Tag: dry skin

Our Newest Product is Almost Here…

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New product development may be the most fun part of my job. It is scientific, creative, challenging, satisfying. There is research, there are prototypes. There are misses and bad skin reactions. And then one day, everything comes together and a new member of the Alchimie Forever family is born.  

Our newest product will be on shelves mid-July, and I can’t wait. Ask and you shall receive! It is a calming, soothing, hydrating, anti-aging body lotion, its name will be (very literally) Soothing body lotion – because it soothes the skin, and soothes the soul. This all-over body cream will complement our existing body product assortment, comprised primarily of targeted problem solvers (Firming gel for neck and bust, Optimizing body contour gel, Dry skin balm).

Much of the new product development process involves looking at products from other brands that fall in the same category. I have been testing body lotions for months… and here are some of my favorites.

Goe (for Garden of Eden) Oil by Jao. This semi-solid oil transforms into liquid oil as you massage it into your skin. It is composed of 28 fruit and flower oils and butters, and the medicinal aroma reduces my blood pressure. The directions say to use sparingly, that less is more – but I can’t help myself and slather it generously over my entire body.

Body Salve (Geranium Cedarwood aroma) by Spa Rituals. I adore Shel Pink, the woman behind this brand, and I love the texture of this product, which is not quite a cream, not quite a balm.

Stress-fix Body Lotion by Aveda. The best part of this lotion is its lavender aroma, formulated to reduce feelings of stress. (Side note, I also love the Stress-fix Soaking Salts in a hot bath before bed.)

Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion by Aveeno. Can you see the theme here? A competitive product test has to include at least one drugstore product, and I must admit I like this lotion, although I know I shouldn’t because the ingredients aren’t great (did anyone say petrolatum?). Once again, the lavender aroma is a big part of it. I also love the pump packaging.

Herbalderm Sensitive Body Lotion by Rausch. Of course, I had to test a brand from Switzerland. This product is based on Swiss plant extracts and leaves my skin hydrated no matter the climate or dryness.

What’s your favorite body lotion? And are you as excited as I am for the arrival of our Soothing body lotion? July is almost here…

Winter Skin Strategies

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I have had the privilege of spending the past few days at the Sundance Mountain Resort, in UT, for my favorite annual conference – Brigadoon. The days have involved skiing, incredibly stimulating conversations, new ideas, old friends, as well as snow and freezing temperatures. And my skin has been suffering!

If you are still in the midst of winter weather, here are some tips to keep your skin hydrated, comfortable, and glowing.

  1. Hydrate from the inside out. You can never drink too much water… it will help your skin and your body. (And here in Sundance, it also helps with altitude sickness!).
  2. Switch out your usual cleanser for a cream or oil-based cleanser. And use lukewarm water even when the temperatures are frigid.
  3. Layer moisturizers and oils. I recently bought the Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and it has saved my skin. I apply it after my Pigment lightening serum, and under my Kantic+ intensely nourishing cream.
  4. Exfoliate. The most nourishing products won’t be able to penetrate and moisturize your skin if you have a layer of dead skin cells on top of your epidermis. But don’t overdo it – find a gentle scrub (like our Gentle refining scrub), and keep it to once a week.
  5. Give your skin the benefit of a hydrating treatment. I have been using our Kantic Brightening moisture mask twice weekly for the past couple of weeks, and it has saved my skin!
  6. Don’t forget your SPF. In particular in the mountains, and when enjoying winter sports, daily UV protection is a must. On top of my various creams and serums (see step #3), I layer our Daily defense SPF 23.

Enjoy the rest of the winter weather, even while dreaming of Spring!

Moisturizing Tips

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Most of us use a moisturizer – but do we use the right one, in the right way? I speak to women every day about their moisturizer choices and habits, here are some of my favorite tips.

  1. Yes, well all should use a moisturizer daily. Choose it based on your skin type – refer to my father’s advice above, I could not put it in better words (to his delight!).
  2. Take seasonality into account when choosing the right moisturizer. This means that you may have to different ones, a light one for the humid summer and a more hydrating one for the dry winter. Also remember climate, in particular if you have recently moved or travel a lot. As I write this, sitting at my hotel desk in Las Vegas, I feel the dryness in my skin all the more than I did two days ago in Washington DC…
  3. The moisturizer that was right for you in your 20s is probably no longer right for you in your 40s. The number of women I speak to who have not changed their cream in 20+ years is staggering. Our skin is a living, breathing organism that evolves and changes with time. As you adapt your wardrobe from your 20s to your 40s, so should you adapt your skin care products.
  4. The perfect morning cream offers hydration, anti-aging benefits, and broad spectrum SPF protection. Look for an SPF of 20 or above for daily use, to protect your skin from 90+% of UV, such as our Protective Day Cream SPF 23.
  5. Do not use a moisturizer with SPF in the evening.
  6. Apply your moisturizer from the clavicle or collarbone to forehead, always moving against gravity. Always remember your face does not end at your chin, but rather mid-chest.
  7. Don’t forget to exfoliate once to three times per week to help slough off dead skin cells – and help your moisturizer really absorb.
  8. If you are looking for the perfect Alchimie Forever facial moisturizer to incorporate in your routine, here are your three choices:

My cold weather skin care tips

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Maybe it’s a Swiss thing, but I love the late fall and early winter, which bring with them the holidays, the cold, snow, and cashmere sweaters. My skin, however, suffers during this time of year. Colder temperatures, the dryer air, and heated interiors leave it feeling dry and flaky, sometimes even uncomfortable, rough, and red. Here are some tips I follow year after year to help my complexion remain calm, hydrated, and radiant throughout the winter.

  1. I switch to our gentle cream cleanser. While I love a foaming cleanser and the feel of “squeaky clean” skin during the warmer months, this does not work for me in colder, dryer weather.
  2. Even though a hot bath or shower is oh-so tempting in cooler temperatures, I try to resist. Hot water breaks down the skin’s natural moisturizing lipids and leave it feeling even dryer.
  3. I switch to our Kantic+ intensely nourishing cream. Year-round, this is my go-to cream when I travel by plane, which is so dehydrating to my skin. In the winter, I love this nourishing cream every day. I keep one at home and one in the office, as I like to reapply throughout the day, in particular before going outside.
  4. I also switch to a more hydrating body cream. I love the thickness and scent of Aveda’s Caribbean Therapy cream to ensure no “crocodile-like” legs.
  5. As a hydrating-booster treatment, I like to use our Kantic brightening moisture mask at least twice weekly. I apply it first thing in the morning upon entering the bathroom, and remove it at the end of my shower. It doesn’t add any time to my routine, and gives me instant hydration and radiance.
  6. I like a good humidifier to help combat the air’s dryness. A low-cost alternative is to simply place bowls of water in the rooms you spend most of your time in. As the water evaporates, it will add moisture to the air.
  7. I protect my hands with gloves when going outside, and use hand cream religiously, at least after every time I wash my hands. Of course, I love our antioxidant relief for hands and feet.
  8. I also protect my lips, which are always dryer in the winter. I carry Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour cream in my purse at all times. It is super hydrating, and doubles as lip gloss.
  9. On the ski slopes in particular, I remember to use a high SPF sunscreen (I love Anthelios), as the snow reflects UV rays and makes them even more damaging.
  10. Finally, I try to remember to hydrate from the inside out by drinking a lot of water – either with my favorite Super Orange Emergen-C, or as a cup of hot, freshly-brewed green tea.