Does Your Skin Feel As Dry As Aunt Tilly’s Fruitcake

Winter is the season where humidity outside drops and moisture evaporates more readily from the skin. This means skin feels dry, tight and flaky. It feels just as uncomfortable as a dry and crumbly Christmas fruitcake. Maybe she had her oven set too high. Maybe she didn’t add enough liquid or maybe she over beat the eggs. Regardless of what mistake she made, if the cake is dry, there is an adjustment somewhere that she didn’t make. The same is true for your skincare routine. It needs to be adjusted to account for the differences in the weather during the winter months or else you’re going to see and experience negative results that will leave your skin feeling chapped, taut and uncomfortable. During this time of year, it’s imperative to keep moisture in the skin and one way to do that is to adjust your skincare routine accordingly.

So what steps should you take?

Treatments:

If you’re already feeling the effects of dry, lackluster skin, and want to reset yourself on a more nourishing course, you can opt for a treatment to correct what’s going wrong and set you on a path toward smooth and supple skin across all seasons.

There are two great options when it comes to dry skin. The first is our Restorative Treatment, which is a hydrating treatment that provides much-needed oxygen and enzymes to the skin. The Restorative Treatment is non-abrasive and includes a non-acidic vitamin peel. It’s all about infusing the skin with nutrients and revitalizing all of the skin’s layers so that you can recapture that youthful glow and even out dry and blotchy skin tone.

The other option is our DMK treatment. DMK treats and strengthens the skin at the cellular level. It’s all about removing the dry, dead cells, rebuilding the skin, protecting the new cells, and maintaining that health. It’s all about taking the skin you have and flooding it with enzymes that trigger healthy function, making your skin stronger and healthier.

Either of these treatments is a great step in the right direction and have your skin feeling resilient to the elements.

Food For the Skin

You wouldn’t skip meals or skip taking your medications. Food for your skin is just as important. It’s important to continue to feed your skin the nutrients it needs regardless of the season. When you remember to consistently nourish your skin, it will reward you with by never becoming dry, tight, or flaky.

Exfoliation & Masks

Your skin is constantly shedding the old and creating new cells. But if you don’t remove these dead cells, they will stick around and create problems. DMK’s Exoderma Peel and Foaming Lift Masque exfoliates these dry and dead cell materials and helps to detoxify and purify the skin. It also activates microcirculation, increases hydration, and keeps the skin functioning at optimal levels so your skin won’t feel dry, irritated or flaky. Plus once the dead cells are removed, you’ll be less likely to get breakouts, or suffer the effects of oily or sensitive skin.

Sunscreen for All Seasons

Most of us put the sunscreens away for the winter. Days are shorter, cloudier, and we’re spending less time outside, but that doesn’t mean the sun isn’t just as damaging as it is during the summer months. And the trouble is, winter tends to be when the sun can get the best of us because we’re not paying attention to it. You may not know this, but the pink in the face that you get after some time outside on a wintry day is not windburn like we might imagine. You’ll know if the redness doesn’t subside within an hour. If it sticks around, you know you got a sunburn.

Any skin not covered by clothing should be covered with a broad-spectrum sunscreen protecting against UVA and UVB rays and applied fifteen minutes prior to going outdoors. Then remember to apply about every two hours while outdoors. Yes, even in winter months.

Lip Protection

Remember to protect the lips too. Use lip balm or lipstick to keep your lips moist all the time. Try my personal favorite. I’ve been using if for years. It keeps my lips moist and pink.

Drink Up, Cells

I get asked this all the time, “Kristina, you said I need to increase free water so should I drink more water to keep my skin hydrated?” Drinking water is great, and I’ll never tell you not to drink more as it’s super beneficial, but drinking water will NOT increase free water levels for your cells. However, taking EFAs will help with this dehydration. You could also tweak your other habits, use a specific mist or serum to help restore moisture.

Bundle Up

Dressing warmly not only retains body heat, but also minimizes the effects of cold winds striking bare skin. Hands and feet are at the greatest risk of frostbite, which is caused when the skin and sometimes the tissue beneath the skin freezes from prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Bundling up and protecting your skin with layers is the best way to avoid damage to the skin. Dress in loose layers, wear socks, cover the head, wrap a scarf over the mouth, wear insulated gloves, and always be sure to properly prepare for the weather!