On a clear day, my skin could be classified as dry. On a bad day, my skin could be classified as very dry, and on a bad day, it would be classified as a desert. As a Colorado native, I’m used to dealing with dry skin, especially when temperatures start to drop. It’s thanks to the state high altitude and lack of water sourcetends to make you feel like you’ve just stepped into a dehydrator, removing every drop of moisture from your body as soon as you step outside.
Since moving to New York, my skin is less dry. This makes sense, since the average percentage of humidity in New York fluctuates somewhere around 65%while Colorado’s average humidity percentage is just 33%. In fact, I’m used to how my skin feels in this wetter climate—it’s still dry, but never as bad as when I was back home.
Fast forward to this fall. There’s no better way to describe what’s happened to my skin than it’s starting to get super freaky. Blame it on stress, not sleeping well, too much hot showers, hormones, the food I’m eating… I don’t know if I’ll ever know for sure what the culprit is, but it sucks.
I’ve gone from pretty controllable dry skin with face creams and eye moisturizers to skin with stubborn dry patches, nasty red spots, uneven texture and overall dullness. . I’ve tried every trick up my sleeve to no avail. I use very basic products that I know don’t irritate me and use ointments on patches of dry skin – you can name it. I was about to throw in a towel and see if my dermatologist could prescribe me a steroid cream when Kiehl’s new Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Sunscreen hit my desk.
After meeting to learn all about the product with the brand’s consulting dermatologist, Michelle Henry, MD, FAAD, and global chief scientific officer, Nancy Ilaya, PhD, I felt pretty good. about the new ice cream. I thought, “What the hell” and kicked out every other skin care product from my skincare regimen to see if a barrier repair cream could be my ticket to solving my skin problems. . I think I will use it for two weeks and if my skin is still FTFO I will make an appointment with a dermatologist ASAP.
Spoiler alert: After two weeks of using this cream, I have become a fan of it. The uncomfortable dry patches on my right eyelid and forehead have not only almost completely disappeared but my skin texture has also become smoother. My face has also gone from dull to visibly bright, and most importantly, I feel confident in my own skin again (without makeup).
