Winter Dry Skin Prevention and Giveaway!
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Dry skin can be treacherous during the winter months.
If you suffer from dry skin, you know just how uncomfortable and unsightly it can be. Itchy, flaky, cracked or scaly skin or chapped lips are common signs of dry skin. We’ve come up with a few tips and reviewed a few cool products to help prevent dry skin and keep your skin looking beautiful this winter.
Some things you can do to fight off dry skin:
- Keep your body well hydrated
- Shower with lukewarm, not hot water
- Limit showers to 10 minutes long
- Do not use products containing alcohol such as toner, perfume, aftershave, etc
- Avoid heavily scented skin care products as well as laundry detergent
- Exfoliate dead skin at least once per week
- Use a moisturizer immediately after showering and after washing your hands, particularly if you wash your hands frequently
Liz from Team SML has reviewed the following products to help you fight off dry skin. Be sure to enter the Winter Dry Skin Prevention Prize Pack Giveaway valued at over $200 at the end:
ChapStick® Hydration Lock
Since the most sensitive skin on your face is on your lips, it’s an important area to take care of that often gets overlooked. Hydration Lock is a great product for treating dry lips because it keeps lips hydrated for a full eight hours, by locking in the lips’ natural hydration and drawing in moisture from outside sources.
In addition, ChapStick® Hydration Lock contains a nourishing set of ingredients, including antioxidant CoQ10, ultra-hydrating Hyaluronic Spheres and Vitamin E, to revitalize, hydrate and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the lips. With the winter season just around the corner so too are dry, chapped lips. Hydration Lock gives lips a smoother and fuller appearance and provides an immediately enhanced lip feel that lasts all day long. Hydration Lock is currently available in stores nationwide with an SRP of $2.49 to $2.99.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
For someone who is a loyal ChapStick® user, this particular one may be my new favorite. I loved how it went on smoothly and hours later, even after eating and drinking, my lips still felt soft and smooth with no need to reapply.
Seabuck Wonders®
SeabuckWonders® maintains the highest of standards for ALL products by using only pure Himalayan, wild-grown, handpicked, USDA certified organic Sea Buckthorn berries. Also known as the Dr. Oz ‘miracle berry’, the Sea Buckthorn berry is a robust superfruit is packed full of powerful antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids and the entire family of Omegas (3, 6, 9 AND the rare Omega 7) to enhance your daily health and beauty routine.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
This was a really cool line to try. I had never heard of Seabuckthorn before and was very excited to try this one, particularly hearing that Dr. Oz has recommended Seabuckthorn. On first impression, the scent was absolutely wonderful, it reminded me of a citrus grove as the fruit is reaching the peak of ripeness. As I tried each of the products, the facial exfoliating cleanser had a very gentle exfoliator in it, followed by the facial cream, and deep hydrating serum, my skin was left feeling very clean and smooth, not oily at all. I particularly enjoyed the body lotion, which has a slightly stronger scent to it, that left my skin feeling richly moisturized.
Ava Anderson Non Toxic
Ava Anderson Non-Toxic is the cutting-edge personal care line founded by Ava Anderson when she was only 14. Her whole collection of products are organic, non-toxic and come in an environmentally friendly package. Ava’s goal is to create awareness about the dangers chemical-laden products can have on skin after she discovered many “organic” and “natural” products contained some form of chemicals.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
I loved the gentle and all natural feeling I got from the Ava Anderson Non Toxic line of products. The body butter was very rich and moisturizing without leaving a residue, great to use on your legs for a night of going out. The exfoliator was gentle enough to use every day. The moisturizer was light but penetrated to bring deep moisture. The moisturizing sunscreen is a must for daily wear, and I found that it was great left alone or covered with makeup. All of the products I tested had soft, pleasant scents. I also think it is cool to know that Ava was so young when she founded this line, and that it competes with companies that have been around for a long time.
ToiletTree Products
This Professional Skin Care System by ToiletTree Products is an advanced daily cleansing tool that helps polish away dull skin and gently exfoliates away impurities that traditional cleansing leaves behind. The result? Wonderfully cleaner, softer, radiant looking skin.
The Professional Skin Care System, along with a daily cleaning regimen, helps assist the following:
- Stimulates skin renewal.
- Improves overall skin clarity and appearance.
- Removes dead skin cells to expose healthier-looking skin.
- Energizes skin and leaves it sooth, soft and radiant.
- Cleans deep to help remove stubborn makeup.
- Enhances absorption of moisturizes.
Product Details:
- Rotating facial and body brush for deep cleansing and exfoliating.
- Helps to reduce the appearance of problem areas such as: oily skin, dry patches, fine lines, blemishes, visible pores, blackheads and wrinkles.
- Ideal for the preparation and removal process of cosmetics.
- Gentle massage actions helps to stimulate new skin cell production creating firmer & healthy glowing skin.
- System includes: 2 face exfoliators (1 soft for sensitive skin types & 1 medium for normal skin types), 1 body exfoliator and 1 pumice sphere. Refills available.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
Exfoliation is KEY when you have dry skin to brush away dead skin cells. I have used similar exfoliation brushes in the past and the quality of this one for the price truly impressed me. Similar units may come with one brush, typically a face brush, and you have to buy more if you want the different kinds of brushes they offer, and they can be very pricey. I really liked that for $39.95 you get the unit, a gentle face brush, a regular face brush, a body brush, and a pumice attachment which is great for your feet (which happens to be a problem area for me).
Goldfaden MD
GOLDFADEN MD’s problem-solving skincare remedies target a range of specific skin concerns inspired by treatments developed in Dr. Goldfaden’s South Florida dermatology practice – no appointment required. Dr. Gary Goldfaden is a practicing dermatologist and lifetime member of the Academy of Dermatology and has a love and passion for skincare and a healthy lifestyle. All of his products are developed naturally, without harmful ingredients and developed to deliver results.
All natural, vegan, gluten free and dermatologist developed skincare line. The entire line is excellent for hydrating and re-nourishing the skin.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
The exfoliating scrub was fantastic. It was more of a micro scrub in my opinion and I feel like it really brushed away the dead skin cells. Followed by the vital boost moisturizer which had a very light, citrus scent to it. The duo left my skin feeling silky smooth and energized.
Merlot Skin Care
Wayne Beckley developed Merlot Skin Care in 2001, utilizing the power of the grape seed in each unique formulation.
More than 10 years ago while watching “60 Minutes,” Beckley first learned of “the French Paradox” – a report on people in France who consumed diets heavy in saturated fat, but who seemed to suffer virtually no heart disease. The report linked the findings to the drinking of red wine.
Intrigued, Beckley chronicled over 70 research studies that indicated that drinking a couple glasses of red wine each day could be beneficial in warding off certain cancers and lowering cholesterol in the body. The reason: the antioxidants found in red grapes. Investigating further, Beckley found studies revealing the grape’s true power, their seeds. Research studies have shown that grape seed antioxidants are 50 times more powerful than Vitamin E and nearly 25 times more powerful than Vitamin C.
Harnessing nature’s most powerful antioxidants, Merlot products work to fight free radicals – molecules caused by smoke, smog, pollution, stress, and UV rays – and protect skin against the signs of aging. From his first experiments in the garage to today, Beckley has built Merlot into a powerful line. Merlot Skin Care products have been praised for their high quality formulations and tremendous value. But the real secret is in the seed.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
I was very intrigued to try Merlot Skin Care products, since I had never tried a product featuring grape seed extract before. The Moonlight Radiance Night Cream was a great addition to my nighttime routine. It left my skin feeling deeply moisturized, without being oily when I woke up the next morning. The moisturizer also left my skin feeling soft and well moisturized. I particularly like that the products are fragrance-free which can be extremely beneficial if you are struggling from dry skin.
PRIMAVERA®
From face and body care to wellness therapies and products for the home, PRIMAVERA® addresses the specific needs of its customers and enhances their well-being by connecting them with the powers of nature. The Moisturizing Face Care line quenches tight, thirsty skin through a synergistic blend of soothing Neroli Essential Oil and deeply moisturizing Cassis Seed Oil – ideal for normal to dry skin.
Key Moisturizing Ingredients:
- ORGANIC NEROLI (Orange Blossom) Essential Oil soothes dry, flaky skin while calming the senses.
- ORGANIC CASSIS (Black Currant) Seed Oil seals in natural moisture using essential fatty acids, smoothing, softening and strengthening skin.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
At first glance I could tell this would be a product unlike others I have tried before. One little detail that I particularly liked was that several of the products come in glass bottles. This was a different line from the others I tested. The products were wonderful. I particularly enjoyed the cleansing toner, which is not a common product to find in dry skin care product lines. I enjoyed using it after washing my face at night to tell that the face cleanser got all my makeup off, it soothed the redness in my face, and felt like it tightened my pores, helping to keep the moisture in over night.
Astrida Naturals
Simple, handcrafted skin care and fragrances featuring unrefined shea butter and other natural ingredients for the everyday indulgence.
Maia Singletary created Astrida Naturals in 2008 selling jars of pure African shea butter. It wasn’t long until she branched out into more natural skin care products and before long she was creating lotions, soaps, perfumes, and more, all scented with essential oils.
Today, Astrida Naturals is still handcrafted and unrefined shea butter is still our staple ingredient. Maia believes in creating the simple, no fuss, everyday skin care essentials that make a healthy routine and can be used by men and women. You’ll find no parabens, petroleum based ingredients, silicones, sulfates or detergents in these products. They use many organic ingredients, vegan ingredients and never test on animals.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
The unrefined shea butter stick that I tested was a great addition to my purse when I was out and about and felt my hands were getting dry. The idea of keeping it in a stick form was great (to avoid the dreaded bottle of lotion leaking in your purse). I also enjoyed running it on my heels after stepping out of the shower as well. I liked that the products are hand crafted and use essential oils (or come in unscented versions) instead of heavy perfumes to ensure that you are receiving the best quality products every single time.
Mum+Bub
From the uber-popular baby brand aden+anais, mum+bub is formulated for moms (mum) and their babies (bub) and is perfect for use by the whole family. The line is all-natural and contains the Australian wonder fruit pawpaw. With a fresh, sandalwood scent, the entire line smells great and feels amazing on skin. The line is also free of: phytoestrogen + parabens + added hormone disrupters + petroleum oils + phthalates + dioxanes from sulfates + gluten and soy + petrochemicals + DEA + artificial colors
About the key moisturizing ingredient: Pawpaw fruit
The pawpaw fruit is said to taste like a cross between a mango and banana, and although it is not a commonly consumed fruit in the United States, it is actually indigenous to 26 states. The pawpaw fruit contains the papain enzyme which has been called a skin conditioning agent. The beneficial properties of the pawpaw fruit were first discovered in Australia by Dr. Thomas P. Lucas in the early 1900’s. Dr Lucas started a hospital where patients were solely treated with Pawpaw remedies.
TEAM SML TESTER THOUGHTS:
I loved that I could use this for my baby and myself and not worry about some of the harsh chemicals that other skin care products contain. The scent is very light and pleasant and I could feel the great penetrating moisture. The lotion went onto baby’s skin very easily because it wasn’t too thick like others can be. I loved that I could still smell the light sandalwood scent on baby hours after the bath. I also loved the soothing ointment. It is a great alternative to the typical diaper cream, it is wonderful for soothing burns, and if you happen to use cloth diapers on your baby, you will be happy to know it is also cloth diaper safe.