How to Care for your Skin in the Winter

Do you update your skincare regimen for the winter months? No matter how radical the changes in the weather, you must always pay attention to any changes in your skin. And adjust your routine to give it all that is needed.

For most, winter is a time of drier indoor and outdoor conditions. There are the challenges of heating systems and their dry and dehydrating air. There is the problem of cold and blistering winds that also dry and burn the skin. Even UV rays are a problem in the winter.

So, how do you provide your skin with the best care throughout the winter months? You start with hydration. One of the best skincare routines you can do all year long involves nothing more than drinking enough decaffeinated fluid. Yep, eight glasses of fresh, water. By doing so, you are giving your body the supplies of water it needs to perform all of the other functions AND deliver any remaining amounts to the skin.

You will notice that if you are not getting enough water, your skin (no matter what season) can start to appear dry and cracked. Overcome dehydration by boosting water intake.

Caring for your skin during the chilly winter months can be as cozy as curling up by the fire with a good book. It’s a time to indulge in richer moisturizers, embrace gentle cleansers, and avoid those scorching hot showers that, while tempting, can strip your skin of its natural oils. So, grab your fluffiest robe and let's dive into a winter wonderland of skincare that will leave your face as fresh as a snowflake!

Why Avoid Hot Showers in Winter?

Hot showers can be the siren song of winter, but they’re a false friend to your skin. High temperatures break down lipid barriers, leading to moisture loss. Imagine a snowman in the Sahara; that’s your skin in a hot shower! So, keep it lukewarm and your skin will thank you by staying hydrated and happy.

The 5 Most Asked Winter Skin Questions:

1. How to Prevent Dry Skin in Wintertime?

Pro Tip: Humidify Your Habitat Crackling fires and central heating are as synonymous with winter as snowmen and sleigh rides, but they zap moisture from the air – and your skin. Fight back with a humidifier to keep the air, and your skin, moist.

2. How Often Should I Exfoliate in Winter?

Pro Tip: Less is More Go easy on the exfoliation. Overdoing it can strip your skin and leave it as raw as a blizzard-blasted cheek. Aim for once a week with a gentle exfoliator that sloughs off dead skin without the abrasiveness of a snow shovel.

3. I Have Combination Skin. How Do I Moisturize Without Causing Breakouts?

Pro Tip: Balance is Key It's like choosing the right winter jacket; you want something that’s warm but breathable. Look for non-comedogenic moisturizers that provide hydration without clogging your pores. Gels or serums with hyaluronic acid can be your skin's BFF here.

4. What is the Best Moisturizer to Use in Winter?

Pro Tip: Embrace the Richness In winter, your skin craves something heavier than the summer fare. Think creamy, like a luxurious hot chocolate for your face. Look for ingredients like ceramides and fatty acids that fortify your skin’s barrier against the cold.

5. How Does Winter Affect Your Skin?

Pro Tip: Protect and Defend Winter brings a double-whammy: cold air outside, dry heat inside, both enemies of hydration. Your skin works overtime to maintain its moisture barrier, so give it some backup with a strong defense of rich creams and protective serums.

5 Best Skincare Rituals for Healthy Winter Skin:

1. Morning Splash with Lukewarm Water: Skip the cleanser in the AM to preserve natural oils.
2. Serum Savvy: Apply a vitamin-rich serum to damp skin to lock in moisture.
3. Nightly Nourishment: Use an overnight hydrating mask to work miracles while you sleep.
4. Sunscreen Still Applies: Yes, even in winter! UV rays don't take a holiday.
5. Gentle Exfoliation: Once a week, use a soft enzyme exfoliator to keep skin glowing without irritation.

A Recipe for Hydration: The Ultimate Winter Mask

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp natural yogurt (a natural source of AHAs and probiotics)
• 1 tbsp honey (nature’s humectant, locks in moisture)
• 1 tsp avocado oil (rich in fatty acids)
• A few drops of lavender essential oil (for a calming scent and skin-soothing properties)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you have a smooth paste.
2. Apply a generous layer to your face, avoiding the eye area.
3. Relax for 15 minutes, imagining you're in a snow globe.
4. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your face dry.

Your skin will emerge from this hydrating cocoon as revitalized as the first day of spring!

With these tips, tricks, and rituals, your winter skin care routine can be a joy rather than a chore. Embrace the season’s unique needs and your skin will radiate with health, no matter how frightful the weather outside may be. Let's turn the cold months into an opportunity to pamper, protect, and provide for our skin, ensuring it's as resilient as our spirit in wintertime! ❄️🧴✨

Then, you need to pay attention to the routine you use for the face and body.

Regular Daily Skin Care

Before we look at products ideal for optimal winter skincare, let’s take a moment to consider what sort of daily routine you should use for regular skincare. The most common regimen should include:

• Exfoliating – This can be gentle exfoliation daily and then scrubs or masks once a week. You can use facial products and body scrubs to achieve this simple but essential step.
• Cleansing
• Toning
• Serum application
• Moisturizing and using SPF

That’s it! Do this once in the morning and again in the evening. You will start to see significant improvements in your skin. You might even plan a midday boost by cleansing, toning, and applying moisturizer and sunscreen. Get around six to eight hours after you wake (which is not technically midday, i.e., noon, but more the middle of the hours you are awake and active).

Choosing Products

Of course, many people don’t see the results they want with their skincare routines. Frequently because they fail to drink enough water and do their daily routines. Even when they do, some still don’t see improvements. And this is usually down to one key factor: they don’t consider their skin type.

Skin types do not usually change much, but they can. For example, during the summer, you might feel your skin is oilier than it is during the winter. So, as winter rolls around, it might be advisable to switch to products for the dry or even mature skin. Why? They never remove too much of the oil and have a goal of keeping the skin hydrated and protected.

Another factor that can prevent those with drier skin from getting the best results from their skincare routines is that they avoid the use of toners. It's unfortunate and is because many think of toners as astringents. They are not always the same, though some toners can have astringent qualities. In other words, not all toners are meant to dry the skin and remove oil and impurities. Some are incredibly hydrating.

One of the essential steps for an optimal winter skincare routine is to keep the skin hydrated with facial mists (toners).

Facial Toners

If you have never added toner to your daily skin regimen, now is the ideal moment. You will see how it improves your skin’s condition as the winter begins. You may be pleasantly surprised at just how moist and vibrant your face becomes by merely adding a few sprits or applications of these toners to the routine:

D20 Skin Prep Toner – Designed to deliver moisture deep into the skin. It features “heavy water” that saturates the cells and allows better delivery of other active ingredients, including borage oil and cucumber. Skin Prep is for those with dry skin, those in arid climates and those living in the harsh conditions of winter. Use after cleansing but before serum applications for the best results.

Moisturizing Toner – This misting product makes it easier than ever to add a thorough application of toner just after cleansing. It is packed with natural AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) that help to exfoliate the skin and trigger rapid cell turnover to produce the healthiest skin possible. However, it is also enriched with botanicals that deliver and seal in moisture, leaving even mature or seasonally dry skin super hydrated.

Collagen-boosting Serums

And once you have cleansed and toned, you can apply serums that lock in moisture or boost the effect of your moisturizing products. For example, you can use a liquid collagen serum to offer support to your skin’s natural collagen and elastin stores. When used in partnership with an intense hydrating moisturizer that also has collagen ingredients, it will provide optimal skin plumping and protection.

For wintertime, an excellent hydrating moisturizer with collagen is The Balm Hydrating EGF Peptide Cream.

It is designed to ensure healthy skin all year long. The Balm works as an anti-aging formula and cream that helps the skin to restore its natural collagen levels through intense hydration. Featuring MitoProtect, it helps the skin to resist the damages that lead to signs of aging and to rejuvenate itself at a faster pace. It features white tea that helps the skin manage environmental stressors, and it can improve skin in less than a week.

Moisture-surge Moisturizers

The Ultimate Night Moisturizer is also a good choice for those looking for optimal wintertime skincare. Pre-treat the skin with a collagen serum and then count on the intense hydrating ingredients in this formula that include antioxidants, firming and tightening ingredients and more.

It can feel as if the winter takes a lot out of your skin, but with these tips and products, you can return all that the winter removes. Plus, it even helps your skin to improve, replenish, and rejuvenate throughout the winter months.

References:

• Baumann, L. (2007). “Winter Skin Care”. In Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Medical.
• Draelos, Z. D. (2007). “Therapeutic Moisturizers”. Dermatologic Clinics, 25(1), 17–23.
• Eberlein-König, B., & Ring, J. (2005). “Relevance of vitamins C and E in cutaneous photoprotection”. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 4(1), 4–9.
• https://www.healthline.com/health/collagen-powder-benefits