Keeping skin healthy is especially important during the winter months. The drier air can lead to skin moisture evaporation, causing skin irritations. In addition, the sun’s ultraviolet rays (even in the winter) can cause damage to your skin cells.
While most of us are covered head-to-toe in the winter months to keep us warm, one particularly sensitive area of your skin – the face – is still vulnerable to the sometimes harsh conditions the season brings. That’s why a relatively new ingredient in skincare – Mitostime™ – has become a popular buzzword in skin health.
Mitostime is a concentrated extract of the brown algae Laminaria digitata. Studies with Mitostime have shown that it maintains healthy mitochondrial DNA in skin to help keep the skin energized. It also gives skin cells exposed to UV stress a younger appearance and supports healthy skin collagen. In one human study, these multiple benefits of Mitostime translated to a 15% reduction in the appearance of wrinkle depth and resulted in the skin of the volunteers looking six years younger on average.
Mitostime is clearly an effective, cutting-edge ingredient for skin care products to help you fight the effects of aging and maintain a more youthful appearance. It made headlines recently when Clinique, a major skincare products manufacturer, announced it would be including this “new” ingredient in an upcoming product, scheduled to launch in March 2012.
While “new” to Clinque, it’s not new to the cosmetics industry. There have been similar (and some would argue, superior) products that have been released recently. And while there has been no word yet on Clinique’s formulation, other products have included additional state-of-the-art ingredients with Mitostime to enhance its effects on the skin. They include:
- Phyko AI-PF, a marine-derived sugar that mimics the skin’s natural Epidermal Growth Factor, the process that supports the production of new skin cells. Studies show that it can promote new skin cell production.
- Thiotaine, an amino acid that promotes energy production and use in skin cells, creating and retaining a softer skin appearance. Thiotaine also supports the structure of the skin to promote a youthful appearance, acts as an antioxidant that protects the cells, and has been shown to reduce the appearance of skin discoloration and spots.
- Derm SRC, a combination of bamboo silica, pea extract and glucosamine that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and support the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid for firmer, more toned-looking skin.
Here are some other winter skin care tips to follow, courtesy of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School:
- The dry cold air of winter and hot dry air of indoor heating deplete the skin of it’s natural oils and moisturizers, leaving it dry, cracked and itchy.
- Humidified air is less likely to deplete the skin of it’s natural moisturizers, so use a humidifier to bring moisture back into the air and avoid heat sources like forced hot air or wood-burning stoves.
- Avoid hot showers, hot tubs and chlorinated pools (the chemicals contribute to skin’s dryness). Lukewarm water is best for your skin.
- When bathing, use gentle, moisturizing soap or body wash and apply a moisturizing cream to the skin immediately after bathing, an approach referred to as “soak and seal.” Moisturizing creams are more effective than lotions and are preferable to managing dry skin in the winter.
- The sun is still strong enough all winter to cause burning and damage to the skin, so wear sunscreen every day, especially when enjoying outdoor activities at high altitudes.