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Windburn Breakers: Dealing with the Effects of Cold Air To Your Face

Matt Bell
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Dry, red and flakey works really well for, say, Old Bay Seasoning. Not so much for the skin on your face. Too bad those are the primary dermatologic side effects to spending a prolonged amount time out in the blustery tundra of wintertime. You know it as windburn, though it’s not so much a burn as it is the flaying of the upper most layer of your skin. Whether you’re hitting the slopes (we’re just hitting the beginning of the crux of ski season) or just happen to spend a lot of time outdoors, the combo of low humidity and icy temperatures will do everything in their power to sap the natural oils from your face. The immediate effects might mimic glowing rosy cheeks (which actually may have some pro-pheromonal effects on the ladies according to a recent study in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology) but long term, nature’s doing its best to make sure you trod along your given course of life, aka, she’s aging you. Not so good for your pheromones.

Prevention: Before going outside, be sure to slather on a powerful moisturizer. Turo Skin Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 15 has anti-aging elements built in and has been formulated specifically to fight environmental damage, including cutting chills. And don’t forget your lips. Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 is made to fight windburn and comes in some guy-friendly flavors (in particular the new Shea Butter and Black Tea options) Also, note—just because it’s cool out, your skin is not impervious to the sun’s omnipresent UVA/UVB rays, so yes, you still need an SPF.

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Treatment: The problem is not the same as sunburn, so leave the aloe alone. You’re better off going with a paraben-free, artificial fragrance-free cream. Epicuren has a cream with colostrum that’s good at taking care of the red and replenishing nutrients. The same Turbo Skin you didn’t use in the first place will also do the trick. For hands and the rest go with The Elite Premier Cream from Elite Therapeutics. It is formulated with anti-inflammatory and red erasing ingredients from the sea and infused with nourishing African Mongongo oil. Actually, the cream was just picked up at the famed Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, which at 6200 feet and surrounded by skiing, is a location accustomed to dealing with windburn. The same Jack Black you should have used in the first place will do a good job at turning back the clock, but you can also try the medicated assistance of Miracle Lips, which, as a bonus, also help curb the duration of cold sores—yet a different dry, red and flakey problem that can end up burning you in the end.

1—Turo Skin Moisturizing Lotion SPF 15

$30 / 3.4 fl. oz.

at store.turoskin.com

2—Jack Black Lip Balm

$7.50 / .25 fl. oz.

at getjackblack.com

3—Elite Therapeutics Elite Premier Cream

$65 / 4 fl. oz.

at elitetherapeutics.com

4—Holocuren Miracle Lips

$16.99 / .33 fl. oz.

at holocuren.com

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