Cold-Weather Skin Care

Elzy Kolb

	Tools of the Trade
	Photo: Dr. Hauschka

Keeping your skin healthy and looking its best is a year-round challenge.

Everything from our busy lifestyles to shifts in humidity and temperature can affect the appearance of the body's biggest (and most exposed) organ.

Winter can wreak havoc on facial skin in particular. Cold, wind and overheated buildings suck the moisture from the air, drying the delicate tissue.

Even the aftermath of holiday indulgences and stress can take their toll, resulting in redness and irritation.

However, skin-care specialists say that a few modifications in your daily regimen will keep your face in the game, regardless of the season.

Serve and Protect

Gentle and rich are the order of the day for winter cleansing, toning and moisturizing.

"Skin that is normal or a combination during the summer will require extra protection in winter," says Fabienne Guichon-Lindholm, the director of education for Decleor and Carita skin-care products. She advises choosing a milky or emulsion cleanser, typically more gentle than a foaming type.

Christine Chin, owner of the Christine Chin Spa in Manhattan, steers her clients away from alcohol-based toners at this time of year.

Chin recommends switching to a hydrating toner and exfoliating regularly to remove accumulation of surface dryness.

"If you're going out of hot buildings into cold, you need to exfoliate twice a week," Chin says. "You get sensitive and blotchy from the change of temperature, and exfoliation helps. An ultra-gentle green-tea-based product takes off dead skin cells so your moisturizer penetrates more easily."

Spritzing with rose water before moisturizing will help keep your face dewy, says Mary-Elizabeth Gifford, creative director for Jurlique.

"Moisturizer seals in available moisture; it doesn't create moisture on its own," Gifford says. "We recommend using moisturizer during the day as a barrier to pollutants that are part of life in an industrial society. Also, use rose-water spray to freshen up throughout the day. Mists are becoming the new desk essential."

Guichon-Lindholm advises choosing a rich seasonal moisturizer: "People who live in a cold climate need to apply a heavier product, like putting on a heavier coat in cold weather. Use a moisturizer that leaves a little film on the face to protect the skin."

She says the film will disappear throughout the day, evaporating through environmental dryness.

Even those with oily skin should take special care.

"Winter wreaks havoc on oily skin, causing enlarged pores and breakouts," says Jill Price Marshall, public relations manager for Dr. Hauschka Skin Care, who is also a licensed Dr. Hauschka aesthetician.

"The surface skin can get very dry because of the elements, though heavier moisturizer can lead to breakouts," Marshall says. "A rejuvenating mask is cooling, soothing; it calms and removes redness for oily skin with large pores. Night conditioner brings skin back to a state of balance."

Escaping the Cold

Heading for a more temperate climate is appealing, but it may not solve all seasonal skin situations.

Flying is notoriously dehydrating, and going from cold to warm temperatures causes capillaries to contract and dilate, creating more sensitivity, Guichon-Lindholm points out.

Besides drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated from within, Chin shares another in-flight tip: "An instant hydrating mask is great for long flights. I call it the 'lazy mask.' Once you put it on, you don't have to remove it. It's milky, fresh and colorless. You could put makeup over it, and use it under sunscreen, too."

And once you arrive at your destination, switch to daily skin-care products that are appropriate for the climate.

Professional Help

It's easy to gravitate toward a sedentary lifestyle during the winter, leading to sluggish circulation, which can manifest itself in dull skin. Acupuncture, facials and relaxing in a sauna are helpful tools in keeping the blood flowing.

Or try acupuncture facials, which bring a glow to weather-troubled skin by stimulating the circulation and adjusting imbalances that keep the skin from looking its best, says Dr. Kim Tsao, the director of Acumed Medical Care PLLC in New York City. "It works internally, not externally," she says.

During the hourlong process, the client reclines in a darkened room as a dozen or more ultra-fine needles are inserted into facial acupoints; the needles' impact can be boosted with electronic stimulation.

Tsao positions a heat lamp above the face, and urges clients to take a nap as she leaves the room. While the vibrating needles initially feel energizing, rather than relaxing, many clients admit to eventually drifting off to dreamland.

Acupuncture facials also address acne problems through treating the conditions causing the breakouts: Lack of sleep triggers breakouts on the forehead, digestive problems leave their mark on the cheeks, and hormone imbalances lead to chin blemishes, Tsao says.

She recommends that her clients not wear foundation to appointments for acupuncture facials, and that they bring along their favorite moisturizer. To further stimulate circulation, Tsao finishes the treatment with a facial massage, using the client's own cream.

Tsao, who has been doing acupuncture facials for 20 years, says the acupuncture facial is sometimes described as a nonsurgical facelift because it improves skin and muscle tone on the face and neck. A series of 10 weekly treatments followed by periodic maintenance is typical for the tightening and toning treatments.

Regular facials, too, deliver results.

"Spa products are usually more intense than those sold to consumers," Guichon-Lindholm says. "They can work long term to protect and enhance the skin's natural protective barrier. If you usually have a facial every six weeks, instead schedule one every three weeks during severe weather."

Facials should start with a mini-consultation; this is the time to explain the results you hope for and describe problems or sensitivities.

Chin says, "We analyze the skin, ask questions, make recommendations. We talk about the products they're using. Sometimes we steer clients toward a dermatologist."

Chin may recommend including a peel or microdermabrasion in the process to remove the dry cell buildup she calls "skin plaque."

Saunas, whirlpools, steam rooms and even a soak in a hot bubble bath offer welcome refuge from low temperatures and frigid winds. Though the warmth can be drying, "The sauna tradition goes way back, and it can continue," Gifford says.

However, "afterward, protect the skin before going outside. The pores are open; it's a wonderful time for cleansing and gentle exfoliation. Be sure to also use toner and day-care face cream," she adds.

Good Day, Sun Shy

Those tempted to skip the sun block until summer hits may want to consider this: "Sun protection is the only true antiwrinkle solution. Softeners are available, but no line removal is possible," Gifford explains.

	Avoiding Winter's Bitter Bite

Those who are office-bound from dawn to dusk on these short winter days might view applying a high-SPF product as overkill.

However, "the key to finding the right protection is finding the right fit, something you're willing to wear every day. If you have an aversion to the fragrance or texture, you're less likely to use it," Gifford says.

Guichon-Lindholm says that if your winter outdoor time consists of nothing more than running to the corner for a cup of coffee, you may have an out. "Compact powder can be an effective barrier," she says. "The best sunscreens are physical sunscreens that stay on the surface. Zinc oxide, for example, is a physical sunblock."

But be realistic about your level of exposure, and protect your skin accordingly this winter. For years to come, your face will thank you.

---

Enjoy the Good Life? Email us with what you'd like to see in future articles.

---