All seasons come with their specific associated weather patterns, especially moving from hot to chillier and drier days. “All these fluctuations affect your skin as it is trying to keep the moisture barrier intact and skin barriers functionally balanced, while it is going through all these temperature and humidity changes,” says Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu, MSc, PhD, founder and CSO of AveSeena. “It also becomes more vulnerable to sensitivities and irritation as your skin will feel dryer, irritated and tighter with colder, drier days”
What you can do to protect your skin especially during winter is tweak your skincare routine.
“Changing your skin care routine is a personal choice and it takes time to optimize it,” says Karpuzoglu who insists that instead of a drastic change you can slightly adjust your current skincare routine. “The key point in a balanced skin care routine is to layer carefully to prevent the loss of hydration and the rise of sensitivities and inflammation, which becomes more problematic in winter and harsh weather conditions.”
As we move into more dry and chillier days, applying more moisturizer or adding oils to your routine will definitely help you, she says. “If you use your moisturizer only day and night, start applying also during the afternoon to fortify your moisture barrier.” She also recommends mixing up your moisturizer with your facial oil to further up the defense against cold weather and protect your skin’s barriers. “Think as if you are wrapping your skin in a soft warm cushion away from the dreadful cold. As winter seeps into our daily lives, it also pulls out moisture and its nourishing elements. You can also use your nutrient packed serum more often and layer it under your moisturizer to replenish your skin’s resilience.”
QMS Medicosmetics international trainer and esthetician, Rowan Hall-Ferrise, also suggests considering using a milk consistency cleanser through the winter months so that you are not stripping natural oils from your skin and to never forget to apply SPF since the aging (and skin cancer-causing) UVA rays are strong year-round.
Hall-Ferrise also recommends exfoliating two to three times a week, so that you don’t end up with a buildup of dry, dead skin cells that can inhibit the active ingredients in your skincare from penetrating to the lower levels of the skin and cause clogged pores/acne. “Lastly, remember that the most important thing is to have a strong skin barrier to keep as much moisture locked into the skin, so skip the scrubs, foaming cleansers and don’t over exfoliate.”
