5 Ways To Combat Dry Skin

FROM GYM BAG ESSENTIALS TO EASY AND AFFORDABLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES, TRY THESE TIPS  TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN THROUGH THE HARSH MONTHS OF WINTER.

During these dreary gray days of winter, few of us can escape the plight of dry skin. If you live in a cold climate, damage to your face, hands and feet from dry, wintry air is so real. 

GET A HUMIDIFIER (OR TWO)

The cold, dry air of winter can cause your skin to literally break. Investing in a high-quality humidifier for your bedroom or multiple rooms in your house (depending on your budget) can be a godsend. A good humidifier can replace moisture loss and keep the outer layer of your skin well-hydrated. Enhance the effects of your humidifier by adding lavender or eucalyptus to the water. Essential oils are a great way to help you calm down at the end of a long day and can enhance your sleep. It’s such an easy thing to do, we often forget about it.

AVOID HOT, LONG SHOWERS

While we are all desperate to get warm in the winter, turning up the temperature in the shower is _definitely not _helping your skin thrive. Long, hot showers can irritate your skin and cause damage to keratin cells, which is the most superficial layer of your skin. When disrupted, it becomes harder for these cells to lock in moisture. Also, decreasing the frequency of showers can be a lifesaver for your skin in the long run. Since we are typically sweating less in the winter months, it’s not necessary to shower at the same frequency as the summer. If decreasing frequency is just not an option for you, avoid using body wash or body gels containing surfactants. Read your labels. I try to stress this alot. If there is more bad ingredients than good don't use it. Your skin absorbs up to 60% and it can effect health issues.

When surfactants are combined with water, they can strip natural oils from your skin. Think: More lather, foaming and bubbles equals more damage. Unfortunately, they exist in 90 percent of products. Keep your eye out for this ingredient, and look for mild, gentle cleansers.

SUPPLEMENT WITH VITAMIN E OR FISH OIL & ACV

As a rule of thumb, drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily is an easy way to stay hydrated. To say drink more water is so repetitive. It kind of kills you.Try adding vitamin E oil to your water — it can be hot or cold — to hydrate you from the inside out. You can’t even taste it. Also try adding RAW apple cider vinegar and a lemon to about a mason jar full of tepid water. This also hydrates you and great for the skin and gut health.

If you can stomach it, adding liquid fish-oil drops to your water is also extremely beneficial for joint and skin health. If that’s not for you, the capsule form (although less potent and concentrated) is another good option.

STOCK YOUR GYM BAG

Keep good face wipes in your gym bag to remove dirt and makeup that clogs your pores. Kennedy recommends face wipes, which remove makeup without irritating your skin or leaving behind residue. I find some of the major drug store brands leave a greasy film on my face. The Simple Skincare Facial Wipes brand is great. No nonsense facial wipes. Also Algallure Age Defying Creamy Cleanser is healthy and has algae. My number one cleanser in my gym bag and at home.

After I cleanse my face, it’s bare and raw, and it only gets dryer when I go from sweating inside to immediately going outside where it’s cold. Before leaving the gym, I  puts on a thin layer of a hydrating face mask to combat the dryness. I recommends a line like Naturally Serious for a quality face mask to add to your gym bag. Or after a shower use the whole line of Algallure Skin Care. Clean skincare. Amazing skincare. Hydrating skincare. Healthy skincare.

One seriously overlooked aspect of skin care is our feet. Attention must be paid. Feet can get a little funky in the winter months, since we aren’t walking around in flip-flops and getting pedicures on the regular.

ADD ACID TO YOUR SKIN-CARE ROUTINE

While the word acid generally brings to mind something extremely harsh or abrasive, acids can be miracle workers when it comes to removing dead skin on your face. Find an acid that is right for your skin type and use it two to three times per week. I personally use AHA 2x a week and Retin A 5x a week. After you apply the acid on your skin, add a hydrating skin oil or ceramide lotion. This way, the acid can do its job while the oil or ceramides hydrates the skin.

These are tips to follow when it is crisp, cold and your skin is thirsty. Use Code: TIFF20 for 20% off on all Algallure Skin Care. 

~Tiffany💚