I’ve been blessed with good genes, but even those with good genes need to do a little bit of maintenance, especially during the winter months. That’s where my esthetician Melissa comes in. She’s the face behind Ritual Skin here in Sacramento and she’s been doing my facials since summer when she opened up her space. Because we’re all trying to preserve the sexy, we bounced around some of our favorite ways to keep our skin nice and supple all season long.

Blustery winds, rain and lack of sunshine all take their toll on our skin, so how do we best combat the elements? Here’s how:

1. Oh how that cold air makes us dry! Moisturize. Moisturize. And…moisturize! Depending on your skin type you may want to go oil free or heavy oil. If you notice your skin is dry after washing your face, go for something a little heavier, something that will keep your skin supple during these cold months. If your skin is still shiny after you cleanse, you might want to go for something oil-free that will prevent you from breaking out, but still hydrate your skin.

2. Antioxidants! Our bodies internalize antioxidants, but antioxidants are just as important topically too. During the cold season we tend to eat a lot of vitamin C, but by the time our digestive system is done breaking it down, there’s very little left for our skin. That’s why it’s important to topically place vitamin C on our skin. Not only does it slow down our aging process, but it also prevents skin cancer while naturally brightening our skin. It’s a win, win.

3. Purchase a winter cleanser. Unlike the summer when we are all a little dewy, we don’t need such a harsh cleanser that tingles our pores (unless you’re wearing a hefty amount of makeup or have grade 3 acne or higher). Find a cleanser a little more gentle that will get your skin clean, but without scraping your acid mantle off (which is your skin’s natural hydration).

4. Get a peel! Winter is the perfect, season for getting an exfoliant peel. Our side of the planet is a little further from the sun, so going out and about in the day is a lot safer than the summer months. Peels can prevent a lot of aging factors and reduce your hyper-pigmentation (brown spots). You still have to wear SPF 15 for at least 2 months after (but you should be doing that anyway), but it’s healthy and easier for your skin to heal in the winter rather than summer.

5. Wear your SPF. SPF is your life saver. Literally. Ever see a raisin? Think about the grape it used to be…and the sun made the grape look that way. That’s your future face without SPF in your life on a daily basis. All you need is at least SPF 15. Many makeups and moisturizers have this amount. Up it to 30 if you work out outdoors or plan on swimming.

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Photos courtesy of Ritual Skin