Part of the fun of the holiday season is being with friends and family and thinking about the season's special events. And, while that special new outfit can make you attractive, nothing can make you look and feel more beautiful than healthy, glowing skin. But, conversely, dry, dull skin can take away from your best look.

Now is the time to fine-tune your skin care routine to prepare for cooler weather and drier air.

Cold weather, with its low relative humidity, wreaks havoc on our skin, making it dry and flaky. Not only is the air drier, but indoor heating further depletes the skin of moisture. There is an extra challenge as we age. The skin thins and produces less of the oils needed for the skin to retain water. Dry skin tends to magnify wrinkles; hydrated skin does not.

Here are five tips to help you provide your skin with the nourishment and hydration it needs to stay healthy and vibrant this holiday season.

1. Avoid harsh scrubs and cleansers with sulfates that can dry skin and cause irritation, redness, and flaky skin.

2. Exfoliate to remove dead skin. Dull skin can be caused by dead skin cells. You shed millions of dead skin cells each day, which can pile up on top of each other like dust particles on a surface. This layer of dead skin prevents your skin from reflecting light and can give your face a more ashy look.Vitali's Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser is a great solution, a non-foaming formula that removes dirt, oil, make up, and impurities without stripping the skin barrier. It not only cleanses but gently removes dead skin cells. 

3. Moisturize twice daily with products that bring in water and keep it locked in. According to Joshua Zeichner, MD., director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, hydration is best fed to the skin on the surface. Moisturizers contain three types of ingredients that work together to help the skin. Occlusive forms a protective seal over the skin; humectants act as a sponge to pull in hydration to the outer skin layers; and emollients smooth the rough edges between cells in the outer layer. According to Zeichner, a proper moisturizer (or routine) will have all three components to bring in water and keep it locked in.

Restoracell Skin Awakening Moisturizer includes all three vital ingredients: 

1. TheSkin Awakening Moisuturizer shea butter works as an occlusive, forming a protective seal over the skin.
2. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that can hold nearly 1,000 times its weight in water and draws moisture into the skin.
3. Natural oils such as meadowfoam seed oil and jojoba oil act as powerful emollients to smooth the rough edges between cells to improve the appearance of dry patches.

In addition, the GHK-Cu (Copper Peptides) in the moisturizer promotes the production of water-holding glycosaminoglycans (GAGS), which help moisturize and hydrate the skin barrier. These compounds help restore and retain moisture in the skin, as well as help to encourage the production of collagen and preserve the skin's elasticity.

4. Use a natural hydrating oil like Vitali's Hydration Boost Facial Oil with 100% plant-derived Squalane to add hydration to your skin while supporting its natural moisture barrier. This oil penetrates the skin quickly and efficiently to offer moisture and enhanced elasticity. Dermatologists recommend squalane oil for all skin types. People with oily skin can even use it as it is lightweight and isn't greasy. And, it makes a great primer under foundation making skin look and feel extra smooth for your best holiday face.

5. Hydrate from the inside. An essential step to keeping your skin healthy and glowing is ensuring you stay well-hydrated throughout the day. Not taking enough fluid can affect your skin's appearance and make it more susceptible to drying. According to Dr. Suzanne Ferree Turner, founder of Vine Medical Associates, "when it's cold, we do not tend to drink as much fluid, and often we are drinking hot drinks like coffee which can be dehydrating." Instead, she suggests drinking hot herbal tea, making turmeric collagen tea, and drinking plenty of water.

So say goodbye to Dry, Dull Skin!  Follow these five steps and enjoy the holiday season and beyond with skin that is healthy and glowing.

 

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