When the weather turns from sunny and mild to cold and blustery, our skin often turns too -- from supple and hydrated to cracked, flaky and ashy. We know that adding moisture-infused products to our skin will help hydrate it. We also know (and have heard a thousand times) that in the winter we usually need to switch from lighter moisturizers to more intensely hydrating ones, right? Right.
So why is it that the moisturizers we slather on don't always work? Are we using the wrong products? Is moisturizer alone not enough? And when our skin goes from simply feeling dry to looking alligator-like, what do we do then?
These are questions we hear often, which is why we decided to sit down with Arielle N.B. Kauvar, M.D., director of New York Laser & Skin Care and Liz Earle, natural skin care expert. Here, they address some of your most pressing winter skin problems. They share solutions on everything from crusty lips to painfully cracked skin. Best of all, they share the key ingredients we should look for in our skin care moisturizers so we don't waste another precious dollar on products that don't work. Pretty nice, huh?
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Q: How can you tell if your skin truly needs more moisture when the weather turns cold?
A: Obviously, if it starts feeling dry or tight or looks flaky then you need to upgrade your lotion or moisturizer to a heavier formula. On the flip side, Kauvar explains that if your skin becomes shiny a few hours after applying your moisturizer or if you've become more breakout prone, then you're likely using a moisturizer that is too rich for your skin type.
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Q: What ingredients should we look for in our moisturizers?
A: When it comes to buying a quality moisturizer, Kavar suggests looking out for two things. First, look for a product that contains humectants (ingredients that attract moisture from the environment to your skin) like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Second, look for occlusive ingredients like oils that will seal in moisture. Earle recommends plant oils like rosehip, avocado and hazelnut.
Q: What products, in addition to moisturizer, need to be upgraded as the weather gets cooler?
A: According to Kauvar, what you use to cleanse also plays a key role in your skin's hydration level. She explains that if you currently use a foaming or exfoliating cleanser and your skin feels dry, you may want to switch to a creamy cleanser like CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $12. Exfoliating will also dry out your skin, so if you use a scrub or products that contain exfoliating ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid or lactic acid you may want to use them less often during the winter or swap them for a gentler version of what you're currently using.
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Q: What can we do when moisturizer alone won't make scaly skin go away?
A: When you have scaly skin on your body, Kavar says the only way to heal it is to do a combination of gentle exfoliation and moisturizing. There are two options when it comes to exfoliation: you can use a physical exfoliant like a gentle microbead scrub (try Yes to Grapefruit Exfoliating Body Wash, $9.99) or a skin care brush like Clarisonic Skin Care Brush, $195. Then, there's the option of using a moisturizer that contains a chemical exfoliant like glycolic or lactic acid (try Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Moisturizer, $45). If your skin is very sensitive, you'll want to avoid a chemical exfoliant as it may sting.
When the weather turns from sunny and mild to cold and blustery, our skin often turns too -- from supple and hydrated to cracked, flaky and ashy. We know that adding moisture-infused products to our skin will help hydrate it. We also know (and have heard a thousand times) that in the winter we usually need to switch from lighter moisturizers to more intensely hydrating ones, right? Right.
So why is it that the moisturizers we slather on don't always work? Are we using the wrong products? Is moisturizer alone not enough? And when our skin goes from simply feeling dry to looking alligator-like, what do we do then?
These are questions we hear often, which is why we decided to sit down with Arielle N.B. Kauvar, M.D., director of New York Laser & Skin Care and Liz Earle, natural skin care expert. Here, they address some of your most pressing winter skin problems. They share solutions on everything from crusty lips to painfully cracked skin. Best of all, they share the key ingredients we should look for in our skin care moisturizers so we don't waste another precious dollar on products that don't work. Pretty nice, huh?
