Baby, It's Cold Outside

We all know it's coming. Some of us love it. Some of us......well, not so much. Personally I scroll quickly past those posts on Facebook from well-meaning friends who show the forecast from the Farmer's Almanac. In a nutshell, it does not look like we will be outside in our shirtsleeves this Christmas like we were in 2015. 

If you have lived in New England for any length of time, you know that preparedness is the key. We winterize our homes. We winterize our cars. If you are old enough to have lived through the Blizzard of '78, you stock up on as much bread and milk as your pantry and refrigerator allows as soon as the the forecasters tell you that flakes will be flying. 

Those are all noble efforts in preparedness. We want to know what you are doing to winterize your skin.  The Winter Solstice arrives here in our beautiful part of the country at 5:44am on December 21. Let's start preparing now to keep that skin of yours protected through whatever that sly Mother Nature has up her sleeve for us! 

• There is very little moisture in the air during the cold winter months. Combine that with our tendency to crank up the heat inside our homes and the result is dehydrated skin. It feels tight and itchy. It will often appear as being red. It is outside its boundaries of its natural and healthy state. It is not happy. If you have ever been to an esthetician for a facial, you have probably been asked how much water you drink. It is ok if you fib to us. We don't judge. We already know the answer by looking at your skin underneath that scary magnification light. Why is drinking water so important? Most of us know already that our bodies are made up of about 70% water. That water has so many critical jobs to keep our bodies running efficiently including maintaining our blood flow the way it should, keeping all of our cells plump and healthy and allowing our lymph to do its  job of filtering out what is not supposed to be in our bodies. So with all that water needed to do all of these necessary metabolic functions, you will need to  drink a lot of it so be reach the outer-most part of our body......our skin. Let's talk about how much water you need to drink for that to happen.  Ready to do some math? Take your body weight and divide it by half. Under normal circumstances that number is how much you need in ounces every day. Additionally, you will need an extra 8 ounces for every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you consume and  for every half hour of strenuous exercise you exert. 
• Another simple way to help prevent dehydration is to not allow your skin to air dry naturally. When stepping out of the shower, lightly blot some of the water off your body. Use your body lotion or cream immediately to seal in those water molecules. The same holds true for your face. After cleansing your skin, pat it dry gently with either a towel or a tissue. If you are using a toner (which you should be), put your next step of either your serum or moisturizer on immediately without allowing that toner to dry. 
• Your lips have some of the thinnest skin on your body. We need to keep them kissable throughout the winter. It's actually pretty simple to do. First you need to fight the temptation to lick your lips to give them moisture. Doing so will actually make them more chapped. Secondly they require protection. We love jane iredale's Lipdrink SPF 15 Lip Balm to do the job. Besides coming in 4 sheer colors to complement all skin tones, they contain rich and nourishing oils including avocado and carrot oils. The fresh lemon aroma will also help us dream of summer while hunkering down this winter. 
• When the frigid winds blow, it is time to think about changing up your normal skin care routine. Think of that oil in your skin as candle wax. When it is warmed up as in the summer months that oil will flow more freely onto the surface of your skin giving it natural moisture and protection. In the colder months that oil will have more of a tendency to stay in the pore and not flow freely. We need to use products that give you that emolliency to your skin that it cannot provide for itself. We have some incredible results-driven moisturizers to help with that including Hydrobalm from Previse and Hyaluronic Time Erase Complex Moisturizer from Ilike Organic Skin Care. Both are rich treatment creams that deliver the much needed moisture your skin needs during those cold months. We are happy to make the proper and customized recommendations for your particular skin. 
• If you enjoy outdoor activities in the chilly temperatures then you will need even more protection for your skin. Whether you are snow shoeing, skiing or snow boarding, the need for something occlusive is a priority. Just like we dress in layers for the ultimate in warmth and protection, we need to layer our skin care products. This should include a serum, moisturizer and and a top protective layer to seal everything in. The best tool we have to do the sealing is SOS Skinrescue from the ZeroFragrance line from Previse. It is an ointment that you will want to have on hand for all of your outdoor endeavors......even if that is just walking to your car in the morning!
• Sometimes when the sun is further from the earth and daylight is more scarce, we forget that we still need to protect our skin from the damaging rays it emits. Solar radiation is the cause of 90% of premature aging. More importantly, exposing your skin to the sun without protective precautions will also increase your chances of skin cancer several fold. Using a product that does not allow the penetration of those harmful rays is imperative 365 days a year. You also want to ensure that the ingredients used for that protection are of a physical nature instead of a chemical one. To bottom line it, look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. We have a few different products to help you preserve your beautiful skin as long as possible. We love the Sunsheer from Previse. It gives protection and moisture without that chalky white look often associated with zinc oxide. If you prefer your protection included in your makeup, we have the perfect solution. jane iredale Pure Pressed Base Foundation naturally contains the minerals that provide that shield from the sun. It has an SPF of 20 and is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. We are in love with this weightless, full coverage and semi-matte mineral base. Come in to let us color match your best shade. 

Now when someone says "Baby, it's cold outside" you know you got this. With a few changes, your skin can survive and thrive during the Winter months. We are here to help you ease into the transition with glowing healthy skin. In the mean time, stay warm and happy. 

With a Smile in my Heart, 

Alison

The journey is the fun part. Thanks for being part of mine .