”, which is simply applying a thick layer of Vaseline to your skin after washing at night to wake up to hydrated, radiant softness.

You can't do this every night, especially if you have oily skin, but don’t be afraid to try it once in a while when your skin is feeling really dry.

If your skin gets really dry, don’t be afraid to use petroleum jelly (Yes, your Mother’s Vaseline!). I recommend this for patients with eczema to help seal and hydrate their skin after bathing.

You can't do this every night, especially if you have oily skin, but don’t be afraid to try it once in a while when your skin is feeling really dry.

The Best Home Humidifier

This is a great time of year to use your humidifier to help keep the air comfortable – and your skin looking good. Ideally, you want to keep the humidity level in your home 50%. Instead of a steam humidifier, use a cool mist humidifier and make sure you clean it regularly.

My favorite way to increase the humidity levels at home is to keep a lot of plants. Since the weather is cold and you are spending less time outside, now is a great time to bring some nature into your home. Plus it makes your home more relaxing!

Two places where you can shop for plants on line are LeafMe Plant Boutique and NattyGarden.

Enjoy!

AbsoluteJOI Skincare

by Dr. Anne

AbsoluteJOI is a physician-founded skin care brand with a science-based approach to the needs of people over 35 with all skin types and tones. Developed by physician researcher, Dr. Anne Beal, our products are formulated and tested for sensitive skin, while addressing dyspigmentation, the first sign of aging for many people. Our philosophy is not to focus on anti-aging, but to celebrate all ages and stages and to help our customers age beautifully, while celebrating the confidence and wisdom they’ve gained with time.

Each product combines natural and clinically effective ingredients for healthy skin. We use NO parabens, phthalates, sulphates, or skin bleach. And we use no perfumes or dyes to offer pure and clean products good for all skin types, including sensitive skin.