The leaves are turning, the rain is pouring down, the soup is boiling on the stove… it’s beginning to look a lot like autumn! And something else is changing too… my skin! My (usually) combination skin is rough, dry and tight. Lips are cracking and peeling, hands are looking old and withered. And with all the holiday festivities approaching fast, I want to look my best, but what to do when my skin is parched and chapped from all the wind and cold? I’ve set out on the ultimate hydration hunt to find some tips and tricks to help YOU get through the cold fall and winter months.
My lovely lathering acne fighting cleanser has been leaving my skin tight and uncomfortable, so I’ve switched to Sundari Neem & Burdock Balancing Cream-Gel Cleanser. The formulation isn’t quite a cream, but is an elegant cream-gel which lathers just slightly to remove surface residue, without stripping the skin of its essential lipids, and it has a gorgeous scent to boot. If your skin is extra dry, use a creamy cleanser like the SkinCeuticals Cleansing Cream, which is a lipid-rich non-foaming cleanser which ensures that your skin will stay hydrated and smooth through Antarctica climates.
Usually, a witch hazel based astringent would be my go-to toner post cleansing, but with my skin feeling so dry, I refuse to use anything remotely acidic. Instead, I’m opting for refreshing sprits of La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water, which is French spring water with immense antioxidant benefits and pH balancing properties. I also use my thermal water as a make-up setting spray, and as a refreshing pick-me-up throughout the day.
Water-based serums are great for hydration to layer under heavier moisturizers. Typically, serums provide the first barrier of protection, and pull active ingredients from moisturizers deeper into the skin. I opt for hyaluronic acid (which isn’t really an acid) to bring moisture deep into my parched skin. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold ten thousand times its weight in moisture, so a moisturizer applied on top of the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel (which is hyaluronic based) brings colossal moisture to the skin. Another great choice for hydration is a serum with essential oils. I absolutely love Decleor Aromessence Neroli Essential Serum for its hydrating and protective properties. Though it’s an oily consistency, the serum soaks right in and soothes the skin, while providing antioxidant and aromatherapy benefits.
A protective and hydrating moisturizer is necessary as a pre-SPF step in your morning regimen. I adore the Purlisse Pur Moist Hydra Balance Moisturizer; it is infused with Lotus Lupine Peptide Complex, Vitamin E and a blend of French Marine Plants to provide anti-aging and soothing benefits. If you like a moisturizer to have a built-in SPF then REVALESKIN CoffeeBerry Day Cream is a good choice, because it has humectants, outstanding antioxidants and an SPF of 15.
Use the same regimen in the evening (cleanse, tone, hydrate and moisturize, but skip the SPF). I normally recommend masking once or twice a week with a hydrating mask. The Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew- Hydrating Facial Mask is one of my favorites for the cold months; it has cucumber, calendula and aloe vera as well as evening primrose and eucalyptus… packing a power punch of hydration and moisture for the driest of dry skin. Sometimes, I’ll layer the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel under the Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew to push the active ingredients of the Dew deeper into my skin. And sometimes, I’ll switch my crazy scientist on and will hand blend my B5 gel with the Dew, with a sprinkling of Philosophy Turbo Booster C Powder for an at-home spa facial. The C powder brightens the skin, so I love this home spa treatment pre-event or before a hot date.
Remember to supplement your skin from the inside out with vitamins so your skin radiates from the inside out. In addition to my daily Jan Marini C-ESTAMINS vitamins I love a daily dose of BORBA Replenishing Aqualess Crystalline, just mix a packet into your water for a dose of vitamins and hydrating lychee. Lychee fruit is a tropical plant that grows in warm climates and is known for its amazing antioxidant and hydrating properties. It’s so delicious, you’ll need to stop yourself from using all of the packets in one day!
I hope my tips and tricks will be of some aid to all you Sahara deserts out there. With the above listed regimen, my skin’s restored back to its dewy luminosity that I’ve been missing. Now, bring on the holiday photos, I’m ready for my close-up!
Products featured in this article: Sundari Neem & Burdock Balancing Cream-Gel Cleanser, SkinCeuticals Cleansing Cream, La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water, SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, Decleor Aromessence Neroli Essential Serum, Purlisse Pur Moist Hydra Balance Moisturizer, REVALESKIN CoffeeBerry Day Cream, Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew- Hydrating Facial Mask, Philosophy Turbo Booster C Powder, Jan Marini C-ESTAMINS, BORBA Replenishing Aqualess Crystalline.
How to Hydrate Your Skin Throughout the Cold Months
