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The Other Worst Skin Enemy: the Cold Season
 We are exactly in mid-winter as we've just passed Ground Hog Day and
we're supposed to get 6 more weeks of cold weather because the little
critter saw its shadow. All over the news, TV, the Internet and
doctors' offices, you see and hear that the sun is the worst enemy of
your skin. But where do you learn about the harms of the cold season,
the second worst enemy of your skin as far as aging? Here are 7 winter
mistakes that you ought to avoid if you want to protect your skin from
damages and aging.
7 mistakes that will make your skin age much faster
1. Using the same moisturizer year round
The common thinking is that one moisturizer fits all seasons; however,
using the same moisturizer in the summer and winter is the top mistake
in skin care. The climatic conditions change a lot during the year and
they are especially harsh on your skin during the cold and summer
seasons: that's when your skin is being most damaged. In fact, winter
deserves the title of the 2nd worst enemy of your skin (the sun being
the 1st one). Cold and dryness put a lot of stress on your skin
because they dehydrate, make your skin vulnerable to damages and
trigger inflammation. Dehydration and inflammation are the main
triggers in aging. Therefore, to shield your skin against aging,
always upgrade for a richer, more protective and more moisturizing
cream during the cold season. Even if your skin is usually oily during
the warm season, you should switch to a slightly richer moisturizer
during the cold season.
 I always recommend Biolift
anti-aging cream and Shea
butter products during the winter as Shea butter is natural, pure
and richly moisturizing, protecting and nourishing. You may also want
to look at
Apricot Kernel oil and Argan
oil as facial night skin treatments because of their high
concentration in essential fatty acids (EFAs) (like omega-3 and
omega-6) and powerful antioxidants. EFAs are
nourishing, healing and regenerating to your skin; they are the
ultimate anti-aging ingredients for your skin and your whole
body. Learn more about these precious nutrients in our EFAs article.
2.Using harsh cleansers and body washes
The vast majority of body washes, soaps and cleansers contain
concentrated harsh detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate that strip
your skin off its natural protective sebum and may trigger
irritation. This ruthless washing leaves your skin dry and vulnerable
to the cold, dryness and even infections. It is also the best way to
trigger or wake up skin problems like eczema. So ... Watch out what
you use to wash yourself, and choose only gentle
organic body washes or pure soaps like organic
Marseille Soap or organic
Aleppo soap.
3. Not using sunscreen and aftersun care in the winter
 Although the sun is much less aggressive during the winter (in
the Northern hemisphere), if you go out in the snow for a walk, a sledge
party with the kids or skiing, you should ALWAYS be aware of the fact
that snow, like water, amplifies the sunlight. Your skin is exposed to
damages by the sun as much in the winter as it is in the
summer. Moreover, for those of you who go to the tropics for a winter
break, be aware that your body goes through a radical climate change,
which is not natural (sorry, Nature didn't intend for us to go from
the heart of snowy winter to sunny tropics in just a few hours!). It
would actually make sense for you to do a few tanning sessions (in a
good tanning salon) to prepare your skin for the sunny vacation. In
any case, at home or under the tropics, your skin needs additional
sunscreen protection, because it is more vulnerable in the winter. If
the conditions are not too rough, you may even use Raspberry
seed oil as a protective moisturizer because it has a broad
spectrum anti-UV-A and UV-B protection. Although it is not a pure
sunscreen, it is the equivalent of a 28-50 SPF (sun protecting
factor). Finally, you need to make sure that you nourish and help your
skin to heal with appropriate aftersun care like Argan
oil, Apricot
oil, Wild
Musk Rose oil or Shea butter
creams. Failing to use proper aftersun care will accelerate the
aging of your skin as much as not using sunscreen. In plain words, you
will soon look 10 years older than you are.
4. Using hot water for long baths or showers
Although hot and long baths and showers are comforting during the cold
season, they do have a paradoxical drying effect on your skin and
dermatologists always advise against hot water for a long time during
the winter. Instead, use slightly less hot water or shower/bath for a
shorter time; afterwards, ALWAYS moisturize your skin (face AND body)
after. An organic lotion like the organic anti-aging
Tocophea Body Lotion or the rich and healing
Shea butter lotion are perfect to moisturize, protect and nurture
your skin. If you have a very dry and sensitive skin, you will love
the ultra richRose
Shea butter on your body for extra nourishment and anti-aging
protection.
5. Not protecting your lips, hands and body
We have just seen how important it is to moisturize your body. But
think of your lips and hands: they are, with your face, the most
exposed to the harsh climate and dehydration (and eating and drinking
and talking and washing a lot). Truth is, you can always read the real
age of a woman by looking at her hands. You may choose to facelift
your face, but no one does surgery on hands and it is often a
neglected part of the body in the beauty ritual. Same thing for the
lips: they easily get damaged and wrinkled because they are so
exposed. Both need protection. For both the lips and hands, we
recommend pure Shea butter
creams while for the hands, you should also consider our
easy-to-use and silky softHand
and Nail cream, the nourishing and anti-agingArgan
oil or Perilla
oil.
6. Not monitoring the humidity level at home
Last year, our central humidifier broke down without us realizing
it. Not only my skin was a nightmare of dryness and itchiness, but our
heating bill also went up a lot. Low humidity causes static
electricity, dry skin and hair, and itching and chapping. The nose and
throat dry out, increasing your discomfort and susceptibility to colds
and respiratory illness. With low humidity levels, body moisture
evaporates so quickly that you feel chilled even at higher thermostat
settings. Adding a humidifier to your home will remedy these
problems. The recommended humidity level inside your home should be
between 35-40% to be comfortable for you. You may also want to get
green indoor plants to purify the air and add moisture, as plants are
great de-polluters.
7. Putting on a lot of makeup
 Yes! You read it right; putting a lot of make-up can make your
skin
age faster because it blocks the pores, prevents your skin from
breathing and may even contain toxic chemicals that intoxicate your
skin. I have seen so many women, young or old, trying to cover up the
flaws of their skin with tons of foundation and concealer and
powder. The result is NEVER what they hope for and pretty scary. So
not only it does not look good, but the skin is also choked, which
always accelerate aging. To understand what I mean, just put as much
foundation on the leaves of a green plant and see how it likes it. So,
please, only use natural and organic make-up and use it wisely with a
light hand. Make-up is an art and if not used wisely, the results are
catastrophic in terms of beauty.
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