I can’t stress enough how imperative it is to protect our skin from all the perils of winter. We’re not just talking the face – the lips and body take quite a beating during this season too.

While everyone’s skin becomes more sensitive regardless of skin type, some people experience different degrees of dehydration and dryness, while others struggle with unexpected blemish breakouts. During the winter months we are contending with a multitude of factors that the skin quite literally has to weather. In addition to the cold, crisp air which dehydrates and strips the skin of the nutrients it needs to protect itself, we are constantly transitioning from the arid, manufactured heat of our homes and offices to the dry, frigid air of the great outdoors. This never-ending revolving door between 2 highly contrasting environments whips our skin into a tizzy. The skin becomes like a yo-yo not able to adapt quickly enough to its ever changing environment. It’s uncertain of what to do first to protect itself, so we need to do a little hand holding and take extra special care of our skin so that it can return the favor.

Back to basics! Drink tons of water!

It may be a bit counterintuitive but we need to drink as much water during the winter as we do all summer long. Our bodies are working overtime to keep us warm during the chilly winter months. This requires us to consume more calories and water. Since our skin comes into direct contact with the elements outside, it gets hit hard. If we don’t drink enough water, the skin is unable to carry out its cellular activities as efficiently. As a result the skin becomes dehydrated. So remember to drink.

Skin care by skin type

There is no one skincare regimen that fits all. That said, it’s important to step up your skin care game in the winter, but be gentle! No matter what your type, skin becomes more sensitive during the cold winter months and needs us to cut it a little slack.

Winter blemish breakouts

If you tend to experience bouts of seasonal breakouts during the winter, chances are, you are using too harsh a regimen for this time of year. In a time when even combination and oily prone skin requires more hydration, you may be exfoliating or using peeling treatments too frequently. This can actually strip skin of the nutrients it needs. Parched, the skin responds by going into overdrive and manufacturing excess oil. This surplus of oil rears its ugly head on the skin’s surface in the form blackheads, whiteheads and other varieties of blemishes. Ease up on these type of harsh treatments. Try exfoliating 1 x per week or give your face a couple weeks off. Make sure that the exfoliator you choose is gentle. I prefer all natural exfoliators like Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish. It utilizes ingredients like rice brand and bamboo to exfoliate, extracts of ginger root and ginseng to balance the skin and green tea, geranium oil and camphor to soothe and refresh. (Can be used as a body scrub too!)  I also eliminate glycolic acid peel treatments and products entirely during the winter. If this sounds too scary, try reducing the number of treatments you use. When overused these types of products produce the very blemishes we initially used them to heal.

You may also want to try a moisturizer geared for more sensitive skin that is a bit richer than what you normally use. I can’t say enough good things about Sapelo Skin Care Rejuvenating Cream. It is an anti-aging wonder that is hyper nourishing, yet simultaneously guards against breakouts. It helps stimulate cell growth providing the building blocks to manufacture new collagen, elastin and keratin cells. Alternatively you can try adding 4-5 drops of  face oil to your favorite moisturizer to give it a boost. Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 is an all natural elixir packed with nutrients that boosts the skin ability to repair, moisturize and protect itself. This French multitasker can be used on the lips, hair and cuticles as well.

Chapped face syndrome

Even if your face doesn’t qualify as chapped, like mine does during the winter, you probably want to opt for a richer moisturizer, add a nourishing, water based serum and boost your moisturizer with 3 – 5 drops of face oil. This is by no means taking things too far. If you’re still feeling dry, you may want to try cleansing your face at night only. If you are washing off the remains of the day at night, a bit of warm water followed by a gentle toner is enough in the morning. For those of us with dry skin, even the gentlest cleansers can be extremely drying.

While some of these practices may sound counterintuitive and perhaps even a little scary, dare yourself to conduct an experiment. Giving your skin a break may be just the thing it needs to rebalance itself and keep you looking healthy and beautiful all winter long.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

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

With the change of season, we often modify daily rituals and routines. We swap out denim jackets in favour of wool coats and replace open toe shoes with chic ankle boots. Similarly, but perhaps a little less obvious, we change our beauty looks and regimen as well. It comes so naturally that it can be easy to miss.

We substitute a richer moisturizer or fortify our moisturizer with a nourishing face oil to protect our skin from the cold temperatures and dry winter air. We may also put our coral lip to rest in favour of something deep, dark and delicious. These are all things we each do every time the warmer months come to an end and we’re faced with layers upon layer (upon layers) once again.

It can actually be quite a bit of fun. This season, we’re encouraged by beauty experts all over the globe to push the boundaries of simple black liner and dark lips and try something new.

With that in mind, the cooler months are the time to have some fun with your makeup by creating some more dramatic looks – without worrying about the humidity melting it all away.

Here are the top 3 things you need to know about Fall ’16 beauty.

Bold, Smudgy Eyes

Get friendly with black eyeliner this season! Too much liner in the summer can look out of place but come winter, it fits right in. We all know that a good wing never goes out of style but what about an all over liner? Yes, we mean the top and bottom lids. If you’re really daring you’ll definitely want to give this look a try.

A smoky black lid is still chic but we can mix it up by creating it with a different colour palette. Browns for fall and golden hues for holiday parties? Don’t be afraid to add a touch of glitter for holiday soirees too – just keep it minimal. Remember, less is more.

Modern Goth

Although we just spoke about liner being a super hot item this season, we don’t always feel like putting on a full look. Cue: modern Goth. For this look, leave off eye makeup completely (or just apply a thin layer of mascara) and keep all eyes focused on your pout.

When it comes to your lipstick colour, darker is better. You don’t have to go as dark as Peter Philips did at Dior (he used black eyeliner as lipstick before layering a darker shade on top) but be open to all the burgundy, plum and oxblood lipsticks you can get your hands on.

Natural Brows

Has it ever really been in style to not have natural brows? Contrary to some belief, we’re here to tell you that natural is (and always will be) in style. That’s not to say that we can’t enhance our natural beauty.

When filling in brows with a pencil, Brenda Christian revolutionized this category of makeup, make sure that you’re using a brow gel and brush combo afterwards to get rid of any excess and lend the illusion of texture which will help them look more natural. Plus, do you know what looks amazing with a natural brow? A stained red lip. Choose something light and with a bit of gloss to pair well with the natural vibe.

Which look are you most looking forward to trying out?

For more from Melina Morry, please visit The Lady-like Leopard

A question that comes up frequently in the beauty industry—whether it’s beauty editors, news publications, blogs, founders of beauty product lines or friends asking 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 your skin 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 be using an Ursa Major Essential Face Wipe and following it with 5 drops of Cosmetics 27 Huile 27. 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, 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 its 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

I hope this does not sound too out there, but think about it: in the winter, our skin tends to dry out from the cool frosty air and wind, so we might mix a face oil with a rich moisturizer, B. Kamins Replenishing Moisturizer Kx, for example, to give our skin the protection that it needs. Whereas on a warmer summer day, when you might find a blemish appearing and you skin is already feeling moist from the humid air, you might mix 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), and call it a day.

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 reading and 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 occurs with seasonal weather changes, mostly at times 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! (Think Cosmetics 27 Baume 27 It is perfect for after sun care.)

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 of 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 hair line 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 there and repeat specifically in that area.

Got Smile Lines?

Make sure to apply pressure in that area, in the opposite direction that the lines tend to flow. 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.

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