Tuesday 10 December 2013

Winter Skin Prep

I spend a lot of time outside in the snow.  I love to take advantage of the endless Canadian landscape and the ski hill as much as possible.  It's important to think ahead and protect your exposed skin when going about in the great outdoors.  Enjoy your time with your family - without dermal discomfort from the wind and plummeting temperatures.

soyaskinsnow
Windburn cheeks, chapped lips and raw, nipped skin from the cold can be painful and damaging to outer skin tissue causing dryness, itchiness, and sometimes even blistering.  It's important to use skin loving nourishing balms and a non-clogging cream to create a layer of occlusion.  This creates a protective layer from environmental exposure and provides nourishment to the active skin.  More serious cases of environmental exposure from the cold will result in effects only to the surface of the skin and not to the deep dermal layers. Tip: In the winter, wash your face with a soapless milk cleanser or a mild foaming cleanser, while your skin is still damp and before you skin is totally dry, apply a light nourishing moisturizer evenly across your face and neck (men too!). Smile while and after you do this as you will constantly train your muscles to stay uplifted (plus it just resonates good karma all 'round).  Then apply a protective balm layer over your T zone; the cheeks, across forehead, chin, lips and vulnerable spots to the wind.

In the weeks leading up to your winter frolicking, prepping your skin can save it's suppleness and maintain a youthful glow year after year.  Don't wait too long to have a post summer facial.  A fall facial will reveal a renewed cellular layer of skin and help hinder superficial lines.  Begin to use moisturizer on the regular, even to compliment your light and uplifting serum ritual.

Extended exposure to wind and a vast change in humidity will cause skin changes, sometimes holding on to the external layers of skin.  Wind can cause drying and slight thickening of the fine outer layer skin, so it's best to slough off these extra dead skin cells before the further winter dehydration occurs.  The outer layer of your skin feeds from the inner tissue layers, so if your outer cells are nourished and protected from the harsh climate that can deplete moisture, the less it will intrinsically leach nutrients from within; keeping up healthy skin colour, circulation and strength.  So, add these practices to your winter regimen and some skin care tools to your ski bags and balms in your family's ski jacket pockets.  They will love you for it, and so will their skin!

Shop for skin loving soyaskin products at Special Holiday prices for a limited time at The Spa and the King Edward Hotel Toronto and online at www.soyaboutique.com