Beauty Talk: Summer Skin Care Tips for Skin of Color

In the past I was asked several times for recommendations on skin care and makeup for brown skin. Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge needed to advise on this particular issue. But experts at Rx For Brown Skin , a brand of skin care specially developed for darker skins, do and they kindly agreed to make a guest post to share their knowledge with readers of Skin Care and Beauty Blog. If you have particular skin concerns you are welcome to ask questions in the comments to this post or send them to my email (beautyhealthinfo at yahoo.com) and I will forward them for you. And now enjoy these useful tips from Anne Thomas, CMO, Rx For Brown Skin.

Photo by Its Jo Jo at flickr.com
Skin of color is quite different from white skin in many respects. The most notable differences include more melanin, or brown skin pigment, resulting in a warmer skin shade. Brown Skin women also tend to have fewer visible signs of aging, such as deep wrinkles, fine lines and sun-spots. However, a disadvantage to having more melanin is that it makes brown skin more “reactive.” That means almost any stimulus – a rash, a scratch, pimple, or inflammation – may trigger the production of excess melanin, resulting in hyper-pigmentation, dark marks or patches on the skin. That’s why handling brown skin gently, wearing sunscreen and preventing pigmentation problems are keys to brown skin care.
Listed below are a handful of skin-care tips to keep your brown skin healthy and beautiful this summer:

Photo by Rx For Brown Skin
Treat- Acne often flares when the seasons changes. It is important to realize that acne is not caused by dirt or dirty skin but rather bacteria, oil, plugged pores and elevated hormone levels each contributes to acne. Rubbing and scrubbing your skin will actually worsen your acne. Instead, simply washing acne prone skin very gently twice a day will improve the acne by 20 to 30 percent. For an example of a gentle cleanser, take a look at Rx For Brown Skin Bright and Healthy Ultra-Gentle Cleanser . This product was specially developed to mildly cleanse, hydrate and protect brown skin.

Photo by Its Jo Jo at flickr.com
Prevent- With the active lives women lead we should all be taking a supplement however, woman of color needs to pay particular attention to certain deficiencies. A, B, C or D. Which vitamins are many women of color deficient in? Scientific studies have demonstrated that many African American, Latina and some Asian women are deficient in Vitamin D. This vitamin is produced by your skin in conjunction with sunlight but the increased melanin pigment in skin of color hampers its production. A vitamin supplement with calcium and vitamin D will ensure bone health and boost your immune system.

Photo by Rx For Brown Skin
Protect- Sunscreen is a summer time must have for brown skin. You may not have realized it but skin of color often sunburns, it can develop deadly skin cancer and dark marks and discolorations will worsen all because of exposure to the sun’s rays. An ounce of prevention (using sunscreen daily) is worth a pound of cure. Choose wide spectrum sunscreen, that will protect you from both ultraviolet UVA and UVB rays, like Protect and Defend Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15
Ask us any question you have related to brown skin-care and we will answer them in our next Guest post on the blog :-)

- Anne Thomas, CMO, Rx For Brown Skin

Beauty Review: Sisleya Eye and Lip Contour Cream

Product Tag Line:
To restore a fresh, youthful look to eyes and lips

Product Profile in short:
(as described on Sisley Website)

helps counter the formation of visible lines and wrinkles

minimizes the appearance of under-eye puffiness, dark circles and signs of fatigue

formulated with a particularly high concentration of active ingredients

Promise:

After a few weeks' daily use, skin appears more supple, more radiant and better-toned, with an average reduction in wrinkles of approximately 23%.

What’s Inside:

Padina Pavonica algae extract
Natural plant extracts: Matricaria, Licorice, Wheat proteins
Vitamins (E, B5 and F)

Close-up: How active are the active ingredients?
Water
Butyrospermum Park II (Shea Butter) – occlusive
Glycerin – humectant, attracts moisture to your skin
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Extract – is believed to stimulate elimination of old cells and growth of new ones
Rosa Centifolia (Cabbage Rose) Water - anti-oxidant, toning, revitalizing
Glyceryl Stearate – emulsifier, solvent, humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate - thickening agent and emollient
Sorbitol – humectant, thickener
Algae Extract-Paraffin - a potent moisturizer
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate - Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol - emollient (skin softener), emulsifier, and thickener
Cetyl Phosphate - emulsifying agent
Propylene Glycol - emollient, hydrating agent
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Extract - Anti-inflammatory and a whitening agent
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Protein – attracts and retains moisture
...
Further: Sesame seed oil, Carrot Root Extract, Matricaroia Extract

Experience:

Texture: creamy and thick
Absorption: due to shea butter it felt very occlusive
Smell: non-perfumed, extremely subtle and naturally herbal

I was trying a deluxe sample which lasted for 2 weeks. It’s a nice product: kept the eye area nicely moisturized and allowed smooth makeup application (no clumping of eyeshadows as it at times happens with some eye creams). However, I was expecting much more from this product after experiencing the amazing effects of Sisleya Radiance Anti-Aging Concentrate. I would also expect much more impressing effect taking into account quite amazing active ingredients list. It was just ok. I have some slight lines, not yet wrinkles, but I did not see much change in those after the 2-week regular twice a day application. It did have an effect on dark circles, but I cannot comment on puffiness as I don’t usually have this problem.

Price Time: about 150$

Reviews on other Sisley's Skin Care Products:

All Day All Year
Sisleya Radiance Anti-Aging Concentrate
Buff and Wash Gel
Sisley's Energizing and Foaming Exfoliant

You can get more information about Sisley products range as well as shop for Sisley's Beauty Products

Beauty Talk: Treat Dry and/or Dehydrated Skin: Face Oils

This post is a continuation of the series of posts on Dry and Dehydrated Skin. Make sure you read about the causes and how to treat dry and/or dehydrated skin.

Do not confuse face oils that are sold ready for use with essential oils which need to be diluted before application on the skin.

Face Oils can be especially beneficial for the dry and dehydrated skin as they can balance it fast and help to lock the moisture in. Oils have high penetration capabilities. They penetrate deep into the skin and deliver much needed nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants.
Anyone can benefit from a face oil including mixed and oily skin types. The trick is to choose the right oils but most importantly to apply it correctly. When I was researching for this post, I came across a couple application methods.

Damp Skin Method
Experts always just say – apply to damp skin. But when I tried it, my mixed skin felt uncomfortably oily.

Warm water and Wash Cloth Method
So I tried this one out. Here it is step-by-step:
1. Cleanse face, leave it damp
2. Put a few oil drops in your palm and mix with warm water
3. Apply and massage into the face/neck
4. Give it a couple minutes
5. Gently wipe face with damp washcloth
I was surprised with the results. It did get absorbed and my skin was not left unpleasantly oily.

Wet Hands Method
1. Cleanse face
2. Apply a couple oil drops on both sides of your face
3. Wet your clean hands with warm water
4. Massage oil into the face/neck
5. Give it a couple minutes to get soaked in before applying your moisturizer or makeup

If you are just beginning to use face oils, it can take you some time to learn what amount to apply. So several times you may end up with an uncomfortably oily face. That’s why perhaps the Damp Skin Method (see above) did not work for me- it was my first face oil application ever.

Here are some oils to consider:
 Black Currant Complexion Oil from Ole Henriksen (all skin types / rosacea): contains vitamin E, Apricot Kernel, rich in Gamma Linolenic Acids (type of omega-6 fatty acids). Described as “providing skin with environmental protection and resiliency”, “anti-inflammatory” and “protecting capillary walls from cold weather damage” *Recommended by a facialist Anastasia Achilleos in Elle Us Oct 2007
 Face Treatment Oil “Santal” from Clarins (dry, extra dry skin) contains Lavender, Hydrogenated Peanut, Hazelnut Oils. “Helps reduce appearance of slight reddening, nourishes skin, helps prevent moisture loss.” * Featured in Young, Germany Nov. 2007
 Almond Oil from Weleda (all skin types, sensitive skin). Almond oil is known for its ability to relief dry skin by helping it to rebuild the hydrolipidic barrier and promote moisture balance.
 Plante System Organic Cosmetics Exquisite Oil is “rich in phytosterols and polyphenols that regenerate and soothe the skin, and guarantees a long-lasting protection of the epidermis” Contains olive tree oil (Soothing, anti ageing) sea buckthorn oil (regenerating, anti-oxidant), green tea oil (antioxidant, redensifying), sesame oil (nourishing, soothing, protective). Certified by Ecocert and is paraben free, phenoxyethanol free. *Recommended by Eve, UK Feb. 2008
 Nadur Organics Radiant Face Rescue Serum (all skin types including oily) contains nourishing and revitalising blend of essential oils: Chilean Rosehip Seed, Hemp Seed, Sweet Almond and Jojoba plus essential oils of Indonesian Ylang Ylang, Italian Bergamot & Sicilian Mandarin. Promises “A super-concentrated, non-greasy formula” to revitalize, soften, brighten your skin. 98.5% organic - 100% natural. *Featured in Eve, UK Feb. 2008
 Niaouli Aromatic Care from Darphin (Combination to oily) contains Niaouli, Cypress and Lemon and Bitter Orange Oils. Helps to balance and protect oily/combination skin. Promises to “calm and refresh skin”.

By the way, do an allergy test before using an oil. If you are allergic to nuts, and this can be a very nasty allergy, make sure your facial oil does not contain any nut oils.

Read more:
- Dehydrated and Dry Skin: causes and symptoms
- How to choose

Cleansing Products for Winter

Moisturizer for Winter
- Post on general Winter Skin Care Tips
- More detailed “Skin Care in Winter” Article
- Click for more information on skin care products for winter.
- Feel like shopping? You can buy face oils and other skin care for winter online right away.

Beauty Talk: Treat Dehydrated and Dry Skin

photo by J.Star
This is a continuation of the topic Dehydrated and Dry Skin. Go to this post to read about symptoms, causes, explanation on how skin gets dehydrated.

In this post I look into what you can actually do to re-hydrate your skin and to help it keep the moisture in.

Get Moisture Back

Exclude(or Minimize) the Dehydrating External and Internal Factors:

Our smart bodies know how to keep themselves balanced and hydrated… Just help your body and do not undermine its work!

- keep up healthy water intake (1-2 liters a day)
- avoid dehydrating drinks: coffee and alcohol
- do not overindulge into saunas and baths which strip off lipids, make you sweat and stimulate water evaporation from the skin’s surface
- eliminate dry dehydrating air: when there is more water in your skin than in the air, water evaporates from the skin’s surface easier. Control your environment by using a humidifier
- stop using harsh skin care product such as deep pore cleansers, exfoliators, daily scrubs, acids, alcohol containing products etc. Read this post on how to select a mild cleanser.
- use the correct skin care products
- moisturize religiously

Put Moisture Back into You Skin!

If your skin is seriously dehydrated, you will need some extra skin care products to help it get back to normal. In addition to a daily moisturizer use an intensive moisturizing serum as a treatment for 1-2 months. This will help to kick-start the process of your skin’s re-hydration.

Here are some examples of SOS-hydration products you can consider:

- Thirst Quenching Hydra-Care Serum from Clarins: restores hydra-lipid barrier. I tried out a small sample: the serum has a very light liquid texture, feels nice on the skin but has quite a strong fragrance. It is marked non-comedogenic.
- Super-Aqua Serum (Optimum Hydration Revitalizer) from Guerlain: Promises to deeply hydrate the skin and provide moisture for 30 hours.
- Cell Culture Face Care Serum from SBT contains “Cell Culture Phase” mysterious combination of ingredients (not revealed on SBT website) that brings skin into balance and restores its health.

Note the above mentioned serums are not supposed to be used alone and have to be followed by a daily moisturizer.

Lock Moisture In!

There are a lot of products for dry/dehydrated skin on the market. I looked into some of them and tried a couple out. Here are examples of some products you can consider (to find out what emollient, occlusive, humectant means read this post):

Face Oils: Selected and applied correctly, those can be great for any skin type - not just the dry one. Facial oils not only lock in moisture but also act like serums: they can penetrate deeper into the skin and deliver much needed nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants etc. Tip: apply face oil to dampened skin. While dry skin types can apply face oil twice a day, other skin types may prefer to do it once as a night treatment. Mixed and oily skin types can benefit from balancing Lavender and Ylang-Ylang Oils. Dry types can try Almond and Jasmine Oils. Read a post on face oils.

Vichy Nutrilogie 2 is based on patented sphingo lipids. Sphingolipids are naturally produced in the skin and play a very important role in retaining moisture. Nutirlogie 2 also contains glycerin (humectant), shea butter (emollient), petrolatum (occlusive), beeswax (occlusive), macadamia seed (emollient and anti-anti-oxidant) and apricot kernel oils.

Cold Cream from Avene specially made for extremely dry skin and has good occlusive properties due to beeswax. Avene offers a complete “Cold” line for dry skin. * Recommended by Glamour Shopping, Germany Winter 2007, Amica Germany Jan. 2008

Weleda Iris Day Cream (all skin types). Intensive care cream. Described as regulating “natural moisture balance” and protecting skin from the aggressive environment. It contains a combination of emollient and occlusive ingredients: jojoba oil (emollient), beeswax, glycerin, shea butter, cocoa butter (emollient), extract from iris roots etc. My Experience: Even though it is marked “all skin types” it is definitely too occlusive for my mixed skin.

Olive Oil Line from Serious Skin Care. Formulated for dry and dehydrated skin as well as seasonally dry skin. Contains first pressed olive oil and olive leaf extracts. Serious Skin Care promises it won’t feel too heavy and won’t clog your pores. Olive oil contains lipids which are very similar to our skin’s natural lipids. They effectively coat the skin to protect it from loss of moisture.

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Cream formulated for extremely dry skin. According to Aveeno, it is clinically proven to moisturize for 24 hours. Contains oatmeal, cocoa and shea butter.

Sisley’s Hydra Flash, Formule Intensive (All Skin Types) contains natural plant extracts (Rice, Sesame) and essential oils (Marjoram, Rosewood). Sisley promises enhanced cell cohesion and encouraged "moisture binding in the outer skin layers" My Experience: The cream feels very rich. I was afraid that it will break out my mixed skin but it did not. However I think it will be a bit too much for oily skin. I liked the product: my skin felt comfortably moisturized. But I didn't see any miraculouse changes like "velvety appearance" and smoothness. Perhaps I have not used it long enough. Note: It is on the pricey side.

Dermalogica Barrier Repair - "(waterless) moisturizer that melts gently into sensitized skin to soothe and help repair damage caused by environmental aggressions" Contains Oil of Evening Primrose and emollient silicones to strengthen the skin's natural lipid barrier. Shea Butter, Vitamin C and Bisabolol protect skin from dehydration, free radicals and inflammation.

Also take a look at Hydrophase XL from La Roche-Posay and Orlane Super-Moisturizing Line. The latter has a Super-Moisturizing Serum that, as Orlane explains, stimulates hyaluronic acid production and “is effective in transmitting water to the epidermis”. Check outSuper-Moisturizing Concentrate – formulated specially for “dehydrated skin or extreme climatic conditions”


Hydrate and Protect with Make-Up!

For an additional hydrating/ coating effect upgrade your foundation or powder to a richer texture or use a tinted moisturizer.

Check out:

Clinique’s Super Moisture Makeup

Lumineuse Tinted Moisturizer from Vichy

Olive Oil Line from Serious Skin Care has foundation and primer for very dry skin types

Orlane also offers a combination of makeup and skin care in their Super Moisturizing Line - Teint Absolu

Read more:


- Dehydrated and Dry Skin: causes and symptoms
- How to choose

Cleansing Products for Winter

Moisturizer for Winter
- Post on general Winter Skin Care Tips
- More detailed “Skin Care in Winter” Article
- Click for more information on skin care products for winter.
- Feel like shopping? You can buy skin care products for dry skin online right away.

Beauty Talk: Socialite’s Survival Guide to Beautiful Skin for Holiday Season

So you have a lot of friends, get many party invitations and are a passionate party-goer? This definitely involves keeping long hours and indulging in delicious cocktails as well as smoking more cigarettes than usual or subjecting your skin to that second-hand smoke at clubs and bars. Such treatment will not go unnoticed by your skin. Dull complexion, pale skin color, irritation, red patches or even broken capillaries can become your everyday enemies for the holidays. You will need some extra strategies and fix-it techniques to keep your skin looking healthy and radiant through the whole party season.

The Morning After:

Afraid to look into the mirror? Your skin is stressed after too little sleep and too many martinis but tonight or tomorrow is another party, so you need to revive it in almost no time. As model and actress Cheryl Tiegs once said “There are days I feel beautiful and days I don't, and when I don't, I do something about it.”

Let’s start!

EXPRESS DE-PUFFING

Lack of sleep and too much alcohol cause your body to retain water. To fight after-party morning puffiness dermatologist Dr.Frederic Brandt recommends to apply a cold compress onto the skin for about 10 minutes. You can soak a towel in ice cold water and press it to your face: “this constricts blood vessels and there’s less fluid accumulation”. (In Style, US Dec 06)

If your skin is not only puffy but also looks red and irritated, sooth it and bring down the swelling by making a similar compress but with very cold milk. Make-up artist Kristofer Buckle uses this express method for an early morning skin treatment. He explains: “Milk proteins reduce redness and the cold takes down the swelling” (Elle, US July 07). If the flushing and irritation persist, NYC dermatologist Francesca J. Fusco recommends to suck on an ice cube. “Receptors on the roof of the mouth respond to cold by constricting blood vessels,” she explains. (In Style, US Sept.06)

CAFFEINE FIX

Get rid of your eye bags. Experts at In Style recommend to relieve the puffiness by placing potato slices over eyes or to brew two packets of black tea, cool them down and place on your eye lids for 10 minutes. (In Style US Dec 06) Caffeine contained in tea will tighten skin in the eye area and help to take away the puffiness. What I would add to this is make sure to use just black unflavored tea and be careful not to let it get into your eyes.

You can also use some specially developed products with caffeine, such as

Nutritionist Regenerating Eye Cream from Garnier contains Omega-3, -6, Magnesium and Caffeine, hydrates and smoothes the skin around the delicate eye.

Stress Relief Eye Mask from Estee Lauder contains aloe, cucumber and caffeine extracts that sooth, diminish puffiness, reduce appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Primordiale Optimum Yeux Flash Masque from Lancome contains caffeine and ruscus extract relieves puffiness in just 5 minutes.

For a finishing de-puffing touch massage your eye cream in with several anti-clockwise circles.

Dark circles under your eyes are a much bigger challenge. You won’t be able to make those disappear and will have to apply your concealer smartly. But there is still something you can do. Experts say that dark circles are genetic. However age and free radical damage resulting in capillary leaks contribute to the shade and deepness of eye circles. Vitamin K and Arnica are believed to strengthen capillaries and to help you disperse bruising. Vitamin K and Arnica come as a supplement or as an ingredient in an eye creams. Drink a lot of water to help your kidneys purify the body. According to some experts “stressed kidneys can cause under-eye shadows”. (Glamour, UK Dec 06)There are some products specially developed to fight dark circles. For example: Talika Eye Detox Purifying Capsules - a supplement that promises to help fight dark circles and eye puffiness by improving “lymphatic and vascular system located in the eye contour area”. To increase effectiveness of this product, Talika recommends to use it together with Talika Eye Contour Gel which fights eye bags and dark rings with the help of such ingredients as proteins of sweet white lupine, proteins of sweet almond, cornflower water and extract of horse chestnut.

MORE SOOTHING SOLUTIONS

Invest in a couple emergency products for your after-party recovery in advance. Here are some products for your consideration:

Quick helpers against irritation:

SOS Serum by Guerlain delivers quick relief to the stressed irritated skin and prepares it for the next step in your skin care routine.

Irritation Solution from SBT contains aloe vera, vitamin E, mimosa tenuiflora extract to instantly sooth and reduce the skin's sensitivity.

Almond oil from Weleda contains almond oil, extracts of chamomile and calendula flowers to soften, soothe and rebalance your skin. Recommended for dry skin types.

Soothing Masks:

Calming Moisturizing Mask from Clinique provides relief to sensitive dehydrated skin, moisturizes, calms down and smoothes.

Regeneration Cream Mask from Swiss brand Biokosma is an unscented pleasantly creamy mask, contains aloe vera, sweet almond oil, malva and some other soothing, regenerating and moisturizing ingredients.

Kiehl’s Soothing Gel Masque contains Chamomile, Green Tea and Dandelion extracts, hydrates, softens, soothes and refreshes the skin.

Calming Moisturizers:

Verite Fluid or Cream from Estee Lauder - contains lipids helping to repair skin’s protective hydrolipid barrier. Soothes, improves elasticity and texture. Provides powerful anti-oxidant protection

Biotherm BioSensitive Line is free of skin irritants fragrance, color additives and alcohol. Moisturizes and creates a gentle protective film on skin’s surface. Reduces red blotches.

Hydra Zen Neurocalm from Lancome contains natural plant extracts (rose, lilly-of-the-valley, orange and apple) as well as Hyaluronic acid, ceramides and Glycerol to provide skin with long lasting moisture, sooth it, restore its balance and protect from environmental stress.

GO EASY ON PEELING

Save your skin additional stress from peeling. If temptation is too strong because you just cannot stand the dull colour of your skin, go with milder exfoliating products. Some of them are mild enough for everyday use.

Gommage Microperle Hydration from Chanel a gentle polishing gel that contains gel like micro-spheres and is lightly exfoliating and hydrating for the skin.

Buff and Wash Gel from Sisley is an amazing combination of a wash gel, scrub and a tonic. Developed for everyday use in the morning to stimulate, wake up your skin and give it instant radiance.

Exfoliating Gentle Mask (Masque Gommage en Nuage) from Kenzoki - a soothing mask for brighter, softer skin. Contains chestnut extract to take away dead cells and speed cellular renewal while huang-qin and mallow work to sooth your skin. Though this mask is not for everyday use, your stressed skin can benefit from it. This product promises to deliver radiance and at the same time sooth.

TAKE IT EASY AND DETOXIFY

Detox Shower:

To stimulate cleansing of the lymphatic system, help your body get rid of toxins, and improve microcirculation, do a 20-second dry brushing before you step into the shower.

To further stimulate your skin and the lymphatic system apply body moisturizer with massaging movements (long sweeping strokes and circular movements) always moving upwards and towards your heart.

No Gym:

It is not recommended to stress your body after the night of the party with a work out even though you might start feeling those martinis and canapés building up around your waist.

What to drink:

Start your day with a liver cleansing drink of hot water and grated ginger. You can also add a bit of honey to stabilize your blood sugar.
Harper’s Bazar recommends Milk Thistle as the “first aid for over partied liver”. It is available as a supplement or as a drink. And of course to counteract the dehydrating effect of alcohol drink a lot of water in the course of the day. (Harper’s Bazar, Dec 07)

What to eat:

Don’t start snacking on junk food or sweet Christmas treats this will only distress your already misbalanced blood sugar level and stomach. Go with healthy choices of fresh or cooked vegetables, fruit and lean protein. BBC.co.uk and Harper’s Bazar recommend an egg fry-up or grill-up with some mushrooms, tomatoes and meat as an excellent “sustained-energy pick-me-up”. According to an article featured on the BBC website, this dish is also rich in amino acid, cystein, “which is thought to be good at clearing out toxins”.

If you don’t have to go to work this day, take a nap to help your body regain the energy. You need just 20-30 minutes to give your body an energy recharge.

Read Second Part of Socialite's Survival Guide to Beautiful Skin for tips on how to get energy and radiance back into your skin, camouflage tiredness (tips from pros), while-at-party tips and products.

Some useful tips on how to get your skin ready for the party in a matter of couple weeks.

Beauty Talk: Skin Care in Winter

Winter is here and my skin is reacting to the cold temperatures and wind outside combined with the drying air inside. So should one change skin care products and routine for winter? Not necessarily. If you do not feel any symptoms of increased sensitivity or dehydration, you can keep to your usual skin care choices. However, if your skin feels tight and/or burning, it is red and irritated, or you can see some dry lines forming, it is high time you reviewed your skin care for the winter season. It will especially apply to those in late 20s and above. Starting from mid-20s our skin starts to loose its ability to retain moisture as well as before and it is more prone to dehydration.

Here are several tips on how to take care of your skin in winter:

1. Rethink your cleansing approach

Exclude too intensive cleansing product for winter. Do not do daily peeling. Too aggressive cleansing and peeling strips your skin of protective lipid barrier and contributes to its stress.

2. Exclude alcohol containing products

If you use a toner, make sure it does not contain alcohol.
Alcohol is too stripping and dehydrates your skin.


3. Choose a thicker moisturizer

Look for emollient ingredients in your winter moisturizer such as shea butter, jojoba oil, sqalene. Emollients are wonderful for this time of year as they not only act as humectants and moisturize your skin but also form a protective thin layer on its surface to prevent it from dehydration.

4. Pay special attention to your hands and lips

Hands and lips need special care during winter as they are very sensitive to colds and winds. For lips choose a moisturizer or a balm with shea butter or cocoa butter and apply it every time before going outside and at night before going to bed. Protect your hands with gloves when outside, apply hand cream at least twice daily (rich in lipids or with emollients), and treat your hands to a mask once or twice a week. But if you want your hands skin care to be perfect, moisturize every time after your wash them.

5. Do not forget about protection against UV and free radicals

It is just an illusion that the sun is less bright and that is why less harmful in winter. As long as there is sun light there is sun damage. That is why do not stop using products providing UV protection! It is especially important if skiing is your passion. Sunlight's reflecting power off the snow is higher than off the sand on a beach in summer.

6. Increase humidity level indoors

You can increase humidity level at home or at your office using a special humidifier. Or you can balance it out with some house plants that are known to improve humidity in their environment.

Tip from beauty experts at "In Style", German Issue, December 2007: If your favourite winter fun is skiing or hiking in the mountains, select your skin care products wisely. Your moisturizer shouldn't be based on water. Water based moisturizer will "freeze" on your skin in the cold temperature and wind. Instead of water based, it is recomended to choose a frost-proof product based on wax... As an example they mention Kiehl's All Sport "Non-Freeze" Face Protector with SPF 30 (appr.23 euro) In Style also recommends in order to lock in moisture and protect your skin from cold mountain winds, to use a moisturizer that has such ingredients as silicon and shea butter such as Climate Control from Dermalogica (appr 46 euro).

More tips about Winter Skin Care with information about skin care ingredients for winter, recommendations on winter-time express facial etc.

Beauty Talk: Golden Rules for Beautiful and Healthy Looking Skin.

Good skin care habits form (or should form) no later than in our late teens or early 20s. That’s when we should learn the importance of taking care of our skin and of protecting it (and not limit our skin care routine to just fighting the break outs). It really helps to have a role-model or somebody who could explain about the importance of skin care and help to make the right choices.
My Mother did not start using a moisturizer till her early thirties and my Granny I think has never ever used it. My Mum has never realized the necessity of using a moisturizer because her mother never used it. Currently she takes inspiration from me but still cannot get used to having a regular skin care routine.

I was lucky enough to start on a routine early in my life. I had no guidance so my first moisturizer unfortunately was selected wrong for my skin type and for my age. Slowly I made my way through skin care information to understanding the importance of skin type, right moisturizer, proper UV and free radical protection etc.

Now I have 7 golden rules that I follow for beautiful healthy looking skin:

1. Follow a regular (2 times a day) skin care ritual: cleanse, moisturize, protect, restore/treat

2. Choose the right skin care products for your skin type, skin condition and age

3. Prevention is better than cure: prevent wrinkles, sun spots, acne etc. for example, if you notice lines appearing change skin care product or include more intensive treatment

4. Follow diet useful for your skin

5. Avoid skin damaging factors such as smoking or habitual repeated mimics that can be avoided (like constantly wrinkling your forehead or frowning)

6. Use additional targeted at-home treatment 2-3 times a week

7. Pay attention to your skin when it sends you signals like redness, flaking, sudden break outs, look for reasons for such misbehavior and react to your skin’s needs

So this is my magic number 7 for beautiful skin and delaying the signs of aging. But I am always looking for things to improve.