As we round off the first week of winter, you’ve hopefully learnt some valuable things, like tepid water is a girl’s best friend if you have dry skin (it won’t strip essential oils like hot water does) and just because it’s winter, that’s no excuse for bad hair.
We’ve catered for the more extreme elements that irritate eczema and cause chapped, flaky skin, but what about the rest of us – whose skin tends to take on that slight greyish tone and a dull, lacklustre appearance – what can we do?
Ruth Muller, who works in Research and Development for Vaseline Intensive Care says we should be using a light moisturiser and avoiding low humidity environments “such as those with excessive heating.” Another big no-no is “showering with harsh soap-based cleansers. That can make dry, dull skin worse.”
Now for the science. According to Muller, we are looking for a moisturiser that contains low to moderate levels of humectants, occlusives and emollients. What are these? I hear you sister!
Humectants – these attract and lock moisture into dry skin, they are more commonly known as ingredients such as glycerin and lactic acid.
Occlusives – petroleum jelly and cocoa butter are occlusives, they hold moisture in the skin by stopping evaporation.
Emollients – these help to improve the look and feel of the skin as well as helping to replenish the natural moisture loss barrier. Emollients are mineral oil and dimethicone.
Products to try:
Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Vera Replenishing Moisturiser
Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion for Dry Skin
Now that your skin is looking fabulous, what have you got planned for the long weekend?
Image credit: Kate Moffatt
