Cold Air Skin Care – 5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Skin Healthy

What a mild winter we've had this year!  Our valley is normally trapped under a layer of smog the end of February.  This February, we have actually seen the sun and satisfied my vitamin D cravings.  It's still cold enough for take a toll on our skin.  If not properly cared for,  cold - sunny - air can mean dry, flaky, rough skin prone to chapping, cracking and sometimes infection.

To help you look your best, here are some winter skin savers – solutions to those cold weather skin problems.

1. Take fewer, faster baths or showers in warm – not hot – water.  Long soaks in hot water strip our skin of the natural oils it needs.  Add bath oil in the tub or put on before a final rinse in the shower.  
2. Allow at least half an hour before going out if you bathe or cleanse your skin.  Your skin needs time to replace its natural protective oils. Just before bed is best.
3. Increase your use of moisturizer or switch to a heavier one that has more oil than water in the formulation.  While moisturizers do not add water to your skin, they do form a protective film of oil to seal in water and slow its evaporation from your skin.  Apply moisturizers while your face or body is still damp – not dry.
4. Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees or below for healthier skin.  When you feel chilly, put on more clothes, not heat.
5. Surround yourself with plants to help humidify the air.  Or buy a humidifier for your home or office to add moisture.

Taking care of the environment is important! Start with the environment you live in….your skin.

Written by Dani Slaugh and Judith Rasband