Health
BEAUTY
Caring For Your Skin In The Winter Months Brrrrrr — Old Man Winter is here! Time to winterize our skin care routine and pay attention to preserving and protecting our precious skin. We may not think much about the largest organ we have but it performs a function that keeps us alive — protecting our insides. Doesn’t sound sexy but without it we’re pretty much dead. This article focuses on facial skin care routines but total body skin care is every bit as important. Remember to pamper your entire body, keep it exfoliated and moisturized and avoid long hot showers; I know they feel so good but frankly they zap all the moisture out of your skin. Now you know why your back is so dry and itchy. If you’re confused about the order of application for your skin care products, you’re not alone. One of the first questions I typically get is, “what goes on when?” There are so many products in the marketplace today and with the 17 they’re trying to sell to you who wouldn’t be confused. I personally am a minimalist and feel that your skin can only absorb so much stuff at one time. What you need is not a lot of product but consistency and regimen to achieve the best skin care goals. I also recommend using products from one line instead of mixing and matching your own brew. Different lines have different chemical bases and unless you know how all of them work it’s safer to have it put together for you. Not saying you can’t use anything outside a particular line, just saying be aware of ingredients. Now a few words about makeup 30 | November-December 2021
wipes, toners, serums and other little known facts that pop in my head. Cleansing: makeup wipes are for removing makeup before you do the cleansing. For regular cleansing I recommend twice. After all, the goal is a clean face, which usually doesn’t happen with one cleansing Toners: the most neglected step in most routines. Their job is to help restore your skin to normal pH as you’ve just washed it away. Toners prepare your skin to absorb all of the expensive stuff you paid good money for. Apply with a cotton pad and pat gently under eyes. Everything is done gently when it comes to the delicate eye area; no tugging, pulling or stretching please. Serums: these are the work horses and they deliver the active ingredients that help get the job done, such as the vitamins, nutrients, peptides and so on. Yes, I’m talking to you and you need a good serum. Apply a pea size drop and dot over face, use hands to massage face, then begin to press into skin, allowing at least five minutes to absorb. Product consistency: apply thinnest to thickest. Thin products cannot penetrate heavy occlusives. Moisturizing: this step is the icing on the cake because it helps seal in all that goodness that has already been applied and keeps your skin from bleeding out its natural moisture. Masking: this can be done two to three times a week dependent on your skin type and needs. Same for exfoliation,
which is uber necessary to remove dead cells, otherwise your precious product will just sit on top of dead skin— what a waste. Retinol serums: these are for nighttime use as they make skin vulnerable to UV rays in the daylight. Studies show that skin barrier is more permeable overnight so give your face a spa-cation and soak up all that goodness while you sleep. Sunscreen protection: some of us equate summertime and hot weather with skin cancer and damage to the skin. However, the sun is year-round and though you may not feel the burn in the winter, Ole Man Sun is hitting you hard with his UVA (aging) rays even though it’s 10 degrees. Approximately 80% of skin aging comes from UVA rays — wrinkles, dark spots and sagging. I recommend 30 SPF, and 50 SPF doesn’t hurt. Note, read product instructions on all skincare products before you toss the container, especially know the expiration date of your sunscreen. Okay so here’s the simple drill: Morning: 1. Cleanse 2. Tone 3. Moisturizer 4. Protect Evening: 1. Cleanse 2. Mask or exfoliate (as needed) 3. Tone 4. Serum 5. Eye cream 6 . Night cream or moisturizer Marion Edwards Marion Edwards is a Licensed Esthetician, Professional Makeup Artist and Certified Trainer for Motives Cosmetics. She can be contacted at 828.773.1500. aawmag.com
