CHI - Spring 2009 - (Page 61) it’s too hot! Billows of steam rising off the water are usually a bad sign, unless you plan to make tea with it. Try this surprisingly luxurious (and very ecofriendly) technique this winter: Instead of filling the tub, soak a big towel in warm water, wring it out, and wrap your body in it. This is the perfect preparation for moisturizer, which is best applied to warm, damp skin. BioSilk Silk Therapy 17 Miracle Face and Body Hydrator answers your winter moisturizing needs in 17 ways. Use it to smooth, moisturize, pamper and protect, head-to-toe. It even prevents razor bumps, and soothes cracked elbows and heels. Fortified with silk, this yummy multi-tasker absorbs into your thirsty dermis instantly and leaves skin satiny without greasy residue. n What Would Angelina Do? DRENCH AND QUENCH THIRSTY WINTER SKIN Sometimes, our desire to get cozy creates more damage than the chill in the air. For example, even though Grandma taught us to bundle up, clothes that are actually too warmly insulated can result in perspiration becoming caught and held next to the skin. This often leaves the dermis feeling prickly and irritated. If you are frolicking in the snow or enjoying other cold weather sports, wear a layer of cotton or one of the new, high-tech super-wicking athletic fibers as your first layer, to prevent this winter itch. Winter footwear alert! If you’re wearing sheepskin shearling boots, or synthetic sheepskin boots, day in and day out, you may be in for a long season of toe fungus. This is especially true of the synthetic sheepskin boots, which tend to retain perspiration from the feet, thus creating a dark, wet, warm home for fungi, encouraging them to multiply under toenails. Of course, these boots feel phat and fab. But when, after eight to 10 hours or lots of walking, they begin to get damp and squishy inside, it’s time for a change. Here’s a solution every fashionista will appreciate: Buy a second (and third!) pair, so you can rotate. Let the plush interior of boots dry thoroughly before slipping them on again. Another winter skin saver: Cool out a little. Super-hot showers and baths, though comforting in theory, leave skin parched. Skin care experts suggest bathing in warm, but not scalding, water. The test: If the water is too hot to step directly into without screaming, Seal your winter skin care pact with a kiss: Lips shrivel in the cold. We often tend to make matters worse by licking our lips when they’re feeling dry. This would seem harmless, but our saliva contains a powerful enzyme called amylase, which can trigger dermatitis in already-compromised lip tissue. Ask yourself, “WWAD?” (What Would Angelina Do?) Start by lightly exfoliating lips with a washcloth, or even a soft baby’s toothbrush to dislodge flakes and boost natural circulation. Then, slick on a protective, nourishing product created especially for lips, to keep chapping and cracking at bay. Avoid plain old petroleum jelly—it’s actually derived from coal, it can irritate lips and skin in the long-run. Volume V, Issue 18 61
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