Some may say it’s still fall, but since we’ve already had our first snowfall it’s time to at least prepare for the rapidly approaching winter season. You know it’s time to transition your skin care routine when it hurts to smile because your lips are so chapped, and your roommate has been searching the apartment for her missing bottle of Vaseline for days. Winter is dry and sucks out all the moisture in your skin, but luckily you can prevent this by changing a few steps of your usual beauty routine. Follow these tips to keep your skin healthy and looking good!
1. Exfoliate Weekly. Exfoliating helps get rid of dry, flaky skin. Instead of a using a harsh scrub, try one that is glycolic acid based to improve your skin’s texture and tone without any redness or irritation.
2. Moisturize. You may have a lotion already, but as the weather changes, so must your moisturizer. In the winter, for your body you need one that is oil based to replenish your skin. For your face, it’s best to switch to a cream cleanser and body wash. And for a face moisturizer, look for one that is either oil free (this one has SPF too!) or contains “non-clogging” oils such as avocado, mineral, or almond oil.
3. Deep condition. Your locks need some love too. Say goodbye to winter hair blues by shampooing less often and trying a dry shampoo. To tame flyaways and static, use a drop of a serum such as CHI Silk Infusion before blowdrying.
4. Exercise and Hydrate. We look good in the summer because we’re always outside doing some sort of activity, but in the winter we’re more likely stuck in Case or our dorm rooms hiding from the snowstorm outside. Try your best to hit the gym to get your blood circulating and heart rate up since it will give you that radiant glow we all miss from the summer time. Also, don’t forget to drink more water (and less caffeine)!
5. Sauna. Take advantage of the facilities in Huntington gym! The sauna is the perfect spot to cool down after your work out, but most importantly it helps open up your pores, eliminates the toxins from your skin, and gets your blood circulating.
6. Take shorter, colder showers. After coming inside from the cold, a long, hot shower may feel really nice but sucks the moisture out of your skin. Try to cut down your shower time and use warm water instead. Also, put lotion on when your skin is still damp to get the best effects from the moisturizer.
My winter skin care favorites: 1. Aquaphor (heals dry and chapped skin/lips over night!) 2. Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream (very hydrating without being greasy) 3. For my hair I love anything Kérastase! The Masque Nutri-Thermique deep conditioning treatment is worth the splurge.