So the first real big hit of snow has hit Calgary. Already I can feel the change in the dryness. After I got out of the shower, my skin is all blotchy and red. Love winter. Super. And my hair. My poor, poor hair. So what to do? Here's some solutions...
For the skin. A problem most of us face here in Calgary is dry, but yet oily skin. Very challenging to tackle. So when you are out shopping for skin care. firstly you want to make sure that your soap is free of any harsh surfactants, like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, MEA's, DEA's etc. The reason being is it unnecessarily drys out your skin and is responsible for a lot of skin irritations. Secondly, look for cleansers that have a mild, buffered glycolic base or salicylic acid base. These will help to gently exfoliate the surface dry skin and allow for your skin to breathe. Other good ingredients are tea tree oil, lavender, chamomile and rose. All essential oils are naturally anti bacterial. Tea tree oil is natures one stop fix it all. Great for controlling bacteria and break outs. Lavender as well is great for break outs, and also is calming. Chamomile will soothe irritated skin, and Rose is a natural toner and helps to balance the PH of your skin.
Now when you are looking for a toner, be very careful to not be buying one that is alcohol based. It is a common misconception that your toner is there to remove excess makeup that your cleanser missed. Wrong. It is there to tone, tighten and balance your skin Therefore allowing your moisturizer to be applied evenly, and absorb into the skin properly. If your toner is drying out your skin, then when you put your moisturizer on, it will only sit on the surface. If your skin is particularly dry look for hyaluronic acid. It is has a molecule smaller then water and penetrates into the skin deeper. It allows for more moisture to be absorbed into the skin.
Moisturizers. So commonly we look for oil based moisturizers. But this you have to be careful with. In climates like Calgary, it is the lack of water based moisture in the air that is so drying. So when you are shopping for a moisturizer, look for one that is emollient meaning it is balanced in oil and moisture.
Now while this describes your at home routine, I am a huge advocate of taking time to take care of ourselves. A large step in skin care maintenance is getting routine facials. This way your esthetician is monitoring your skin, and can help to prevent any challenges before they arise. Proper preventative maintenance means not having to back peddle our way out of premature aging, acne and the nasty scars it leaves and overall stress. My personal favorite facial is a gentle microderm scrub, followed by a light chemical exfoliation and finished with the once over of the hi frequency machine. This facial works for me, because it keeps the dead skin off and kills any bad bacteria laying underneath in the dermal layers of your skin.
Some skin care lines that I have grown to love are Origins (found at the bay downtown) Dermalogica, Image (found at SFM Lifestyle Salon Spa) and MD formulations (http://www.bareescentuals.com)
Hair. Our poor, dry, hair. So first off, with the change of season may mean a change in your haircare. Again, look to make sure your shampoo is free of sulfates and harsh surfactants. These will dry your hair out and can trigger dry scalp, psoriasis, etc. Look for a shampoo that is moisture based, but not too oily.
Conditioners are going to be where its at this time of year. Obviously a good daily conditioner is a must. Also a weekly deep conditioner is going to save your tresses. Look for one that is based with a nut based oil. Often that will give the benefit of strength and moisture. When looking for a deep conditioner, again we are looking for something that is rich and emollient. If you are wanting to leave it on overnight, be sure to buy one that is designed to be left on over night. Many deep conditioners are designed to be left on up to 15 minutes. Any longer, and you could actually damage your hair. The reason being that many deep conditioners offer protein to strengthen your hair. When the protein is left on too long, it can cause the hair to be brittle and break.
Again, a huge key to keeping everything in order with your hair is preventative maintenance. When you go in for your routine haircut and/or chemical service, be sure to request an in salon treatment. It takes about an extra 30 min, costs usually between 15-30$ and is a savior. My favorite treatment is the Kerastase 2 step oleo-relax treatment. It calms the most defiant, dry hair.
Remember, on average, most females will spend about a $1000 dollars or more a year on their hair. Ask your self, if you bought a 200 shirt, would you wash it in tide and throw it in the dryer? Or would you take it to the dry cleaners to preserve its integrity? Probably the latter. None of us likes throwing money out the window. Your hair and skin are the same. First thing in the morning, your hair and skin are what you have to deal with. So this winter, make sure to take care of them :)
Warmest Regards,
Angela
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