Three Simple Steps to Save Dry Skin

An oft-overlooked but crucial aspect of your skincare regime is feeding your skin from the inside out. In the winter months, it’s easy to get caught up in an endless cycle of telling yourself that pigs-in-a-blanket and prosecco at a party pass as dinner, but we all know it’s not exactly the truth. And while we’re never ones to recommend restricting (by all means, treat yourself to the appetizers & drinks – it is the holidays, after all), there are a number of ways you can get ahead of that dreaded combination of post-party breakouts and winter wind dryness.

Your Staple Meal: Hydrating Simple Salad
This salad, inspired by our favorite one at Ludlow House, couldn’t be easier. With avocado for healthy fats and ultra-hydrating butter lettuce, which has a 95% water content, your skin will thank you later.

Recipe
1 head butter lettuce
1 ripe avocado
1 chive

Instructions
Roughly chop chive, cut avocado into cubes, and tear apart butter lettuce.
Dress with a sherry vinaigrette.

Your Staple Drink: You guessed it: Water. Hydrate with good old H20 between every drink of alcohol or caffeine. If you’re hanging at home and still dealing with dry skin issues, keep things interesting by opting for a warming, grounding herbal tea. We love Peace of Mind from Flying Bird Botanicals.

Once you’ve gotten your diet staples down, it’s time to arm your home with products that protect your skin. And before we even get to skincare products, let’s take a moment to discuss the most important hydration essential of all during the winter: a humidifier. Seriously, these are crucial for combatting the hot, recycled air that comes out of your radiator, especially if you live in a city apartment. If you want to take things to the next level and hydrate your face directly, renowned NYC dermatologist Dennis Gross makes an excellent facial steamer.

Now onto the winter skincare routine. As always, consult with a dermatologist before trying new products.

Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, it’s worth noting that we’ve never heard a bad word about the K-beauty brand Krave’s Great Barrier Relief; and we’ve been through many bottles of our own. If your skin is already damaged, spend two weeks using this and this only (cleanse with lukewarm water, not a cleanser), and watch it transform.

Dry Skin
If your skin runs dry, fear not! Winter is often the most dreadful time for those of us less blessed in the natural oils department. But the beauty-verse has it all, and there are products that can fix that. In the case of dry skin, there’s actually a product line: Youth to the People. The Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream is specifically formulated for extra-dry skin, and the standout Superberry Hydrate & Glow Dream Mask will have you waking up glowing every single day.

Acne-Prone Skin
Through tons of trial and error, the holy grail for acne-prone skin (especially acne-prone skin that still gets dry in the winter) is Biologique Recherche’s Creme Dermopurifiante. Added bonus? It also has the added benefit of being one of our favorite anti-aging products. So, you can cure combination skin and halt the aging process all with one holy-grail product.

General Tips
While it can be tempting to avoid, exfoliating is still crucial during the winter months in order to slough off dead (we know, ew) skin. When it comes to the type of exfoliation, we prefer chemical to physical (scrubs), and our favorite brands are Dr. Dennis Gross, for his Alpha-Beta Peel Pads, and, of course, cult-favorite P50 from Biologique Recherche.

Weekly maintenance with a face mask is just as relaxing as it is beneficial; our personal favorites are, again, a Biologique Recherche product, Masque Vivant, Tata Harper’s fantastic resurfacing mask, and Caudalie’s Instant Detox.

If your skin is still flaring up, whether on your face or body, with eczema or extra rough and dry patches, Avene’s Cicalfate+ has never steered us wrong.

Though all of the products we’ve recommended here are fabulous, as we mentioned at the top, good skin unfailingly starts from within. So, make sure your diet, your home, and even your mindset is setting you up for success, and then layer in the products for added impact. And, as Andy always says: don’t forget to take your makeup off before bed.