Winterize Your Skin

You can have normal/combination, dry, sensitive or even oily skin, and still have the added challenge of dehydrated skin. The fall and winter months can be major contributors to that flaky, itchy and scaly skin. Why, you ask.

Dehydration of the skin is a loss of water through the elements like wind, sun, changes in temperature and environment. Moisture can evaporate the skin rapidly when exposed to extremes of the environment. Some signs of this are tightness, fine lines, lack of radiance, and loss of elasticity.

When your skin becomes dehydrated it becomes compromised in its ability to provide a good barrier against the environment. Until your skin is kept in a fairly constant hydrated or moist state, the cells cannot function properly.

Internal hydration is essential but the environment is still constantly robbing your skin of essential moisture. Unless you live in the tropics, your skin is susceptible to this surface dehydration. Once this drying occurs, it’s like placing a drop of water on a dry sponge, the water’s surface tension is not broken and the water just sits there on the sponge unable to be absorbed. Now if we take the same sponge and dampen it, the water will immediately be absorbed…so it is with your skin.

Most skin conditions get worse in the winter months because there’s not as much humidity in the outer layer of the skin. When the cells in the outer layer get dry, their edges curl up and the skin gets a rough feeling. This is a good reason to use a Murad Step 2 Treatment targeted to your skin type or condition. Some of these treatment products help gently exfoliate those dull, dry excess skin cells, some supply rich nutrients to repair skin. A couple we suggest for those winter months are:

• Intensive Wrinkle Reducer—promotes gentle exfoliation, while balancing skin hydration with Durian Fruit extract; a natural, water balancing botanical nutrient. A great day time treatment product when you skin is most exposed to environmental challenges.
• City Skin Night Treatment—this Vitamin C enriched, nighttime repairing treatment not only helps the repair your skin during the essential sleep cycle, but also is rich in antioxidants and epidermal growth factor to help repair and heal stressed, irritated skin.

Most people think skin gets dry because it lacks oil,
is that true?
That dry, tight feeling is actually an indicator that the skin is not retaining the proper moisture balance. A big reason is due to environmental changes and assaults. It’s not that the skin lacks oil, but because it is lacking water.

So, how do you identify dehydrated skin? Here are some common indicators:

• Skin complexion is dull and lifeless
• Texture is hard and leathery
• Patches of flaky skin is visible
• Fine lines around the upper/lower lip chin, surface lines on cheeks and forehead
• The skin does not have a supple, responsive feel, rather when the skin is pressed, it does not bounce back quickly

Here are some key tips to help “winterize” your skin:

• Combat the effects of dry indoor heat by lowering the temperature
• Use a humidifier. Air inside your home becomes very dry in winter, especially if your windows are closed and the heat is on. A humidifier will replace moisture in the air. A good rule to remember is if your turn up the heat, turn on the humidifier.
• Don’t take long hot showers. Frequent long hot showers remove the oils from your skin, making it dry and itchy. Instead, take luke-warm showers for less than 10 minutes. Pat (do not rub!) your skin until it is just moist, and put on an emollient body cream, such as Murad’s Body Firming Cream, to seal in the moisture in your skin. This will decrease dryness and itch. Also, if you take baths add oils to the bath water, as this will help replenish the oils in your skin.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Skin needs to be hydrated from the inside also. A great addition to help cells retain water and protect against further damage is Murad’s Wet Suit Dietary Supplement.
• Use a lip balm daily with an SPF to help prevent chapped lips. Murad’s Pomegranate Lip Care SPF 15 is an excellent choice for daily protection. At nighttime, to help heal and repair the delicate lip area, or any irritated areas on your skin reach for Murad’s Soothing Skin and Lip Care.

If you love your facial moisturizer and notice it’s not working quite as well during the winter months, a simple solution is to give your routine a moisture enhancing “boost”. Here are some ideal solutions:

• Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum— This Hyaluronic Acid based, water loving serum will help enhance moisture retention in the deeper layers of the skin. Hyaluronic Acid can bind up to 1000 times it’s weight in water. Just mix a few drops in with your moisturizer and your skin will become better balanced and less dehydrated. Think of this as a “drink of water” for your skin.
• Perfecting Serum— This ceramide rich serum helps keep the vital water balance on the outermost areas of the skin, where the environmental assaults attack first. Providing a healthy barrier against environmental assaults and preventing water loss will give your skin that smooth, radiant and hydrated finish you have been searching for. Apply a very small amount over your moisturizer to prevent water loss and soothe irritated skin. It is the perfect primer before applying your make-up or sun protection.
• Remember to use Sun Protection. Even though it is cold, your skin is still vulnerable to damage from the suns UV rays. Murad’s Age-Proof Suncare provides UVA/UVB protection and is enriched with Pomegranate Extract for increased antioxidant protection.
• Care for any cracks or fissures in your skin. Severely dry skin is more likely to split and bleed. It is also less effective against infection. Use Murad’s Soothing Skin and Lip Care on areas of abraded or split skin.
• Pay special attention to your hands and feet. With constant use and exposure, your hands always need attention, but even more so in. After washing your hands, immediately put on Murad’s Body Firming Cream to seal in moisture. If your hands get severely dry during the winter months, try covering them with a thin layer of Murad’s Soothing Skin and Lip Care before bed, and cover them with light cotton gloves. While you sleep, the gloves will help the Soothing Skin and Lip Care penetrate your dry skin, and assist in retaining moisture. You can do the same thing with dry cracks on your feet, by using the Soothing Skin and Lip Care, and wearing socks overnight to seal in moisture.

A few minutes a day personalizing your moisturizing routine and taking these extra precautions below, can help you avoid the unpleasant, flaky skin you’ve had during past winters.

Skincare Secret Weapon: A Good Night’s Sleep (Part 1)

There is quite a bit of attention paid to surgeries, fillers and treatments (both electronic and chemical) as a means to repair and prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging. However, one of the most important methods is right under our noses (and also above them) every night. Regular, good nights’ sleep is probably the best anti-aging treatment available. Anyone with children, homework, nightlife or plain old insomnia can attest to the effects poor sleep has on their complexion—puffy eyes, dark circles, sallow skin, and under-eye lines (this sort cannot be successfully filled the way laugh lines and crow’s feet can be) that result from poor sleep—not to mention the general unpleasant appearance that accompanies a sleep deprived disposition. But chronic lack of sleep has many other insidious long-term aging effects that are not noticeable day-to-day. Likewise, regular healthy rest can have wonderful long-term reparative benefits.

Skimping on sleep will not only cause the aforementioned negative effects on your complexion, it will actually increase your rate of aging. When you sleep, your body is able to reduce its concentration of cortisol, a hormone that is always present in our blood in some amount. Keeping the level of cortisol constantly high, as it is in the chronically sleep-deprived has numerous nasty side effects. Cortisol can increase our stress levels, which can lead to (among other things) increased facial tension which will eventually form deep wrinkles. Not only that, but cortisol is a diuretic, causing the loss of water from our bodies’ tissues. And we know from the science of Dr. Murad’s Cellular Water Principle, that maintaining a healthy amount of water in our cells and connective tissue is the most important component towards overall health and wellness. Not only that, but cortisol lowers our bodies’ immune functions, reducing their ability to fight off infection, inflammation and free-radicals. Sounds pretty bad, I know. And yet it gets worse—cortisol inhibits the body’s ability to produce collagen, meaning the rate at which skin wrinkles and loses its elasticity will increase.

The good news is, regular, healthy sleep will help you avoid these effects—while simultaneously providing some of the best anti-aging benefits money can buy (even if it doesn’t have to). Sleep is when the body undergoes much of its reparative processes. During sleep, when our bodies do not have to focus on the myriad of tasks we ask of them during waking hours, they are able to direct their attention towards restoration. Bodybuilders understand that if they want to bulk up, they need more sleep then most people. This is because they know that while they break down their muscles during the workout, the repair and building actually happens during resting periods—primarily during stage 4 (or delta) sleep cycles. Sleep is when the majority of the day’s accumulated free-radicals are disarmed as the brain releases anti-oxidant hormones such as melatonin, as well as reparative hormones such as Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and restorative neurotransmitters such as GABA. As skin is the human body’s largest organ, it stands to reason that it would receive the lion’s share of these anti-aging benefits. Not only does the body release and utilize these tools at night, but sleep is also when our bodies’ best absorbs the healing nutrients that we put in and on them. My father tells his patients to take their daily calcium before bed because that is when the best absorption occurs. This is also true of all of the other antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and hydrators we consume as supplements or apply as creams and lotions every day.

Deciding whether to invest in that fancy new face-lift? Maybe you should sleep on it first. Next time I will get into a few ways in which you can improve your sleep and optimize the skin benefits it provides.

Makeup Artist

Every girl (and some guys) knows that good skincare and makeup techniques can turn a tired, unsightly face into a bright and beautiful one. So, I thought I’d go to an expert and find out how she helps the stars keep their skin looking great. Meet Jo Baker, makeup artist to Queen Latifa, Eminem, Will Ferrel, Sarah Chalke and more….

Jennifer: How long have you been a make-up artist?
Jo Baker: 10 years. Makeup and color have always been my most useful tools for expression, an endless opportunity to create looks and trends. I also love the transformation of mood and confidence that can be created when a little makeup is applied.

Jennifer: What are some of the most common celebrity
skincare concerns?
Jo Baker: The high demand of celebrities means they are always on the go—jet setting and long hours on set can easily create a skincare crisis—overly tired eyes and breakouts seem to be the most concerning!

Jennifer: What is your favorite Murad product and why?
Jo Baker: I am a HUGE fan of Dr Murad! Not only am I addicted to the facials in his gorgeous spa, but I have seen remarkable results with my own skin. My favorite product is the Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum. I use it on all my clients. It glides onto the skin and sinks in immediately, creating smooth and healthy looking skin!! It’s the first thing I grab, and often whip it out during flights, and make sure clients apply it before they fall asleep!

Jennifer: What are your favorite skincare ingredients?
Jo Baker: I’m a big fan of pomegranate. It’s fantastic to eat and use in skincare. And its antioxidant properties rank as some of the highest nutritional value in the world.

Jennifer: What are some skincare & makeup products every girl should carry in their purse?
Jo Baker: Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector—Its gorgeous sheer pink gloss is full of conditioning properties and it has a glam glossy finish without the sticky feeling you can find with other lip treatments. SPF—I can’t express enough to all my clients that even if their skin tans well they need to protect it from premature ageing and sun damage. SPF 30 is on my face before I leave my house everyday. I have one in my car, purse and gym bag. Sheer Lustre Day Moisture SPF 15—Mix it with a couple of drops of your chosen foundation and you have a gorgeous glowing alternative finish on your skin!

Jennifer: Any final thoughts?
Jo Baker: Everyone thinks their skin could be better and we are always looking for that one product that will fix it all! When really being healthy and happy, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables are the most important things! Head to toe glow starts with a positive attitude towards yourself!