Sunburn in a Winter Wonderland

By this time, all your summer clothes have been packed up for the season, and you’ve unloaded all of your sweaters, coats, boots and other warm weather apparel. But what about your sunscreen? If you thought you didn’t need sunscreen in the winter, I’m here to tell you sunscreen should always be part of your daily regimen! While you might be semi-hibernating for the winter, the sun is not, and even small amounts of sun during a walk into a store from the parking lot can be damaging.  Here are some reasons you should still protect your skin, even during the winter.

Sunburns
Odds are you’ve seen pictures of people smiling people at the bottom of a ski run with that funny raccoon-faced look? All that redness doesn’t just come from windburn. Ice and snow works just like the water at the beach or a pool: it reflects UV rays. In the case of a snow skier, being at a higher elevation means the sunlight will be stronger, emitting more UV rays.  To avoid the red-faced raccoon look, use a sports sunscreen on your face that is at least 30 SPF.

Skin Cancer
Although other types of cancer may get more publicity, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. According to skincancer.org, “Each year, there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.” Skin cancer is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer.  So bundle up and cover up to help keep skin cancer at bay.

Youthful skin
Nothing ages skin faster than over exposure to the sun. Consider the example of a Chicago-area man, profiled in this article, who looks 66 years old on one side of his face and 86 years old on the other. The man drove a semi-truck for nearly 30 years of his life, meaning the left side of his face was exposed to the sun for roughly eight hours a day. Take care of your skin to avoid looking 20 years older than you actually are.

Counteract Prescriptions
Many prescription medicines can leave you vulnerable to the sun, and while the sun may not seem as bright during the colder months, it can still cause skin damage. Some common medications that cause sensitivity to the sun are birth control pills, NSAIDs, antibiotics, antidepressants and diuretics. Ask your pharmacist if any of your medications could make you more sensitive to sunlight.

Extra moisture
Cold winter temperatures have a way of sucking all of the moisture not only out of the air, but also out of your skin. Why not doubly treat your skin by using a moisturizer combined with a sunscreen? This way, you’re keeping dry, cracked skin at bay, along with sunburns and wrinkles.

The Tricky Label Interpretation

When purchasing new cosmetic or skin care products, the lingo on the label can be a tricky thing to understand. Products often promise a variety of outcomes, which may include reducing puffiness or diminishing fine lines. However, it’s important to note that these results rely heavily on the ingredients.  In this blog post, I’ll offer a few tips for decoding the language on these products. But if you read nothing else in this post, remember that the ingredients listed first on a label have the highest concentration in any product.

Face wash

Regardless of age, gender or skin type, everyone should wash his or her face daily. These common ingredients may help you decide which is best for you. 

Alpha Hydroxyl Acid

This ingredient helps to gently wash away dead skin cells, reveal new skin and give your face a healthy look.

Glycolic Acid

This important ingredient reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Some research has also found that it can be beneficial for those wanting to reduce the appearance of age spots.

Salicylic Acid

This common face wash ingredient is best for acne-prone skin because it dissolves dirt and oil that builds up in the pores and causes acne. But remember to use it only once a day. Overuse will remove natural oils from the skin and worsen acne flare-ups.

Micro-beads

Usually found in anti-aging face washes, these power beads help exfoliate the skin to get rid of the dead skin cells, helping to boost collagen production and prevent fine lines and wrinkles.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

I typically recommend avoiding any face wash containing these ingredients. These detergents will strip the skin of its natural lipids — which contain fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamin E that are essential for healthy skin and avoiding signs of aging like wrinkling.

Eye Cream

Eye cream is very common among women looking for something that will support anti-aging, skin health and other minor factors. Check out these ingredients before you buy your next bottle!

Caffeine

Eye creams that promise to reduce puffiness usually have caffeine or an ingredient that decrease puffiness and dark circles by reducing inflammation. But be mindful of eye creams that contain acid. The acid causes inflammation so that the wrinkle looks less noticeable, but it will not make the skin look younger and may cause long-term damage.  

Retinol

Try using eye cream with a moisturizer. Most will have retinol as a main ingredient. Retinol has been shown in some studies to help build collagen, the skin's natural plumper.

Makeup

Buying the best makeup for your skin type can be overwhelming if you do not know what it all means.

Tinted moisturizer

Tinted moisturizers are great and often work for everyone. Tinted moisturizer hydrates, hides imperfections and evens out the complexion, but that’s about it. If you need a flawless finish, keep looking because this isn’t it.

Matte

Matte makeup is great for skin types that tend to be oily because it provides a dry, powdery finish. Often the labels won’t say “matte makeup” but rather, "pore-less" and "shine-free.” Matte makeup is not good for those with dry skin or people looking for anti-aging qualities – the powder tends to settle in and make those wrinkles more visible!

As always, if I missed anything, leave your questions in the comments and I’ll answer them there! 

Tips and Tricks for Avoiding a Face Washing Faux Pas

Washing your face is essential to ensure it stays healthy and free of major breakouts. Unfortunately, I see a lot of people washing their faces with harsh bars of soap, a common brand that is not working for their skin types, scrubbing too hard or a host of other face washing faux pas.

There are lots of articles out there extolling the value of various brands of facial soaps and washes. I’ll spare you the commercials and focus on how to choose the best washes for your skin type – and any issues you may have. If you take away one thing from this blog post, make sure it’s this: Never wash your face with a bar of soap or the same soap you use on the rest of your body. That’s just asking for trouble.

If you still have questions after reading this, feel free to ask away in the comments. I’ll be happy to answer you there.

For Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, don’t worry. It may cause a few more breakouts, but it also leads to fewer wrinkles and other signs of aging later on. Elasticity is the true fountain of youth, so don’t despair, oily skinned friend. Just manage your oily skin with the right facial soap. Consider the following:

•  Gel cleansers – Gel-based cleansers absorb excess oil without drying out the skin too much.
• Oil-free washes – If your skin is oily, don’t make it worse by using an oil-based cleanser that could clog your pores! Oil-free washes will help remove the excess oil and, like gel cleasners, will prevent your skin from drying out too much.
• “Foamy” or “soapy” cleansers – These types of soaps tend to be gentle and, like the oil-free and gel washes, will remove excess oil without drying out too much.

For Dry Skin

Dry skin is a tough type to deal with. If your goal is anti-aging, it’s important to maintain moisture. However, too much moisture or the wrong kind of moisture can result in breakouts. With that in mind, consider these points when choosing a facial soap to care for your dry skin:

• Creamy cleansers – Unlike your oily skinned friends, you should be on the lookout for a cream-based cleanser that will both moisturize your skin and remove the excess oil and dirt that clog pores. Creamy cleansers will do just that.
• Non-foaming liquid cleansers – While people with oily skin may consider foaming cleansers, those with dry skin should look for exactly the opposite. Check your drugstore for a liquid-based soap that won’t foam, but that will employ natural oils to both remove makeup and other pore-cloggers while moisturizing.
•  Soap-free – Did you just read that correctly? Yes, soap-free cleansers exist and can be a lifesaver for people with dry skin. Things like cold creams (not just for Grandma anymore!) and creamy cleansers with micro beads are a great alternative. 

For Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin comes in all types – dry, oily, old, young – you name it. Caring for it is quite a task, and it really boils down to knowing your own skin. Before you dive into this list, consider whether your skin is dry or oily, if you have any allergies or if you know of any specific ingredients that will irritate your skin. With that in mind, consider these options when seeking out an effective facial soap:

• Organic soaps – Although not everything marked “organic” is a cure-all for sensitive skin, it’s a good place to start. Most of these products are made from natural ingredients and don’t use some of the more irritating ingredients other soaps do.
•  “Calming” products – Again, it’s important to pay attention to the label in its entirety when choosing a product for your face. Still, most facial washes labeled “calming” are made for sensitive skin care.
• Glycerin – This is a key ingredient in many facial cleansers marketed to people with sensitive skin. It helps build an even skin structure, and has no side effects for most people.

For Combination Skin

People with combination skin fall right in the middle of the skin care spectrum. Their skin is neither too oily nor too dry, and there are a huge variety of products marketed to them. As with sensitive skin, it’s important to know whether you fall a little closer to the oily or dry end of that spectrum before you decide on a cleanser. That said, here’s what I recommend:

• Light foaming cleansers – Normally recommended for people with oily skin, light foaming cleansers can be very effective in maintaining healthy combination skin. If you find yourself a little on the dry side of combination, consider skipping the foam.
• Water-soluble cleansers – Unlike the creams often recommended for dry skin, combination skin calls for something a little gentler, but that won’t leave the skin feeling tight or dry.
• Gentle cleansers – Most cleansers marked as “gentle” contain little or no harsh ingredients that tend to irritate the skin. This is especially valuable to those people in the middle of the skin care spectrum!

As always, if I missed anything or if you have a question, leave it in the comments below and I'll answer it there!