The bitterly cold weather outside and the heating on full blast inside surely won't do your skin any favor and can leave your skin looking dull and dehydrated, as well as feeling raspy and irritated.
Now is the moment to find lightweight moisturizers and go for products that are a little more substantial to be sure that your skin is hydrated, protected and moisturized.
Did you know that, like your wardrobe, your skincare routine should be changed with the seasons?
So, when you switch out your sandals to boots, it’s also time to change your skincare products to help your complexion to fight through these chilly months!
According to a study by Mintel, consumers are becoming more interested in seasonal skincare. In recent years, 11% of all launched beauty and personal care products specifically designed to target seasonal skin concerns.
Why Winter Weather Affects Our Skin
Along with snowflake-kissed eyelashes and rosy cheeks, during winter skin becomes dry and cracked. Winter air is drier and humidity is lower. As Dr. Joshua Zeichner, dermatologist, and director of clinical research at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, explains:
“When your skin loses its moisture barrier, it weakens the ability to protect itself.”
This is why the lightweight skincare products you used in summer – when the skin is typically oilier and humidity may be higher – not convenient to use during winter.
It’s important to pay attention to your skin's seasonal needs and adjust to it accordingly.
In order to find out how to best protect our skin, we have listed the top 4 tips for keeping it healthy and hydrated throughout the cold months. Here they are:
1. Keep Moisture In The Air
Dr. Angela Lamb, director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice in New York City, explains that our skin is the barrier that keeps the water inside of our body, so when it is dry and cold, water vaporizes off the surface faster and easier. To prevent dryness, Lamb suggests using a humidifier and recommends to drink two or an extra glass of water.
2. Avoid Hot Showers and Baths
Dr. Purvisha Patel, board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Visha Skincare, explains that, taking hot showers in winter months without moisturizing can create cracks in the surface of the skin. Hot water evaporates fast and if the skin does not immediately moisturized and soothed, its nerves will get exposed to air by causing cracks in the skin, eczema or “winter’s itch”.
It is recommended to look for products with ceramides as well as hyaluronic acid to keep the barrier of your skin from losing a lot of water.”
3. Don’t go outside in Cold Weather With Damp Skin
Dr. Melda Isaac, founder, and director of MI Skin Dermatology and Laser Center in Washington, D.C., mentions that a lot of people run outside after they have washed face or hands, but if your skin is damp and you go out in the cold, it is going to chap a lot more frequently. It will worsen the situation. She compares it with licking dry lips in winter. It makes the problem worse.
4. Exfoliate Less
When it comes to exfoliating and if you are hesitating whether to exfoliate or not fist you should understand that it is not the same for everyone.
If your skin is really dry, then you certainly should not exfoliate. But if it’s normal, then you can. You should, of course, exfoliate less than you would normally do, because of your skin barrier is going to be a little bit compromised because of the dryness and the cold air.”
If your skin is fine with exfoliation, dermatologists suggest exfoliating it once a week in order to help speed up the skins’ regeneration and allow better moisturization of your skin.
So, now is the time to list 5 best saviors which will help you to keep your skin’s moisture under lock and key in the winter.
1. Fillmed Skin Perfusion Cleansing Oil
This cleansing oil and make-up remover turn into delicate milk emulsify on the skin without leaving an oily film. This cleansing oil leaves the face feel smooth, hydrated, soothed and ready to act against aggressors caused by cold weather. It is suitable for all skin types and especially useful if you are in a hard water area.
Scoring top marks overall, this oil was fantastic at removing makeup during the lab test, with over 91% of testers in agreement.
2. WiQo Nourishing and Moisturizing Face Cream
The WiQo nourishing and moisturizing cream provides dry skin with the nourishing principles and protective substances that it needs, by leaving the skin nourished and hydrated.
This cream has a soothing and anti-inflammatory action and helps to preserve the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid.
Excellent for dry and very dry skin. It is also suitable after aesthetic medicine treatments that modify the hydrolipidic film of the skin such as biorevitalisation with or without needles and surface peeling.
3. NeoStrata Skin Active Intensive Eye Therapy
In winter you need to dab on some eye cream because our eyes are the most visible for showing signs of wear and tear, such as dark circles, puffiness, crow’s feet, and wrinkles.
NeoStrata Intensive Eye therapy is a unique SynerG Formula designed to help build and plump the layers of the skin in the eye area and combat the appearance of crow's feet, puffiness, and dark circles.
4. Miraclar Lip Balm
Our lips are more susceptible to drying out because the skin on our lips doesn’t contain oil glands, so it can’t replenish its moisture.
This balm with its moisturizing effect helps to repair weakened lips. Over 92% of testers agreed that this product did not dry out the skin or leave it feeling tight.
5. Restylane Hand Cream
Your hands are susceptible to become chapped and sometimes even cracked. So we need to be sure that we take care of them by using hydrating hand creams. These include ingredients like emollients that provide intense repair for dry skin that needs extra help.
The cream perfectly deals with dryness due to its ability to actively hydrate tissues. In addition, it has a wonderful lifting effect, due to which wrinkles on the wrists are smoothed and your hands again shine with youth.
Thus it follows logically that throughout the year, and especially in winter, it’s important that we practice solid skincare to take the best care of our skin.
Listen to your skin, and don’t be afraid to change things up as the seasons change!