How to winter proof your skin
Winter can be harsh on your skin. The cold weather and lack of moisture in the air can cause your skin to become dry, itchy, and cracked. If you want to keep your skin healthy and hydrated during the winter, you need to take a few extra precautions. Don’t worry though – we’ve got you covered, with our top tips to winter-proof your skin.
Why does skin get dry in winter?
Before we can understand what contributes to winter skin dryness, we need to take a look at what makes healthy skin to begin with.
Healthy skin is the result of a well-balanced mix between hydration and protection, thanks to what is called your skin barrier. This skin barrier is the topmost layer of the skin which helps to keep the body hydrated by preventing water loss and protects against environmental threats such as bacteria, viruses, and environmental pollutants.
Cold winter winds, dry air, over exfoliation of the skin and exposure to artificial heating deplete your protective skin barrier, which often leads to dry, tight, itchy, cracked and potentially irritable skin. Damage to your skin barrier can also contribute to a loss of elasticity (which increases signs of ageing) and makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays. Therefore, it is important to take care of the skin barrier in order to maintain healthy skin throughout winter.
DIY tips to winter-proof your skin
If you’re wondering how to hydrate your winter skin, there are plenty of small but impactful changes you can make part of your daily winter routine. Firstly, take a note from your grandma’s advice and never leave the house without rugging up, in order to protect your skin from harsh, cold winds. Although you may not think you need it, remember to use your sunscreen during the winter months, as the sun's rays can still have harmful effects, and add to the dehydration of your skin. With a little care, you can keep your skin healthy and happy all winter long. Let’s explore some easy and simple solutions, shall we?
Cleanse with luke-warm water (not scorching hot!).
We know it’s tempting after jumping out of bed in the morning and feeling your feet touch the freezing cold bathroom tiles, to turn the hot water on full blast. Not only is this detrimental to your skin, as the hot water can strip away its natural oils, depleting your skin barrier and making it dry and irritated. There’s also research to show that colder showers can also help boost your immune system – so it’s a definite plus for the winter months (if you can stand the cold that is!). If cold showers aren’t your thing, opt for luke-warm water, for both your showers and when cleansing your face. Trust us, your skin will thank you for it later!
Keep hydrated
It’s all too easy during the winter months to go hours without a drink of water, thanks to the reduced temperature (and far less sweating!). This reduces your body’s in-built thirst response, making it less likely to tip you off that you need to rehydrate. Thanks to heating, air conditioning and the dry, cool winds that hit us when we step outside, our skin can become dry and irritated due to a lack of hydration. Therefore, it’s important we keep our skin hydrated from the inside out. Drinking plenty of water is a great start, but if you’re finding it harder to get your 2-3L of water in per day, why not try some herbal, hydrating teas, such as rooibos, chamomile or even caffeine-free white tea. You can also try a warm lemon water upon rising for the day, which is a lovely way to warm up your digestive system and rehydrate your body after a long night without hydration. We also love to use DMK’s Herb & Mineral Mist which delivers nutrients to the skin that help to hydrate.
Keep up your EFA’s
When your skin needs a little moisture, you can use Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (aka EFA’s) for the perfect fix of hydration, helping your skin cells retain moisture. EFA’s keep our skin feeling soft and supple during dry spells and help give you a youthful glow by retaining elastin. You can find Omega 3 EFA’s in foods such as fish (mackerel and salmon being the highest in EFA’s), but also in non-animal sources such as flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts. We also suggest using a quality EFA supplement, especially during winter, to give you that extra boost of moisture throughout the dryer, colder weather.
What should your skincare routine include for winter?
‘Should you exfoliate more in winter?’ ‘What’s the best winter moisturiser to use?’ These are all questions we get asked daily here at Skin From Within – so no doubt you’re asking them too!
Whilst we do want to remove dead skin cells and bacteria from pores during winter, the temptation can be to over exfoliate, in order to remove any dry, flaky skin. We suggest keeping exfoliation to a minimum (max 1-2 times per week), so as to not cause too much damage to your skin barrier. Opt for a gentle cleanser, like DMK’s Hydra Louffa, which gently dissolves dead skin cells, without causing irritation.
To help trap moisture into the skin, apply a moisturiser after showering or cleansing the skin. We love using DMK’s Hydroloc, which can be applied underneath your makeup or sunscreen, for ultimate hydration. We also love Maximum Moisture as a full-body moisturiser. Want our pro-tip? Both these products are great for reducing the occurrence of stretch marks, as they keep the skin soft, supple and elastic – so if you’re a pregnant mumma, you may want to add these into your skincare routine also!
Winter weather can be harsh on our skin. The cold air, wind, and indoor heating all take their toll. This is why it’s important to winter proof your skin with a skincare routine that will help keep it hydrated and healthy. We hope the tips we’ve shared have given you some ideas for how to do just that. If you want more personalised advice, book a skin analysis today with one of our qualified skin specialists. They will help you create a skincare routine that meets your specific needs and keeps your skin looking its best all winter long.