Never until this year did I realize such a change in my skin from season to season. I had a hard time understanding customers who would say their skin gets so dry in the winter when I have never experienced anything close to a change like that in myself. Maybe in August I get a bit shinier and in the winter it’s more normal but yep, it’s true. Now I can say it’s real because it’s happening to me! Two days of the very small amount of heat being on in my apartment, I am waking up tight and dry when my skin is usually combination and even leans a little oily sometimes. The radiator isn’t even on in my bedroom. Is that the 40 showing on my skin? No I don’t mean the 40oz beer (well, could be that too), I mean the age. How does this relate to your products, you ask? Dry heat can dehydrate the skin making it feel tight and dry. Similar effects come from air conditioning in the summer. Your regular, every day moisturizer or night cream may just not cut it once the weather changes and you’re all toasty in your house with the heat blasting. Try adding a serum over (or under depending on which product) your day or night moisturizer for a little boost if you can’t stand to part with your current moisturizer or night cream. You may need to knock your toner down a few notches milder too. Make small changes to get the right balance for your skin so it looks great all year round. Sometimes a simple change to your routine like using a moisture mask once a week or an exfoliating peel once a week can really help. Many times for my clients I will recommend switching a liquid moisturizer over to a thicker protective cream. There is a very logical and simple explanation as to why we do this for customers who live in colder or seasonal climates. Creams usually contain occlusive emollients which simply means they work by preventing moisture from evaporating from the skin which happens in dry heat environments. Just because an ingredient is occlusive (petroleum for example), does not necessarily mean it clogs the pores. Lighter liquid moisturizers which are made with up to 70 percent water use humectants as the active moisture ingredients. Humectants (for example Hyaluronic Acid or Collagen) pull moisture from the air and lock it on the skin. How can I not mention this? Yes, still use your sunscreen daily, even in the winter. Did you know that the UVA rays that cause wrinkles and skin cancer are CONSTANT year-round? The same amount of UVA damage is acquired whether you are out on a rainy day in winter or in August on the beach or at the pool. Best advice, use SPF every day and SPF 30 is best. Get a make-up with SPF if your favorite moisturizer doesn’t have SPF. I’d say it’s pretty counterproductive to spend all kinds of time, money and energy on good make-up and skin care if you’re not going to use one basic, simple skin care product that is going to give you the biggest overall, long-term benefit. I can’t say this enough.

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