Life Style

With the plummeting temps comes the curse of winter skin. Too dry, flaky, chapped. I've enlisted Angelique Cray-Cassell, aesthetician at Ona Spa in Los Angeles, to help us fight back with winter skin remidies!

Here's what Angelique has to say:
"During the winter months, skin can become a little troublesome, an array of problems can occur, but luckily there are some winter remedies!

Cooler temperatures and harsher environmental changes such as indoor heating and air conditioning, make our skin ‘freak out’. Scientifically what this means is that the skin has problems shedding its stratum corneum and replacing and re-nourishing the cells, thus creating flaking, tightness and dulling to the skin.

Trying to get the skin to balance and nourishing the cells, without clogging the pores can be a tad tricky. One of the best ways to provide nourishment to the skin is to use some natural enzymatic exfoliants. Try Ona Spa’s Rejuvenating Pumpkin Peel, this potent, effective but natural exfoliator is unique as pumpkin’s natural enzymes eat away at the skin, but deactivate the exfoliation process after 15 minutes, which eliminates over-exfoliation of the skin! Adding this to your facial routine once a week is a great way to freshen up the skin.

Vitamin C during the winter is another way to brighten the skin; it is also a great preparation for extra protection from the harmful UV rays in the summer months. L-ascorbic acid the chemical term for vitamin C also aids in the elimination of dead skin cells thus brightening dull winter skin. Try Environ’s Intensive C-Boost, this is a potent cream based serum that will also leave the skin with a smooth hydrated feel.




One of the most important winter remedies is getting hydration to the cells without clogging the skin. Flaking and cracked tight skin can be painful and unattractive. Opt for a moisturizer for dehydrated skin, not dry skin. This will provide hydration to the cells without over stimulating the glands which provides more oil to the skin, creating congestion! A great way to do this is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic Acid holds up to 1000 times its own weight in water, allowing it to replenish the skin’s own natural levels. Whether you change your moisturizer to something like Ona Spa’s Hyaluronic Calming Day Crème, or use a serum-based enhancer such as Environ’s Focus hydrating serum, they are both excellent ways to hydrate the skin and eliminate winter flaking and uncomfortable tightness!"