It’s getting colder, and even those of us with oily skin are starting to notice an uneasy tightness in our skin. Don’t wait until your skin develops numerous unsightly flakes and dry patches; be proactive and fight dry facial skin with these natural skin care tips and natural skin care product recommendations.
Misting sprays
I’m a firm believer in misting sprays. While the concept is simple — mist your face with some water before you apply any moisturizer — a lot of us don’t think about this because we’re too preoccupied with toweling off and getting completely dry after our hot morning shower. That’s the worse thing you can do for your skin! You want to apply serums, oils or lotions to slightly damp skin so the product helps lock water –extra hydration — into the top layers of the skin before it evaporates. When you let water evaporate, it dries you out!
The iconic, simple Evian Mineral Water Spray costs an affordable $10 for a 5-ounce can. Photo Courtesy Sephora. Naturopathica’s Rosemary Lemon Clarifying Mist tones the skin with effective essential oils and retails at $28 for a 4.2-ounce spray bottle. Photo Courtesy Naturopathica. A favorite brand of mine, John Masters Organics’ 2-ounce glass bottle of Rose and Aloe Hydrating Toning Mist costs $10 per ounce. Photo Courtesy John Masters Organics.
A few of my favorite misting sprays range from simple, such as my first facial mist, Evian Mineral Water Spray; to essential oil-loaded Naturopathica Rosemary Lemon Clarifying Mist; to antioxidant-packed John Masters Organics Rose & Aloe Hydrating Toning Mist; to ceramic ball-charged AquaLiv infotone mineral water. Toss one of these misting sprays in your bag –especially when you’re flying — to freshen up your skin on the go. If you don’t want to add another product to your natural beauty stash, do your best to hydrate your skin immediately after your shower or wash your face.
AquaLiv’s infotone face mister comes in a reusable glass bottle (refill it with filtered water) and costs $50. Photo Courtesy AquaLiv.
Facial oils
I always get raised eyebrows when I tell people I slather oil on my face every morning and evening. We’re trained to view oil as an acne-loaded threat to beautiful skin; oil is quite the opposite. The right facial oils can have a profound effect on your complexion. Facial oils can balance the amount of sebum on your skin while keeping your skin hydrated and supple. Facial oils can also deliver free radical-fighting antioxidants and moisturizing vitamin E to your skin in powerful concentrations that won’t irritate your skin. I’ve experimented with several different oils, but my two standby favorites are jojoba oil and argan oil.
novAurora Organic Jojoba Oil comes in a bright yellow, 4-ounce pump bottle for $13.50. Photo Courtesy novAurora.
Jojoba oil is said to be the most similar to your skin’s naturally occurring oil, or sebum, and can help tame acne and restore balance to your skin.Compared to other oils I’ve tried on my skin, such as olive oil, jojoba oil is lighter and more easy to spread about the skin; you don’t have to worry too much about staining your pillowcases with a face slicked full of jojoba oil. I’m dedicated to novAurora’s Organic Jojoba Oil. Despite the loud packaging, it really is what’s on the inside that matters; this jojoba oil has been my go-to daily beauty treatment for months. When I’m on the cusp of breakouts, it helps tame my skin and keep it smooth. Just one pump is enough to cover my face and neck after misting myself down.
Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil sets you back $48 for a 1.7-ounce glass bottle. Photo Courtesy Josie Maran Cosmetics.
Before I switched to jojoba oil, I was a big fan of argan oil. Argan oil comes from the argan tree of Morocco. It has similar characteristics to jojoba oil — loaded with vitamin E, antioxidants and a smooth, lightweight finish — but is a little more pricey. If you want to give this so-called “liquid gold” a try, I suggest Josie Maran’s 100% Argan Oil for your facial oil arsenal. It’s worth the hefty price tag, but to get your money’s worth, be sure to use as little of it as possible; to be cliché, a little really does go a long way with facial oils.
Eye cream
I’ve been wearing eye cream since I was 12. I started slicking eye cream under my eyes when I made the transition from glasses to contacts; my poor little pre-teen eyes couldn’t handle them for a while, so I would always rub my eyes and develop itchy, red patches on my face. Despite the circumstance, I’m glad I begun this beauty habit early. The skin around the eye area is delicate and prone to damage; the more you moisturize it with creamy, eye-specific products, the stronger and more line-free those areas stay.
Avalon Organics’ Vitamin C Revitalizing Eye Cream is suitable for all skin types and costs $24 for a 1-ounce pump bottle. Photo Courtesy Avalon Organics.
While I have only used two brands of under-eye creams since I was young, I’m always open to trying something new –especially newly formulated natural and organic products. A fierce contender for space in my beauty drawer is Avalon Organics Vitamin C Revitalizing Eye Cream. With vitamins C and E, antioxidants, melatonin and green and white tea, Avalon Organics Vitamin C Revitalizing Eye Cream helps protect, repair and firm up the delicate skin under the eyes. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Revitalizing Eye Cream is thicker than my go-to eye creams, but I think it’s a perfect match for harsh fall and winter winds. I’ve been incorporating it into my daily routine for the past month and have been impressed with the results.
Sunscreen
This one seems like a no-brainer to me, but people still resist the idea of wearing sunscreen year-round. Just because you aren’t trotting around in shorts and tank tops in the middle of fall and winter (unless you’re doing so in the privacy of your centrally heated home) doesn’t mean the sun’s rays aren’t slowly damaging your exposed skin. Rarely are you so bundled up that your entire face is covered (and if you are, I feel sorry for you!), so be sure to block the seemingly harmless sun’s rays with a good natural sunscreen even during the cold months. The sun’s damaging UVA rays are consistent year-round, which puts you at risk for wrinkles, brown spots and even skin cancer. Keep your skin smooth and healthy by slapping on natural sunscreen, formulated with zinc and/or titanium dioxide, every day; nothing could be worse than having dried out winter skin coupled with a light sunburn!
Do you do anything additional to update your skin care routine when the weather gets cold? Leave me a comment and tell me how you protect your skin from harsh, cold weather.
Kim Wallace is a freelance writer and editor based in Kansas City. She can be reached via e-mail at kim@kimberlyloc.com.
