Lessons on Winter Skin Concerns

To remedy the most worrisome cold-weather complexion concerns VIOLET GREY consults the experts who know best. 

Written By Lexy Lebsack

The first blast of frigid weather arrives with a gust of good cheer. Freezing temperatures have a festive feel when there’s highly anticipated holiday hobnobbing and a parade of beautiful coats and soft cashmere scarves to soften the blow. Then there are the frigid conditions that stick around until March and push one’s skin and psyche to their breaking point. While a certain amount of dryness may be tolerable — to a degree — letting skin become chronically tight and itchy can actually cause long-term damage, undoing all of the anti-aging good you’ve done throughout the year.

“It’s important to keep skin very hydrated in the winter; when your skin dries out your collagen gets dry, and when collagen gets dry it breaks down easier, which can actually contribute to an aging process,” renowned New York dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad told VIOLET GREY. To remedy this VIOLET GREY has outlined solutions for common complexion concerns, from dry skin to eczema, with the help of Ostad, London aesthetician Georgia Louise (she tends to the complexions of Emma Stone and Nicola Peltz) and Hollywood aesthetician Cristina Radu, who works with the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Eva Mendes and Cindy Crawford. Their advice for radiant complexions in even the most bitter temps, below.

“Cold weather and wind can create a cold burn on the skin; add in the dryness of indoor heating and it’s a double whammy for the skin,” Radu says.

Expert Solution: Radu instructs her clients to limit exfoliation and any treatments to the evening and to stow soap and gel cleansers until spring; instead, opt for cream, balm or milky cleansers. Then “shift to a richer day cream and add in a few drops of oil” at night if skin gets parched, she says.

Violet Says: Cleanse daily with a balm cleanser, like Eve Lom’s Cleanser, and for gentle P.M. exfoliation try Koh Gen Do’s Soft Gommage Gel. For intense hydration apply La Mer’s Crème De La Mer or Rodin’s Luxury Face Oil.

Cold, dry weather zaps moisture levels from the body, too.

Expert Solution: First, cut out all hot baths and showers, as they rob skin of moisture, says Dr. Ostad. Instead, opt for shorter, warm showers, and apply a body oil to damp skin immediately, followed by a rich cream. Adding moisture into the air at home is also helpful, but Dr. Ostad warns that just one humidifier turned on at night won’t do for large spaces: “You may need a few humidifiers in your house, running around the clock, to really make a difference,” he says. Louise agrees: She instructs all of her clients to use a humidifier in their bedroom.

Violet Says: Place a humidifier in each room of your house, and follow showers with a regimen of Rodin’s Luxury Body Oil and the brand’s ultra-rich Crema.

If not tended to adequately, dry patches can worsen very quickly.

Expert Solution: Skin that’s suffering from intense dryness shouldn’t be cleansed with more than a few drops of water, says Louise, which can rob the complexion of what little moisture it has left. Instead, she recommends that her clients emulsify an oil or balm between their palms (to do so, mix your formula of choice with a few drops of warm water), massage over face, then pat off with a warm, damp wash cloth, then repeat. Louise recommends doing this twice to ensure skin is very clean before bed.

Violet Says: Use Georgia Louise’s own Cleanse + Heal Duo Balm or Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow Cleanser, Mask, & Balm to cleanse the skin.

According to Dr. Ostad, eczema is a medical condition that causes dry, scaly patches of skin that can be exacerbated by cold weather.

Expert Solution: For eczema sufferers, VIOLET GREY consulted Dr. Ostad: “First, we tell the patient to minimize using soap; moisturize well with a cream, as opposed to a lotion; and then if they still have active eczema we prescribe a topical cortisone cream,” Dr. Ostad says. “This will get rid of the scaling and the redness within a few days.”

“Rosacea is very common in the winter for people who have sensitive skin,” Dr. Ostad says. The chronic condition causes redness and bumps on areas of the face such as the cheeks and chin, and is exacerbated by cold, dry weather.

Expert Solution: To help prevent rosacea before it starts, Radu recommends her clients avoid using hot water and look for products with chamomile and hyaluronic acid, which sooth and hydrate skin, respectively. To calm rosacea that’s already begun, a trip to the derm is required. Dr. Ostad recommends his patients cease all exfoliation and limit skin care to mild cleansers and creams; then he prescribes a topical steroid cream and oral antibiotic. Prefer to go sans prescription? Try photo rejuvenation with a vascular laser. “The procedure has no downtime and reduces redness dramatically by closing the capillaries that are dilated,” Dr. Ostad says. Full results are found after two to three treatments, spaced one month apart, and last up to a year.

Violet Says: For a moisturizer with a hefty dose of hyaluronic acid, try Charlotte Tilbury’s Charlotte’s Magic Cream Treat & Transform Moisturizer.

See the complete lessons on winter skin and more at VIOLETGREY.com.