Giving your skincare extra oomph for winter

By VITA Daily

Our friends from colder Canadian climes will no doubt call us west-coast wusses when they read this. They apparently have to baste themselves in blubber every morning, and still end up with their faces peeling off, Patrick Bateman style. But even our relatively mild winters are bad for skin. Constant nose-blowing means noses are red-raw and Bozo-ish, and central heating pulls the moisture out of skin so it looks parched and flaky.  Light summer moisturizers often fail to keep skin feeling soft and comfortable, so in winter, you may need to swap your entire regime. First, get a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip moisture from the skin, and an exfoliant that’ll scuff away flakiness. Find a serum with humectants that draw moisture into the skin, such as hyaluronic acid, and a moisturizer with ingredients like shea butter, oils and ceramides that keep the skin’s barrier layer intact so water can’t evaporate from it. Here’s what we’ll be using as the temperature drops. —Aileen Lalor

• Best cleanse

  By VITA Daily

  We’re not big fans of foaming cleansers – they’re often too harsh, especially for drier skins. We prefer a balm or cream, our favourite being Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser It doesn’t have pretty packaging but is fragrance-free, non-drying and suitable even for very sensitive or eczematous skin. $18 at drugstores and pharmacies.

• Scrubs up

  By VITA Daily

  Our current exfoliant of choice is an ultrasonic cleansing device, not a scrub or peel. The Foreo Luna 2 is made from kind-to-skin silicone and has no brush heads to replace. We use it nightly on damp skin with Cetaphil, but any cleanser will do – it just needs something to give it a little ‘slip’. It’s certainly possible to overdo things though, so if you notice your skin getting red or sore, dial back usage to a couple of times a week. The device is available on its own, or as part of a set with a non-rechargeable mini Luna Play (for gym or travel) and cleansers. $229 at Sephora.ca.

• Oil chic

  By VITA Daily

  Facial oils are brilliant for strengthening your skin’s moisture barrier so all the water that you’ve trapped with your hyaluronic acid doesn’t evaporate. Many great oils are too greasy for daytime, but not Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil ($49, at Sephora.ca and Shoppers Drug Mart). We apply it either under moisturizer or mixed with foundation to add luminosity.

• Moisture maker

  By VITA Daily

  Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are the gold standard ingredients for pulling moisture into the skin, and are present in most hydrating serums and creams. For serum, we like Bioderma Hydrabio Serum ($35, at drugstores including Shoppers Drug Mart and London Drugs), which is light enough for oily-but-dry skin and also has ingredients that stimulate skin to retain water. If you have a real skin SOS, there’s Lierac Hydragenist Extreme Moisturizing Rescue Balm Oxygenating Replumping ($70, at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations and Murale.ca), a rich cream for extremely dry complexions. It deeply moisturizes without feeling greasy, and can be used on thirsty skin as a mask twice a week.