Winter can mean dry and dehydrated skin, but it doesn’t have to!
Let’s talk about our skin
To put simply, our skin is like a brick wall. When building a brick wall, you need two things: bricks and cement to hold everything together. So if our skin cells are considered the bricks, we also have ceramides to act as the cement.
Ceramides are known as fatty oils or lipids that make up the skin barrier (literally a brick wall!) and keep our skin well protected and healthy. But when we’re exposed to cold wind and air, you’ll start to notice our skin get all flaky and irritated. What gives?Turns out that your skin barrier isn’t functioning properly because the amount of ceramides in your skin are depleted. That makes for dry and dehydrated skin that’s just unpleasant to the eye and to the touch.
Good news is that this condition is temporary and treatable. While your skin naturally does a great job at rebuilding the skin barrier on its own, we can help our skin by using lotions and creams.
For our face
If you’ve noticed already, our face is vulnerable to weather changes. For our oily skin types, you might feel your skin producing less oils. For our dry skin types, your face might feel drier than before. Fortunately, there are a few tips you can easily incorporate to rebuild your skin barrier back to health.
One tip is to use gentle cleansers that don’t strip the skin of its oils. After cleansing, your face should feel clean without any tightness or stiffness. And if you’re already using toners and serums, it’s great to layer up on hydrating ingredients. We’re talking about humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, and certain AHAs like lactic acid. Then top off with a moisturizer containing ceramides and other occlusives like jojoba oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter. This will act as an additional shield to keep all the moisture in your skin as you brave the chilly elements.
Product Recommendations
For our body
Like our face, our body also needs some tender loving care. If you notice any stiffness, itchiness, and even flakes, chances are that you’re dehydrating your body. This is definitely the case, especially when you’re taking long and hot showers or if you’re sitting near a heater to keep warm.
In this case, you can replenish your skin by lessening your shower time, using moisturizing shower oils and washes, and moisturizing after stepping out of the tub. Look for shower oils and body washes containing skin soothing ingredients like vitamin E, shea butter, and cocoa butter. And after your shower, apply your body lotion immediately after patting your skin dry. For best results, make sure to apply your lotion on damp skin.
Product Recommendations
For more info on winter skincare and selfcare, check out our video:
Head over to more information and product recommendations:
