Your Skincare Glossary

There are a lot of theories about how to keep your skin happy and healthy, but all you know is that you feel the need for extra hydration during these dry months, and if you don’t do something soon, you may not make it to spring. Here’s a quick lesson on what ingredients to look for:

Amino Acids

Simple, organic compounds that replenish damaged skin, especially when administered by the facialists at The Spa by Equinox. Book the Couture, and they’ll tailor their techniques to your particular exfoliating, hydrating, and nourishing needs.

Calendula

This antioxidant, extracted from marigolds, has been used for thousands of years as a soothing, anti-inflammatory. Kiehl’s continues this ancient tradition, using it in some of their magical skin care products.

Hemp

An herb cultivated for its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing oil. You can find it in The Body Shop’s Hemp Heavy Duty Moisture Protectors—for extremely dry hands, feet, body and lips.

Hydration

What your skin desperately lacks because of the cold, dry air. Also, the key element in Origins new limited-edition Glo-Co-Nuts coconut moisture mask and popular Drink Up Intensive masks.

Treatments

The acts or manners of caring for someone or something and, via Neiman Marcus’ aestheticians, the ultimate delight for winter skin. This month the featured luxury skincare collections include those from Elemis Spa, Cle de Peau and Chantacaille Spa.

Ultrasonic

Physics geeks define this as “involving sound waves above the limits of human hearing.” Muji defines it as the means by which its best-selling diffuser disperses moisture and essential oils into the air. You can define it simply as a powerful way to counteract seasonal dryness.