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

Even the product obsessive compulsive rotates a product or two with the change of season. During the summer, when the northern hemisphere is closest to the sun we need to give our skin a little extra added tender loving care. Here is how one particular girl on the precipice of 40 keeps her skin in check all summer long.

Starting With The Basics: Facial Cleansers

We all know it’s important to wash the face morning and night. I’m still 39, for another 9 days anyway, and my skin tends to be sensitive and on the drier side. This summer I’ve worked Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm into my routine. It’s a quadruple-threat spa in a jar. A moisturizing, deep-cleansing, makeup-removing mask and face wash that doesn’t strip the skin of its essential oils. This is a rare and important beauty find especially in summer when we tend to spend more time outdoors. While skin can seem a bit more oily during the summer, it really just needs some extra special loving care. Resist the temptation to exfoliate often and use strong, soapy cleansers. This will only over dry skin and encourage it to produce more oil and sebum. It will also exfoliate any semblance of a healthy tan you may be working on.

Morning Moringa Massage

I store mine in the refrigerator: the cool temperature is refreshing and calms puffiness. I apply it first thing in the morning, take a minute or so to massage it into my skin in the direction of lymphatic drainage.

• Line up your fingers, with both hands, right below the bridge of your nose and sweep out (repeat this down the entire length of your nose and don’t be afraid to apply pressure directly below your eyes) and then make a wide circle down the jaw and meet at the chin.
• From there sweep down your neck. Go back up to the bridge of your nose with your middle fingers and sweep up. Once you hit your eye brow, sweep in an outward motion towards your temples (repeat this upward until you hit your hairline at the top of your forehead) and then back down to your jaw, meeting up at your chin.
• Don’t leave your mustache area out. Place both middle fingers at the center, right under your nose, applying pressure, sweep out and around to your jaw line and meet again at your chin.
• Have a cup of coffee and go about your morning routine.

This enables me to leave the mask on for 10 – 20 minutes. I also apply it to the backs of my hands. When you enter mid to late thirtydom, even if you take A+ care of your skin and have great genes, you will notice age starting to rear its ugly texture on the back of your hands. There is no place that shows age more than the back of one’s hands.

The all-natural scent of moringa is also calming to the senses which is beneficial especially on hectic mornings. Though this cleanser can be used day and night, if your skin is dry like mine, you may want to use it only once a day.  At night I don’t use a cleanser at all. I spray Vine Minus Ion Care Water on a cotton pad and wipe off the day – it is anti-bacterial, hydrating and can be used to remove makeup as well. It also boosts the efficacy of your nightly face care regimen to follow. This is particularly useful as skin care does its most important work at night when we sleep.

Additional note: Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm can also be used as a moisturizing hair mask.

Moisturizing Regimen

In summer it’s important to use a moisturizer with SPF. Institut Esthederm Bronz Repair Sunscreen for Face SPF 15 is an anti-aging moisturizer and sunscreen rolled up into one. Esthederm sun care is – bar none – the best you can find on the market. Its high tech formula works to strengthen the skin’s ability to protect itself from the sun. It contains active beeswax and rice bran oil, both specially chosen for their highly nourishing, moisturizing and anti-free radical properties.

Summer Anti-aging Serums

When using an SPF moisturizer, you must apply a serum underneath. SPF can clog pores and as my mother says, you always need a little something between the wheels and the road. I stay away from face oils during the summer. My skin craves hydration, but nothing so rich or thick. Sapelo Skin Care Renewing Serum floods the skin with the nutrients and moisture it needs to stimulate cellular renewal, including gardenia stem cells, natural humectants and collagen that protect and nourish skin, enabling it to fight signs of aging and protect your pores.

Summer Body Care

The summer sun and air is just as harsh on the body as it is on the face. It goes without saying that one needs to use a sunscreen during the day. Sun Bum makes a high quality, reasonably priced sunscreen that offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection for up to 80 minutes. Great for golfers, surfers, tennis players, sand castle builders and sun worshippers alike and it’s PABA, paraben, oil and fragrance free. Most people are good about applying sunscreen. Where many of us fall off the wagon is in the aprés sun department. After washing off the day you really want to nourish your skin with a lotion that will sooth dry skin, boost elasticity and fight the damaging effects of the sun, pollutants and free radicals. Packed with ingredients like Aloe Vera Juice and, Avocado Oil, moisturizing omegas and powerful antioxidants, Mio Skincare A Cream Firming Active Body Cream will do just that.

Miscellaneous Tidbits

If you are traveling regularly over the summer or just on a summer gym tear, Mio Skincare Your Fit Skin Kit is a great way to sample some of this wonderful body care line. I also recommend Mio Skincare Clean Slate Workout Swipes – these, all natural, full body wipes are ideal for any summer situation you can imagine, including what I’ve come to call a dry shower.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie