Five Winter Skin Tips from Skin Care Expert, Renée Rouleau

There is no question that the cold air wreaks havoc on our skin and for many, dryness is a huge concern. In anticipation of the cold temperature outside and the dry heat indoors, here are some precautionary steps to take to prepare your skin for the cold front!

#1 Reanalyze your current routine:

How do we know when it’s time to change up our daily skin routine? The key is to really listen to your skin. If your skin doesn’t feel comfortable then a product is not working how it’s meant to. It’s time for a change! Does your skin feel tight? Is your skin experience excessive flaking? Are you producing more oil than normal? (Yes, dehydration increases oil within the skin. Read more about reducing oil production.) If the products aren’t working anymore, your skin will let you know. See our nine skin types for product recommendations or email us for expert advice.

#2 Be sure to perform your night time routine:

When the heat is on at night that means your skin has dry air blowing on it for about seven hours or more while you sleep. The dry air looks for moisture wherever it can get it and that means taking it from your skin. This makes your night time skin care routine crucial in the winter so you can prevent unnecessary dryness.

Do this by using a nighttime moisturizer (any moisturizer without SPF) that is appropriate for your skin type…

Often, I find that clients believe their night time moisturizer has to be heavy or greasy to last through the night, but that is not always true. The most important aspect of skin care is matching your products with your skin type so you’re giving your skin exactly what it needs.

#3 Use a humidifier, in your bedroom, especially if you are acne prone:

Before switching to heavier products try out this secret solution. Put a humidifier in your bedroom! It sounds so simple but this trick will work, for both dry skin and acne-prone skin types. When we feel our skin getting dryer our first idea is to use a heavier, creamier moisturizer. For acne-prone skin a heavier product may increase clogged pores, in this case, a product switch is unnecessary. A humidifier will put more moisture into the air, which will regulate your bedroom’s environment. Your skin can grab more hydration without causing you to purchase a new moisturizer.

#4 Incorporate more products into your routine:

The basics may not be enough as your skin changes with the winter climate. Applying moisturizer consistently is important; however, when your skin craves more hydration, the answer is not adding on extra layers of moisturizer. The solution for alleviating tight, dry skin is using a specialty serum to accompany your moisturizer. Use the serum underneath your moisturizer to hydrate the skin because the damp skin will help to absorb your regular moisturizer more effectively.

Read: What is a Serum and Do I Really Need One?

#5 Switch to a milder cleanser:

I cannot stress enough the importance of not only washing your skin morning and night, but also to use a cleanser that will not dry the skin and cause damage.

Many foaming and gel cleansers made today are formulated with an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. This ingredient is a surfactant; a cleansing agent that cuts oil from the skin. These ingredients are simply too harsh and will strip the water out of the skin after every washing leaving the skin feeling tight and creating more oil and shine. And what you wash with is the MOST important part of your skin care routine. Why? Because if you wash with a foaming cleanser or soap that is too drying, it pulls all the water out of the skin and creates dead, dry skin cell buildup. Then you have to quickly run and put your moisturizer on to put back in what you just took out! It makes no sense! Choose either cleansing lotions or gel cleansers that avoid the harsh ingredient, Sodium or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate. These are better choices as they will effectively deep clean the pores but will not rob the skin of much needed water.

Remember the rule: More lather, more drying. Less lather, less drying. All Renée Rouleau foaming cleansers are sulfate-free.

Read: My Sure for Red, Sensitive, Extremely Dry, Flaky Skin

Here are a few of my favorite must have products to prepare skin for winter:

Hawaiian Nourishing Cream

Skin Drink

Synergy Eye Cream

Aloe Cleansing Milk

Phytolipid Comfort Cream

Watch our skin care tip videos

Read: Five Tips to Help Dry, Cracked, Winter Hands

Which products are right for you? See our nine skin types and get products recommended.

For expert skin advice, check out Skin Source–the A-Z guide on all things skin. Also sign up here for our skin tip e-newsletter, follow Renée Rouleau on Twitter and like our Facebook page. You’ll be your own skin care expert in no time!

Content Copyright © 2012, Renée Rouleau, Inc

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may use any items from this article in your print, blog, magazine or electronic newsletter. But in order to do so, you must include the following paragraph including a link to www.ReneeRouleau.com.

Information courtesy of www.ReneeRouleau.com, a website with skin care tips, products based on nine skin types and advice from skin care expert and celebrity esthetician, Renée Rouleau.