5 Winter Skin Myths

Marie Claire

Going numb from all the misinformation and bogus advice about winter-proofing your face and body? Here, top skin experts help us crack the cold-weather skincare code

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1. MYTH: Loading up on lip balms prevents chapping.
TRUTH: Only if it's the right balm. Some common ingredients can actually have an adverse effect. Mineral oil (petroleum jelly) creates an artificial film on your lips, signaling your skin to stop producing lipids, while funky flavors, perfumes, and colors can also dry out skin. Annet King suggests seeking natural-oil-infused balms or those with shea and cocoa butter. "To get rid of flaky patches, apply a little facial exfoliant to damp lips (a soft toothbrush also does the trick), scrub gently, then follow with balm," she says. Wait till spring to resume use of lip plumpers and super-long-lasting formulas that dry out your pout.

2. MYTH: Steamy showers impart moisture to dry skin.
TRUTH: "Even though they feel great on a bone-chilling day, hot showers and baths are extremely drying," says New Jersey dermatologist Dr. Robin Ashinoff. Exposure to hot water with temperatures over 98.6 degrees causes blood-vessel dilation that results in water loss throughout the epidermis. If you crave heat, keep it under five minutes, and stick with a soap-free body wash instead of bar soap or anything highly perfumed. Pat - don't rub - your skin dry, and moisturize while it's still damp to help your cream penetrate.

SEE A LIST OF RECOMMENDED WINTER SKIN PRODUCTS HERE

3.MYTH: The thicker the cream, the better it hydrates.
TRUTH: "Concentrated doesn't necessarily equal optimum hydration," says Annet King, director of training and development for the International Dermal Institute. "An overdose of lipids can actually trap dead cells and leave skin looking duller." King suggests layering serums under creams in order to boost moisture. Facialist Sonia Dakar agrees: "Serums are light, yet have super-concentrated ingredients - ideal for absorption."

4.MYTH: Your skin will benefit if you stay indoors as much as possible.
TRUTH: True, extreme cold temperatures do suck the moisture from your skin. But retreating indoors, where central heating is pumped to the max, can leave your derm equally parched. So enjoy the fresh air and winter sports, and then do what you can to add moisture to the air at home. A humidifier can help - especially at night, when, combined with a night cream, skin is more apt to drink in moisture. A humidifier can also defrizz staticky winter "hat hair." Dakar recommends adding a teaspoon of tea-tree oil to the water tank to clean it every few days and prevent mold.

5. MYTH: Windburn gives your skin a natural, healthy, desirable glow.
TRUTH: Depends whether you consider broken capillaries in the cheeks "desirable" - which is what regular exposure to harsh wind can do. The worst-case scenario is that it leads to permanent redness (aka rosacea). "Sensitive skin is especially susceptible to windburn," says King. "So before heading outdoors, load up on a protective-barrier moisturizer and cover up with a scarf. If you do get burned, calm and soothe with gentle cream cleansers and balm-like moisturizers until your skin calms down." Needless to say, it's better to get the fresh-off-the-slopes flush from a good blush.

CONTINUE READING >> Click here for 5 More Winter Skin Myths

By Elizabeth Flahive

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Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.