"Brown Girl Guide" Dispatch: Cold Weather Skin Savers

Baby it's COLD outside. Brown Girl Guide is here to help. Brown skin needs special treatments to combat the dryness and general ashy-ness that the holiday season gifts to our skin. Just as we are luckier in the summer months to be able to brave the sun without as much damage as our paler BFFs (but you still need to wear sunscreen! Don't be fooled!), our skin's natural resilience ironically makes it more difficult to treat during the cold months, necessitating deeper-penetrating formulas and specific active ingredients designed to trouble-shoot darker pigment issues such as grayness and flakiness. Ah karma.

For scaly elbows and heels: Try Neutrogena Deep Moisture Butter Body Cream. It's just as good, if not better, than the cult-favorite everyone raves about at Kiehl's (at a fraction of the cost).

If your heels or elbows are actually cracking--a problem many Indians are prone to--apply an over-the-counter 1 percent hydrocortisone treatment twice a day. Also, switch to oil-based body creams, which trap water into the skin. Lastly, apply all treatments immediately after you shower, when your skin is most able to absorb the repairing ingredients.

Lizard Legs: Dry indoor heat and less frequent shaving (come on, you know you do it) often lead to scaly flakes on skin--which are more noticable the more pigmented your skin is. If you have some time, take a warm bath and add a few drops of body oil to the tub. Even olive oil will do. Exfoliate with a mineral polish to banish the dead cells, and slather on a cream immediately when you get out of the bath. St. Ives Mineral Therapy Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish works wonders.

Parched Faces: Harsh winds cause chapping, and the constant propensity for brown skin to appear ashen is heightened by windburn and unforgiving elements. To protect and brighten your skin, add a hydrating serum to your regime that contains humectants--these help heighten moisture levels. One of my favorites is from LaRoche-Posay--your face instantly feels less tight and has more illumination.

After the serum, smooth on a rich, hydrating cream, not a lotion--lotions contain alcohol which will only further dry you out. Some of the tried-and-trued ultrarich face creams for the wickedly cold winter months:

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant. An oldie but goodie. Simple, rich, moisturizer where a little goes a long way, and there is no greasy residue.
Dr. Weil for Origin Plantidote. This restores with vitamin E and a "mega-mushroom" cocktail. The list of ingredients and claims is long and a little pretentious--but the stuff works.
Dermalogica Age Smart Super Rich Repair. This literally blast of moisture is my favorite cream du jour. It's designed for older skin, but I use it as a night treatment when my skin is particularly ornery.

Chapped Lips: I am saving the best for last. I have finally found the must-have item for all of your purses. It has rid me of my Carmex addiction and saved me a pretty penny to boot. I'm putting it right up there with YSL Touche Eclat in my beauty hall of fame. Plus everybody asks me what it is when I pull it out because it isn't one of the usual suspects--I am so mysterious. Introducing: Nanak's Lip Smoothee. Yes, it is a horrible name. Yes, the packaging leaves something to be desired. But believe me, this is the best chapstick I have ever found and I truly believe I have tried them all. It's simple. It doesn't try to do too much or be the star of your beauty arsenal. But it does what it is supposed to do. It has a work ethic. You can only purchase in bulk from the website, but you can find Nanak's at many holistic or Indian markets. A part of my heart (or lips I suppose) will always belong to Archie for turning me onto the stuff--and breaking my Carmex-crack habit--thank you!

Finally, my top 3 tips for radiant winter skin:

1) Control the climate: In winter, the humidity in the air can get lower than that of a desert--even if you live in a rainy climate, like the Bay Area. Use a humidifier and moisturize throughout the day to keep skin quenched. And--I know this is difficult--try to take a warm, versus a hot shower. (I will admit I am usually incapable of doing this but I notice the difference in my skin when I do).

2) Read the ingredients on all your products, especially your soap: Many soaps contain detergents that strip moisture and oils from your skin. Use mild soaps like Cetaphil.

3) Go au naturale: Use fragrance-free laundry detergent and fabric softener--fragrances are unnecessary and can irritate sensitive winter skin. Similarly, if your skin is feeling particularly itchy, skip the wool and synthetic clothing and opt for natural fibers like silk and cotton which are less likely to irritate already weathered skin.



For more beauty tips, as well as secrets and news on all things style specifically tailored to brown girls, sign up for Brown Girl Guide, launching soon.