Body Care Tips from Dermatologists to Keep Your Skin Healthy and Strong This Winter

Cold and dry winter weather doesn’t have to get in the way of your glow this season.

Even though the sun may be going down earlier these days with winter approaching, there’s still a way to glow this holiday season. Dermatologists weighed in with Cherie and said that there’s a product for each and every one of us as we switch our seasonal body care products. It just depends on what you’re looking for and the goals that you have for your skin in the coming months.

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But in order to understand your skin aspirations, it’s important to recognize that the skin on our face is different from that which is on our body. Dr. Erum Ilyas told Cherie that facial skin is oftentimes oilier than body skin, and can require different care and attention. “We have a higher density and higher concentration of oil glands on the face and sometimes on the upper chest, shoulder, and upper back area,” she said.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Facial Moisturizer for Dry Skin Face Cream Moisturizer

And ingredients are especially important now as our bodies begin to react to upcoming changes in the weather. Landriscina said that the winter season brings dryer air with less humidity, and he isn’t just talking about the air outside, either. The doctor said that hot showers and dry heat from heating systems can all work together during the winter months to give many of us dry body skin.

Because of this, Landriscina said that a focus on moisture in winter body care is essential for maximizing glow potential. “All skin types should be looking to amp up barrier function and HYDRATE body skin during the winter,” he said. “This includes using humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to add water to the skin as well as lipids, ceramides and occlusive like petrolatum to help seal that water in.” His biggest body skin secret for the season is utilizing a humidifier in his bedroom while he sleeps.

The Vichy Thermal Moisturizer is creamy, refreshing, and thoroughly “moisturizing” moisturizer for dry skin. This soothing and renewing moisturizer hydrates the skin for 48 hours, leaving it feeling comfortable and renewed. It does a good job smoothing fine wrinkles and hydrating skin evenly, revealing a natural shine. It’s Paraben-Free, Oil-Free, Silicone-Free.

Bioderma – Atoderm – Intensive Balm – Face and Body Moisturizing Body Balm

As for ingredients to avoid in the coming months, Ilyas said that alcohol-based products, those with an abundance of fragrance, and heavy oils can actually be potentially harmful to the skin.

In an analogy, the dermatologist said that she imagines skin to be like a cobblestone street rather than a smooth wall. The bricks that hold it together, she says, are like our skin cells and look like cracked porcelain when it becomes dry in the wintertime. “If you put fragrance on top of that cobblestone, the skin becomes filled with that fragrance and it becomes irritated,” Ilyas said. “Your immune system starts to feel like there’s some sensory overload going on.”

This Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Balm acts as a barrier for a lasting, soothing effect. It also has Zinc which contributes to minimizing the look of redness.

Flamingo Deep Nourishing Cream

Although we often categorize our facial skin into four categories (dry, oily, combination, and sensitive), Dr. Angelo Landriscina – also known as Dermangelo on social media and YouTube – said that he instead likes to classify body skin on a spectrum. “Very few people will have super oily body skin so there’s not a truly “oily” body skin type,” he said. “Most people sit on a spectrum from well moisturized to very dry.” The dermatologist also mentioned that body skin can be sensitive and recommended showering only once a day in many cases.

Skin type classification according to Ilyas is simply a marketing tactic to allow consumers a better way to “understand what they’re going to get out of their product.” She said that buyers should pay attention to ingredient labels on the backs of products rather than solely committing to something based on what the front says that it will do.

Glossier Body Hero Duo

And despite the cold weather, shorter days, and more time spent inside, both skin experts said that wearing sunscreen is key during winter. Landriscina said that UV radiation is still present even in winter months and mentioned that even skiers still get sunburnt. Ilyas agreed and said that UV rays, which can be responsible for skin cancer, can actually be magnified by snow. “I caution people to not think that they’re in the clear during the winter,” she said. “You don’t want to get a false sense of security when you might find that that’s actually when you burn.”

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And as many of us still work from home these days, Ilyas warned that consistent exposure to blue lights can actually speed up aging, discoloration, and promote wrinkles. She recommends using products with niacinamide to combat our constant exposure.

But no matter what the weather may have in store for us this winter, listen to the skin on your body this winter season and look for products with ingredients that will help to keep your skin strong and healthy!

 

This was a great piece of article from Cherie that many including myself read and used.  I didn’t want it to be lost and have transposed it here.  Full credit to user @ToriBPowell