Give Your Skin a Drink!

Taking care of your skin is important all year round, but that doesn’t mean the products used in the summer are best for your skin in the winter. As the seasons change so does your skin’s needs, and in the wintertime, hydration is key (yes, even if your skin is oily!). Fighting the irritation and dryness associated with winter can save your skin from long term damage.

I have a specific nightly routine that keeps my skin hydrated with anti-aging benefits.

Whether or not I’ve worn makeup for the day, I start by double cleansing. Double cleansing is exactly how it sounds: using two separate cleansers, one specific to makeup removal and one that gives a deeper, water-based cleanse. Lancome’s Lait Galatée Confort Cleansing Milk (Ulta, $31) is my go-to makeup removing cleanser because it’s gentle and conditions the skin using Honey and Sweet Almond Extract. As part of my second cleanse, I use Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash (Sephora, $38), which contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and natural fruit enzymes to purify the skin without stripping away natural oils.

To ensure my skin will absorb products efficiently, I use Heritage Store's Rosewater Facial Toner (Ulta $12), a rehydrating toner. It contains Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe to immediately rehydrate. Hyaluronic Acid is a natural humectant which means it can bind to water and draw in all of that moisturizing goodness into your skin!

For an extra boost of hydration, I use Innisfree's Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum (Sephora, $27). It contains Jeju green tea that helps replenish skin with moisture and protect it from environmental stressors. While this absorbs into my skin, I apply Laneige's Water Bank Eye Gel (Sephora, $39) underneath and around my eye contour to help combat puffiness, dryness and fine lines. This contains Hydro Ionized Mineral Water that helps hydrate and protect the delicate eye area.

Just a few more steps: We cannot forget the most important anti-aging step of our routines - RETINOL! I love Drunk Elephant's A-Passioni Retinol Cream (Sephora, $74). The price can hurt, but the 1oz. tube has lasted me an entire year and has diminished the one fine line I had on my forehead. We'll talk about retinol in another post. I follow up with a hydrating moisturizer, Skyn Iceland's Oxygen Infusion Night Cream (Ulta, $68). It's loaded with peptides and minerals to hydrate, plump, brighten, and destress tired skin. I love to top off my skin with Farsali’s Volcanic Elixir (Farsali.com, $39) for the ultimate hydrating and soothing experience. Volcanic Elixir is made with 100% pure Polynesian Tamanu Oil. Known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibiotic and antimicrobial properties, this oil regenerates skin tissue while repairing and conditioning, making it perfect for battling the effects of a cold, harsh winter.

When it comes to hydration, you can’t forget your lips. I like to use Vaseline or Laneige’s Sleeping Lip Mask (Sephora, $20) in Vanilla or Lemon, both products aiding in intense hydration and restoration.

Now it’s off to bed with hydrated, plump, dream-worthy skin!