Cold temperatures and low humidity levels result in dry air that draws moisture away from the skin. Harsh winter winds and dry indoor heat can make the problem worse and lead to cracked and even bleeding skin. These can result in dry, itchy, irritated, and sensitive skin. Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis may also flare up during these cold, dry months.
Here are some tips for preserving a healthy, radiant complexion and help reduce chapping and redness by keeping your skin healthy and comfortable until spring arrives:
Ramp up your routine
- Adapt your skincare routine to provide your skin with extra nourishment and hydration
CLEANSE
- Don’t over-cleanse your skin.
- Swap your morning wash for a hydrating toner if you wake up with dry, tight, or flaky skin. These will give your skin a chance to rebuild its natural protective moisture barrier.
- If your skin is sensitive, dry, or dehydrated, change to a moisturizing cleanser like a balm, oil, or cream cleanser.
- Avoid harsh foaming cleansers that may potentially strip the skin of its natural oils.
- Use warm, not hot water.
- When possible, use warm or lukewarm water instead, including when you wash your face or hands.
MISTS AND ESSENCES
- Use a hydrating mist or essence between each step of your routine to add moisture and help combat skin dehydration.
- Check the ingredients list for humectants, ingredients that attract and bind to water and stay on your skin few of the best ingredients to look for are:
- sodium hyaluronate
- niacinamide
- glycerine
- squalane
- vitamins
- minerals
- and oils
- Look out for our new essence launching in the next few months. Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website, and you will be the first to know more about it!
MOISTURISE
- Apply moisturizer to damp skin immediately after cleansing to seal water into your skin.
- Protect the skin against water loss and helps restore the skin barrier.
SERUMS AND OILS
- If your skin is dry, dehydrated, or flaky, change your routine by adding nourishing oils and serums.
Ingredients matter
- Choose products containing ingredients that relieve redness, retain moisture, and protect your skin.
- Argan oil contains a high level of linoleic acid valuable moisturizing agent that works to restore barrier function.
- Antioxidants, like vitamins A and E, protect against free radical damage and maintain a healthy skin barrier.
Ingredients rich in anti-inflammatories, such as aloe vera, evening primrose oil, and shea butter, nourish and soothe the skin.
- Avoid astringent ingredients like SD alcohol (also called ethanol, ethyl alcohol, or denatured alcohol) that will speed up water evaporation leading to dry, inflamed skin.
Alternatively, if your skin is severely dry, you might try adding an emollient moisturizer that seals in moisture, followed by another moisturizer on top.
Protect
- Wear sunscreen every day, even during winter.
- Few minutes a day of unprotected sun exposure can result in drastic changes to the skin’s health.
- During cooler months, a sunscreen protection factor (SPF) of 30 providing broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB radiation is adequate. Apply sunscreen as the last step of your morning skincare routine.
- If you spend most of your day in a heated office or home, consider buying a humidifier to add moisture to the dry air. Humidity acts as a natural moisturizing agent that may benefit dry, dehydrated skin.
Feed
- Feed Your skin from the inside out
- Increase your intake of foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These include
- fatty fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds (chia, flaxseed, and walnuts), and plant oils (hempseed, soybean, and canola oils).
- Consider taking a vitamin D supplement.
- Alternative dietary sources of vitamin D include oily fish, egg yolks, mushrooms, fortified cereals, and dairy or plant-based milk.
