Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "My lips are constantly cracked!"
The Fix: A nourishing, petrolatum-free lip balm
Cold air and low humidity in the winter can crack the corners of your lips, making every day tasks like eating, drinking and speaking, well - ouch! Avoid ingredients that might sting cracked lips, like menthol and petrolatum-based products like petroleum jelly (these products simply create a barrier, they don't actually moisturize). Show your lips some love with Fresh Sugar Advanced Lip Therapy, $25 (available at fresh.com). With its mix of cupuacu butter, plum seed oil and passionflower seed oil, it's a moisturizing triple threat to soften and smooth cracked pouts.
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "Heavy duty exfoliators are too strong for my winter-weary skin."
The Fix:Exfoliate with fruit acids or peeling enzymes
Exfoliation needs to be a 12-month a year habit. But sometimes exfoliation ingredients like glycolic or lactic acid can be unkind to skin. Remedy skin with an u201cunpeelu201d that melts away dead skin cells with natural ingredients. You get radiance and smoothness, but no unsightly irritation. Try Dr. Perricone Blue Plasma Peel, $95 (available at sephora.com). It has u201cbio-specific peelingu201d - using salmon egg enzymes to target only dead skin cells, leaving healthy cells and your skin's barrier function, in tact.
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "How do you treat Sahara-like dry skin?"
The Fix:Boost your moisturizer with an oil-based serum
Face care oils that are rich in argan or other botanical oils (manmade mineral oil is a big no-no as it clogs pores) will soften and hydrate skin. Just add a few drops to your moisturizer to boost its power against parched spots, or layer it on first as a serum. Try Sunday Riley Juno Transformative Lipid Serum, $131.50 (available at ebeauty.ca). Its rich in natural, cold-pressed oils like grapeseed oil and marula oil are the TLC winter skin needs.
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "My skin feels tight as a drum after cleansing."
The Fix:Invest in a milk, cream or balm cleanser
These rich textures, no matter what your skin type, will help sweep dirt and makeup from the skin, but won't strip skin of your natural oils. They tend to go on thick, but lather to a milky emulsion once they come in contact with water. Try Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser, $13 (available in March 2013 at Shoppers Drug Mart).
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "Breakouts happen, but the usual acne-fighters like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide cause peeling and flakiness."
The Fix:A natural antiseptic treatment
Treating acne on severely parched skin is a big challenge because many of the toughest zit fighters are also extremely drying. Look to more natural solutions with antiseptic qualities like tea tree oil, witch hazel or lemongrass to reduce acne-causing bacteria and inflammation. Try Burt's Bees Natural Anti-Blemish Targeted Spot Treatment, $14.99 (available at burtsbees.ca). It relies on all three aforementioned to make spots shrink and prevent future breakouts. Tip: apply it with a cotton swab so no bacteria from your hands contribute to your breakouts.
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "My foundation looks chalky."
The Fix:Introduce a smoothing primer
After your moisturizer, reach for a primer to add a layer of smoothing perfection to any stubborn flaky spots. Try L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Miracle Blur Instant Skin Smoother, $29.99 (on counter at drugstores and mass-market retailers in February 2013). The silicone-based formula blends beautifully to obscure pores and flaky spots for instant gratification.
Dry Skin Tips
The Dilemma: "How do I soothe itchy skin?"
The Fix:A balm containing oatmeal or aloe vera to soothe skin
Itchy skin can be an indicator of a more serious skin condition like psoriasis or dermatitis - so book in with your dermatologist if it persists. But for mild cases of periodic itchy spots, slather on an oatmeal-based moisturizer - widely documented to relieve itchy skin. Try the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Concentrate, $28 (Available at sephora.com & firstaidbeauty.com). It's rich in colloidal oatmeal and scent-free, which is key to prevent further irritation. Tip: It's thick; warm it up in hands first to make for easy application.
More from FLARE:
- 10 Commandments of Winter Beauty
- Canadian Winter Survival Guide
- 9 Winter Style Tips
- 10 New Year's Beauty Resolutions (Plus A Few Cheats!)
- What To Wear & What To Store This Spring
Connect with Flare:
