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“Skincare” takes on new meaning in Colorado, where an arid climate leaves people feeling particularly dry, and a side effect of our extracurricular activities—like skiing, hiking and mountain biking—is wind- and sunburns, no matter the season. Translation: Taking care of our skin is of utmost importance. With winter just around the corner, it’s time to stock your shelves with skin-saving salves. Here are some of our favorites.
Depending how dry your skin is, you may want to simply swipe some toner over your face in the morning to rid it of overnight oils and prevent dehydration. But come evening, it’s time to thoroughly cleanse your face of all the pollutants, makeup, and other gunk that’s built up over the course of the day. Start your nightly ritual with May Lindstrom’s The Honey Mud (pictured, above). A delicious (it smells like chocolate!) mix of white clay, honey, and plant oils cleanse gently without stripping skin of moisture. Pro tip: When you need a little extra TLC, pamper yourself by using this as a 10-minute mask. $80, available at Vert Beauty, 3442 W. 32nd Ave, 303-623-8378, vertbeauty.com
If your routine needs just a touch of added moisture, reach for Denver’s own R.L. Linden & Co.’s Time After Time frankincense restoring serum. With its hydrating and repairing mix of essential oils (like rose hip, meadowfoam, frankincense, and helichrysum), this nightly treatment helps keep skin supple. Plus, the deep, relaxing scent of frankincense is perfect for unwinding at the end of a long day on the slopes or in the office. $42, available at Goldyn, 2040 W. 30th Ave., 720-489-0580, shopgoldyn.com
A face cream that has anti-aging benefits and protects skin’s moisture barrier? Sign us up. StriVectin’s Multi-Action Restorative Cream is pricey, but it packs a lot of power into a small jar. Its key ingredient—NIA-114, a patented form of niacin (vitamin B3)—helps repair fine lines, improves skin’s elasticity by preventing water loss, and repairs skin discoloration. Beyond the science, we’re fans of the fact that this cream doesn’t leave behind the sticky feeling of most heavy moisturizers. $95, available at strivectin.com
Prefer something more lightweight? Head straight for Kiehl’s cult-classic Ultra Facial Cream. It’s chock-full of hydrating ingredients such as squalane and plant extracts to help skin stay balanced all day long. If this gentle moisturizer can keep a global adventurer’s complexion protected—it was used during the “Greenland First Ascent” expedition—it can definitely handle a Colorado winter. $27.50 (1.7 fluid ounces) to $47.50 (4.2 fluid ounces), available at kiehls.com
Avoid environmental stressors like cold, wind, or sun taking your skin by surprise by having the Phyto Corrective Masque by SkinCeuticals in your beauty arsenal. Rich in botanical extracts (cucumber, thyme, and olive) and hyaluronic acid (a substance naturally present in the human body that holds 1,000 times its weight in water and helps keeps skin hydrated), this gel mask feels cool on contact, comforting stressed-out skin and reducing redness. $55, available at lovelyskin.com and skinceuticals.com
Fact: Even your body moisturizer needs to be switched up to something more emollient during cold-weather months. Our current favorite is Organic Bath Co.’s Drenched organic body butter, which is formulated with Shea butter and various oils, including argan and sweet almond. $29, available at Aillea, 3000 E. First Ave., 303-551-0564, and 1408 Larimer St., 303-997-6209, aillea.com
Follow fashion editor Georgia Benjou on Twitter at @gabenjou, Pinterest at /gabenjou, and Instagram at /gabenjou.