By: Hannah Hartz
Hannah Hartz is a Chicago-based esthetician with 7 years experience. She currently works at CaTara Med Spa. Here, Hartz shares her winter skincare do’s and don’ts.
With summer (sadly!) in the distant past, we are now transitioning from fall into the bitter, blustery winter, which has people understandably wondering what is going on with their skin. Complaints about dryness, flakiness and redness are now more prevalent, leaving people asking what they need to start doing differently. Winter comes with its own set of do’s and don’ts that are pertinent to understand in order to keep your skin happy and healthy through these perilous months.
DO Keep Wearing Your SPF
Just because the days are shorter and gloomier doesn’t mean you’re off the hook with your sun protection. Those damaging rays are still getting through the clouds and through your windows in the car and office, and even reflect off of the snow. SPF should stay on year-round; there’s no way around it!
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DON’T Wash Your Face with Super-Hot Water
The hot water strips your skin of its protective oils that help to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Depleting this protective barrier can leave your skin rough, flaky and susceptible to pollutants and bacteria. This goes for washing your hands and taking showers in piping hot water, too.
DO Make Sure You Keep Your Hats and Scarves Clean
Just like your pillowcases, your winter protection can gather oils, dirt, makeup and bacteria that builds up and can cause irritation and breakouts. Think of this as an opportunity to switch up your accessories and show off a cool new scarf every week while the old one gets washed.
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DON’T Over-Exfoliate Just to Buff Off Dry Flakes
This will just dry you out more, irritate your skin and cause even more flakes. The best solution is to slather on your hydrating serum and follow it up with a nice rich moisturizer. You can even top it all off with a nighttime oil or sleeping mask to help seal the hydration in more while you sleep. Keep your exfoliation to just a couple times a week and keep it gentle. As your skin heals and becomes more hydrated, the flakes will diminish on their own.
DO Stay Up on Regular Facial Visits
Your esthetician will help you keep your skin on track while delivering the deepest levels of hydration and health, keeping your skin vibrant through the winter. Try a HydraFacial on your lunch break or after work for a speedy, all-in-one deep cleansing peel with intense hydrating benefits. Add in a dermaplaning treatment to gently clear off all the dry, dead skin and extra fuzzy hairs for maximum glow!