GUEST POST by Gwen Lewis

When winter arrives, you need to brace your skin against the cold and dry air so that it can remain luminous and healthy. Here are some important skincare tips you should follow so you don’t put gorgeous skin on ice! 

Bring Back the Moisture

The contrast between cold air outside and hot air inside your home or office is a common cause of dry skin. The bursts of air strip your skin of moisture, making it flaky and dry. Reclaim hydration with these tips:

– Apply moisturizer to damp skin when you step out of the shower. This makes it easier for your skin to absorb it than if it is cracked and dry.

– Use natural humectants. These are ingredients found in many skincare products that draw moisture in the air to your skin, helping it stay nourished. They include glycerine and hyaluronic acid.

– Combine humectants with occlusives. If the weather is too dry, humectants can actually stop doing their job so you need to team them up with occlusives. These are ingredients that are thicker in texture and will be able to lock in humectants. Shea butter is an excellent example.

 

Get Rid of Dead Skin

While you’re layering on the thicker moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated and smooth, don’t forget that you should exfoliate your skin once a week. This is a great solution for eliminating dryness because it scrubs off those flaky, dead skin cells, bringing back your radiance. And remember: just because your skin feels smooth after a session of exfoliation, it doesn’t mean you should skip the moisturizer! This is essential to maintain silky skin all day long.

When using scrubs, avoid products that contain microbeads. These are minute pieces of plastic that find their way into the waterways after going down the drain and – quite scarily – can find their way back to us. They are ingested by fish and work their way up the food chain because these plastic beads are not biodegradable. Do yourself and the environment a favour by giving them a miss.

Choose biodegradable alternatives to microbeads. These include powdered pecan shells, bamboo, and apricot seeds. They’re even more effective because they are textured, able to exfoliate your skin better than smooth microbeads.

 

Look After Skin in the Eye Region

The skin around your eyes is very delicate and more prone to becoming dry during the colder months because it is so thin. This also makes it show wrinkles easily. Instead of using the eye gel you were dabbing during the summer, invest in a thicker eye cream instead. Look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or rice bran. These will balance the skin’s PH while providing nourishment.

Smooth on the Sunscreen

You might think it’s okay to ditch the sunscreen if the sun isn’t out, but you can still be targeted by those damaging rays. If you are enjoying snow activities like skiing, you are still at risk of the rays that reflect off the white snow. By diligently wearing sunscreen, you protect your skin against discolouration, redness, broken capillaries, dryness and more serious conditions such as cancer.

Eat Fatty Acids

Now that you are applying the right products to your skin, you also want to be sure that you nourish your skin from the inside. You can do this by drinking water to stay hydrated and eating foods that contain essential fatty acids.

Found in fish such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed, essential fatty acids contribute to a healthier, glowing skin. They help to decrease your skin’s sensitivity to the sun while also preventing inflammation from skin conditions such as acne. Oils from omega-3s keep skin cells packed with moisture which means your skin will be smoother and supple.

Keep flaky, irritated winter skin at bay with these easy-to-follow skincare tips that will help you look radiant all through the cold season.