Winter Skin Saviors

Our skin is drastically affected by the seasons, and cold weather is a notorious skin wrecker. Just like a winter wardrobe, we need to adjust our skin care routine to fit the season. Finding just the right combination for you can be a bit daunting with so many products available to us. As estheticians, we are trained to do just that, but here are a few tips to make it easier for those who prefer to shop on their own.

Winter air tends to be the driest time of the year, the water in the top layers of our skin evaporates. When you add in the dry heated air from the furnace, our skin acts like a pot of water boiling on the stove. We need to stop that water from boiling out of the pot by placing a lid on it; we do this by layering our skincare products and protecting against water-loss. For example, we can trap moisture in the skin by layering a thinner, more aqueous hydrating serum under a more emollient cream.

Not every serum and every cream is right for all skin types. Choosing the wrong combination of products can very quickly lead to irritation, chapping, and clogged pores. We can narrow our choices by looking at our home care products based on skin type:

Oily Skin
Swap out foaming cleansers to a hydrating milky cleanser that does not strip the skin of excess oil and reserve your foaming cleanser for 1-2x a week. A hydrating serum will add much-needed humectants to your skin but don't skip on the moisturizer. Use a lightweight antioxidant cream with added peptides to lock in your serum and help prevent breakouts and wrinkles.

Normal Skin
Most of us with normal skin know its only normal in spring and fall, all bets are off when the weather changes. Normal skin types can't get away with maintaining the same regimen the whole year because their skin quickly can shift to oily or dry. Nourishing oil-based cleansers are a perfect way to protect your skin from becoming surface dry. A thicker day cream with skin-protecting oils like Argan Oil is excellent for keeping skin balanced. At night, boost collagen production by adding a retinol cream.

Dry Skin
If you have dry skin, winter seems like a long, drawn-out battle. The first thing you should do is stop using any toners or mattifiers. Add in a treating mist that is hydrating and helps your serums penetrate deep into the skin. Oil cleansers are going to be your best friend in winter as they help fortify your skin's natural barrier. A lipid-based moisturizer with a slightly occlusive nature will help protect you from wind, cold and dry heated air. Nighttime treatments should include a hydrating serum to absorb water and plump the skin and a nourishing skin oil like Borage that can lock in moisture.