Colorado’s arid climate is rough on skin, but when winter arrives, colder temps and wind intensify the damage. As if the elements weren’t enough, the busy holiday season can also wreak havoc on skin. Although it’s the most wonderful time of year, it’s also marked with extra social engagements, planning, shopping and crowded to-do lists which translates to less sleep, longer work hours and often elevated stress levels. Manager and Lead Esthetician of Novuskin Med Spa in Denver, Teneya Saens offers her pro tips for keeping your skin glowing all winter long.
Keep Wearing Sunscreen
Everyone groans just a little when they’re told they need SPF every day, but this is universal advice from skin industry experts across the board. “If you never do anything else for your skin, we encourage you to wear an SPF of 30-50 every single day of your life,” advises Saens. “Damage from the sun comes from sunburn, but it also comes from long-term exposure to the sun, whether it burns you or not.” Sunscreen with zinc oxide as an ingredient is highly encouraged because it protects skin from the blue rays emitted by computers and phones. In case you didn’t already know, blue light causes cell shrinkage which equals wrinkles and premature aging.
Aqua Pure Treatments
The key to treating parched skin is to reach deep into the dermis where new skin cells and proteins are made and that’s precisely what an Aqua Pure treatment achieves. It’s the most popular treatment at Novuskin, using hydradermabrasion to fully cleanse pores and detoxify the skin while also imparting much-needed hydrating serums deep down where your skin needs them most.
“Three other technologies offer some great advantages for dry winter skin,” adds Saens. “Electroporation helps create temporary pores in your skin cells so the serums flow directly into them. Microcurrent encourages your body to produce elastin and collagen, two essential proteins for healthy-looking, plump, firm skin. And, hot and cold energy stimulates blood flow while also sealing off your pores, trapping all the healthy, beneficial active ingredients inside.”
Quick Tips From a Skincare Pro
Get IPL Facials
IPL, or intense pulsed light, lies somewhere between calming and gentle LED Light Therapy and laser treatment. Photo rejuvenation with an IPL Photofacial is a great treatment for the winter because it’s best done when your skin isn’t tanned. Plus, you’ll likely want to avoid the sun for a few days following your treatment.
Pro Tip: “IPL technology delivers a direct burst of energy onto your skin. It’s used to reduce the look of rosacea redness, age spots, sun spots, and other similar pigmentation concerns. It’s also great if you get acne breakouts and helps to heal the redness and inflammation associated with acne.”
Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers have unquestionable health benefits in the winter— they add humidity to the air to keep your nose, throat, and lips hydrated, and can also assist in relieving cold and flu symptoms. But a humidifier will help keep your skin healthier too.
Pro Tip: “If the air is very dry but your body has lots of water in it, the water will always try to equal out the atmosphere. It will try to move out of your body through your skin in an effort to add humidity to the air. But this leaves your skin dehydrated. When the air is more humid (accomplished with the use of a humidifier), your body will hold on to more of its water.”
