Ready, aim, fire! It’s time to put a proverbial bullet into winter’s dull dry skin and this time we’re serious. No more watery lotion that sinks into the skin in seconds and provides not even a modicum of the moisture that our tired, scaled skin needs. No more cracked chapped lips. No more! This is a call to arms (and by arms we mean, moisturizers, oils and a slew of what-not-to-dos.) Are you ready? Here we go! (*Wee!)

Let’s start with the nasty little habits that we do daily that are… um… counterproductive to winning this little war. (Prepare yourself for the devastating shame.) First up, let’s talk about that sugar intake that’s still lingering after the holidays, despite cutting down on sugar being on our NY Resolutions list. It sadly seems that loading up on simple carbs (like delicious cake, cookies and white bread) can actually trigger breakouts.

Let’s quickly do some math: breakouts + treatment with harsh anti-acne products = dry, flakey skin. It’s not good, people.

Now before you go and blame the messenger, let me pass the buck. Co-director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, Elizabeth Tanzi, MD had this to say about our carb-licious little friends, “A diet high in refined carbs leads to increased levels of insulin, which raises inflammation in the body and ultimately in the skin.” She said it, folks.

Why not replace your carb-infused friends (aka. cake, cookies, white bread) with fish. (*Wha?) Oh, you heard me. Fish… it’s like natures candy. Exept. It’s not at all like candy. But it is a great way to help relieve dry, itchy skin. Author of Feed Your Face, Jessica Wu, MD, says that, “Oily fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help relieve dry, itchy skin.” And if you’re not ready to jump on the fish train, try taking a fish oil capsule with your morning vitamins. The fish oil contains DHA—a specific type of fatty acid—that, in studies, has been shoes to improve the symptoms of eczema sufferers by nearly 20%.



Since we touched on harsh products earlier, let’s take a look at your daily beauty routine. It seems two specific products in your beautifying arsenal might be doing more damage than good when the weather is colder: your anti-ager and your toner.

According to Brooke Jackson, MD, medical director of the Skin Wellness Center in Chicago, “Prescription and over-the-counter retinoid products can be extra-drying on the skin during the colder months.” (*Before you start sending the hate mail, read on.) Jackson suggests mixing a pea-size amount of your retinoid with a plain face moisturizer (without any additional anti-aging ingredients) to stave off the retinoids drying or irritating effects while still reaping its benefits.

And your toner? The sad truth is that most toners have an alcohol base and can strip your skin of it’s natural oils. So unless you have oily skin, then it’s just not necessary to put your poor skin through that in the winter months. Sweet dreams toner.

Sure, it seems like you’re just not clean if your soap or body wash isn’t sudsing up like a rabid animal, but all those suds could be your undoing in the moisture department. It seems the more bubbles, the higher the concentration of detergents and surfactants (Pass the dictionary please.), which dissolve the oil on your skin and voila! Your skin, while painfully clean, is also painfully dry. A recent article in Health.com suggests this little trick instead: “Wet a washcloth, apply a fragrance-free body lotion to the cloth, and wipe yourself down in the shower.” I have my suspicions about the ‘clean’ result, but the mag and it’s experts have this to say, “You’ll get clean and it’ll leave a hydrating residue.”

And while we’re on the topic of showers, we know that nothing feels better than a hot, hot, hot shower on a cold, cold, cold day… but people… you are not a Christmas ham. Nor is your skin. A scalding hot shower is a serious offense for those of you trying to fight the dry skin battle. You’ve heard it all before, I know, but seriously. Do it for you.