Treat your post holiday disorder....
THE DAMAGE: DEHYDRATED SKIN WITH FINE LINES
Culprit: Cigarette smoke
Remedy: Mega-moisture
"When a client is a smoker, I'll see a web of little fine lines [on her skin], like crepe paper," explains Jill Turek, lead aesthetician at Exhale Mind Body Spa in Santa Monica, California. But it's not too hard to get your dewy look back. Turek recommends an alpha hydroxy peel (we love Murad Intensive Resurfacing Peel) to clear away the dead skin cells on the surface, which then allows for hydrating creams to penetrate deeper. Rather than coating your face in thick, oily creams, "use products with ingredients that attract water to the skin — hyaluronic acid, glycerin, seaweed, and algae extract are good examples."
THE DAMAGE: PERMA-CHAPPED LIPS AND NOSE
Culprit: Icy weather and nasal drip
Remedy: Multipurpose healing balm
Stick with formulas that create a moisturizing barrier between you and the world — look for natural ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and olive butter. "Avoid lip balms that contain phenol," says New York dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler. "It breaks down the skin and creates 'lip balm addiction.'"
THE DAMAGE: PUFFY EYES
Culprit: Alcohol and salty snacks
Remedy: De-puffing roller-ball and potassium-rich foods
Alcohol and salt can cause the delicate skin around your eyes to retain water, hence those bags you're packing. Grab an eye roller-pen (like The Body Shop Natrulift Refreshing Eye Roll-On) and try this tip from makeup artist Mary Schook: Applying light pressure, work the roller-ball along the puffy half-moons above and below your eyes, from the outside in, several times to work the fluid out. Also, "potassium helps balance electrolytes in the body and regulate fluid levels," explains Snyder. She recommends eating bananas and asparagus — both are high in potassium — drinking lots of water, and snacking on celery, which acts as a natural diuretic.
THE DAMAGE: WEAK NAILS
Culprit: Too many manicures
Remedy: Hydrating cuticle oil
According to Wechsler, repeatedly subjecting your nails to polish remover and quick-drying lacquer can cause them to peel or split. Give your nails a polish-free break for a few days and massage nourishing products like Sally Hansen's Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil into your cuticles and nails throughout the day and before bed.
THE DAMAGE: DRY, FLYAWAY HAIR AND ITCHY SCALP
Culprit: Low-humidity weather plus frequent hat friction
Remedy: At-home hair treatment
Slather an ultra-hydrating hair treatment (try Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil) onto dry hair — it absorbs moisture more efficiently. The oils will loosen dead skin on your scalp and dissolve product residue on your hair so that when you wash (with a moisturizing shampoo, please!), unwanted gunk will rinse away easily. Follow up with a scalp- and strand-targeting healing mask such as Kérastase Age Premium Masque Substantif. Smooth renegade flyaways with a silicone-free hair serum — work a bit through damp hair before blowdrying.
THE DAMAGE: CRACKED HEELS
Culprit: Running around town (in heels, no less) and drier air
Remedy: Foot file and cream
"We typically see more dry, cracked heels in the winter, not only because of cold weather, but also because of neglect," says Carol Jo, a Bliss Spa lead nail technician. After all, it's easy to forget about your feet when they're hidden under layers of tights and boots. Jo recommends smoothing rough spots with a foot file once a week ("Use on dry skin because the file cannot grip wet feet") and moisturizing with cream every day.
THE DAMAGE: UNDER-EYE CIRCLES
Culprit: Spotty sleep
Remedy: A solid eight hours and a deft concealing strategy
A few good nights of sleep will likely banish those new shadows under your eyes, but in the meantime, use this trick from bicoastal makeup artist Emily Kate Warren, who's all too familiar with jet lag: "Mix a brightening cream or highlighter that's the same color as your skin tone with your foundation or concealer, lightly dab on the mixture, let it dry for 20 seconds, and then set it with a light dusting of powder." She also recommends a few swipes of bronzer all over your face to draw attention away from tired eyes. In other words, fake it till you make it.
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