Clean, plant-based skin care for winter’s cold weather

In the midst of the cold weather of winter, skin can feel and look super dry and parched so today I talked about tips for caring for skin this winter on Fox 2 News in St. Louis. Below are the interview and more details on what I talked about.

Use a Non-Drying Cleanser. Face wash can strip the skin of its natural oils so opts for creamy cleansers that nourish the skin. I love certified organic, antioxidant-rich Intelligent Nutrients Gentle Cleansing Lotion. It fights age and leaves your face more luminous and even over time — never dry or tight. This lotion-based product (no scrubbing bubbles) leaves skin feeling fresh and hydrated. Food-grade ingredients and plant-based oils dissolve dirt, oil and makeup while the ideal moisture barrier is restored. Apple juice acts as a gentle, natural exfoliant to smooth skin and equalize its pH levels. Intellimune® applies an anti-inflammation powerhouse of five key natural elements. This cleanser is cruelty-free and made without parabens, silicones, phthalates, synthetic fragrance or petroleum ($24-$50, available at intelligentnutrients.com).

Exfoliate. It’s important to exfoliate skin so you’re not just piling moisturizers on top of dry, dead skin cells and so your skin care can do a good job. Skip the ones made of ground up walnut or apricot seeds on your face where skin is more sensitive, because these can create microtears on the skin.

I recommend gentle yet highly effective organic Intelligent Nutrients Detoxifying Glycolic Gel, because it gets rid of dead cells without any abrasive scrubs. The glycol that lifts dead cells and environmental pollutants is made with sugar cane. Oily and breakout prone? Let it unclog and help prevent breakouts while lifting the signs of previous blemishes. Aging & otherwise? Lift hyperpigmentation, soften lines and relight radiance. PROVEN RESULTS: 87% reported brighter skin *based upon lab, consumer and/or clinical studies. This exfoliant is cruelty-free and made without parabens, silicones, phthalates, synthetic fragrance or petroleum ($65, available at intelligentnutrients.com).

Augment Your Current Routine. Bump up the moisture in your current skin care routine with a face oil, hydrating lotion and/or face masks. I recommend:

• Intelligent Nutrients Renewing Oil Serum is certified organic and made with only clean oils of argan, acai and active essentials. Dry skin drinks it up while it balances oily skin. It instinctively delivers what any skin needs. It provides deep moisture in winter and yet is light in summer. It perfectly aligns with the body’s sebum. Dull skin lights up. Redness fades ($65, available at intelligentnutrients.com).
• Aveda botanical kinetics™ hydrating treatment lotion. Instantly boost skin’s moisture with our liquid hydrating treatment lotion, spiked with nutrient-rich algae. For all skin types. Dermatologist-tested and non-acnegenic. Made with Aveda’s own pure-fume™ aroma with certified organic German chamomile, eucalyptus, lavandin and other pure flower and plant essences ($27, available at aveda.com)
• Aveda tulasāra™ wedding masque overnight. Wake up with luminous, wedding-day skin—every day. Ultra-rich creme masque brightens skin overnight, and contains a potent turmeric extract to help even the look of skin tone over time, leaving skin luminous and radiant. A powerful blend of plant stem cells and organic apricot seed oil work together to help support skin’s natural repair processes that happen at night. Get firmer, more lifted looking skin over time. Aveda’s own pure-fume ™ aroma with certified organic jasmine, camomile, grapefruit and other pure flower and plant essences ($65, available at aveda.com)
• Aveda tulasāra™ wedding masque eye overnight. Wake up with wedding-day luminous eyes—every day. Ultra-rich creme masque brightens skin around the eye area overnight, and contains a potent turmeric extract to help visibly even skin tone by diminishing the look of dark circles over time. Algae extracts also help diminish the appearance of eye area puffiness. A powerful blend of plant stem cells and organic apricot seed oil work together to help support skin’s natural repair process that happen at night. Get firmer more lifted-looking skin over time. Aroma-free ($55, available at aveda.com)

Lips. Keep a good lip balm on hand at every corner – one made without petroleum. My favorite is super smooth, certified organic Intelligent Nutrients Lip Delivery Nutrition. This invigorating, nutrition-packed balm feeds lips with our super-emollient antioxidant Intellimune Seed Oil Complex and a combo of coconut, sunflower, castor seed and palm kernel oils and waxes that, luckily, are good enough to eat ($18, intelligentnutrients.com).

Hand Cream. Keep a good hand cream on hand all the time. I recommend Aveda hand relief™ moisturizing creme. This rich cream deeply moisturizes dry hands leaving them noticeably softer and smoother. Andiroba oil and other plant hydrators protect skin’s moisture barrier, helping seal in softness through three hand washes. Made with Aveda’s own pure-fume™ aroma with certified organic orange, lavandin, eucalyptus and other pure flower and plant essences ($24, available at aveda.com).