As the Weather Changes, So Does Your Skin

robyn April 12, 2013

The weather in NYC is hot, warm, cold, cold, hot, warm, cold. It’s hard to say on any given day if you need a jacket or tank top, snow boots or flip-flops. The other day I actually did start the day in tall leather boots and finished it in flip-flops. And no one knows what to do with the buildings. Should they be heated or cooled? So they are also too hot/freezing. It’s not just your usual seasonal changes but such rapid changes that your skin definitely can’t keep up. Here’s what I've been doing to remedy the situation:

Dry Body Skin. I have recently decided to use only the richest of creams. When it’s dry but not parching I use Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter. It is luxuriously creamy without being sticky. I got it the first time because it was on sale at a Nordstrom Rack, so apparently it goes on sale (most cosmetics don't). Now I buy it whenever I see it.

When my skin gets really dry, however, I don’t worry about sticky and just go all in with either Aquaphor or Vaseline and slather it on. It’s pretty old school, like something a grandma would recommend, but it really works. Vaseline has other products but I am only talking about the 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly.

Dry Feet. The same is true for my feet. If they get too dry my heels crack, which hurts and they don't easily heal. Before I get my shoes on I slather on some Aquaphor or Vaseline and then put my socks on so the moisture soaks in. At night, I soak my feet in the tub and scrub them with a pumice stone. If they’re still really dry, I slather more on and put socks on before hopping in bed. In the morning they are soft and supple and good as new.

Dry Hands. I wash my hands all the time. So they get dry even when it’s not dry out. Usually I’ll carry a little tube of lotion in my purse and some moisturizing hand sanitizer too. Right now I’m carrying Burt’s Bees Hand Lotion. Honestly I got it only because it was a handy size, but I really like it. It has a nice light scent without being sickly sweet as some of these kinds of creams do. And as much as I’m loving Vaseline, it just isn’t the best choice throughout the day unless you don’t mind greasy prints all over everything.

Dry Facial Skin. There are several things you can do with a dry complexion, and one of them is exfoliating. I have loved Clinique’s Exfoliating Scrubsince the early 90s and still love it today. It leaves your skin tingly and smooth. Clinique recommends it be used on oilier skin because it does have a nice clean tingle and it’s very scrubby (maybe too scrubby if your skin is too sensitive) but I don’t have oily skin and my flaky skin feels so smooth after using it. Of course, a good moisturizer is also important, too. I am currently using ReVive Moisturizing Renewal Cream, which I really like except the one I have doesn’t have a sunscreen. But the cream absorbs so comfortably into your skin and leaves it comfortable without any greasiness. And in doing a little research, I also learned that it was just given the New Beauty’s 2013 award for Best Anti-Aging Moisturizer as well! So I’m not the only one who likes it. (This one is not inexpensive so if you're not up to throwing down that kind of cash try something for dry skin from Neutrogena).

Dry Lips. Gently exfoliate your lips. Clinique has another exfoliator, 7-Day Scrub Cream that works well. It is cream-based with tiny round beads - perfect for soft lip skin. Use a lip balm EVERY night and, if you wear lipstick, use a lip gloss or moisturizing lip stick. One more Clinique recommendation is Superbalm Moisturizing Lip Gloss. I don’t like sticky gloss AT ALL. This one is very moisturizing and comfortable on lips.

Looking forward to summer. Even though New York summers are sticky and smelly and humid, at least we know what to expect. I think.

Top 6 Things to Do About Your Dry, Chapped Lips

robyn April 15, 2012

6. Avoid Super Long Wear. If you wear lipstick, don’t use one of those longwearing lipsticks that has a lip stain on one end and a moisturizer on the other. At least, I’ve not found one that works. Even with the moisturizing stick, lips still feel dry shortly thereafter so you have to keep using the moisturizer on top of the stain all day long. And I don’t even think the color ends up being super long wearing anyway. Or else I’d be wearing them. 5. Find a Moisturizing Lipstick. I personally hate reapplying lipstick so I wear the driest, most matte lipsticks that don’t ever come off. This causes people to constantly comment on what a great color I have on but that my lips look really dry. Which, again, if I have to trade one thing for another I’m not going to wear a lipstick I have to reapply over and over. The alternative for me is not wearing lipstick. But you, like most people, probably don’t have this hang-up. So find something really creamy and soft like Lancome’s L'Absolu Rouge.

4. Moisturize Nightly. Since I wear dry lipstick during the day, I moisturize at night. I like to use either Burt’s Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter or Nivea Lip Care Essential. For some reason I discovered Nivea years ago in Dubai. It was in my hotel room or something and I had not had it before so I bought a whole bunch while I was there, only to realize we have it here. But since then I have loved many Nivea moisturizing products.

3. Exfoliate Lips. Use a gentle face scrub on your lips from time to time. I like Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream because it has a cream base and small, perfectly round beads that are gentle and buff off dryness. Do not use a chemical/cream exfoliant on your lips unless a company says it’s OK - if it’s not specifically made for lips it can be irritating (or worse).

2. Use a Lip Balm with a Lip Pencil. If you can’t find a moisturizing lipstick that does it for you, use a moisturizing lip balm with a lip liner. First apply lip balm; then line and fill in lips so you can wear it all as your lip color. Apply the balm first or else the lip pencil will probably drag and pull on your dry lip skin.

1. Drink Lots of Water. Cure that dryness from the inside out. Eight 8oz. glasses daily are the recommended but I find that I do best with 12 (glasses a day). This makes my brother to warn me about hyponatremia (water intoxication that can be fatal) but I rarely achieve 12 glasses anyway. I know if I did my lips would be soft and supple every day – without ever having to use any lip balm.

Mwah!

Smoothing Your Foundation

robyn September 29, 2011

If you feel like foundation either makes your skin look worse or just doesn't look as good as it used to, here are some tips!Start with Skin Care. Exfoliate and moisturize before using foundation and/or powder. After cleansing and before moisturizing, try Origins' Modern Friction. You’d think I’d learn, but every time I use it I’m surprised how soft my skin feels.

Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream - MakingupBeauty.com

If you have sensitive skin, use Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream. You might mistake its creaminess for greasiness, but it’s the cream-base that helps make it gentle. And once you feel your skin afterward, you’ll never think “greasy” again. It’s called “7-Day” because it’s gentle enough to use every single day.

Use the Right Formula. Make sure the foundation you choose is right for your skin. If you’re oily, it should be made for oily skin, dry for dry, etc. The right foundation can help balance your skin, make it more comfortable and smooth.

Apply Where Needed. Don’t slather foundation all over your face—apply selectively. Look for areas you want to tone down redness or even out skin. Use your fingertips or a brush to dot onto those areas and then blend out so foundation fades away.

I'm a big believer in exfoliation for lots of reasons - it smoothes and brightens, helps clear pores, helps moisturizer penetrate the skin more easily and makeup wear so much better!