(Quick note to my mom, who sometimes reads this blog: I am not pregnant nor do I have a preexisting child who is. Just keep reading!)
My skin has been so ridiculously dry lately! At first, I thought it was just the winter (and my friend Liza confirmed that she’s had more trouble this year than in years past, too). But the combo of that, my weight being up a bit, and my tolerance for alcohol just not being what it used to be, makes me wonder… am I getting old? (Not with this babyish haircut, I’m not! Friends at dinner on Thursday told me it makes me look even younger than my old long hair did.)
But let’s go back to the dry skin issue. Last night, I washed my face, then pulled out my floss to work on New Year’s Resolution #6. Before I had even gotten set up to start flossing, I glanced in the mirror and saw that my skin was dry and flaking off! It seemed my skin needed to be moisturized within 10 seconds of being washed or it would go kamikaze-style on me and make for the floor in flakes. Yikes! As a stopgap, I splashed my face again, this time with cold water, and immediately grabbed my moisturizer out of the bathroom and slathered it on. Crisis averted… at least till I could find a more permanent solution.
My friend Liza (who is popping up so much because we had lunch today and discussed all sorts of quarterlife problems) recommended Aveeno’s moisturizers, made with oatmeal, but the Duane Reade on the way home was ridiculously overpriced and had a terrible selection, so I thought I’d hold off and see what other recommendations I could get. And as a second stopgap measure, I decided to whip up a DIY moisturizing oatmeal facial mask. The video is long, but I’ll save you the trouble: using a food processor/coffee grinder, grind up 2 tbsp of dry oats and mix with 2 tbsp baking soda. Add just enough water to make it into a paste, then apply to skin. Like so.
Yeah, even I couldn’t stop laughing at myself in the mirror. This goo is funny-looking!
But in about 15 minutes when it was almost totally dry (and cracks were forming when I tried to open my mouth or move any facial muscles), I washed it off… and discovered that my skin was pretty smooth and supple underneath. Just like a 25 year old’s! (Wait, I am 25… not 90)
So while I revel in the newfound glory of my baby skin, can anyone provide a recommendation on a good moisturizer for normal skin? I’ve been using Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti Sun Damage Daily Moisture Lotion SPF 28, if that helps with a rec… I just think I need something stronger. (You know, to get into all my wrinkles.)
Finally, for those of you who normally view this through a reader, click through and let me know what you think of my spiffy little overhaul! A little more pink and a little more fun 🙂
I use Cetaphil moisturizing cream (comes in a tub like cold cream) @ night year-round, and twice a day in the winter. A little goes a long way but it really seals down the flakes and keeps the moisture in!
p.s. love the new layout!
i like your new header, but the design aspects of the last one appealed to me more (you asked, sorry). The new one makes your blog a little more personal (new years resolution?)
Ooooh loving the makeover.
Aveeno moisturizers are ridiculously expensive, but it’s worth the investment. I also use Burts Bees face scrub. There’s grape seed oil in it, so when you wash the scrub off, it leaves a waxy, greasy film on your face. At first, I was completely disgusted by this, but it doesn’t clog pores and keeps my face nice and moisturized right out of the shower until I am ready to apply moisturizing cream. Also once a week, I apply a bentonite clay face mask. [Bentonite clay + EVOO + honey] You can get the clay @ The Vitamin Shoppe/Amazon.com. Has the same effects as your DIY oatmeal mask. Good luck 🙂
Love the new layout!
I don’t have any moisturizer recommendations. My skin is super dry this year all over, but my face is just as oily as ever even though I’m 10+ years older than you (not 90 but not 25 any more).
I love Jason’s Ester C lotion: http://www.amazon.com/Jason-Natural-Cosmetics-Ester-C-Lotion/dp/B00012NKAY/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1294073376&sr=1-2
It does have a delicate citrus smell to it, but it’s really light and delicate and all natural.
Also try Mychelle’s Incredible Pumpkin Peel to slough off a lot of that gunk.
Aveeno has a daily gentle scrubbing face cleanser that does more moisturizing than scrubbing. You might like that.
I like the new layout!
I’m 33 (when did that happen) and I use Johnson & Johnson’s Purpose lotion plus Neutrogena’s Deep Clean Cream Cleanser and have been pretty lucky with keeping moisturized over the winter. Like the mask idea, though!
Thanks for the shout-out in your post on the W- sorry to have missed you.
Re: moisturizers, I really the Cerave moisturizing lotion. They have a cream too, which is a bit more heavy duty. My dermatologist recommended the Cerave cream to me when my skin was really dry last year.
I really like the new header on the blog. The sign-off’s cute too (I think for me it would be a bit too cutesy, but it totally depends on your personality of course! and as long as it’s you- go for it 🙂
Also, clicking through the new layout I saw your post about your coldest marathons- I had taken a hiatus from blog reading for a while last year sometime and totally missed that you had done the Mobile Marathon during that crazy cold snap too! I was there and ran it 🙂 Funny, despite (or due to?) the cold temps, it’s the only marathon at which I’ve managed a BQ! (but I didn’t do Mississippi the day before either 😉
I really like that Bliss moisturizer I am using that I posted about on my blog! I have noticed my hair/skin/lips/nails getting drier this year compared to in the past – can’t decide if it is because I am getting older or just all the city grime/air that I wasn’t exposed to as much before I lived here! Probably a little of both. My hair has been what’s bothering me most lately and is what is prompting me to grow out my color so I stop dyeing it! PS I think your hair looks really good!
Yep, that’s about the time it all started going downhill for me too 😉 In the winter my skin is so bad I can only use cetaphil but it works.
the new layout/header looks good!
First, I wanted to thank you for commenting so much on my blog! It’s nice to know I’m not just talking to myself.
That said, I’ve been having a lot of issues with my skin lately too. The weather keeps changing here in South Carolina, so my skin will be oily on the hot days and flaky on the cold days. I’ll have to try that face mask once it gets cold again!
Hi Laura, what is your email addy? I have a request. [runtonamaste at gmail dot com]