'Tis the season for sweaters! While I do enjoy a break from the warmer months, the change in temperature and dry air don't quite agree with my skin. Not to mention the use of indoor heaters. As much as I love the cozy nights with the heater by my side, keeping me nice and toasty, it wreaks havoc on our skin. Hello dry skin, goodbye moisture.
So how can we support our skin during the cooler months?
Exfoliate
The cooler months can lead to a build-up of dead skin cells as our skin's natural ability to regenerate new skin cells slows down. This can leave our skin looking dull. Increasing skin cell turnover can be achieved by exfoliating once a week with a gentle exfoliator. This helps to remove dead skin cells, opens up pores and leaves your skin looking brighter and softer. Taking the time to exfoliate allows your body cream or body oil to penetrate deeper into your skin, delivering skin nourishing ingredients. Just keep in mind that it’s important to not overdo it. You don’t’ want to irritate your skin or make it more sensitive to the winter elements. Pay attention to how your skin reacts.
Sunscreen
If you thought that now is the time to put your sunscreen to the back of the line, think again. It is still imperative that you apply sunscreen with a broad-spectrum SPF of 50 or higher. As one of the biggest misconceptions about the cooler months is that because the sun isn't as strong, you don't need sunscreen. The use of sunscreen is still incredibly important throughout the year, as the sun's rays are just as damaging to our skin in the cooler months as they are during the warmer months. And remember, the damage from the sun’s rays happens over a period of time and can be years before you see it.
Choose Richer Products
To keep your skin soft and supple as the temperature drops, you'll need to choose skin care products that are heavier and more hydrating. A richer product will help seal in moisture and strengthen the skin barrier by improving the skin's ability to retain moisture. If you’re somebody like me who still prefers their lightweight face moisturizer during the winter, add a face serum containing hyaluronic acid before your face moisturizer and follow it up with a face oil to lock in hydration. If you find that this isn’t enough for your skin type, opt for a heavier and richer moisturizer.
Avoid Hot Showers
Hot, long showers are incredibly tempting in the cooler months, but these hot showers will only dry out your skin and irritate it. Use lukewarm water and limit showers to 15 minutes.
Cleansing
You should avoid cleansers that contain fragrances and any other harsh ingredients that can dry out your skin. If you are able to, opt for a milk, cream or balm cleanser instead of one with a gel or foam consistency. Your skin will thank you.
Diet
Eat a diet rich in healthy fats and antioxidants, healthy, proteins, vitamins and minerals. What you eat effects your skin as well. Certain foods can cause breakouts, lead to dull and lifeless skin and premature ageing. What goes inside your body is just as important as what you put on your skin.
Hydrate
Being our largest organ, our skin needs water to keep it healthy and supple. Drinking water and eating water rich foods to stay hydrated will also benefit you by helping to flush away toxins from your system, helping in maintaining your skins elasticity, increasing blood flow to your skin and reducing face puffiness. You know how we’re always talking about our skin’s barrier function and how it’s important to keep it strong by using body oils? Staying hydrated is another important step in keeping our skin barrier healthy and strong.
Eye Area
Due to the thinness of the skin around our eyes and the fact that it does not produce oil, it's not harmful to treat this area with some TLC. Our skin will become drier over the cooler months, making fine lines and puffiness more visible. When you use a gentle but effective cream for your undereye area, you will keep your undereye skin soft, hydrated and smooth.
Ingredients to add to your winter skincare routine include:
Hyaluronic Acid – Thanks to its ability to bind to water molecules, Hyaluronic Acid delivers a burst of hydration to thirsty skin and encourages our skin to hold onto moisture. Because of Hyaluronic Acid’s plumping effect on the skin, this deeply hydrating ingredient helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and helps increase skin elasticity. It’s an extra glass of water that your skin will always benefit from. Find a moisturizer and a hydrating gel mask that contain hyaluronic acid for moisture retention and hydration.
Ceramides - With age, ceramides -- which are lipids found naturally in the skin -- gradually decline, resulting in skin that is drier with less bounce back. The production of ceramides is often reduced in people who have eczema or psoriasis, so products containing fatty acids and ceramides are a fantastic addition to soothe dry and irritated skin. Ceramides strengthen the skin's natural barrier and lock in moisture for long-lasting hydration, helping to keep the skin supple and healthy.
Olive Squalane - The majority of squalane used in skin care today is natural, plant-derived, and free of cruelty, despite historically being derived from shark livers. It mimics our skins natural oils so our skin slurps it without leaving a greasy feeling and encourages better absorption of other skincare products applied to the skin.
Niacinamide - Helps to repair and strengthen the skins natural barrier, encouraging our skin to hold onto hydration which then helps in reducing moisture loss through the skin. Niacinamide also protects the skin from everyday pollutants, environmental stressors and helps reduce inflammation of the skin.
Panthenol - When applied to the skin, panthenol converts into pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) and has anti-inflammatory properties, helps the skin heal more rapidly, and improves moisture retention deep within the skin to prevent trans epidermal water loss.
Body & Face Oils -oils are truly amazing at replenishing and hydrating thirsty skin. They provide that extra hit of moisture that our skin desperately craves in the winter. Body & Face Oils can naturally leave a protective film over our skin barrier to lock in moisture. Use a body oil straight after your bath/shower while your skin is still damp or Apply your face oil as the last step to your skincare routine to lock in the other ingredients. Alternatively, add a few drops to the water next time you’re having a bath.
In general, the best body oils are organic, are free of chemicals & fillers, and are extracted from roots, fruits, flowers, and leaves.
Stay warm. Stay safe. Take care of your skin.
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