Winter is upon us. It’s getting cold and with the drop in temperature our skin can become dehydrated and more sensitive than usual. This time of year it is important to modify our beauty ritual to protect ourselves from the cold, crisp elements that we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of.

Don’t Wash Your Face

Try using a face wash at night only. In fact, in the morning don’t use a cleanser at all. Face cleansers can be drying especially in the context of chilly weather. This time of year I use Heaven Skincare EllaJane Celebrity Skin Wipes. These babies exfoliate, cleanse, tone and keep blemishes at bay with apple pectin, honey and peppermint oil, all without drying out the skin! These are gentle enough for those in their teens and twenties as well.

Exfoliate

I also use Lavido Gentle Exfoliator Peeling Cream twice a week. It might sound counter intuitive but it is essential to exfoliate during the winter as dead skin cells accumulate faster during the colder months. This face scrub utilizes oyster shell powder and pomegranate peel grains to gently slough away dead cells and buildup.

Moisturize

When the temperature drops, I turn to one of my all time favorite skin care lines, Cosmetics 27. It is an apothecary style range tailor-made for YOUR skin. The idea is to mix the products together to produce a formula that is right for your skin today. The change in season, weather, pollution, stress levels and even physiological factors can alter the behavior of skin. Cosmetics 27 utilizes the Ayurvedic properties of Centella Asiatica to boost the skin’s ability to regenerate and heal itself. While experimenting and getting to know your skin requires a little more time and effort, you’re worth it and your skin will thank you. Cosmetics 27 Baume 27 is a rich, almost balm textured moisturizer packed with anti-aging skin healing nutrients. It contains a patented cocktail of all natural ingredients that feed the skin what it needs to work optimally and renew itself. Best of all you will see results. I am 40 and have sensitive, dry skin so Baume 27 is my savior this time of year. Apply while skin is still a bit damp and take at least a full minute to massage it into your skin.

Layer It On

Just like we begin to layer clothing as the temperatures drop, similarly, we need to layer on skin care to nourish and provide our skin with the extra protection it needs. I can’t stress enough how important it is, especially if you don’t all year round, to add a serum and even a face oil to your regimen. I mix Cosmetics 27 Essence 27 and Huile 27 with Baume 27 to give the moisturizer an extra added boost of nutrients. Essence 27 is an ultra fine hydrating, anti-aging emulsion that brightens the complexion and increases the skin’s density. If you don’t typically use a serum, this is an excellent entrée into the genre. Then there is Huile 27. This anti-aging elixir is a master multitasker that provides essential nutrients that help rebalance skin functions and restructure the epidermal tissue. A must for those with dry or more mature skin. I also use it as a lip balm, hair and cuticle oil.

Lips

During the winter my lips look so chapped, it appears as though a wild animal has been gnawing on them. I layer Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream and Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 under a Lancome Juicy Tube. It takes a village. Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream is enriched with vitamin E, vitamin B2, and camphor and has a uniquely high glycerin content and absorbability achieved through a special manufacturing process. It even helps heal cold sores.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

How to help your skin through this warm & sunny one day, cold & snowy the next weather we’re experiencing? Get an expert opinion. Here is what Travel Beauty expert Yasmine Djerradine has to say.

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Transitional weather, like the type that we are experiencing right now, can be difficult on the visage. Skin can change, you may start to experience blemishes, etc. Dryness that you might have experienced over the winter is likely subsiding and you may be finding yourself with a normal or even combination skin tone. The rich moisturizer that you used over the winter to protect yourself from the cold is probably no longer ideal.

Sheer, Luminous Coverage

Now is the perfect time to think about incorporating a BB Cream into your daily routine. B. Kamins Laboratories makes a fabulous anti-aging one that primes, protects and perfects. It’s lightweight, non-greasy and provides sheer, luminous, natural looking coverage. It’s formulated with vitamins, peptides and antioxidants and counteracts damage caused by stress and the sun. It can be used over sunscreen or layered on top of a moisturizer or serum.

Light Serums for Warmer Weather

Cosmetics 27’s Essence 27 by M.E. SkinLab is a superb, all natural, lightweight, anti-aging serum that is perfect for the summer. This ultra-fine fluid allows for maximum penetration of the effective ingredients. After use, skin appears “plumped up” and feels and looks healthier. This is great for using under your sunscreen or moisturizer.

Another lightweight anti-aging serum option is B. Kamins’ Nia-Stem Serum Kx. It will give your skin just the boost it needs to wake up from the winter cold. It consists of a unique combination of ingredients, including niacin, plant stem cells and B. Kamins exclusive Bio-Maple™ Compound, which detoxifies cells to reveal bright, even-toned, younger-looking skin. This serum is ideal for reactive skin, as it reduces redness and irritation. Apply it under your sunscreen or moisturizer.

April In Paris: Insider Beauty Tip

April is one of the most beautiful times of year in Paris. If you happen to find yourself there, make sure to visit Cécile Cotten for a heavenly Cosmetics 27 facial at her grotto-like spa, L’Atelier Cécile Cotten, on 8 Rue du Pont-aux-Choux. Tel: 08 80 08 86 77.

We had the chance to spend some time with one of the most knowledgeable and inspiring Girl Bosses we know, Michèle Evrard. Michèle is the Founder of M.E. Skinlabs and creator of the cult favorite French skin care line, Cosmetics 27. We often have marathon Skype sessions with Michèle (from Paris) that cover everything from skin care to supplements to sleep patterns and everything in between! She has a singular outlook and wealth of information that we are excited to share with you.

What is Your Background?

I am a pharmacist. I studied Pharmacy in Belgium. I wanted to work in a lab on formulation & product development. I started as an intern at Max Factor in the US, only I was integrated in the marketing department. That’s how I started my career in fragrance and cosmetics. I worked at Max Factor for 2 years on product development. I learned most of the job there and owe it to the incredible women who were at the beginning of what this industry has become! I have been in this industry for over 24 years, working on product development, my passion, and marketing in companies such as L’Oréal, Christian Dior Parfums, Boucheron Parfums and Matis skin care. I decided to create my own products in 2008 and launched Baume 27 in 2009.

What Led You to Create the Cosmetics 27 Line?

My passion for product and innovation, clearly! I had worked on the concept of a unique formula for 3 years after I had discovered the virtues of Centella Asiatica. I have always been fascinated  by cellular regeneration. It was when I left my last position and set up my own consulting firm that I decided to develop that formula for myself. It was the Baume 27. That was the beginning of the Cosmetics 27 line that came out the year after.

What Differentiates Cosmetics 27 From Other Skin Care Lines?

My philosophy is not so much about selling or adding another product to the market. After all, everything, or almost everything, is already out there! I created my line with the idea that it helps taking care of the skin in a primary way. The underlying concept is homeostasis, the principle of equilibrium of any living organism. I want to help women have healthier, better skin. If it is healthy, it will look good. If you look good you feel beautiful. I didn’t want to sell claims, only results. I wanted to be authentic.

My products are all unique, in concept and formulae. It is not a conventional line, I create products that I feel are useful and that will bring something different. All our products are natural and thought to bring results, and we validate the results by extensive testing. The line is among pioneers in the field of natural cosmeceuticals .

What Skin Care Advice Can You Share With Us?

The first advice I give is: get to know your skin! You will know how to treat it and maintain it better. Too many women use and abuse products and treatments. Be good to your skin.

Adopt a simple routine, clean your skin gently, don’t abuse the sun (that’s not to say stay away from it!). Massage skin as often as you can, it is a the first step to prevent skin aging. Drink water, a lot, don’t smoke and laugh a lot!

In terms of skin care, I recommend mixing the different products you use (in your hand) before applying them. It helps achieve the right formula and texture for a specific skin. You dose the products better and will know how much you need to apply by testing and feeling different amounts. If you apply them one on top of the other, you might use too much or not get the best out of each product. This is how I use my products; you can adapt them to your needs. For example, if the Baume 27 is too rich for daytime, you can add a few drops of the Essence 27 and you will have your own preferred texture with the benefits of both products. The formulae are all thought to be complementary and not additional. It is not the skin that adapts to the products, the product can be adapted depending on the skin need and condition.

What Are You Especially Passionate About in the Field of Skin Care?

I am passionate about what will become integrative beauty. I am interested in integrative medicine, which is maybe more popular in the US than it is in our countries (Europe). In essence, integrative medicine focuses on the patient’s wellness and health rather than treating a disease. It means that the patient is at the center, and takes charge of his own health. It takes its roots in oriental medicine and therapies, including allopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy and traditional medicine. It’s medicine that treats the body and soul. Beauty will get there! I like the idea that there is not one treatment solution for all, but that we are all different. It has already started in the US with the concept of integrative spas.

Travel Beauty Tip: For those of us with dry and/or mature skin that can become even more dehydrated over the winter, mix 4 -5 drops of Huile 27 in your hands with Baume 27. It gives that added extra moisture that skin is thirsty for this time of year. Can also be used as a face, hair and cuticle oil.

Creating a new habit requires constant repetition. We thought we’d review our top tips to beautiful, ageless skin. May they become your new skin care habits.

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A question that comes up frequently in the beauty industry—whether it’s beauty editors, news publications, blogs, founders of beauty brands or friends asking me for advice—is “What is your top beauty secret?” or “What is the most important thing that I can do to keep my skin looking great?”

There is No Magic Bullet

The truth is that there is no one THING, product, practice or secret that will keep you looking like you are 19 through your 90s. Like everything else in life, looking—and more importantly, feeling—great takes work and consistent care. If your skin is really important to you, take care of it by going for regular facials, even if you only go quarterly. Preventative care is essential. Also, commit to some kind of a regimen. You don’t have to spend endless hours with masks and all types of steps, but commit to cleansing, and toning; Lavido Purifying Face Cleanser and Hydrating Facial Toner are great choices for the summer. And find a serum and moisturizer that works for you and use it. Establish some type of ritual for morning and evening. If you are lazy like me, your night ritual might consist of using an Ursa Major Essential Face Wipe and following it with Emma Hardie The Midas Touch Face Serum. It takes about 60 seconds. The point is, just do something!

Tuning Into What We Need

Whether we are talking about hair, skin or body, the first step to taking proper care of ourselves is tuning into what our bodies need. If you have been to a good nutritionist, (I was lucky enough to find Joy Bauer) she will go over basics of what are and are not good food choices, but she will also tell you to listen to your body. If we take a moment to sit still with ourselves and listen, our bodies will tell us what we need. It is really remarkable. Have you ever been thinking about what you wanted to eat for dinner and felt like a big juicy steak and spinach? Now, I am not a physician or nutritionist (and vegans, please cover your ears), but it’s possible that at that moment, your body was in need of iron and animal protein. Similarly, ever notice on really hot summer days, we tend to gravitate towards salads and fruits and eat a little lighter? Those foods are mostly water based and our bodies are likely in need of hydration. In the same way that we should be listening to our bodies to know what they need on a given day to perform optimally, we also need to learn to listen to our skin.

Notice Patterns

In the winter skin tends to dry out from the cool frosty air and wind, so we might mix a face oil with a rich moisturizer, Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 with Baume 27 for example, to give our skin the protection that it needs. Whereas on a warm summer day, skin is more vulnerable to congestion as it produces more oil than usual. On days like this, mixing a few drops of a serum (Right now I am using Cosmetics 27 Essence 27) with a daily anti-aging sunscreen, such as Institut Esthederm Bronz Repair Face Cream SPF 20, or a light BB Cream (B. Kamins makes a great one), is all that is needed. (Side Bar: Institut Esthederm Time Technology Cream is a great moisturizer for summer evenings. It is light and contains just a bit of sparkle, which looks beautiful, especially on sun kissed skin.)

There is No One-Cure-Fits-All

In other words, there is no one best beauty or skin care tip that’s a one-cure-fits-all. Do your own research, see what the experts are saying, but then tune into your skin. Take a moment and look at your face in the mirror and examine its landscape. Is there a part of your face where blemishes tend to pop up with seasonal weather changes? For me its on either side of my chin and begins when temperatures change significantly, so at the beginning of the summer and then again when the temperatures really drop transitioning into winter. Start to notice these patterns and shift your facial care regimen slightly to accommodate your skin’s needs. There are no hard and fast rules for certain seasons, either. You may find during the summer that after a day in the sun, your skin is really dry and needs some TLC…have that rich winter moisturizer on hand!

A Word on Anti-aging and Massage

A tip that I picked up from both from skin care expert Yasmine Djerradine and Michele Evrard, the pharmacist that founded M.E. SkinLab, the company that manufactures the Cosmetics 27 skin care line, which I love…is massaging the face.

Massaging The Face

When applying product, morning and evening, take an extra 30 seconds or more (if you have the patience), and actually massage the product in. Whether you are using a serum, face oil or moisturizer, literally spread it on from the bridge of your nose in horizontal downward strokes toward your cheeks and press hard, then move your fingers up the bridge of your nose, between your eyebrows and smooth down those annoying lines that start to form in your mid-thirties. I do this at least 8 times. Next, spread your fingers, position them on top of your eyebrows and applying pressure, move them up to your hairline and repeat. Then do the same in your temple area. Just try it, it feels good. It will also release any tension that you may already carry in that area, which will prevent future lines that may appear as a result of scrunching your forehead.

Massaging The Eye Area

While applying under eye cream, apply pressure, and starting from the under eye area closest to your nose, sweep your fingers up the half moon shape of your under eye area all the way through where your crows feet might start. Repeat this 3-4 times. Apply even more pressure where the crows feet appear. Don’t be afraid to message it in. There is a myth floating around that applying pressure to this area will have a negative impact. It isn’t true! I’m using Emma Hardie Age Support Eye Cream right now. It’s all natural and extremely moisturizing. The under eye area is the driest patch on the visage. Using an eye cream is a good habit to get into, even if you are in your mid twenties.

Got Smile Lines?

Make sure to apply pressure in that area, horizontally intersecting the smile lines in an upward motion. If you are uncertain, moving your fingers up your face is usually a safe bet. You will wake up the dermis and muscles directly under it as well as get the blood flowing. Think of it as exercise for the muscles in your face.

Final Tip

Remember to smile, even if it’s just with your eyes; happiness always radiates beauty.

Stay tuned for more holistic beauty tips that actually work from our panel of beauty experts and us regular girls at Travel Beauty.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie

What is your background?

M.E.: I am a pharmacist. I studied Pharmacy in Belgium. I wanted to work in a lab on formulation and product development. I started as an intern at Max Factor in the US, only I was integrated in the marketing department. I went on to work at Max Factor for 2 years in product development. That’s how I started my career in fragrance and cosmetics. I learned most of the job there and owe much to the incredible women who were at the beginning of what this industry has become! I have been in this industry for over 23 years, working on product development and marketing in companies such as L’Oréal, Christian Dior Parfums, Boucheron Parfums and Matis skin care. I decided to create my own products in 2008 and launched Baume 27 in 2009.

What led you to create the Cosmetics 27 line?

M.E.: My passion for product and innovation, clearly! I had worked on the concept of a unique formula for 3 years after I had discovered the virtues of Centella Asiatica. I have always been fascinated  by cellular regeneration. It was when I left my last position and set up my own consulting firm that I decided to develop that formula for myself. It was the Baume 27. That was the beginning of the Cosmetics 27 line that came out the year after.

What differentiates your line from other skin care lines, in particular other natural skin care lines?

M.E.: My philosophy is not so much about selling or adding another product to the market. After all, everything, or almost everything, is already out there! I created my line with the idea that it helps take care of the skin in a primary way. The underlying concept is homeostasis, the principle of equilibrium of any living organism. I want to help women have healthier skin. If it is healthy, it will look good. If you look good, you will feel beautiful. I didn’t want to sell claims, only results. I wanted to be authentic.

My products are all unique, in concept and formulae. It is not a conventional line. I create products that I feel are useful and that will bring something different. All our products are natural and thought to bring results. We validate the results with extensive testing. The line is pioneering in the field of natural cosmeceuticals. (Read even more about Cosmetics 27.)

What anti-aging or other advice would you give about skin care?

M.E.: Get to know your skin! You will know how to treat it and maintain it better. Too many women use and abuse products and treatments. Be good to your skin.

Adopt a simple routine, clean your skin gently, don’t abuse the sun (that’s not to say stay away from it!). Massage skin as often as you can, it is a the first step to prevent skin from aging. Drink a lot of water, and don’t smoke or laugh too much!

In terms of skin care, I recommend mixing the different products that you use, in your hands, before you apply them. It helps achieve the right formula and texture for a specific skin. You dose the products better and will know how much you need to apply by testing and feeling different amounts. If you apply them one on top of the other, you might use too much or not get the best out of each product. This is how I use my products; you can adapt them to your needs. For example, if the Baume 27 is too rich for daytime, you can add a few drops of the Essence 27 and you will have your own preferred texture with the benefits of both products. The formulae are all thought to be complementary and not additional. It is not the skin that adapts to the products, the product can be adapted depending on the skin need and condition.

What are you passionate about related to skin care?

M.E.: I am passionate about what will become “integrative beauty”. I am interested in integrative medicine, which is maybe more popular in the US than it is in our countries (Europe). In essence, integrative medicine focuses on the patient’s wellness and health rather than treating a disease. It means that the patient is at the center, and takes charge of his own health. It takes its roots in oriental medicine and therapies, including allopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy and traditional medicine. It’s medicine that treats the body and soul. Beauty will get there! I like the idea that there is not one treatment solution for all, but that we are all different. It has already started in the US with the concept of integrative spas.