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.
Do you religiously slather on sunscreen all summer long, only to find a fresh batch of freckles and dark spots come August? Getting -- and keeping -- flawless skin takes more than simply applying SPF (though that is a big part).
Every winter it's the same deal. As the temperature drops, your skin gets increasingly drier and flakier, until you're contemplating hibernating until spring. Bears do it, how bad could it be?
If you've ever watched laundry drying in the summer sun, it shouldn't be too surprising to learn those same rays are drying out your skin cells as well. It's all well and good for the clothes, but having optimal water levels in your cells is crucial for your overall health, not to mention good skin health, says esthetician Lori Cahitas of Murad. Spending time in the sun without wearing sunscreen damages your cells by creating little pinholes in them, which allows water to seep out and leaves skin dehydrated. And while you'll need to clean up your diet in order to repair that internal cellular damage, there are ways to rehydrate from the outside in. These new face masks are a great start.
