Beauty Tips Tuesday: Caring for Your Skin During Cold and Flu Season.

This years cold and flu season is here; it is a bad one. At first I thought it was a "media story", but as I had a visit to my Doctor and my childrens Pediatrician this past week, theyare both very worried about how bad this flu season is already. I know two people (one is 21, one is 52) in the hsopital with the flu right now. And they are normally healthy people. It is scary. The pediatrician told me "not to be surprised" if our school system is closed soon. It is that bad here in Massachusetts.

I know at some point this winter, we are all going to be sick with a cold, if not the flu. Did you know that cold medications, constant nose blowing, sore throats and fevers can all negatively affect skin condition? Seriously! All that can leave it spotty, flushed, dry and dehydrated. Of course I have the beauty tips you need to combat these things.

Renowned celebrity esthetician and skin expert, Renée Rouleau, offers her expert skin tips to care for skin during cold and flu season, ensuring that once that cold has been kicked, glowing skin will be just what the doctor ordered.

Use a humidifier at night.
Whenever the air is dry it looks for moisture wherever it can get it – and that means robbing it from skin. Common decongestants also dehydrate the skin, leaving it parched and dry. Using a humidifier at night keeps moisture in the bedroom air, which maintains hydration levels in the skin, and keeps it feeling comfortable.

Apply a cold gel mask to the skin.
Since decongestants can dehydrate the skin, a gel mask is a good way to replace the skin’s moisture while also alleviating a pounding head and achy face from congestion. Renée’s Recommendation: Keep a mask like Bio Calm Repair Masque ($49.50) in the fridge for cooling relief when you need it.

Keep moisturizer on the nose at all times.
Repeated nose blowing causes friction of the tissue (even tissues with added moisturizer) and nose area resulting in red, dry, irritated skin. After every blow, apply a small amount of cream to the nose area for comfort and repair. Look for creams that contain ceramides and lipid-rich oils for ultimate soothing moisturization. Renée suggests her Glow Enhancing Cream ($69.50).

Use skin care products with mint.
Fighting an infection can leave skin looking gaunt and sallow and congestion makes is hard to breathe. So think mint! Renée’s Recommendation: Her favorite cleanser to use when she has a cold is Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel ($35.50), because it really clears a stuffy head, opens up the nasal passages and stimulates blood flow to give skin a much needed glow. Sip on mint tea, too – medical experts recommend it to sooth a sore throat, help drain sinuses and ease congestion.

 

Drink a lot of water.
Despite common perception, this isn’t very beneficial for the skin, since water is the least efficient way to hydrate it, but more so for the body. Keeping fluids running through your system can flush away toxins and keep your internal temperature down. Renée’s Recommendation: Try making refreshing water recipes to help flush out those germs. She love strawberry + mint + lemon. Adding fresh ginger + honey is great for combating colds with a refreshing spicy twist.

Follow Renée and access all of her tips at Reneerouleau.com, on Twitter and on Facebook.