The temperature is gradually decreasing, and your skin health too. Your skin is not as smooth as before and lost its shine and glow. It's expected as your skincare needs some changes according to the season.
Keep your skin barrier strong
Now is the ideal time to reconsider your skincare regimen to combat environmental pressures. Tight, irritated, itchy, and dry skin are the primary symptoms of skin barrier disturbance.
Our skin barrier is prone to disruption throughout the year. Still, it needs special attention during the winter since external aggressors like pollution and excessive use of exfoliating skincare products can damage it.
Look for compounds like niacinamide, which boosts ceramide formation, is anti-inflammatory, and fights pigmentation, and ceramides, lipids, and creams that lock in moisture.
Nail your night-time regime
At night, our skin goes into repair and restore mode, so it's key to get your evening skincare routine in check. Cleaning your face with a non-drying cleanser- look for polyhydroxy acids( PHAs), as they are the kinder cousins of alpha hydroxy acids(AHAs).
Then follow up with an active product. You can alter with retinol and peptides, which are the second most proven ingredients when it comes to skin health and regeneration after retinol, and then apply a ceramide-rich hydrator to seal in the actives and protect the skin.
Do not start using retinol in winter if you have never used it before. Retinol can make your skin dryer and irritated initially. It can take several weeks for the skin to acclimatise to retinol use- it's common to experience some dryness and redness.
So if your skin already goes this way in winter, the combination of both could be unbearable and difficult to deal with. Those who are already using retinol can continue as usual, like two to three times a week at night only.
Dial down the exfoliation
When flakes strike, sometimes it feels like the only route is to exfoliate them away. This can further impair the skin barrier, leading to more skin issues. You can reduce the frequency of exfoliation to once or twice a week.
Avoid combining physical exfoliants with chemical exfoliants, as this can lead to redness and irritation-particularly if you use a retinoid product. Do not overdo it with your skincare- less is more.
Load up on antioxidants
One of the biggest challenges for our skin in winter is the constant changes in temperature- moving from the heat to the cold outside wreaks havoc on our skin. Spending time inside with less fresh air can also cause problems.
Antioxidant-rich skincare is also important as it helps defend the skin against micro-toxins caused by recycled air and those from pollution, UV, and blue light damage, all of which are very much real, even in the depths of winter.
Look for ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol and niacinamide.
Avoid oils if you have oily skin
Don't assume that the cold months mean you have to switch your favourite moisturisers for face oils. While drier skin types can benefit, oilier ones should steer clear.
Face oils are suitable for dry skin types, as oils tend to sit on the skin's surface and prevent further moisture loss.
An additional, separate moisturiser can also help reach deeper layers of the skin. Using oil on acne-prone skin can even cause more breakouts. People with oily skin should stick to non-comedogenic formulas containing ingredients like dimethicone, ceramides, or hyaluronic acid.
mahia.afrin2021@gmail.com