Dry, patchy, cakey, itchy, irritable skin of yours during the drier months of the year might have gotten you into surfing the internet for some solutions, right!? Just like the climate influences the transition in our wardrobes and diet, it has a significant effect on our skin as well, making it obligatory to pay some attention and customize our skincare regime as per the changing climate. In fact, after pollution, it is winter which could possibly do the most damage to your skin. The cold air steals moisture from your skin, provoking it to become dry, itchy, irritable and impairing your skin barrier. This article focuses on a head-to-toe skincare routine to get that glow, hydrated, and plumped skin even during harsh winters. So, without any further ado, let's dive straight into this article and check out what we have in store for you!
When we mention adapting to a winter skincare regimen, we don’t mean that you have to completely chuck away every product from your skincare stash. All you need is a few swaps and additions to your current skincare game, which can really help to bolster your skin’s natural protection, leaving you with a healthy complexion and glow.
- Gentle Non-stripping cleanser:
Winters are that time of the year wherein your skin needs a lot more love. So, it’s time to ditch your regular foam-based, alcohol-based or any stripping cleanser. Cleansing your face is indispensable to remove dirt and gunk. Being said that, one must invest in good non-stripping, mild cleansers which could cleanse your face well without depriving it of its natural oils. If your skin feels tight, dry, or itchy after cleansing your face, it’s probably a cue indicating you to change your cleanser! It’s not just your facial skin which endures so much but the skin of your rest of the body too, so switching to moisturizing, non-stripping body washes or soap, especially during winters, is substantial which would not strip away the natural oils, thereby protecting your skin’s natural barrier.
- Incorporate vitamin C and hyaluronic acid
Regardless of what time of the year it is, vitamin c should be incorporated into your regime. It boosts collagen formation, enhances the growth and development of your skin; and repairs them, thereby snapping the havoc caused by winter dull skin.
Hyaluronic acid is an incredible active agent which helps skin hold on to hydration without having to rely on heavy moisturizers. It helps hydrate your skin by drawing water to the skin and locking it in. It is said that hyaluronic acid molecules can hold up to 1,000 times the weight of water, thereby locking moisture into the skin.
- Nourish your skin with creams
Switch from gel-based moisturizers to thick, nourishing creams and emollients to get that extra hydration and care in winter. Gel-based, light moisturizers are great for summers but they might not suffice the needs of your dry, dehydrated and dull skin in colder months. Switch from lotions and body yoghurts to body butter and creams to shower some love and affection on the skin of the rest of the body. Slather in some moisturizers and body butters on your damp skin as soon as you get out of your shower and let your dehydrated body soak in all the moisture and goodness these thick creams have to offer. Now, you might have a concern with these “thick” formulations resulting in your skin breaking out and getting sticky. Well, look for non-comedogenic formulations and ingredients to cater to such concerns.
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- Finish off with a hydrating facial and body oil.
Incorporating oils in your skincare regime can turn out to be one of your best additions, especially in your winter skincare routine. Even if you are someone with oily skin, investing in lightweight oils can do wonders for your skin. All you need is a few drops and you’re good to go! You can incorporate facial and body oils in your night skincare routine as night is the time when your skin rejuvenates, regenerates the most and revives from all day, dirt, pollution and sun rays. Also, we believe the night is the most comfortable time for oils. All you need to make sure of is, to do your skincare routine at least an hour before you hit the bed, so enough time is allotted to you and your skin to absorb your products and they are not wasted on your sheets or pillowcases.
- Alternate night creams with an overnight sleeping mask
On alternate nights of your week, you can replace your moisturizer with a sleeping mask. Sleeping masks and moisturizers basically constitute similar ingredients and benefits, however, a mask will generally have higher concentrations of active ingredients for a boost of moisture, while a moisturizer is developed for daily use intended to just maintain moisture levels. Hydrating overnight masks are typically loaded with humectants and emollients that toil to deeply penetrate the skin at night while also endorsing the health of the skin's outermost layer.
- Never skip your sunscreen
Be it any time of the year, no matter how cold the weather is outside, the sun never fails to rise! And so should you never fail to apply sunscreen! Our skin can be abused by UV rays all around the year. The sun’s rays can still be extremely strong and damaging even in the winter and so, slathering on enough sunscreen every single day is a good idea if you’re heading out during the day even in winter. All your efforts and money on skincare products go down the drain if you skip sunscreen! Seasons may change, and skincare routines may change, but sunscreen is forever.
- Don’t forget your Hands and feet
Our hands and feet tend to be the drier parts of our body. The skin on our hands has fewer oil glands as compared to the skin on any other part of the body. Also, they are the primary contact for almost everything we come across on daily basis. Subsequently, moisture escapes from our hands quickly, making them prone to cracks and itchiness. After the Covid-19 pandemic, we are habituated to using alcohol-containing sanitizer a lot. Alcohol is a drying and irritating agent. You don’t need to stop sanitizing, in fact, it is a healthy habit, just moisturize as much as you can. Just like you carry your sanitizers in your bag, carry a hand cream or any small tin of moisturizer in your bag and keep slathering it whenever you feel your hands are dry. Likewise, choose glycerin-based creams and petroleum jelly to moisturize your feet. Furthermore, make sure to exfoliate the skin on your feet periodically so that it absorbs the moisturizer efficiently.
- Take extra care of lips and under-eye skin
The skin of your lips and the under-eye area is the thinnest and most sensitive area. Also, while the rest of your skin may be oily but just like some other parts of your body, these areas have little-to-no oil glands to protect, hydrate and lubricate themselves. Our eye region tends to get drier more quickly than other parts, and that's why it is the first one to exhibit the signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles. Although eye creams are available in the market to cater for these needs, you need not necessarily invest in them. Use any serums, moisturizers or oils with actives around the eyes that soothe and protect them and; saves you a couple of bucks.
- Slugging
Slugging is the act of taking petroleum jelly and coating your face in it as a final step of your night skincare and waking up reborn! Petroleum jelly is occlusive and is meant to discourage tran-epidermal water loss and keep moisture in your skin. It's especially best for dry skin types. Despite what you may read on the internet, the ingredient is so safe that some dermatologists have not only approved it but also recommend it for use on small babies with eczema. While you don’t have to bother about petroleum jelly being comedogenic if you are dry skin type, however, if you are someone with acne-prone or acne-prone with sensitive skin, it’s best to bypass not just petroleum, but anything that’s occlusive.
So, these are the best recommendations we could suggest for you all to keep your skin healthy while it battles the colder temperatures. Look for ingredients like squalene, glycerin, ceramides, lipids, retinoids, and lactic acid in your products and most importantly try to invest in handmade skincare products from https://selflovesoaps.in/ which are totally safe as there are no preservatives and chemicals.
Apart from this skincare regime, some general instructions to keep in mind for healthy skin
- Cut Down on Shower Time and Temperature. Use lukewarm water to cleanse and bathe.
- Cut out dehydrating ingredients
- Don’t dry off completely. On getting out of the shower, just pat down the skin and then apply moisturizer on damp skin.
- Drink plenty of water
So, that’s about it! We hope we have given you some clarity and direction to get healthy skin during the approaching winter! In case, you have any queries, feel free to drop them in the comment section below or mail us at help@selflovesoaps.in and we’ll be happy to resolve them.