The Surprising Secret To Soothing Dry Skin, According To An Expert

Skincare and travel are two things I’m willing to splurge on. My mom has amazing skin – barely a wrinkle – and she has always instilled in me to take good care of my skin with high-quality products. We often share skincare secrets and gift each other spa and beauty treatments on the regular.

But winter is a beast on my skin. I get itchy, rash-y, flaky dry skin and it’s beyond frustrating to find good solutions that calm the redness/madness. I’ve been prescribed solutions from dermatologists but their efficacy eventually wears off (and I’ve had two negative experiences with these more medical approaches). I’ve tried Vaseline beauty hacks but after a couple nights I was back to dry skin hell.

When I met with esthetician Aislinn Woodward at Penelope and the Beauty Bar in San Francisco (a cute little spot in the Fairmont Hotel), my skin was in terrible shape. I know this because she pulled me aside after my facial to tell me that my skin was in terrible shape. She tailored my MBR Liquid Surgery Facial with Microcurrent – a major splurge but so luxurious – to my dry skin and told me to immediately stop using anti-aging products. My first thought: “anti-aging” seems to be a marketing term you see on everything these days. How do you even avoid them?

“I advise clients to avoid anti-aging products when their barrier function is damaged to a certain level (due to specific ingredients in those products that can be harsh on skin),” she told me. “During your visit at PENELOPE, I noticed your skin barrier was very compromised, which causes redness and texture, resulting in skin not looking as healthy, youthful, and radiant as it can be.”

Your skin barrier is apparently one of the most important organs of your body. According to the NCBI, it protects you from chemicals, toxins, and allergens from penetrating your skin and getting into your body. I stopped using a drugstore-bought foundation that I liked as well as a night cream that promised to "soothe and firm" my skin to see if anything would change.

“In general, when the barrier function is severely damaged, it’s important to slow down and temporarily stop the anti-aging products and buzzword ingredients,” says Woodward. “The first goal must be to repair the barrier function because a damaged barrier function leads to premature wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Once the barrier function is repaired, skin will appear healthy and more youthful.” Then, she says you can add more gentle anti-aging products back into your routine.

We chatted a bit more about skincare and here’s what she had to say….

What are your best at-home tips for managing winter dry skin? What ingredients should you seek out/avoid?

#1 Use a humidifier! Sleep next to a warm/cool humidifier and have one where you do your skincare routine. Not a hot steamer, but a warm humidifier. This helps prevent dryness of skin.

#2 If the skin isn’t congested, don’t fear nutrient dense occlusives! Occlusives create a protective barrier over the skin to help lock moisture in. My favorite is Masque Creme Vernix by Biologique Recherche. Pro tip: If you love winter sports, apply an occlusive all over while you’re getting ready. Put a bit more under the eyes, on the sides of the nose and around the lips. After 20 minutes, apply SPF 50. Wait another 20 minutes before going out into the sun, toss a spray SPF in your jacket, and hit the slopes with that dewy protected skin!

#3 Be mindful of the hyaluronic acid products you are using. Using the wrong molecular level and applying incorrectly will pull moisture from within the skin, causing more dryness. I prefer products that contain ingredients like Hyalufix that stimulates the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid production. My favorite is Hyaluron Mask by MBR.

What are some ways to take better care of your skin in your 20s? in your 30s? in your 40s?

In Your 20’s:

#1: SPF, every single day! Rain or shine, even if you’re staying indoors. Make sure to apply every two hours.

#2: Do your skincare routine EVERY morning and night, do not sleep in your makeup! Set a reminder on your phone if you know you’ll be going out and will forget. If you’re feeling down and unmotivated, make it a group activity. I love to do my skincare routine together on FaceTime with my besties in the beauty industry.

#3: Begin using Tretinoin 0.01% in your mid 20’s. Tretinoin is an effective skincare ingredient that helps combat the signs of early aging (fine lines), helps repair sun damaged skin, improves overall texture and tone of the skin. It’s also an effective treatment for those with acne-prone skin.

#4: Don’t just try something because Instagram or TikTok told you it’s best. Always do your own research, and when in doubt, ask an esthetician!

In Your 30’s:

#1: SPF, every single day! Rain or shine, even if you’re staying indoors. Make sure to apply every two hours.

#2: Know that what you eat and drink can impact your skin. Moderate alcohol, sugar, and carb intake can cause Glycation. Glycation occurs when there is excess glucose in skin fibers, and the result is deep cross line wrinkles (vertical and horizontal wrinkles). Pair this with Serum A-Glyca by Biologique Recherche, which was specifically designed to combat glycation on skin.

#3: Your skincare routine can be simple and still be effective. Just because an ingredient or product is trending doesn’t mean you should have it in your skincare routine. I see a lot of guests in their 30’s who want to minimize the signs of aging and are using too many products or products that aren’t right for their skin. Sometimes the active ingredients cancel each other, or combined, do more damage than good.

In Your 40’s:

#1: SPF, every single day! Rain or shine, even if you’re staying indoors. Make sure to apply every two hours.

#2: Find an esthetician you trust for the monthly or bimonthly facials. This allows you to grow a relationship with your esthetician who will get to know you and your skin — they will be able to recommend the most effective services and at home care products. This is truly the best investment you can make in your skin.

#3: MBR! Using MBR products will completely change the health, structure, and appearance of your skin.

I purchased MBR’s 3-in-one cleanser and day cream (MBR ContinueLine Protection Shield Rich), plus Woodward’s favorite: Masque Creme Vernix by Biologique Recherche and have been using them for a month now – in January, the worst of the dry skin months for me! And I have to say, my skin does look so much healthier. No more dryness, itchiness, or redness. I’m thrilled. It helped that Woodward set me on the right path with a really amazing facial so I recommend getting personalized advice from an esthetician before starting a new routine. But these are honestly the only moisturizers that have worked for me. They were pricey for sure, but it’s also been such a relief physically and mentally to have clear, healthy skin. And that’s sort of priceless.