To be frank, yes, winter skin really is a thing. I’m sure you may have noticed that as the season has been getting cooler, and the air becoming less humid, your skin may be getting way more drier than usual, maybe even somewhat dull
Personally, my skin loses its hydration intensely in the winter time. It’s important for me to properly change my skin care routine to combat the dry, itchy feeling I get due to the season changes.
The common temperature & humidity changes in the seasons causes our skins’ hydration levels to go on the fritz and it’s up to us to fix it! But how?
Some environmental factors like going between indoor heat and cold outside air, mixed with poor humidity levels can all play a roll in the lack of hydration in the skin during these wintry months.
It’s important to find those products and ingredients that will work to nourish, repair, & protect our skin during the harsher climates. With that, we need to be able to identify some common symptoms of Winter (Dry) skin to help determine what products will work best for you.
Some symptoms include but are not limited too:
- Redness/Inflammation
- Raw/Irritated Skin
- Itching
- Flaky or Cracked Skin
- Rough texture or Patches
- Stinging or burning
So, knowing what we talked about above, Now it’s time to make a game plan.
How do you decide what’s best for your skin during these months? What should you change? What should you avoid? You don’t need a crazy 10 step routine to achieve the perfectly hydrated skin you’re looking for. You just need a few good products & commitment!
What should I use?
A simple routine will consist of a cleanser, an exfoliant, a toner, moisturizer & spf. Super easy and to the point. This routine can be easy for mostly all skin types, the products will just vary based on skin instants and conditions.
Once you’ve created daily and nightly habits of taking care of your skin, then you can start to add serums, eyes creams, masks and all of the other fancy products you can think of! (In moderation of course!)
You want to use products to directly address the concerns you have with your skin. In this case, it’s dry skin, so we’ll focus on creating a routine for just that.
Say it with me:
“Every great routine starts with a great cleanser”
If you have to remember anything your favorite estie has said to you, remember tash told you this!
For the winter, milk cleansers are my go to! These cleansers are gentle and do not dry out or overly strip the skin of any needed moisture. Milk cleansers are nourishing and they leave the skin feeling really light and fresh after a good wash. They are ideal for dry and sensitive skin types.
Swiss line comforting emulsion cleanser is an amazing cleanser to start with. It’s rich and creamy texture just melts right into the face, gently removing make up and impurities. After rinsing it off, it will leave your face feeling so soft & supple! It has baobab tree extracts in it which has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe irritation and can even help with certain dry skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Biologique Recherche also created a milk cleanser for dehydrated skin. Their Lait E.V. Hydrating cleansing milk uses cellular extracts to help keep the skin healthy & nourished, while keeping the dryness to a minimum.
Next, we want to exfoliate. Atleast 2-3x per week, 4 if you’re feeling fancy! I like to use exfoliants that also have natural fruit enzymes in them, to help “eat away” at the top layer of dry, dirty, and dead skin. So not only are we getting a physical exfoliation from the granular ingredients, but a mild “chemical” exfoliation using natural fruit products that won’t be harsh or irritating to the skin.
Sodashi Enzyme Face Polish uses pomegranate enzymes and rice powder to help exfoliate, soften and brighten the skin. The polish also has Vitamin E to help boost moisture, soften and protect your skin.
Once the cleanse and exfoliating portion are completed. Your skin is ready for the next set of products to penetrate and work their magic. It’s always a good idea to tone after exfoliation.
Environ Botanical Infused Moisturizing Toner contains natural plant extracts that help moisturize the skin as well as prep the skin for your hydration creams and serums!
To finish off, we want to use a really good and rich hydrating face cream. If you wash in the morning, night, or both, that may determine how heavy of a product you wish to use.
During the day, I like to use products that are rich and last throughout the long day, but also don’t leave a greasy feeling on my face.
Swiss line Cell Shock Luxe-Lift Rich Cream and Very Rich cream are AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. This cream was intended to intensely hydrate, lift the skin and help to reduce wrinkles. It has pure marine collagen, colloidal gold and silk proteins to help with cellular damage and dehydration.
Seriously guys, I can’t tell you how much I love these products! Depending on how much drier your skin becomes during the winter, you can test between these two creams to see which one gives you the hydration and finish you desire
I like to use heavy products over night while I sleep, so while my skin is repairing overnight, the products can penetrate and hydrate my skin without much manipulation.
Swiss line Cell Shock Luxe-Lift Overnight Balm is similar to the two creams I suggested above in ingredients. The balm hydrates, lifts, and lessens wrinkles in the skin. Your skin will be glowing by the time you wake up!
Last but not least, SPF. You should be wearing SPF everyday, no matter the season! The sun doesn’t turn off just because it’s winter guys! It helps to protect you the the sun, environmental pollution and aging! It is a super important factor in keeping youthful skin!
Institut Esthederm Sun Ultimate Cream SPF 30 is a great SPF to use daily. It’s lightweight and absorbs into the skin really well. It also helps to moisturize and hydrate the skin, which is exactly what we’re going for!
It’s always important to reapply spf every 2-3 hours if you are facing larger times of sun exposure. And please be sure to PRESS firmly into the skin, instead of the usual rubbing in if you want to avoid the icky gray cast that our usual sunscreen leaves behind!
Most of these products I suggested can last anywhere from 2-3 months if you use them consistently which will help you get your moneys worth! Plus using them consistently puts your skin on a healthy routine. It’s providing the nourishment your skin needs to help fight the harsher climate changes on a regular basis. You will see improvements on your skins hydration levels, the brightness and elasticity as well!