WE LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR. Cooler days give way to crisp autumn nights with the promise of wintertime snow. The fall aromas of apples, mulled spices, and pumpkin bring to mind our plans for the holidays and the coming of a new year. At the same time, the holiday season is chock-full of food and drink, too much to do, too little sleep, and often a lot of stress. The result? Just when your clients want to look sparkly, their skin gets the holiday blues.
As you embrace the season, encourage clients to explore new products and services, and teach them to nurture their skin during the coldest months. Cold temperatures, windy weather, and low humidity all make it more difficult for the skin to retain moisture during winter months. This takes a toll on healthy skin and worsens existing problems.
EDUCATE CLIENTS
The mainstay of winter skin care is an increased use of moisturizers, so this is a great time to teach clients to keep their skin hydrated by combating transepidermal water loss.
First, recommend a creamy daily cleanser if your client doesn’t already use one. And educate them about the drying effects of water. It sounds counterintuitive, but each time we wash, we strip moisture and natural oils from the skin. Harsh soaps that contain irritating chemicals and fragrances can also increase the damage, as well as hot tubs and pools—they are especially drying because of their chlorine and bromine content.
Another area of concern is handwashing. We wash our hands multiple times a day, so moisturizer needs to be applied frequently. A good hand cream is essential in wintertime, so for each tube of hand cream you sell to clients for home use, suggest an extra tube to keep at work or in their bag. That way, their hands can be moisturized every time they’re washed.
Many winter woes are simply a result of skin irritation from the weather and can be solved with proper hydration and protection. Others—including the ones listed here—may need to be medically managed. When in doubt, refer out!
COLD WEATHER SKIN CONDITIONS
Cold temperature and dry air can wreak havoc on healthy skin. Following are some of the culprits your clients may ask you to help them battle during the winter months.
Eczema/Xerosis
The skin may be cracked, crusted, dry, flaking, itchy, red, and/or scaly. Eczema is a chronic skin inflammation, while xerosis is extreme skin dryness with numerous possible causes. Both are worsened by cold, dry weather.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes red, itchy scaly patches most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp. This condition happens when skin cells are overproduced, forming scaly patches and cracked skin.
Rosacea
Rosacea flare-ups can be caused by emotional changes such as depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and stress—all common this time of year. Though there’s no way to eliminate rosacea, effective treatment can relieve the symptoms. Most often, this requires a combination of lifestyle change and prescription medication.
Learn more about seasonal skincare on our podcast - Ep 211 – Adapting to the Changing Seasons
Article by Dave Waggoner and Lisa VanBockern
This article appears in the November/December 2021 issue of ASCP Skin Deep magazine.
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The award-winning ASCP Skin Deep magazine is the premier estheticians' source for the latest trends, techniques, products, and news from the biggest names in the industry. In this issue:
• Make The Man: Ways to get and keep male clients
• Spread Some Cheer: Ways to make the holidays bright
•Drop the Mic: How to be a formidable and sought after podcast guest
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