Winter Skin Care

In Colorado winter is brutal on the skin. The arid conditions dry the skin, cause chapped hands and lips, and even dryness on areas that don't see the sun. Here are a few tips to help this winter:

1. Drink plenty of water. It will go to the skin to moisturize.
2. Use a mild cleanser in the shower. Some cleansers are harsh and can remove the skin's oils. Most handcrafted soaps are a good choice as they contain a good amount of natural oils. And don't overwash; soap up the personal areas, feet and underarms in the shower. Water may be enough for the rest.
3. Apply body oil or moisturizer immediately after showing while the skin is still damp. This will help lock in that moisture.
4. Don't take too long or too hot of a shower. Both can strip the skin of its natural oils.
5. Try using a salt scrub in the shower. Removing dead skin cells can help the oils soak into the skin better. And its easier in the shower to get to those dry spots. 
6. Wear gloves when going outside to protect your hands.
7. Make sure to get good oils in your diet. These oils help form the barrier function of the skin and hold water in. Olive oil is a good one, use it on your salads and vegetables.

Some people tend to use heavier balms and butters in the winter, the type that do not contain water like a lotion or cream does. Remember that 'moisture' means 'water' so to moisturize your skin you really need a cream or lotion that can actually bring water to the skin. An all oil product can coat and protect the skin from loosing water but cannot add water  to the skin.

New Product: Botanical Oat Face Cleanser

Since Colorado Aromatics has some new products out I thought I’d introduce them to you in a series of blogs.

Botanical Oats Face Cleanser

We’ve been working on this face cleanser for awhile. I wanted to formulate a mild cleanser that contained beneficial botanicals. One that was cleansing without being drying, and contained not only all vegetable derived ingredients but also was biodegradable and had no ethoxylated ingredients. And I think we formulated a winner here.

I started with oats. Oats have long been used in skin care and were probably used by Cleopatra in fact. Oats are soothing to the skin, can act as an anti inflammatory, anti irritant and antihistamine. They have been used to treat various types of dermatitis including psoriasis and rashes. I used hydrolyzed oat powder because it is very water soluble. Oats also contain beta glucan which can boost collagen.

For botanicals we chose willow bark, rose extract, mallow root, and cucumber.

Willow bark extract is anti inflammatory and soothing. It contains salicylic acid which can be slightly exfoliating and decrease the signs of aging. Rose extract is a great hydrator and astringent for skin. It is suitable for dry and sensitive skin. Mallow (Althea) grows prolifically on our farm. It has mucilaginous and soothing properties and is used as an anti-irritant to treat inflammations, irritations, and wounds. One type of mallow was found to inhibit hyaluronidase activity, resulting in improved skin hydration. Additionally, mallow has been found to inhibit pigmentation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19799989

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/47693901/Marshmallow-Eco-Galacturonic-Acid

Cucumber extract is astringent and by using cucumber distillate it helps balance the pH of the cleanser.

We use organic olive oil which has been found to act as an anti-inflammatory agent and protect the skin barrier function. Jojoba oil offers improved skin barrier function and helps dissolve dirt trapped in the skins natural oils without stripping them. Shea is a nut from Africa that has become very popular in skin care because it contains a wide variety of phytosterols to provide antioxidants, antiimflammatory agents and moisturization.

Aloe juice is added for its nourishment and antiinflammtory properties.Honey acts as a humectant to help keep moisture in the skin.

Surfactants are ingredients that help to dissolve dirt and oils on the skin. We use decyl glucoside and sodium lauroyl lactylate as surfactants. These mild, natural surfactants are accepted in Europe as ECOCERT. Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, and Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate are emulsifiers and thickeners that hold the water and oil phase together. Added benefits are that stearoyl lactylate is a skin conditioner that helps moisturize the skin. These ingredients are all ECOCERT ingredients by European standards.

To use this cleanser pump one squirt into your hands and gently rub into the skin on the face. Rinse off. You can also use a washcloth to remove the cleanser to provide some exfoliation. You will find that this cleanser will leave your face well moisturized. You won’t get that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling which is actually an indication of skin being dry. You also will not get much foam from this product as high foaming surfactants are more drying. What you will get is a rich feeling cleanser that contains nutrient rich vegetable oils and botanicals. I think you will enjoy it.

You can purchase this from Colorado Aromatics website either alone or as part of our Face Spa Kit.