Pulling out those cozy blankets, sitting by a crackling fire and sipping hot cider are just a few of the reasons we love the arrival of the cooler weather- however the chapped, flaky skin that comes with the cooler weather is not one of them! Here are our top solutions to winterizing your skin:
1. Glycerin.
It’s like a sponge that pulls water from the atmosphere into your skin—moisturizers with glycerin work best if you put them on immediately post-shower, when your bathroom is still steamy. Hall & Wrye Hydration Serum and Bio-Therapy Repair are packed with glycerin as well as other moisture wicking ingredients.
2. Ceramides.
If you want an immediate glow (tough decision…) or need to relieve dry, itchy skin, ceramides are a no-brainer. They are fats found naturally in the skin, and their whole job is to seal in water so skin cells don’t dry out. They reinforce the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Think of it this way, if your cells were bricks then ceramides would be the mortar. Hall & Wrye Intensive Moisture Cream and Bio-Therapy Repair rebuild the skins barrier and lock in the hydration your skin is craving.
3. Hyaluronic acid.
Fine lines, crepey skin—meet hyaluronic acid. This molecule swells after it absorbs water, and plumps lines on the spot. However, that doesn’t mean every product with hyaluronic acid offers immediate gratification—because the ingredient is expensive, it may be present in a low concentration. Look for products with hyaluronic acid listed near the top of the ingredient list. Better yet, look for a fractionated hyaluronic so that these moisture wicking molecules can penetrate bringing the hydration deep into the skin. Hall and Wrye Ultra Hydration Serum offers some if the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid on the market and it has both the large molecule and the fractionated molecule. Fine lines and crepey skin have met their match! Excellent alternitives to the Ultra Hydration Serum would be HA5, from Skin Medica.
4. Glycolic acid.
It exfoliates. It hydrates. It leaps tall buildings in a single bound. Ok, maybe not the building part, but it is a superhero when it comes protecting against dry, dull winter skin. Glycolic is great for the face but don’t forget about your body. Shower with Hall & Wrye Brightening Scrub then apply Retinol Firming Body Lotion when you’re still damp.
5. Petrolatum.
It’s thick, and that’s a good thing: Petrolatum creates a film that traps moisture in the skin and decreases natural water loss. It’s great at filling in cracks to treat chapped skin. It may feel greasy—it’s best to wear it overnight—but it works like magic (okay, science) on rough patches on the body. Hall and Wrye Soothing Protectant Ointment has Petrolatum and so much more (remember the benefits of glycerin? Yep, that’s in there too!) This is perfect for post laser treatment as well.
Combining a few products with these ingredients will get you through the winter months with smooth, supple, hydrated skin. Remember to also drink plenty of water. We tend to drink less water when we are in-doors. This will also dry out your skin.