10 Ways to Treat Dry Winter Skin

1.     Exfoliate More (or less) – If you notice your skin becoming dry and flaky, it’s time to increase your exfoliation. If your skin isn’t flaking and just seems more damaged than normal, ease up on the exfoliating. Winter weather can really throw your skin a curve ball, so adjust your exfoliants as needed.

2.     Apply Sunscreen - It may be cold out, but you still need your sunscreen. The best way to do this is to double up by using a thick, moisturizing, lotion with an SPF of 30 or higher on your skin every day.

3.     Stay Hydrated – Your skin needs hydration inside and out. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water in conjunction with warm winter beverages.

4.     Add Healthy Fats & Oils - Eat foods that are rich with healthy fats like nuts, fish and avocado to help add essential oils and nutrients back into your body. If need be, take supplements like fish oil and vitamins C, E and B complex to keep skin healthy through the winter. You may also consider adding aromatherapy oils to your body wash to help nourish dry skin.

5.     Rotate Beauty Products- Step up your beauty products to formulas that are more moisturizing than your summer products. Use a heavy cream like the B2B to keep your skin soft and non-flaky.

6.     Stick to Warm Water – It may be tempting to take hot showers, especially when it’s cold outside, but try taking warm baths and showers instead. Hot water will only further dry out your skin.

7.     Get a Humidifier (or two) – Winter’s best friend! Use humidifiers in your home to put moisture back into the air.

8.     Routine – Before bed apply thick lotion to both your hands and feet, and then cover them with socks, yes, your hands too. This will help seal in moisture overnight, so you wake up with soft hands and feet.

9.     Cling to Eye Drops – Dry winter eyes? Have eye drops on hand all winter long to keep dry eyes at bay.

10.   Stock the Lip Balm – No one likes chapped lips so, use lip balm like there’s no tomorrow.

Download Dr. Visha's Ways to Treat Winter Skin below: 

Ethnic Skin Care: Discoloration

Men and women with dark skin often struggle with hyperpigmentation and discoloration. Whether it’s caused by injuries, sun damage or past acne, this issue plagues a wide range of skin types. However, ethnic skin is typically more susceptible to darkening because it contains more melanin. But don’t fret. We have some foolproof ways to protect your skin’s gorgeous dark tone.

Adhere to a simple and safe skin care routine.

• Cleanse your face one to three times a day, depending on its dryness.
• Use GENTLE cleansers and avoid any abrasive washes, and especially cleansing puffs or loofahs
• Try to refrain from moisturizers unless your face feels dry without them.

Pick the best products for your unique skin type.

• There is no need to buy fancy, overpriced products – drugstore brands are fine.
• If your skin is dry, look for products recommended for sensitive skin and make sure to avoid anything with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, as these harsh chemicals can further dry out your skin.

Helpful hint: when trying a new product, use it very sparingly at first to ensure that it doesn’t irritate your skin.

Mind your medications.

• Many commonly prescribed drugs increase your sensitivity to the sun, making it especially important that you apply extra sunscreen or sometimes avoid the sun completely.
• Some of the most common drugs that create sun sensitivity are birth control pills, antibiotics, acne medication and cancer drugs.
• There are many more, however, so be sure to ask your doctor if any of your medications are on this list so you can know how to properly protect your skin.

Don’t linger when your skin is in distress.

• The quicker you address a problem with your skin, the quicker it will go away AND the less likely it is to become an ongoing issue.
• Taking a trip to your dermatologist will not only save your skin, but could also save you money by preventing you from having to buy tons of products to help your condition later down the road. 

Contact a specialist for prescription therapies or cosmetic surgery.

• If you need skin care beyond what you can do yourself, seek professional treatments, both low- and high-tech.
• Some common treatments for dark skinned patients are acne medication, facial peels, microdermabrasion and laser treatment, among others.

Tip: be sure to ask around for an expert in treating dark skin. For more complex skin treatments, make sure you are in experienced hands and will receive the best treatment to rejuvenate your skin.

Ethnic Skin: Choosing The Right Makeup

Photo courtesy of flickr user Philippe Put

If you’re a dark-skinned woman, do you spend countless hours scouring the makeup aisles in a vain attempt to find makeup that matches your skin? Are you sick of dull makeup colors that barely show up, or worse, leave your skin looking chalky? We understand your pain, and we have answers! Keep reading to find out how to avoid these annoyances and apply flawless makeup to your beautiful dark skin.

Face

Primer

First, cleanse and tone your skin. Then, if you have oily skin, apply a matte primer. If your skin tends to be drier, look for an allover moisturizing primer that will give you a good base to apply your make up seamlessly.

Foundation, Blush and Bronzer

Choosing the right shade of foundation can make or break your look. Picking a foundation that is too light is the main cause of the “chalky” look that so many dark-skinned women experience. We know finding the perfect shade is difficult, and sometimes it seems impossible, but trust us – going too dark is better than going too light (and don’t forget you can always mix the two). Keep in mind that yellow-based foundations mix best with dark skin tones. Remember: The goal is for foundation to basically disappear after application, so always test shades in natural light before you buy them. That way, they will match as closely as possible. After applying your foundation with a yellow base, you should move to a blush and bronzer that will accentuate your natural color. Brown or copper bronzer is best for naturally dark skin.  

Lips

For the lips, think natural. Browns, golds, neutrals and earth tones look best for daytime wear, while pinks and dark burgundy shades add glam for your nighttime look. If you want to catch some eyes but not grab too much attention, opt for a dab of lip gloss. This is great for a casual evening or some daytime fun! Although often misunderstood, using a dark liner is actually NOT the best way to accentuate your lips. You should highlight this area by adding a little pop with a liner that’s close to the same color as your gloss or lipstick.

Eyes

The eyes are often the most overlooked part of the makeup routine.

Eye Shadow

Although it’s the easiest to skip, a great eye shadow can complete your look if done properly. Shimmery, metallic eye shadows are best for dark skin. For a more dramatic look, try two complementary colors like gold and purple. Keep in mind that the darker your skin, the brighter the colors you can pull off. Contrast is everything when it comes to the eyes!

Eyeliner

For your liner, stick with a basic brown or black with black mascara. If you’re going for that bold look, try some false eyelashes and go crazy with colorful shadows!

To recap: Err on the dark side for your foundation, go natural on the lips and bright for the eyes. Have fun with your makeup and embrace your beautiful skin!

Ethnic Skin: Tips for the Summer Sun

We spend a lot of time talking about protecting your skin from the sun, but it’s easy to ignore some of these tips if you don’t have white skin that is prone to sunburn. You shouldn’t! One of the most important, yet least understood, parts of caring for ethnic skin is sun prevention. For years, many people have believed the myth that it is impossible for people with dark skin to get skin cancer. But the truth, according to cancer.gov, is just the opposite. Individuals with dark skin have more melanin and therefore ought to actually be MORE cautious when dealing with the sun. Otherwise, damage can easily be overlooked, leading to later detection and increased risk of cancer and other issues. It is very important to take great care of your skin in order to not only keep it looking beautiful, but also to avoid the more serious problem of skin cancer.

Now that summer is in full swing, let’s brush up on some sunscreen myths and facts for dark-skinned people and learn about new advances in technology that can benefit all of us.

Myth: Sunscreen is unnecessary

For some time, it was a common belief that African-Americans do not need to use sunscreen as much as Caucasians do. Do not fall for this! Interestingly, brown skin does have a built-in SPF of 13.4, while light skin has a built-in SPF of just .4. However, daily use of sunscreen is still necessary to fully protect yourself from sunspots, wrinkles and other sun damage.

Sunscreen: The basics and the “residue” issue

Basics

We recommend a sunscreen with SPF 30 or for daily use. Apply it daily at least 20 minutes before going outside. These are a few things to look out for when choosing your sunscreen:

• Only use sunscreen that protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. It is commonly called “broad-spectrum”
• While SPF 30 or above is recommended, SPF 15 is the absolute lowest that can reduce risk of skin cancer and early aging.
• Don’t forget to REAPPLY. Sunscreens cannot advertise as sweat-proof or waterproof, but they can be resistant to both. Since sunblock doesn’t completely withstand water and sweat, you should reapply after 40 to 80 minutes of swimming or sweating.

The Residue

A common issue with sunscreen is the whitish-gray residue that the product can leave behind. While this has been a problem in the past, new technology has essentially eliminated the issue. Here are some tips for avoiding this annoying problem:

• Use micronized formulas that have made sunscreen more cosmetically acceptable and less likely to leave residue.
• Try quick-absorbing formulas that contain chemical ingredients that sink into your skin. Some of ingredients to look out for include Mexoryl SX, Helioplex, and AvoTriple. These are the chemicals that will keep you safe without the frustrating white film!
• Clear zinc formula is a great alternative to regular sunblock, and it is much less visible when applied.

Enjoy the beautiful outdoors this summer, but don’t forget to use these tips to protect yourself and your family from the sun’s harmful rays!