Thursday, April 5, 2018

Winterize Your Skin

You can have normal/combination, dry, sensitive or even oily skin, and still have the added challenge of dehydrated skin. The fall and winter months can be major contributors to that flaky, itchy and scaly skin. Why, you ask.

Dehydration of the skin is a loss of water through the elements like wind, sun, changes in temperature and environment. Moisture can evaporate the skin rapidly when exposed to extremes of the environment. Some signs of this are tightness, fine lines, lack of radiance, and loss of elasticity.


Most skin conditions get worse in the winter months because there’s not as much humidity in the outer layer of the skin. When the cells in the outer layer get dry, their edges curl up and the skin gets a rough feeling. This is a good reason to use a Murad Step 2 Treatment targeted to your skin type or condition. Some of these treatment products help gently exfoliate those dull, dry excess skin cells, some supply rich nutrients to repair skin. A couple we suggest for those winter months are:

Intensive Wrinkle Reducer—promotes gentle exfoliation, while balancing skin hydration with Durian Fruit extract; a natural, water balancing botanical nutrient. A great day time treatment product when you skin is most exposed to environmental challenges.

City Skin Night Treatment—this Vitamin C enriched, nighttime repairing treatment not only helps the repair your skin during the essential sleep cycle, but also is rich in antioxidants and epidermal growth factor to help repair and heal stressed, irritated skin.
Most people think skin gets dry because it lacks oil,
is that true?

That dry, tight feeling is actually an indicator that the skin is not retaining the proper moisture balance. A big reason is due to environmental changes and assaults. It’s not that the skin lacks oil, but because it is lacking water.

So, how do you identify dehydrated skin? Here are some common indicators:

Skin complexion is dull and lifeless
Texture is hard and leathery
Patches of flaky skin is visible
Fine lines around the upper/lower lip chin, surface lines on cheeks and forehead
The skin does not have a supple, responsive feel, rather when the skin is pressed, it does not bounce back quickly

Here are some key tips to help “winterize” your skin:

Combat the effects of dry indoor heat by lowering the temperature
Use a humidifier. Air inside your home becomes very dry in winter, especially if your windows are closed and the heat is on. A humidifier will replace moisture in the air. A good rule to remember is if your turn up the heat, turn on the humidifier.

Don’t take long hot showers. Frequent long hot showers remove the oils from your skin, making it dry and itchy. Instead, take luke-warm showers for less than 10 minutes. Pat (do not rub!) your skin until it is just moist, and put on an emollient body cream, such as Murad’s Body Firming Cream, to seal in the moisture in your skin. This will decrease dryness and itch. Also, if you take baths add oils to the bath water, as this will help replenish the oils in your skin.

Drink plenty of water.

Skin needs to be hydrated from the inside also. A great addition to help cells retain water and protect against further damage is Murad’s Wet Suit Dietary Supplement.

Use a lip balm daily with an SPF to help prevent chapped lips. Murad’s Pomegranate Lip Care SPF 15 is an excellent choice for daily protection. At nighttime, to help heal and repair the delicate lip area, or any irritated areas on your skin reach for Murad’s Soothing Skin and Lip Care.
If you love your facial moisturizer and notice it’s not working quite as well during the winter months, a simple solution is to give your routine a moisture enhancing “boost”. Here are some ideal solutions:

Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum— This Hyaluronic Acid based, water loving serum will help enhance moisture retention in the deeper layers of the skin. Hyaluronic Acid can bind up to 1000 times it’s weight in water. Just mix a few drops in with your moisturizer and your skin will become better balanced and less dehydrated. Think of this as a “drink of water” for your skin.

Perfecting Serum— This ceramide rich serum helps keep the vital water balance on the outermost areas of the skin, where the environmental assaults attack first. Providing a healthy barrier against environmental assaults and preventing water loss will give your skin that smooth, radiant and hydrated finish you have been searching for. Apply a very small amount over your moisturizer to prevent water loss and soothe irritated skin. It is the perfect primer before applying your make-up or sun protection.

A few minutes a day personalizing your moisturizing routine and taking these extra precautions below, can help you avoid the unpleasant, flaky skin you’ve had during past winters.

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