As the weather gets cooler and the holidays are approaching, I start to plan my winter travels. It never snows where I live, but I really look forward to seeing the snow at least once each year. This year I’ll head to Big Bear, located in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, where I’ll stay in a cozy cabin. The idea of bringing out all my warm winter clothes excites me.
What doesn’t excite me is the dry skin that cold weather brings. I’m already prone to dry skin, but it gets even worse as the temperatures dip. Over time I’ve developed a number of ways to manage my dry skin in the winter, including using some great skincare products from KORRES.
1. Start With A Gentle Cleanser
As we age and our skin gets drier, it’s more important than ever to use a gentle cleanser. This is even more important in the winter as the temperatures plummet. For many years now, I’ve used a cream cleanser to counteract the dryness of my skin. I’ve recently discovered KORRES products and was so happy to see they offer a Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser that is soap-free.
KORRES is a skincare company based in Greece that prides itself on creating all-natural products. Ingredients like Greek yoghurt, black pine, wild rose, pomegranate, saffron, and many others make up the ingredients in their skin and body care products. While I love the list of their all-natural ingredients, I also appreciate the long list of the toxic things they don’t add to their skincare, including GMOs and synthetic colors.
2. Exfoliate Regularly
Two to three times each week, I exfoliate my face to get rid of dead skin cells. But aging skin needs an especially gentle exfoliator, so I was excited to discover Apothecary Wild Rose Petal Soft Cream Exfoliator by KORRES. In addition to the wild rose petal extract, this exfoliator is also formulated with orange, lemon, and rosemary extract.
Many of the drugstore exfoliators are not only too harsh for me, but they also include a bunch of ingredients I don’t want to put on my face. The ingredient list for every KORRES product is available on the company’s website.
3. Moisturize Daily
All of the KORRES products are highly recommended, but one area where they really shine is facial moisturizers. I recently had the chance to try one of their facial creams that has an anti-aging benefit as well. The Golden Krocus Hydra Filler Plumping Cream is made from krocus flowers, grown in the Greek town of Kozani. The flowers bloom only once per year and produce the highest quality organic saffron. Extracted at its maximum antioxidant levels and combined with plant collagen, this cream is a hydration powerhouse.
Before being introduced to KORRES, I had never tried a serum. But I recently had the opportunity to try two; Black Pine Sculpt + Lift Serum and Golden Krocus Ageless Saffron Elixir. These are a nice way to combine an anti-aging product with a moisturizer. These aren’t used every day like a cream moisturizer, but instead two or three times a week after cleansing your face.
It’s also important to moisturize the entire body. KORRES offers several body butters in enticing scents like basil lemon and bergamot pear.
4. Don’t Forget The Sunscreen
It’s easy to remember sunscreen in the summer. Every time I step out the front door and it’s hot and sunny, I’m reminded to protect my skin. But during the winter, it’s easy to forget this step when it’s cold and we’re bundled up in warm jackets.
However, winter brings plenty of outdoor activities like skiing, skating, and maybe even snowball fights. While much of the body may be covered during these times, our faces are often exposed to sunlight, made even stronger due to the reflecting light on the snow. So don’t forget to cover any exposed portions of your body with sunscreen, even in the winter. Personally, I use Neutrogena’s Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen with a 55 SPF.
5. Stay Hydrated
Hot beverages are so appealing during the winter. After coming in from the cold a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate sounds so good. But it’s also important to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated during the colder months.
One of the easiest ways to stay hydrated is to fill up your favorite water bottle and take it with you wherever you go. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences recommends 3.7 liters of water a day for men and 2.7 liters for women. So if you use a 32-ounce Thermoflask like I do, you’ll need to fill it up three to four times a day.
6. Eat Right
When colder weather arrives, I start to crave comfort foods. Often these foods are full of butter, cream, and salt. That’s fine in moderation, but it’s important to remember to balance our favorite comfort foods with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables full of the vitamins and minerals our skin needs to stay healthy in the winter.
Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, and fish help your skin stay moist, firm, and flexible. Vitamin A and C also contribute to healthy skin and can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables.
7. Protect Your Hands And Feet
My hands and feet really take a beating during the winter. The skin on my heels often becomes dry and cracked. I discovered Earth Therapeutics Aloe Infused Moisturizing Gloves and Socks. At night, I apply a generous amount of lotion on my hands and feet and then cover them with the gloves and socks. I wear them while watching television and sometimes even fall asleep with them on. In the morning my hands and feet feel so much better, and the effect lasts for several days. This would be a great treatment after a day on the slopes.
8. Give Yourself A Facial
I’ll admit that I rarely get a professional facial, and I’m not inclined to give myself one at home either. But KORRES came up with the perfect alternative: the Black Pine Plump-Up Sleeping Facial. Black Pine is packed with antioxidants that target the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Just wash your face and apply a dollop of the cream before bed. I love a product that is both easy and effective. Two other KORRES sleeping facials are available: one that includes Greek Yoghurt and another with Apothecary Wild Rose.
9. Add Moisture To Your Home
Even the air in our homes gets drier during the winter, especially when the heater is running all day. Counter that dryness with a cool-mist humidifier. Available in a variety of sizes depending on the room, a humidifier can bring the humidity into the ideal range of 30 to 50 percent. The proper humidity is good not only for the skin, but also for the nose, throat, and lips.
10. Take Care Of Your Lips
I’ve always struggled with dry and chapped lips, and the cold weather does not help. So I am constantly in need of something for my lips. Fortunately, KORRES offers a nice selection of lip care products including lip butter and lip butter sticks. Both are available in a range of scents and tints. The tinted lip butters are a nice alternative to lipsticks, which tend to dry out my lips.
11. Don’t Forget Your Eyes
The skin around our eyes is especially delicate, so I never start my day without an eye cream. This fragile area is thinner than the skin on the rest of our faces, and, as a result, is more prone to wrinkles and discoloration. But thanks to KORRES, I have discovered something even better: Black Pine Super Eye Serum. In addition to the moisturizing benefits, this powerful serum also reduces the appearance of fine lines and dark circles. Dab on a few drops after cleansing your face.
12. Pack The Essentials When You Travel
One of the challenges when I travel is trying to pack all of my skincare items into my toiletries bag. Sometimes I’m forced to choose which items to take and which to leave at home. Needless to say, my skincare routine suffers while traveling. Going forward, I’ll just toss the KORRES Essentials Discovery Kit into my suitcase and be done with it. This five-piece kit includes travel sizes of Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cleanser, Apothecary Wild Rose Spotless Serum, Greek Yoghurt Probiotic Gel-Cream, Golden Krocus Elixir, and the Apothecary Wild Rose Sleeping Facial. Big Bear, here I come!
To learn more about KORRES products, consider fellow TravelAwaits writer Sage Scott’s tips for going au natural with anti-aging secrets from Greece.
