Winter Dryness Help / Body Skin

In my area we can't really complain about the Winter we're having so far. We did have a major snow storm but in all honesty we haven't had that many super cold days. One more month and we should be in the clear, hopefully.

There is still time to get days where it can feel like Siberia outside while inside it's more like the Tropics! We do tend to overheat our living spaces in Winter but there are still days when you feel you can't get warm unless you wear a fleece footed Onesie to stay warm. I personally can't stand those. I find they are more suitable for babies and so I prefer vests and shawls*. Yes shawls like the ones our grand mothers used to crochet. Leggings help too. I do wear them... Under my jeans!

Argh!!!

These conditions can be brutal on our skin. There are days, especially the ones at -70 C (I know I might be exaggerating a little here but it can sure feel like it), when my skin looks like it's going to crack because it's so dry. Body skin is fine. I can go for days using only oil at the end of my shower to moisturize. It's the more exposed bits that are problematic. My face of course is a little dryer and maybe even a little sensitive but my hands, arms and feet are the bits that suffer most. Yes feet! I wear flip flops indoors 355 days a year. The remaining 10 days are the ones when I have to wear socks because it's too cold in the house. It can get to the point where my socks will "screech" when I put them on so forget about putting on a pair of Dim® extra sheer stockings they wouldn't get past my toes. You can read more about feet care here.

What's a girl to do to have soft comfortable skin in Winter? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

*slaps head* Of course! Why didn't we think of that???

As you may have read in a recent entry, it's a good idea to start with a gentle cleanser. For me it's the same principle as on my face. If my face feels a little dryer than usual I will not be using a gel cleanser, I'll go for a more creamy option like a milk cleanser. Read more about gentle body cleansers here.


Body moisturizers I like...

Oils
One trick I've mentioned before is using an oil at the end of my shower. On wet skin, I apply it all over and then pat dry with a towel. This helps seal in moisture and leaves a silky feel. Doing this you may not even have to use a body moisturizer after, especially if you do this in the morning. I keep a big bottle of unscented baby oil in the shower but any oil of you choice will do. The other two I like using a lot as well are almond and coconut oil.

Avène Cold Creme
A favorite of mine. This body lotion gives deep moisture and sinks in fast without any greasy feel. I use it every night on arms, legs and feet. Review here.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps
This I haven't reviewed yet. I must admit that I didn't want to like it but as it turns out, I love it! The lotion not the jar which goes by the name of Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter. This from what I've read balls up on the skin. Not something I particularly like. Creme de Corps is thick and rich, penetrates well and leaves a nice sensation on skin. It is the most expensive on my list. If you want to try it Kiehl's sells a small size for $12.00 which can be refilled for travel.

Clinique Deep Comfort Body Butter
No fragrance, thick and yet penetrates quickly for deep moisture. Review here.

CeraVe
Although I don't find it as moisturizing as many do, it's still a good one to have. I find it has a cool soothing effect upon application. It can easily be boosted with a few drops of oil like argan, almond, olive or any you might like. Review here.

La Roche Posay Lipikar Balm AP
This is serious stuff. Super extra thick, you don't need much. I don't have this one but have received several samples of it last August (I think). I've used it in the morning on my legs and by evening I could still feel the balm on my skin so this would be great option for nigh time use. Also fragrance free.

Nivea Body Lotion (Navy blue bottle)
Also a favorite, I like it more for morning due to the fragrance. Super affordable it's also great to have when you want to get more mileage out of your more expensive lotions. Review here.

The Body Shop
Has several excellent options, great body lotions and extra comfy body butters. All you have to do is choose the fragrance you like. I have a weakness for Coco butter myself.

Yves Rocher
Here is a brand that I haven't visited in a very long time, ever since my daughter was a baby in fact. Recently I've been reading excellent reviews of some of their offerings, especially the Repair Lotion Extra Dry Skin with shea butter. What's great is that in these boutiques there are always specials and promotions so it can be worth a stop. I know I'll try to make one soon.


Finally...

These are of course just my own suggestions. There are so many favorites out there and if you have already found yours, keep using it. Still I know it's fun to try new stuff since it would seem that even with our favorites we can get bored.

*If like me you wear shawls, please take it off for cooking. I wouldn't want any of you to go up in flames!

Image from the Toronto Public Library website

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream / Review

A year ago I didn't know this product even existed and it's no wonder. It's not only sold in drugstores but in the less glamorous dermatological isle, the one where you can find acne treatments. Not that there's anything particularly attractive about a drugstore in the first place, but in recent years the larger banners have made their cosmetics departments somewhat more elegant. This, I believe, is one of the reason, drugstores brands have become more popular.

Guilty! I'm one of those who used to snob drugstores brands. Having worked in cosmetics, in department stores, I figured only high end brands deserved my attention and my money.

I was so wrong!

So many little treasures are hidden at your local drugstore and I don't mean brands like Avène, Caudalie, Nuxe, Bioderma and several others but the stuff on the shelves of the dermatological isle can be pretty amazing.

Case and point, CeraVe.

CeraVe® Moisturizers & Cleanser deliver Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid and essential lipids to the skin to help replenish and restore the skin’s protective moisture barrier.  It’s patented multivesicular emulsion (MVE®) controlled release delivery system slowly delivers the moisture rich ingredients to the skin providing all day moisturization.  CeraVe® products are recommended by the Dermatology Review Panel as they are fragrance-free, non-irritating, non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and are appropriate for use to aid in the treatment of dry skin, acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis.  Safe for skin of all ages!   Well.ca

CeraVe offers seven different products. Two cleansers, a foam and a moisturizing one. Five different moisturizers. AM & PM for face, a regular body lotion as well as one with salicylic acid and the more moisturizing version available in a large tub. You can view them on CeraVe's official website.

Unfortunately in Canada only three products are available. The moisturizing cleanser, regular body lotion and the moisturizing cream. An MUA member mentioned that the others may be available in 2013. I guess we'll see about that.

CeraVe moisturizing cream, outsanding for sunburn care!

Last June my daughter went for a weekend at her best friend's house. That Saturday, both girls spent most of their time in the pool enjoying the newly arrived Summer. That night, my daughter complained that she was hot and that she taught that she had taken too much sun. She was told that it was just a little sunburn and that the next day she would be fine.

Grrrrr!

When I saw her on Sunday afternoon I could have screamed! She had one of the worse sunburns I'd ever seen. Lobster red! Her face, chest, arms and back where badly burned. I rushed to the drugstore to purchase some aloe gel and, based on all the rave reviews, a tub of CeraVe's moisturizing cream.

I gave her some ibuprofen and we did some cold milk compresses. After an hour or so, I helped her with the aloe gel for soothing and we followed this with CeraVe. The next day she was still in a bit of pain but was able to dress normally and go to school. That entire week she continued using aloe gel followed by CeraVe both morning and night.

This ended up being the best combo ever. I was sure her face would become "peel city" but it did not. Her facial skin healed perfectly. She did peel but it was hardly noticeable, on her upper arms mainly.

Her skin's protective barrier was badly impaired and CeraVe restored it. It held it's promises. I was quite simply amazed.

For sunburned skin, over exfoliated skin, this is great. So, I decided to try it myself as a body moisturizer. I can understand my daughter liking to put it on since it's very cool on the skin, it penetrates fast and doesn't leave a sticky feel.

Surprisingly, I didn't like it as much as other body moisturizers I use. Somehow it's not long term on me. By that I mean that after a few hours my skin seems to get dry. I must be a weird animal, sorry!

453g, $24.89 on Well.ca

I used it for about a week, every night. In order to get the same type of moisture as I get with Avène' Cold Cream body lotion, I had to use double amount of CeraVe. When I purchased my tub it was on special for $17.00 but the drugstores I go to usually have it for about $22.00.

It gets rave reviews on MakeupAlley, 4.5/5 lippies for 236 reviews.

Ingredients (MUA):

Purified Water, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20 and Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-II, Ceramide I, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum.  

Even if I don't find it as moisturizing as Avène, I still liked using it this past summer. The cooling sensation was very pleasant on hot days. I do know that I will always have a tub around, just to be on the safe side. When skin is irritated, this is a great option especially since it does not have any fragrance.

I almost forgot, the aloe gel I used was from the brand Aloex. The best is really getting your aloe directly from the plant but if you don't have one, get a tube with as little ingredients as possible. Health food stores and some drugstores do sell this brand but there are others.

Picture credit, Elements4Health