Say Good-Bye to Dry Winter Skin!

Dry winter skin? Sometimes it’s about finding the right combination of products. #Osea #skinceuticals #privai #skincare

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My arch-nemesis is my dry, sensitive skin. Since I was a little girl, I’ve itched and scratched year round, and struggled to find the right products to get the flaking, cracking, and irritation to stop. But no time of year is as brutal on my skin as the winter. And since my skin is extra sensitive to fragrances and chemicals in standard skin care lines, its been a struggle to find products that can both hydrate and soothe my skin.
If you are like me, or just need some extra hydration to get through the rest of winter, here are my favorite products for every step of your skin care routine to treat, soothe, and hydrate.

0751. Cleanser: Privai Gentle Foaming Cleanser

Finding a good cleanser that doesn’t dry out the skin and cleans effectively was always a challenge for me. When I made the switch to the Privai Gentle Foaming Cleanser I swear I heard angels singing. Ok… maybe not, but it was that revolutionary for my skin! It’s so gentle and effective that it removes my mascara and liquid eyeliner completely without irritation (pro-tip: you really should use a separate eye makeup remover!). My skin never feels overly dry and tight, and any oil I occasionally get in my T-Zone is in check.
An alternative selection would be the Osea Ocean Cleansing Milk, though I don’t recommend it for removing eye make-up. It’s extremely gentle on the skin and feels like silk.

0762. Mask: Osea White & Black Algae Masks

My skin gets pretty red from irritation, and I need a super gentle exfoliating product. In come the Osea White and Black Algae Masks. I use these about once every other week, and even mix them together to streamline my mask treatment process! The White Algae Mask evens my skin tone, reducing redness. The Black Algae Mask is a soft exfoliation that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin (though please consult your esthetician to determine if it’s appropriate for you). No need to let these sit on my skin (though you can), I just rinse them right off after massaging them in for 30-60 seconds.

0793. Treatment: Privai Antioxidant Repair, Osea Vitamin Sea Serum, SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer, SkinCeuticals Retexturizing Activator

I can’t say enough about the importance of treatment products for dry, sensitive skin. Depending on the time of year, and the issues my skin is battling, I chose one or more of these products for daily use.
The Privai Antioxidant Repair is my go to pre-moisturizer (pictured below with the moisturizers!). The oil is lightweight on my skin and works to keep my skin itch free, hydrated, and treat old irritation scars.
The Osea Vitamin Sea Serum is my anti-aging product of choice. It erases my fine lines and wrinkles while keeping my sensitive skin happy. I rotate between this and the Antioxidant Repair.
For my eye area, I also use the Osea Eye Gel Serum. Not only does it work to keep my eyes looking refreshed and wrinkle free, but it absorbs in to the skin amazingly which creates a perfect base for my eye make-up (bonus!).
The SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer is a sensitive, blotchy skinned girl’s dream. The results are quick and make me confident enough to go without make-up. (Rudolph nose be gone!)
And the piece d’resistance of my treatment products? The SkinCeuticals Retexturizing Activator. You know the little flaky bits of skin you get on your forehead mid-winter? Gone. And that ashy look you get when your skin starts to really hate the winter? Disappears. I just started using this product and I’m floored by the results. It works like a daily glycolic peel, but it’s extra gentle and safe for even sensitive skin like mine. The Retexturizing Activator heals, hydrates, and restores suppleness to your skin. Worth the investment, trust me!

0774. Moisturizer: SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel OR Privai Calming Aloe Hydrator

Anyone with dry skin knows that your moisturizer is the most important thing in your skin care routine. You can’t go wrong with either of these products. Throw out whatever brand of moisturizer you’re using and switch to either, the difference in effective hydration is noticeable. And unlike so many other intense moisturizers I’ve used (and I’ve tried them all), neither of these leave your skin feeling tacky or greasy.

0815. Foundation: La Bella Donna CC Cream and Loose Minerals Foundation

After you go through all of that effort to clean, treat, and hydrate your skin, it’s important that you follow through with a pure mineral make-up foundation. I’m a bit of a make-up addict, so I can say with a great deal of confidence that the La Bella Donna CC Cream and Loose Minerals Foundations are phenomenal for both coverage and skin breath-ability. My skin never looks cake-y, greasy, or dull with these products. And because these are both made with pure minerals- no fillers, no bi-products, no fragrances, no allergens- they work like a skin care product to protect your skin (both have an SPF rating of 15 or above!). The CC Cream is my go to for evening my skin tone and providing extra hydration- it’s very creamy and it’s mineral ingredients help support skin moisture balance. Plus, it color corrects so well my skin looks absolutely flawless in photos! The Loose Minerals is light weight and covers without making my skin look dry.
I use these products together because I like a lot of coverage, but you can absolutely use them alone for a lighter look of coverage. La Bella Donna recommends putting on your Loose Minerals first and then the CC Cream, though I’ve found it works just as well the other way around, too.
0826. Hands & Feet: SkinCeuticals Hydra Balm and OM4 Organic Male Anti-Fungal Foot Treatment
Dry winter skin is always worst on my hands, and in the summer the dryness hits my feet. The SkinCeuticals Hydra Balm is the best hand and body moisturizer I have ever used. It’s coming to the Senara shelves very soon, so if you don’t see it I promise it’s on it’s way! For my feet, I can’t say enough about the OM4 Organic Male Foot Treatment. The moisturizer penetrates deep, helping my dry, cracked heels to vanish quickly. Plus, it has natural peppermint oil in it, so it’s very invigorating when your feet and legs are tired from a long  day at work!
What’s your favorite product for beating dry winter skin? Have you use any of the products on my list and seen results in your skin?
– Jes


Senara Spa, located in Peoria, Illinois, offers a full line of Spa Services– including Clinical Grade Skin Care treatments and CoolSculpting Body Contouring. Rotating Spa Specials are offered throughout the year. Call 309.693.9600 to schedule an appointment.