In Paid Partnership With SkinCeuticals
Nothing says winter like freezing cold weather mixed with uncomfortably dry homes, but whether you’re indoors or outdoors, winter definitely wreaks havoc on your skin.
So how does one maintain healthy glowing skin throughout the winter? Hailey Bieber swears by a good moisturizer while Kylie Jenner loves an oil-based serum, but whether you’re Hailey, Kylie or any other celeb, you can be sure that their real skincare secret is their dermatologist.
That’s why ET Canada’s Brittnee Blair, went straight to the source and visited the Canadian Dermatology Centre to meet with lead dermatologist, Dr. Renita Ahluwalia to get her expert advice on how to achieve the perfect winterized skin-routine.
Before we get started, have you heard about Medical Grade Skincare? These aren’t your run of the mill drugstore products.
“Medical grade skincare is formulated with active ingredients, often in their purest form, and there’s often research behind them that shows that the ingredients do what they promise to do” – Dr. Ahluwalia
Unlike drugstore skincare brands who can not make medical claims, medical grade skincare does have both medicinal and cosmetic properties and can absorb into the deepest layers of the skin.
One well-known brand that delivers medical grade skincare is SkinCeuticals, founded by dermatologist, professor and skincare chemist Dr. Pinnell.
“Dr. Pinnell used to do a lot of skin cancer research, and he’s extrapolated a lot of that into the skin care world. So, there’s over 30 years of science behind these formulations, and there’s the clinical studies and papers to support it” Dr. Ahluwalia explains.
“Prevent, Correct and Protect” are the 3 magic words to having flawless winter skin and Dr. Ahluwalia believes the first line to PREVENT damage to the skin during the winter is a great vitamin C serum.
Effective Vitamin C serums need to be formulated with pure L-ascorbic acid, between 10-20% while containing an acidic pH between 2 – 3.5.
“SkinCeuticals’ C E FERULIC® has got 15% pure vitamin C, which is L-ascorbic acid. What vitamin C does is it neutralizes free radical damage from the skin. So it’s going to protect against the sun, against light, against pollution, and it’s going to give you eight times the environmental protection that you normally have” says Dr.Renita Ahluwalia.
We all know the winter woes of dry flakey skin and that’s because dry air, frigid winds and constant exposure to indoor heat suck the moisture from your skin. Dr. Ahluwalia vouches for a deeply hydrating moisturizer to help CORRECT the skin.
“So, the top layer of our skin is the skin barrier, and when our temperatures plummet, the skin barrier gets compromised, a great moisturizer makes all the difference. When you can have a formula like SkinCeuticals’ Triple Lipid Restore, that has the same ingredients as our skin barrier, you’re going to keep the integrity of that skin barrier all year round. This formula has cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides and really fills the spaces” – Dr. Ahluwalia
When talking about skin hydration, we can’t forget another star ingredient, Proxylane, a sugar molecule that defends the skin from water loss and works on the skin’s biomechanical properties by reinforcing the link between the dermis and epidermis.
SkinCeuticals’ A.G.E interrupter contains a whopping 30% concentration of Proxylane and is definitely a star for keeping the skin plump and hydrated.
Last but certainly not least is the MVP for many dermatologists, a solid sunscreen to help PROTECT the skin.
“Sometimes my patients are surprised to learn that they should wear sunscreen 365 days a year. The sun’s rays can penetrate through clouds, they can penetrate through the snow. So, it’s very important, 365 days a year. SkinCeuticals’ Physical Fusion is a mineral formula with SPF 50. It feels nice and it’s actually great on all skin tones” Dr. Ahluwalia tells ET Canada.
Now that you’ve got a celeb-worthy winter skincare routine, the cold won’t stop you from being the star of the show.
