Let’s talk about winter skin. Winter creates the perfect conditions for drier and less radiant skin. Unlike the warmer spring and summer months, cold air, dry heat, and low humidity strip away moisture. When daily creams and serums prove ineffective, there are other ways to regain that fresh glow-starting with holistic winter wellness!

To kick off our winter skin series we went LIVE on Instagram to dive into the benefits of HydraFacials. Skincare influencer Rachael Thomas received our skincare service that delivers the most impactful results. She was joined by Release Founder Linda Townsend and expert esthetician Cynthia. If you’re new to HydraFacials, you’re not alone!

A Day Of Bliss With @msrachaelthomas

So many things strip the skin barrier of its natural oils, making it challenging to manage changes in appearance. Prone to having dry skin, Rachael sought a resolution for dark spots, pigment changes, and eczema on her sensitive skin. Her ultimate goal was to achieve complete hydration.

Cynthia, whose passion for esthetics is rooted in healing, created a customized experience for Rachael to help her achieve better skin health. They take us behind the scenes for a closer look at HydraFacial’s three-step process:

Step 1: Cleanse

Estheticians will learn more about you and your skin during the first phase. While gently exfoliating, they’ll identify textural differences that indicate changes in diet and water intake. The most common culprit for winter skin is dehydration.

“Dehydration is the absence of water as opposed to dryness, which is the absence of oil,” said Cynthia. “Try to drink healthy fluids and consider water-based skincare products.” If you have dry skin, hyaluronic acid and oil serums are a great place to start. They improve the appearance of your skin while increasing the effectiveness of HydraFacials.

At Release, we offer four types of Deluxe HydraFacials. Each incorporates the essentials of a Signature HydraFacial while addressing the specific skin concerns of our clients.

Restorative HydraFacials: Add a Growth Factor Boost to improve the appearance of skin tone, texture, and elasticity.

Radiance HydraFacials: The Britenol Boost minimizes the appearance of dark spots and sun spots for an even brighter complexion.

Age-Refinement HydraFacials: A DermaBuilder Boost reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with a combination of peptides.

Clarifying HydraFacials: Unique to this HydraFacial is Blue LED Light Therapy, which removes congestion. We also perform extended extractions to unclog pores and refresh the skin.

Step 2: Extract + Hydrate

We remove debris from pores with painless suction and nourish with intense moisturizers that quench skin. The rejuvenating serums and antioxidants, which are great for clients experiencing melasma, work to prevent unwanted pigment.

Step 3: Fuse + Protect

After we saturate the skin’s surface with antioxidants and peptides to maximize your glow, we’ll perform light therapy to penetrate it into your skin. Light therapy has healing effects that prevent scarring. Results last for up to 6-8 weeks.

Going Beyond HydraFacials For Healthy Skin

What you eat, how you move, and your approach to mindfulness also tie into your body’s optimal wellness. To boost the benefits of HydraFacials, we also encourage the following:

Hydration is key, both internally and topically!

During the winter, a lack of water intake can make your skin look dull or rough. Collagen creams and supplements can help reduce the impact of damaging cold weather. More collagen intake is a direct way to boost water retention and regain moisture from water loss.

Linda also recommends adding vitamins and minerals to your diet to hydrate skin from within. It’s as simple as electrolyte-infused water and added mineral flavors! Keeping up your water intake is essential, and mineral-rich water aids your body’s absorption of nutrients.

Remember that your skin barrier determines how healthy and even your skin looks; the stronger it is, the better you’ll get through the season.

Exfoliate away those dead skin cells.

Regular exfoliation can help you achieve a radiant complexion, especially as you age. The skin’s ability to naturally shed dead skin slows down, making it harder to combat without a quality exfoliant (physical or chemical). An esthetician will help you determine which is right for you.

Don’t forget SPF during the winter!

Unprotected sun exposure is the leading cause of premature aging or “photoaging,” which can appear as discoloration, wrinkles, or fine lines. Daily application of SPF 15+ maintains your efforts to care for your skin.

Break a sweat to clear out toxins!

A nourished body reflects a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Better lifestyle choices can also delay natural aging, which contributes to the quality of your skin. Incorporating regular physical activity increases blood flow and circulation. Most people don’t know that breaking a sweat delivers nutrients and oxygen directly to the skin.

Healthy Skin Starts From Within

Whether you’re looking to correct dry winter skin or improve its texture and vibrancy, our wellness experts will guide you through the process. Reach out to our holistic healing center to learn more about HydraFacials and the renewing programs we offer. Stay tuned for more tips in our next blog post in the series on Collagen powder and how it can help decrease the speed of aging by minimizing both dryness and wrinkles.