Hard times and harsh weather do not a clear complexion make. To save you from three cold months of chafed noses and crusty eyebrows, we enlisted celebrity dermatologist Dr. David Colbert and makeup artist Talia Shobrook to address a list of winter skin ills with budget-friendly tips.
Those cold and flu-induced dry nose patches
It’s one thing to have a constant runny nose in elementary school, another as a working adult. Those crusty flakes of skin around your nose won’t exactly impress on a job interview. “The problem is that when you constantly blow your nose, the friction irritates the skin. The trick is to coat your nose with a thin layer of Vaseline to form a protective shield from the tissue,” says Dr. Colbert who helps loyal clients including Cate Blanchett, Naomi Campbell and Rachel Weisz look spot-free. “I would also use an eye cream on the nose at night before bed,” adds Shobrook whose clients include Kate Bosworth, Sarah Jessica Parker and Mischa Barton.
Eye dandruff
The idea of dry flaky skin around the eyes and eyebrows sounds weird (and gross), but it’s a more common occurrence than you think. Example: you have acne-prone skin and the cold weather and nightly Retin-A applications have caused flakes in sensitive areas. “The cure for ‘eye dandruff’ is a really good eye cream or gel. A cream is good for people who generally have dry skin around the eye area. Eyecon by Benefit cosmetics will smooth the delicate skin around the eye,” says Shobrook.
Scaly face
“People don’t realize that sugar is really bad for maintaining moisture in the skin,” says Dr. Colbert, before explaining that the body uses more water to metabolize a pack of M&M’s than an apple. So basically, a diet loaded with refined sugars=accelerated aging. “You are what you eat,” adds Dr. Colbert. The solution? A Metamucil tablet a day. (Seriously.) “I tell my patients to take a tablet a day because it helps get the digestive tract moving the way it needs to and helps the body hold water. When your digestive tract is working properly, your skin retains more moisture. And when that happens, the aging process slows down.”
Three products for the cold
Body
Dr. Colbert swears by the chemical-free Rodin Olio Lusso body oil for dry skin. “It’s a little bottle of magic,” he says.
nydg.com
Face
Kiehl’s lightweight Ultra Facial Cream won our office winter skin product road test.
kiehls.com
Eyes
Talia Shobrook recommends Benefit Eyecon for “eye dandruff.”
benefitcosmetics.com
