With winter just around the corner, you need to not only prepare your wardrobe, but your face as well
Winter in the Southeast may not bring blizzards (but remember that one time in 2017…?) but that doesn’t mean our skin is necessarily spared. Follow these five tips to take you through to spring with your best face forward.
Moisturize. Hopefully you’re slapping on the salves all year round, but it’s especially important in winter. Just as you seasonally switch out your closet, moving the maxis to the back and the cashmere to the front, you need to do the same with your skin-care regimen. (Okay, I don’t swap out my closets, but my mom is fancy and does, so I know it’s a thing.) Also, put down the alcohol-based, alpha hydroxy and benzoyl peroxide products and replace them with heavier, more soothing products. Save the ultra-abrasion for a sunnier day. When desperate, use Vaseline. I honestly put this on my cheeks and nose when I go for a run in the elements. Slimy, yet shielding.
Hydrate. Not only do we need to hydrate our surface skin, but hydration also needs to happen from the inside out. I can’t get enough water in the summer heat, but that thirst tapers in winter. As a result, so does the suppleness of our skin. Stick to your 8 or more glasses of water a day like it’s your job. And if you’re hitting the holidays pretty hard—as I tend to do—up the baseline. Alcohol dehydrates the skin like a suntan in the Sahara.
Remove your makeup. This one is a year-rounder. Besides the fact that waking up looking like you’ve been on a bender isn’t pretty, that residual mascara, foundation, bronzer and the like wreaks havoc on your skin when it sits there all night. Extra bonus: cleaner sheets.
Lukewarm water. For me, the shower is the perfect temperature if it’s so hot that it kinda hurts. Perpetually suffering from the cold, I only begin to thaw at about 104-degrees. As it turns out, this is really bad for my skin. Excessively warm showers dry out your skin and cause itch and irritation that even the best moisturizers can’t combat. Think more jalapeño than habanero when it comes to temps. I can’t, but you should.
Wear sunscreen. Unfortunately, UVA and UVB rays don’t hibernate in winter. And because the Southeast enjoys more than 200+ days of sun a year, you’ve got to protect yourself with sunscreen even when the temps drop. Along with smoking, sun damage is one of the primary causes of premature aging skin.
Have questions about what skincare regime is best for you? The aestheticians at Savannah Facial Plastic Surgery can hook you up with expert advice and medical-grade products. Requst a consultation online now.
