Dear Beauty 365,
My skin is SO dull in the winter! Can you suggest a good skin product to brighten and even out my skin?
Kristin
New York, NY
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Dear Kristin,
Moisture is the key ingredient for this season!
Northeast winters can be really harsh and drying, so you should pay special attention to keeping your skin hydrated. If you haven’t already, consider investing in a humidifier. It will not only do wonders for your skin, but it can also help you breathe more easily. You can find some really affordable ones at your local drugstore. Also, be sure that you are drinking enough water…
Another key weapon against dull winter skin is exfoliation. You should be exfoliating at least once a week to slough off dead skin and reveal the bright and wonderful skin hidden underneath.
Depending on the product you use and the sensitivity of your skin, you can exfoliate more frequently. Neutrogena’s Visibly Even Exfoliating Cleanser ($8, Drugstores), is a great combination facewash and exfoliant. The granules this product contains are really gentle and it boasts soy as an active ingredient, which is well known as a skin brightener.
Another great product is the Self Adjusting Exfoliator by Cosmedicine. I love this stuff and reviewed it on Beauty 365 not too long ago.
I always switch to a thicker moisturizer when the colder months come along. Nivea Crème ($7, Drugstores) is an affordable solution and if that’s too thick for you, you can try their lighter formula, Nivea Soft ($7, Drugstores).
If you’d like to add a little extra kick of color to your complexion, tinted moisturizers and sunless tanners are the way to go.
Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($12, Drugstores) is a great tinted face crème with SPF and antioxidants. It comes with a light, sheer tint and has a wonderfully matte finish when applied.
I’ve been using Olay Touch of Sun Daily Facial Moisturizer ($14, Drugstores) for about a month and I’ve got no complaints. It smells sweet and fresh while also doing just what it claims – “moisturizing and giving skin a sun-kissed glow with SPF 15 protection.” (Three cheers for SPF!) It also contains vitamin E, a restorative antioxidant that is great for your skin. Touch of Sun is really helping my skin bypass the winter doldrums with the subtle color and skin renewal that it provides over time. And, no you won’t look crazy or in any way orange! The crème itself is off white in color and doesn’t stain hands.
Go ahead and play around with any combination of the above to see what works best for you. Drop me a comment and let me know how you fare!
Stay Beautiful Every Day!
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Need Beauty Advice? Send your question via e-mail to: Beauty3Sixty5@gmail.com All questions welcome!
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on Thursday, February 1st, 2007 at 8:47 pm and is filed under Ask Beauty 365, Skin Care.
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I personally am a new-found fan of the Olay Touch of Sun moisturizer. I am usually plagued by the very familiar washed out dull look during the winter months, but have never really thought that there was much that I could do about it aside from dealing with it or headin down to sunny miami once a month. Since the latter wasnt quite possible, Ive just been stuck. Until now! Recently Miss O was gracious enough to give me an unfinished tube of Olay Touch of Sun and it has made such a big difference. The difference has been gradual and not over the top, but I definitely have been able to keep a healthy glow!
Oh, and not to mention – the moisturizer itself feels really good on my naturally dry skin!
love it! Thanks Miss O.!