It’s well known that harsh winter weather can be hard on the skin. So as the days become longer and the weather warms once again, it’s important to repair the damage the season has done and get ready to embrace the blooming flowers and buzzing bees with your best face forward.
First things first, although we may be ready for winter to be over, we still have a cold day or two left and there are lots of important things to keep in mind when caring for your skin while the weather is cold and dry.
Tips to Combat Winter Skin Damage
1. Bundle up when you go outside
When you have to face the cold, make sure you go prepared. Always bring protective gear like hats, gloves, and scarves to keep your skin healthy and soft. Cold temperatures and low humidity levels result in dry air that draws moisture away from the skin. Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis may also flare up during these cold, dry months.
And while winter may seem like the perfect time to don those cozy, thick sweaters, make sure you avoid materials that irritate your skin. Swap out rough wool for softer more gentle fabrics like fleece or cashmere or, if you’re just too dedicated to your favorite wooly sweater, wear a light, breathable shirt underneath if you start to feel itchy or uncomfortable.
2. Don’t crank the heat
Although it can be tempting to turn up your central heating and make your home into a cozy little sauna, it won’t do your skin any favors. Be sure the heat is kept on low or at a moderate temperature to avoid extra dryness in the air. Instead, opt for keeping warm with a warm sweater or a nice cup of soup.
3. Use a humidifier
A humidifier is just one more handy piece of machinery you can use to make your home a sanctuary against dry skin. Using a cool air humidifier increases the moisture level in the air, helping the skin’s barrier stay hydrated. We recommend keeping one in every room of your home if you can, but it’s especially important to hydrate the rooms you occupy most: living rooms, dining rooms, and most importantly, your bedroom.
4. Drink more water
However, adding moisture back into the air isn’t the only way to hydrate yourself. You should also be moisturizing yourself from the inside out by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Water has a wide array of health benefits and the quality of your skin is one of them — especially during the winter months when we tend to lose moisture more often. Warm tea is another great way to get hydrated while comforting yourself during the colder months.
5. Eat well
With a direct connection between the gut and skin health, increasing your daily intake of fats may help with dry skin. A diet rich in nuts and seeds, heart-healthy oils like olive oil or safflower oil, and foods rich in monounsaturated fats like natural nut butters and avocados can keep your skin looking bright and smooth. Although it can be tempting, also try to avoid overindulging when it comes to alcohol or caffeinated beverages as these diuretics can cause dehydration if not taken in moderation. Of course, an occasional glass of pinot at dinner won’t do you any harm.
6. Moisturize
Cold, dry winter air pulls moisture out of your skin leaving it with that characteristic itchy, winter feeling. Not to mention that it leaves the skin robbed of its buoyancy and shine. The best way to get soft, gleaming skin back is to use richer, heavy-duty moisturizers at least twice daily in all the places where your skin feels dry and weathered. At Aristocrat, our skincare experts have developed powerful products such as APS Moisture Drench, APS Ceramide Barrier that can help your skin shine, even on the darkest, coldest, and harshest of winter days. These and many more products can be found in our online store.
7. Apply Sunscreen
Even on gray winter days, snow reflects the sun’s rays — up to 80 percent, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. That means it’s just as important to be applying sunscreen in the harsh winter weather as it is in the summer. And don’t be fooled by darker, dreary days in winter, either. The sun’s harmful UV rays can permeate clouds and still cause damage. Before you go outside, apply a moisturizing, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to all exposed areas of your body.
8. Limit Shower Time and Temperature
There’s nothing to cure a chill like a nice, hot shower. However, hot water strips the skin of natural moisture that keeps it healthy, hydrated and protected. If you can resist the urge, swap out your long, steamy soaks for shorter, lukewarm showers to avoid skin irritation and instead warm up afterwards with a nice cup of tea and a cozy blanket.’
9. Opt for Gentle, Fragrance-Free Cleansers
Many high end cleansers actually contain harsh chemicals which can be damaging. Ingredients such as alcohol and any added fragrances won’t do any favors for dry, cracked skin, as they strip away natural oils. Instead, opt for cleansers that will nourish your skin like Aristocrat’s own line of advanced prescriptive cleansers available for purchase in our online store.
The good news is that most of these are great for your skin no matter the time of year. Being gentle with heat exposure, drinking lots of water, eating right, and wearing sunscreen are year-round guarantees for more youthful, supple skin. Of course, it’s always important to stay vigilant when it comes to your skin care routine. Figure out what’s working, what isn’t, and why and don’t be afraid to try new products and strategies as things change—things like the season.
How to “Spring Clean” Your Skin
1. Scrub Away The Last of Winter
Exfoliating can help get rid of dead cells clinging to the surface of your body and keeping your skin from achieving its full, shining potential. You can even make exfoliation into a whole spa experience, running a nice bath and giving yourself whole-body exfoliation with a powerful scrub. Prioritize areas like knees, feet, hands, and elbows that are prone to rough patches, and finish it all off with a refreshing lotion to lock in the moisture and prolong the feeling of fresh, smooth skin. It’s also important to remember that most body scrubs are too rough to use on your face, so invest in a separate scrub for your face and more sensitive areas.
2. Let Your Skin Breathe
Spring, with its more temperate climate and increased humidity, means a reprieve from the thick, heavy moisturizers necessary to ward off the harsh winter. Make sure you keep this in mind and update your skincare routine as the seasons change, opting for a lighter moisturizer to keep your skin moist and healthy without weighing it down.
3. Get Your Body Up and Moving
After a season of being cooped up at home, it’s a blessing to be able to go outside and finally enjoy some beautiful weather. Exercising regularly can increase blood flow which helps limit blemishes and wrinkles and maintain healthy skin. Whether it’s yoga in the park, a bike ride, or even just an afternoon stroll, it’s important to find time in your day to move your body in a way that works for you. It can often feel like a chore to add an exercise regimen to your already hectic schedule, but we hope the blooming flowers and sunshine make it just that little bit easier.
4. Make Sure Spring Cleaning Covers Your Bathroom Cabinets Too
While you’re spring cleaning your cupboards and closets, don’t forget to pay attention to your cosmetic products. Makeup brushes and sponges can build up layers and layers of dirt and grime, and each use applies germs onto your face. Gently wash your brushes with a natural cleanser, then lay them flat to dry for 24 hours. Be sure to clean your loofah, and check for expired topical creams and gels while you’re at it.
Get Pampered and Prepared at our MedSpa
Perhaps the best way to start off the season is with a bit of pampering and there’s no better place for that than Aristocrat’s Medspa. Get the skill and expertise of a top New York plastic surgeon with the atmosphere and serenity of any top spa all in one with one of our state-of-the-art procedures guaranteed to have you feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. Here are just a few of the procedures we offer:
Aristocrat’s prescription facial is a customized procedure where our experts will analyze and treat your skin for your unique needs. During this satisfying treatment, you will receive an exfoliating application that will melt the sebum in your pores and remove the dead surface layers from your skin creating softer and clearer-looking skin. Through gentle extraction, the debris plugging your pores will be reduced. Your skin will look tighter and your pores finer than you thought possible using only the finest products available.
2. Hydrafacial
This pore-purging facial vacuum is effective on all skin types, and in just one 30-minute treatment, you’ll see amazing results. HydraFacial is a completely customizable treatment that published clinical studies by leading US doctors agree yields greater results than IPL, microdermabrasion and chemical peels. Hydrofacials’s 4-in-one vortex technology improves the texture & tone of your skin, and works to rejuvenate & hydrate from deep under the surface. It can also treat fine lines & wrinkles, congested pores, excess oils, dark spots and acne. Hydrofaical’s 4 stages promise to cleanse, exfoliate, extract and infuse away that dull winter sheen, leaving your face bright, smooth, and baby soft.
3. APS Signature Pigment Peel
APS Signature Pigment Peel is a superficial chemical peel that improves the texture and appearance of the skin. This is the first standardized non acid peel combining Arbutin and vitamin A, virtually painless, robust peeling without burning, wounding or injuring the skin and perfect for all skin types. This peel includes a 1-month supply of home care products to help amplify and extend peel benefits that are customized specifically for each patient freshly at the time of treatment to ensure potency and dramatic results. The masque is applied in the office by one of our medical staff which is removed by the patient after a required length of time depending on skin type and condition. The patient is responsible for adhering to an easy to follow but strict home care regimen. The peel can be repeated twice a year if needed.
4. Clear + Brilliant Fractional Laser Resurfacing
Clear + Brilliant works by using laser energy to stimulate the growth of newer, healthier skin cells. These lasers can reverse signs of aging and imperfections by gently stimulating collagen growth under the skin. After your treatment, your skin will start to heal by growing fresher, radiant, smoother, and younger skin. Because Clear + Brilliant only targets the small fractions of your skin that need treating—the device’s advanced tracking system makes sure healthy tissue is untouched—it has a less downtime for recovery than other fractional laser resurfacing procedures. And because it targets the water in your skin’s cells while avoiding pigment, it can be used with all kinds of complexions.
Dermafile is a natural, non-invasive exfoliating tool that is designed to remove the top layer of dead skin cells, leaving you with a smoother, glowing complexion. This collagen-building treatment continues to show gradual improvement weeks after your first treatment. It starts with an APS medical aesthetician applying the resurfacing wand which contains finely crushed cosmetic-grade diamonds The device is then passed over the skin several times to ensure that each layer is removed evenly, and so that your aesthetician can concentrate on the areas that need it most. The entire procedure takes less than an hour and can be performed once a month to enhance results and promote rapid skin cell regeneration. Over time, the skin will begin to produce more collagen and appear more youthful, toned and soft
For a full list of treatments available from Aristocrat’s luxury MedSpa, visit our website, and while you’re there, you can browse our online store to find our expertly designed skincare products. To combat dry, winter skin, we recommend APS Micro Exfoliating pads, APS Deep Cleansing, APS Advanced Smoothing Body Butter, APS Body Polishing Treatment, APS Moisture Drench, and APS Bacne Kit.
At Aristocrat, we’re dedicated to getting your skin looking and feeling as soft and young as possible, whether that be by providing you products for at-home care or bringing you the latest in cosmetic procedure technology. Call today to set up a consultation with Dr. Tehrani or one of our aestheticians and decide which of our many products or procedures would work best to get you feeling fully energized and revitalized for the season ahead.