Beauty — Page 15

Met Gala Beauty: Slicked Back and Brilliantly Natural

May 8, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bundchen images courtesy of totalbeauty.com and becomegorgeous.com, respectively

At this year’s Met Gala, the biggest costume event of the year, attendees kept it simple. To accompany gorgeous gowns inspired by Charles James, stars opted for understated makeup that let their natural beauty shine through.

Of course, there was plenty of timeless elegance at this “white tie” event, sometimes complemented with a dark blueish purple pout. Reese Witherspoon accessorized her strapless pink Stella McCartney gown with a matching pink lip and vintage Old Hollywood waves. Blake Lively and Dita Von Teese also added a dose of old school glamour with similar bombshell style waves. However, the star of the evening was the sleek pulled back hair paired with over-the-top gowns.

Karolina Kurkova images courtesy of laddiez.com

Karolina Kurkova kept her hair out of her face placing all the attention on that jaw-dropping Marchesa gown. Stella McCartney also posed for photos on the red carpet with her hair smoothed back away from her face in a ponytail. Another fan of the simple style was Kate Bosworth, who added a side part to this sleek style.

Karlie Kloss images courtesy of totalbeauty.com

Kate Bosworth images courtesy of redcarpet-fashionawards.com

Emma Stone, Gisele Bundchen, Karlie Kloss, Stella McCartney, and Zoe Saldana proved that “glamorous yet relaxed makeup” seemed to rule the Met Gala red carpet this season. To get an understated look that’s polished enough to wear to a gala at home, start with your skin. A perfect, even complexion is the canvas to build the rest of your look. Next, figure out what areas of your face you want to highlight, you can focus on rosy cheeks and perfect brows like Karlie did or keep your look super clean and natural like Gisele, and focus on your eyes.

Emma Stone images courtesy of redcarpet-fashionawards.com

For a radiant yet simple look like Emma Stone’s CHANEL Celebrity Makeup Artist, Rachel Goodwin, shares her secrets for Emma Stone. Goodwin “focused on a light, sun-kissed look to let Emma’s beauty shine.” To create the look she used CHANEL Le Jour de Chanel and CHANEL Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup SPF 15 in Beige 30 on her face as well as REVLON PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator in Peach Light to really get that glow. Goodwin applied CHANEL Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Illusoire and New Moon to add a little dimension. REVLON ColorBurst Balm Stain in Cherish and CHANEL Aqua Crayon Lip Color Stick in Rosewood completed the look giving Emma a lovely pink pout to complement her pink two-toned ensemble.

At times red carpet looks can seem daunting, but these elegant yet simple styles are both elegant and wearable. Plus, a sleek elegant ponytail is the perfect solution for those humid summer nights!

—Janine Silver

Beauty Tips: Get Your Skin Ready for Spring

May 5, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Though spring has been here for over a month, the weather is just starting to warm up! That means warmer weather, picnics, and beach days are just around the corner; it also means were ready to trade in all those layers in favor of shorts, backless dresses, and spaghetti straps. After a brutal winter and several snowstorms you might be ready for spring, but is your skin? We spoke with the experts to find the best ways to rejuvenate your skin so your sundress ready.

Image courtesy of www.beaverhollow.com

According to Christie Lavigne, Director of Skincare at Oasis Day Spa in New York City, “Before you add anything to the skin, you need to remove the egg-shell barrier (or crust of dry skin) that has formed on the surface of the skin after a long, cold and dry winter season … This barrier keeps the skin from being able to absorb any products you may apply topically (moisturizers) and prevents your skin from being able to purge oil and bacteria.” In order to get rid of that layer of dead skin, Lavigne recommends exfoliating your skin and going to a professional for faster results. “[Get rid of dead skin] in a professional setting, by receiving a facial with a series of peels or microdermabrasions,” Lavigne shares. “At your dermatologist’s office, a deeper peel procedure, such as skin resurfacing or fraxel [will help your skin be ready for spring].”

However, you don’t need an appointment to rejuvenate your skin for spring, there are several products on the market today that will also do the job. According to Lavigne, “… you can incorporate a few products into your regimen, which will take a bit longer, but will definitely heed positive results—an exfoliant to be used 2-3 times a week, either physical (something with a grain) or chemical (some sort of acid—lactic, salicylic or alpha-hydroxy), and a product to promote skincell turnover, such as the vitamin A (retinols) and a vitamin C product to brighten … and as always, don’t forget to use a SPF everyday—that will prevent future damage to skin more than anything else you do!”

We recommend the Red Door Spa Professional Lemon Burst Polish Scrub as a gentle and revitalizing exfoliator. For a smoother complexion overnight, RéVive Moisture Renewal Cream is the perfect treatment to hydrate your skin while you snooze. if silky smooth skin that’s firmed and toned is what you’re after, try Caudalie’s Slimming Regimen. Their wine-derived Crushed Cabernet Scrub will both nourish and provide intense hydration for satiny polished skin. The Contouring Concentrate promotes circulation and hydration while diminishing the appearance of cellulite and leaving you ready to take on the summer.

Image courtesy of donewyork.com

For a completely natural DIY remedy, Global Chief Creative Officer of Red Door Spas, Cornelia Zicu has some great advice. Start by detoxing you skin in her special secret cleanse which will hydrate your skin. You’ll need some oatmeal (to calm the skin), 2 table spoons of milk powder, a teaspoon of honey, 2 drops of lavender essential oil, and half a cup of olive or avocado oil. Mix all these ingredients together and add them to a simple fragrance-free body wash. Zicu recommends using this mixture once a week in the shower to cleanse your body. Rinse it off and admire your silky smooth skin! “This is a great trick for those who forgot to moisturize all winter long,” Zicu shares.

Zicu also suggests a “soothing facial refresher” to get soft velvety skin. In order to perform one at home, cleanse your face then wrap an ice cube in a sterilized wet cotton pad which has been soaked in cold milk. Apply this to your face until the cube melts. “This is a great, nourishing, natural home remedy to reduce inflammation or irritation and helps even skin tone,” Zicu exclaims. Another way to detoxify your skin is by soaking once a week in a warm (not hot) bath with Epsom salt and 1/2 pound of baking soda.

No matter if you head into your local professionals office, try one of the miracle products we listed above, or test out one of the home remedies we suggest, you’re sure to be ready for spring in no time!

—Janine Silver

Beauty Alert: Wedding Day Beauty Fixes

April 26, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

Image courtesy of bellasugar.com

From breaking a heel or losing an earring back to missing floral arrangements, anything can go wrong on your big day. With so much pressure on brides to look amazing and have the perfect wedding, it’s important to know what to do when things aren’t going your way. Fashion Reverie is always ahead of the curve and we’ve listed common wedding day beauty conundrums and how to fix them.

Wedding Day Skin Fixes

It’s the night before the big day and after a long night celebrating at your rehearsal dinner you go to bed looking like a supermodel, but the next morning you notice a huge zit and puffy eyes! Fashion Reverie to the rescue!! Fake a full night’s sleep and perfect skin with these simple tools and tricks.

Image courtesy of makyajtelevizyonu.com

To diminish the appearance of a pimple quickly, take a tip from Alexis Wolfer, creator of The Beauty Bean, and use some apple cider vinegar. “Apple cider vinegar’s high acidity makes it a bacteria-fighting blemish-buster,” shares Wolfer in her new book, The Recipe for Radiance. Simply saturate a cotton ball with this pantry staple and spot treat the area.

For dark under eye circles, Wolfer recommends placing thin slices of an Idaho potato that has been in the refrigerator over your eyes for 15-20 minutes. While cucumbers are the more traditional choice, Wolfer explains that, “catecholase, an enzyme found in potatoes, is commonly used in high-end skin-care and makeup products as a way to lighten skin and diminish dark eye circles.” Don’t have 20 minutes to relax on your big day? You can treat those tired eyes with L’Oréal Paris Visible Lift CC Eye Concealer, the cooling roller ball applicator helps relieve puffiness and the color-correcting pigments will hide dark circles instantly.

Image courtesy of women-hair-styles.com

Fly-Away Hair and Drippy Makeup

After hours researching exactly how you wanted your hair and makeup to look and paying a professional makeup artist and hair stylist to ensure everything was just right, it only took 10 minutes taking photos in the hot sun, to transform you into a sweaty mess! Not to worry, if your makeup is melting and your hair is no longer just right, Fashion Reverie can have you wedding reception-ready in no time.

A quick spray of hairspray can do wonders for taming frizz; however, If your hairstylist left you without any hairspray or gel, you can tame fly-aways with just a tiny bit of hand lotion. Just put a small dab of lotion in your hands and rub them together. Then gently pat down the stray hairs into submission.

Image courtesy of painted-ladies.com

When the sun leaves makeup dripping down your face, start by fixing smudged eye makeup with a cotton swab. A dry swab should fix most problems but adding just a little bit of olive oil is a great way to remove makeup. DHC’s Olive Virgin Oil Swabs are already infused with olive oil and individually packaged for quick touch-ups. Then reduce shine with L’Oréal Paris True Match Minéral Instant Shine Eraser. The light powder will absorb the oil and shine from your skin.

As an added plus is it also helps cover up imperfections for flawless (and shine free) skin. To recreate your picture perfect complexion (without the help of Photoshop), try L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Moisture Blur. It feels thick in your hands (similar to a suntan lotion) but feels light on your face. Plus, with it’s Opti-Blur technology it diffuses light on skin for a soft-focus blurring effect smoothing away fine lines and wrinkles.

Happy Wedding Day!!

—Janine Silver

Beauty Alert: Fall 2014 Beauty Trends from New York, London, Milan, and Paris

March 27, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

OK, as Fashion Weeks around the world continue to showcase fall 2014 collections, Fashion Reverie looks back at trending beauty looks from the four major fashion capitals—New York City, London, Milan, and Paris. While there was a bevy of stand out trends in each city, we’ve rounded up our favorites.

Photos by Isidore Montag, courtesy of fashion.telegraph.co.uk

Bright Lids

The city of lights saw lots of colorful eyes. Chanel’s models at Paris Fashion Week all wore shimmery silver eye shadow topped with bright neon liners in green, fuchsia, teal, and orange. Backstage at Dior, lead makeup artist Pat McGarth created two eye looks, a khaki green and a “shocking and striking” blue. The blue eyes were made to “feel urban and slightly masculine,” McGarth shared. She used liner to outline the shape and then filled it in with theatrical paint topped with glitter in the corners. Kenzo is another example of electric lids on the Paris runway. Taking inspiration from Yves Klein paintings, makeup artist Aaron de Mey used M.A.C Chromaline in marine ultra to create a stunning royal blue winged out eye.

Photos clockwise by Gucci by Imax Tree courtesy of stylebistro.com, Prada by Imax Tree courtesy of stylebistro.com, and Versace by Kevin Trachman courtesy of vogue.com

Lots of Lashes

No matter if you like thick full lashes or love the look of exaggerated bottom lashes, the runways of Milan took it back to the sixties and put lashes front and center. Gucci enlisted Pat McGarth to design a 60s, Twiggy–inspired eye complete with taupe eye shadow and exaggerated false lashes emphasizing the bottom lash line. McGarth also created a full sixties butterfly eyelash for Versace, staying on trend while showcasing another beauty trend from that era. Prada’s models were all about the dark mascara, clumping lashes together on both the top and bottom of the eye while walking down Milan’s runways.

Rodarte and Araks images courtesy of beautyfrizz.com

Bold Lips

The Big Apple favored red lips in every shade. Araks featured a cherry red lip paired with a very simple fair complexion, reminiscent of a modern snow white. At Rodarte, you couldn’t help but notice those glittery red lips. To achieve these grown-up glitter lips, James Kaliardos for NARS Cosmetics mixed four different colors of loose glitter and layered that with NARS Deborah Audacious Lipstick or NARS Dominique Audacious Lipstick depending on the models skin tone. Naeem Khan, Rebecca Minkoff, Tadashi Shoji, and Zimmerman also went for a simple look with a bright red pout to stay right on trend at New York Fashion Week.

Giles image courtesy of style.com, Mazhar image courtesy of beauty high.com, and Temperly London image courtesy of lisaeldridge.com

All about those Baby Blue (Lines)

The biggest beauty trend found during London Fashion Week would have to be blue lined eyes. Giles lined the bottom lash line with a bright electric blue for a pop of color. Temperly London featured gorgeous eyes lined with two shades of blue. Lisa Eldrige used Sunday Riley makeup to create Temperly’s glamorous look with a bright blue on the top lash line and accented it with a dark navy on the bottom lash line.

Now, while Tata-Naka didn’t feature blue liner per say, we thought her gorgeous layered eyes with blue half moons around the lids designed by M.A.C makeup artist Cher Webb were certainly worth mentioning. Webb uses the cornflower blue to add a touch of color to play off the paisley prints in the collection.

—Janine Silver

Beauty Report: This Is the Season for Hollywood Glamour

March 19, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Old school glamour is back

Trendy and edgy is great, but nothing trumps the allure of a classic 1930’s red lip and soft wave hairstyle. Whether you want to step back in time and take the look full on or play up one aspect of it, “The Tents” at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week were full of inspiration. Inject a little Hollywood into your beauty routine by copying these looks straight off the runway…

Zang Toi backstage images courtesy of Suni Silvan

Zang Toi’s bold red lips

Make-up artist Rudy Miles wanted to capture the essence of Zang Toi’s collection, which was inspired by Shanghai in the 30’s, with a beautiful red lip. The color Miles used is Rudolf Red Plum Berry; a rich, deep burgundy by beautyBuyrudy. Miles applies the lipstick sans liner for a fresher take, keeping the lip less constructed.

So what’s the best technique for wearing red? Miles suggests starting off applying a little lip balm, then blotting it off. Add your first layer of lipstick and again blot it off, before adding a second layer of lipstick. He also recommends a little loose powder around the lip line to prevent feathering.

For Zang Toi’s show, to keep the lip the main focus, Miles kept the skin very matte. He added a little Papaw ointment for extra shine on the eyelids. Liquid eyeliner on the lash line and black mascara completed this modern take on a opulent, decadent 1930’s face.

Pamela Rolland images courtesy of Laura Mercier and Presley Ann Slack, respectively

Pamella Roland images courtesy of Laura Mercier and Presley Ann Slack, respectively

Pamella Roland’s perfect soft wave

Pamella Roland highlighted movie star soft waves to complement her New York City art deco–inspired collection. To get these gorgeous locks, lead hairstylist Ted Gibson recommends starting off with a deep side part. Next, section off your hair and wrap each section around a medium barrel Marcel iron. Take the curls you just made and pin them up onto your head in what Gibson calls an “S” pin (which is one row going forward, then the 2nd row going back; repeat this until all curls are pinned.)

After the curls have set, remove the pins and brush the curls out with a boar bristle brush, pulling the ends down with your fingers. This will add softness to the style rather than those stiff prom style curls. Use a flat iron to straighten just the ends of the hair to remove a little of the “bend.” Complete the look by using L’Oreal Professionnel’s Architexture on the front of the hair to tame fly-aways. Tuck your hair behind your ear, pull the rest to the side and voila, you are ready for a night!

—Janine Silver

Beauty Alert: Going Nude at the Oscars

March 12, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

This past award season some of our favorite stars decided to go nude, and so should you! We’re not suggesting you bare it all, but rather accent your eyes and paint your lips creamy beige.

Image courtesy of thequestforit.com

Camila Alves McConaughey took on a classic Hollywood look, but skipped the bold red lips in favor of warm and golden tones. Her lips took a back seat to her golden lids lined with soft eyeliner. While not the star of the show, her lips still drew attention lined in Votre Vu’s Drawmatic Lip Liner in Naked and topped with Votre Vu’s French Kiss.

photo from Getty images by Jason Merritt

Another gold on nude look was that combination on Angelina Jolie at the Oscars. The actress wore a gold dress and earth tone makeup. Her eyes were framed with big bold lashes over golden lids. Too keep the attention on her eyes, Jolie toned down her lips, deciding on a creamy nude shade.

Image courtesy of beautyeditor.ca

Cate Blanchett also kept it simple and incognito, with Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in Incognito that is. Blanchett achieved a timeless elegant air opting for a nude lipsitick with a pinkish hue. The light color on her lips allowed you to focus on her natural beauty and radiantly glowing skin. This extremely wearable color is a great option to ease yourself away from pinks and reds and into buttery beiges, the training wheels of nude lipstick.

No matter what your skin type, anyone can pull off a subtle lip. So take a cue from these A-listers and put your bright lipsticks away (at least for one night)!

—Janine Silver

Beauty Alert: New York Fashion Week Goes for the Gold

March 3, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

From the Sochi Winter Olympics to the runways at New York Fashion Week, everyone is reaching for the gold. Dazzling fashion insiders, gold took center stage at Tracy Reese’s fall 2014 runway show; stole the spotlight at Diane von Furstenberg, and even had a cameo at Anna Sui.

While dresses were drenched with it, shoes came with golden caps, and coats were covered in this metallic trend, Fashion Reverie was most captivated by the golden lips and eye shadows. Elegant and demure, but also wild and over-the-top, the gold make-up trend can be used in a variety of ways. Take a cue from the catwalk and give your beauty routine the Midas touch!!

Son Jung Wan backstage photos are by J.C. Parra, courtesy of metrovelvet.com

Go out of the box with gilded lips

While this glittery pout may be too much for the office, it certainly makes a statement. Miyako Okamoto for Shiseido designed this lustrous pout to compliment Son Jung Wan’s collection. If you’re daring enough to walk away from the usual pinks, reds, and nudes to sport this sparkly look, make sure to keep the rest of your makeup minimal. Wan’s models had clean glowing complexions, no eye makeup and their hair up in chopsticks to offset the bold lips.

For a more wearable choice, opt for a translucent golden lip color. Stevi Christine professional makeup artist with L’Oréal recommends using a lip brush and concentrating the gold lipstick in the middle of the lips. “Focus more of the color in the center and just lightly brush out. You don’t want too much gold out here [on the corners of the mouth] it’s just too overwhelming,” explains Christine. Stevi Christine also recommends adding a little gloss to boost the reflective quality for a red carpet worthy finish.

Badgley Mischka backstage image taken by George Chinsee, courtesy of wwd.com

Play up your eyes with swoon-worthy golden hues

MAC makeup artists Tom Pecheux and Gordon Espinet show us how to make golden eyeshadow glamorous and girly. Inspired by the Golden Era of Hollywood, Pecheux designed a very beguiling look reminiscent of the 1950’s and 60’s with thick black eyeliner to intensify the lashes and M.A.C Goldmine Eye Shadow at Badgley Mischka.

Desigual image taken by Frazer Harrison of Getty Images

Espinet took gold in a completely different direction for a softer girly effect at Desigual. He mixed M.A.C Pro Gold Metal Pigment with M.A.C Pro Gloss texture and then applied it over the eyelids and around the eyes. Espinet finished the look off with M.A.C Pro Gold Glitter on the center of the lid for a pop of sparkle.

Tadashi Shoji backstage nail images courtesy of instyle.com and makeupforlife.com, respectively

Metallic Digits are a great way to play up the classic mani

We love the idea of playing up a nude nail with gold accents. Katie Jane Hughes for butter LONDON added golden half-moons and tips to add a little opulence to Tadashi Shoji’s models’ fingertips. It’s a great way to have a little fun but still looks professional enough to wear to work. To get these gold-plated nails, Hughes applied butter LONDON Nail Foundation and then used butter LONDON Nail Lacquer in Marbs to embellish the otherwise basic nude nails.

With all the shimmery makeup trends during New York Fashion Wek, perhaps all that glitters really is gold!!

—Janine Silver

Great Skin for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week According to Dr. Sharon Giese

January 29, 2014 by admin 3 Comments

OK, the manic rush is on. Fashion insiders, celebrities, editors, stylists, models and media are full throttle in preparation for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week fall/winter 2014. Still, with the hustle and bustle of Fashion Week it is so important to pay attention to your skin. Whether you are keeping your skin moist and hydrated due to the harshness of dry winter weather or you want to look bright-eyed and bushy tailed for Fashion Week, you skin is a clear indicator of your overall general health.

Dr. Sharon Giese, internationally recognized, NYC–based, cosmetic surgeon and skin rejuvenation expert, spoke with Fashion Reverie’s Celebrity Style Editor, Tijana Ibrahimovic about new skin rejuvenation techniques and simple quick fix-its that can be done in preparation for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Dr. Giese has appeared on Dr. Oz, E! Entertainment, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Real Housewives of New York, The Doctors, Inside Edition, and CNN.

Though Fashion Week is just a week away, there is still time to get your face camera ready. Dr. Sharon Giese gives some great tips for skin rejuvenation in this exclusive Fashion Reverie interview.

Beauty Tips for Dry, Brittle Winter Hair

January 27, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

From static cling to dry flyaways and thinning strands, tis the season for winter hair.

With winter you get a combination of bad situations when it comes to your hair,” said Redken Artistic Educator Kellie Diana Johnson. “You’ve got the harsh cold temperatures. AT the same time you have forced, hot air on the hair—dry heat from hair dryers and straighteners.

“You end up with dry, brittle hair. The combination of the dry heat and the cold weather take all the moisture out of your hair.”

Oribe gold lust nourishing oil

The problem is more than an issue of aesthetics. Dry hair means breakage, Johnson pointed out.

And, she added, “Putting on a wool hat is probably not the best thing either because of the abrasion of the wool against the hair. They say you should wear a silk scarf under your hat. You’re supposed to sleep on a silk pillowcase, too.”

Redken chromatics hair color

But who does that really? “Honestly, I don’t know that many people that do that,” said Johnson, who addition to her work around the country on behalf of Redken also owns Elan Hair Studio in Sea Girt, NJ. Johnson also has worked on hair teams for New York Fashion Week and the MTV and Bravo cable networks.

Instead, Johnson said the key is to use products that put the moisture back into the hair and protect against damage from the winter temperatures and exposure to extreme heat.

“There are all kinds of technology today with hair products so the best thing I would recommend is to really take advantage of these products,” Johnson said. “I would also recommend you not wash your hair every day. I think we overdo that. You can go three times a week just to maintain the moisture in your hair,” she said.

In addition to thermal protection products, Johnson also recommends regular usage of moisture masks and conditioners. Frequent trims to prevent split ends should also be part of your winter hair routine, she said.

“We focus so much on winter skin but the hair is an organ, too and we have to moisturize that as well,” Johnson said. Of course if one is going to add moisture, it’s important not to counteract that effort by overdoing it with the heat one applies to the hair.

“A lot of people turn up their flat irons over 450 (degrees). Use a thermal protecting product is only one part of it. The other part you have to remember is not to turn up the temperature so high. 385 (degrees) is fine for most heads of hair,” she said. “If you have coarse hair you can put that temperature a little higher but remember hotter isn’t always better.”

Even the quality of the bristles in your hair brush can make a difference, Johnson said. Brushes with boar bristles are best; stay away from metal bristles and make sure you don’t pull the hair too hard when blow drying, she said.

Here are some of Johnson’s other suggestions:

For oily hair you may want to just add moisture to the ends instead of rubbing a moisturizing mask or conditioner into the scalp. People with very long hair may want to follow this tip.
Stay away from clarifying shampoos during the winter. Your hair and scalp are dry enough.
If you opt for a hair weave or hair extensions, make sure you condition your own hair as it is growing out.
If you color your hair, remember that you need to deep condition your hair to restore the lipids.
Dry shampoo can be a good option if you need to clean your hair between shampoos.

—Karyn D. Collins

Beauty Alert: Soft, Vibrant Skin during Harsh Winter Months

January 24, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

No, it’s not your imagination. Your skin is probably drier than usual, especially your hands. You can thank Old Man Winter and this winter’s frigid temperature phenomenon dubbed the Polar Vortex for this particular hand jive.

Dr. Bauman image courtesy of derm.net

“Cold air holds less water vapor than warm air,” said noted dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann, author of “The Skin Type Solution” and CEO of Baumann Cosmetic & Research Institute in Miami, Fl. (www.derm.net). Baumann also writes the Yahoo! health blog, The Skin Guru, and is a regular expert for numerous publications as well as on television shows like “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show.”

Baumann said of all the parts of the body it’s the hands that suffer the most when it comes to dry skin. “Hands can be drier. They have different types of lipids,” she said of the naturally occurring molecules that include oils. “That’s why they wrinkle in water while the rest of the body does not.”

Baumann said the problem is exacerbated by the use of certain products such as hand sanitizers which, because of their high alcohol content, dry the skin. And, she added, there’s also a link between one’s diet and dry skin.

“You need fatty acids in fat and cholesterol for the skin to hold onto water. Lots of vegans have dry skin,” she noted. And, she added, that daily caffeine fix may also be adding to the problem since caffeine also dehydrates the body.

So what’s the answer? After all, winter is also cold and flu season and the use of cleansers and hand sanitizers is frequently mentioned as a way to limit the spread of germs and viruses.

Baumann said one of her suggestions is to use cleansers that don’t contain alcohol. She encourages her patients to use GCP Skincare, a cleanser used by physicians before surgery.

“It makes a really great hand sanitizer that does not have alcohol and does not dry the hands,” she said.

As for moisturizers, Baumann said there are certain important ingredients to look for including glycerin, MLE emulsion, ceramides and shea butter. Drinking plenty of water is also important, she said, adding that she also likes to encourage her patients to use a new water additive called Drip Drop that helps the body absorb water.

Among her favorite products are Vaseline Intensive Care Total Moisture Dry Skin Lotion, Kiehl’s and L’Occitane brand moisturizers and Zeroid face cream, though she noted that hand creams really are best for the hands since they’re heavier.

“Stay away from peppermint, cinnamon and other allergenic substances. And foaming soaps are the worst for dry hands,” she added. “If you must wash then use a cream cleanser, a gel like Cetaphil or wash with GCP Skincare.”

—Karyn D. Collins