As a mother of three young children, it’s next to impossible to find time for myself. On top of that, I’m a working parent, so “me time” requires some serious planninI’m a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology for adults and children. I founded my practice with one primary goal: to help all of my patients feel, look, and be spectacular in their own skin. As both a mother and a dermatologist, I stress how important it is to find time for yourself to take care of your skin and body, especially this time of year. The wintertime can wreak havoc on your skin, between the bitter cold weather outside and the blasting heat inside.
With five minutes or less to spare, here are some of my go-to winter skincare tips for moms:
- Always stay hydrated; drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- One shower a day is just enough; especially for parents of young children, finding the time to even get in one shower can be tough, but a 10-minute warm shower will do the trick. That said, although hot water may feel good, make sure the water isn’t too hot otherwise you can dry out your skin. Same goes for your little ones, one bath a day works just fine.
- Use a gentle body wash daily and exfoliate once a week at most if you feel the need to.
- Pat your skin dry leaving it a slightly damp; follow with a thick moisturizer which absorbs better when the skin is moist.
- In the morning, wash your face with gentle cleanser and follow with moisturizer or serum. I like creams with antioxidants or a vitamin C serum.
- Always apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ with zinc or titanium. Even in the winter, your skin needs sun protection. You may not realize, but just getting in and out of your car while running errands exposes you to sunlight.
- If you wear makeup daily, you can minimize your time getting ready in the morning by using a tinted moisturizer with SPF. It’s 3 steps in 1.
- At night, use a gentle cleanser to take off makeup and remove dirt and oil buildup.
- Over the counter or topical Rx retinol will help with fine lines, aging, tone and texture. 20-30 minutes after you wash your face, take a pea size amount and apply around your whole face. A little bit goes a long way! Apply remainder to the back of your hands to keep them looking young!
- If your skin is dry, moisturizers with ceramides will help keep your natural oils and repair your skin barrier.
- A good moisturizer with Lactic acid can help with dry, cracked feet/heels. Apply this routinely and by summer your feet will be ready for flip flop season.
- Throughout the winter, parents are quick to grab hand sanitizer at any sign of sickness or germs. Not so fast! Avoid alcohol based products as they’ll dry your skin right up.
- Cotton lined gloves are a savior for your skin in the winter. Your hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging, so pay extra attention to them. At night, moisturize your hands and apply gloves for extra absorption. Don’t have cotton lined gloves or the time to go get some? Cotton socks work just as well for this.
- Treat yourself to a monthly facial or an at home treatment mask or chemical peel.
Now that I have written this and the kids are in bed, I probably should take some of my own advice and treat myself to a nice facial treatment!
Feature Photo: Noah Buscher via Unsplash
