Q: What about chapped, crusty lips? How can we keep them soft?
A: Earle recommends removing dry skin flakes from your lips by gently buffing them off with a soft toothbrush. Follow that up with a generous amount of an intensely moisturizing lip balm, preferably one with natural waxes, shea butter and plant oils (try EOS Organic Lip Balm Smooth Sphere, $3.29).
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Q: What's the best way to remedy cracked skin?
A: Cracked skin may be inflamed, so Kauvar recommends using a cortisone cream to help soothe it (try Aveeno 1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream, $5.99). If your skin is severely cracked and irritated though, you'll need a prescription cortisone cream to find true relief. In addition to cortisone, you'll need to seal the cracks with a thick ointment like Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly, $3.69 or Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment, $8.69. Apply it immediately after bathing, then put socks or gloves on (if the cracks are on your hands or feet) to trap in moisture.
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Q: Is there anything we can do besides applying products to help keep skin supple?
A: "Increased water intake can also help hydrate skin," Earle says. She recommends drinking six to eight glasses a day. She also swears by vitamin E, which she says is a "skin saving antioxidant and very effective at supporting and repairing your skin from within." She suggests looking for capsules labeled "natural source" -- they are about three times more potent than synthetic versions. In addition to vitamin E, Earl explains that omega-3 fish oils and GLA (found in evening primrose and borage seed oils) also help keep skin hydrated.
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Q: What are the big no-nos when it comes to keeping winter skin hydrated?
A: Heated air and hot baths or showers. These will definitely dry out skin, Kauvar says. Since heated air isn't something you can't usually avoid, sleep with a humidifier in your bedroom to add moisture back into the air. And though a hot bath feels great when you're cold, soaking in water draws moisture out of your skin, essentially dehydrating it. To protect dry skin, avoid long, steamy-hot baths and showers.
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Q: What other skin problems beyond dehydration worsen in winter months?
A: Eczema and body acne, Kauvar says. Eczema will worsen as your skin gets dryer. So if you have eczema, Kauvar suggests taking your preventative maintenance seriously (moisturizing, protecting skin, taking any prescribed medications, etc.). It's very hard to control eczema once it starts getting bad. If you're already to the point where you are itching, take an over-the-counter antihistamine to help stop it.
Body acne can also worsen in winter months. When we bundle up in layers of clothing we often sweat. The sweat then sits on our skin and causes breakouts. To prevent this, wear multiple layers and peel them off as you get warm -- before you start sweating. When exercising, keep sweat from sitting on your skin by wearing moisture-wicking fabrics to prevent sweat from sitting on your skin.
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?
