Dry and dehydrated skin shouldn’t be confused as the same. Dry skin is where your skin is unable to produce enough oil and sebum to retain much-needed moisture. If left to its own devices, it won’t look shiny but will probably appear patchy or dulled, and possibly more fine-lined than that of your oily-skinned friends. Our skin is also more susceptible to sensitivity as oil creates a natural protective barrier – so redness, inflammation, and irritation can occur.
On the other hand, dehydrated skin simply lacks moisture but can still make oil, which can often leave us confused with some shiny bits and flaky bits. We often over-exfoliate and strip all the moisture using harsh chemicals.
Both dryness and dehydration are common complaints during winter when the cold environment and central heating wreak havoc on our complexion. It’s common for your face to feel tight and uncomfortable, as though you have been sun or wind burnt.
While dry and dehydrated skins are different – lucky enough, they have the same remedies to help cure.
Update your winter skincare routine
Drier skin during the winter months should not require a complete change of products. Instead, it is best to listen to your skin and try to accommodate specific needs. It is also important to keep up your regular skincare routine. Use a non-alcohol cleanser or cleansing butter to get rid of built-up dirt, impurities, and pollutants. Follow your cleanser with a gentle exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and give skin a natural glow. Exfoliants also help to calm redness, a common concern at this time of year. And lastly, don’t forget to moisturize all day, every day. Remember that UV rays are harmful all year round, especially when reflected on snowy surfaces, so never leave home without applying an SPF of 30 or higher.
Gently exfoliate dry, flaky skin in winter
If you are dealing with dry, flaky skin in the winter, it can be tempting to use a scrub to get rid of all those dead skin cells. Unfortunately, harsh, abrasive scrubs can damage your skin, causing moisture loss and ironically even more dryness. Instead, it’s best to remove dead skin cells with acid leave-on exfoliant. If you normally use a gel or liquid exfoliant, try switching to a lotion during winter. Step up the hydration by adding a hyaluronic booster straight after exfoliating to relieve dry skin and make skin plumper.
Restore dry winter skin on your face
If you experience a lot of dryness during winter, it is important to protect and restore the skin’s natural barrier. Hydrating serums, packed with nourishing components help to avoid moisture loss, delivering intense hydration. Natural ingredients repair and revitalize skin and also hydrate and protect from environmental damage. Opting for a toner is another great way to replenish the skin’s surface. Apply a hydrator while skin is still damp – this will help to seal the precious water into your skin and help the serum or toner to penetrate the skin’s dermal layer, plus will also mean you use less product. We recommend using lightweight, water-based hydrators.
The last step is to apply your thickest product like oil and/or cream to lock in moisture and protect the skin from external pollutants. In the morning, take your time massaging your favorite facial oil into your skin to increase circulation and get rid of any face puffiness from the night’s sleep. Cold, windy weather also means the delicate skin around the eyes can get drier – so please do not forget about it. At night, use the extremely hydrating facial oil as a nourishing treatment for your skin after a long day. It penetrates deeply and quickly to hydrate, revive, brighten and insure your face against fine lines, dark spots, dryness and ageing inflammation.
If you normally have dry skin, the colder months can make it even drier. We recommend adding an ultra-rich moisturizer cream top on your face oil, for example, end your evening routine with this product for extreme hydration. Or instead, an overnight mask also is a lifesaver, which intensely moisturizes even the driest of skins and will ensure you wake up to a radiant and dewy complexion.
Don’t forget your winter body skincare
The skin on our bodies needs love and attention too, even though most of it is covered at this time of year. Neglecting it can lead to extremely dry, dull, and flaky skin due to the build-up of dead skin cells. To avoid this, 1st of all try using very gentle body exfoliators. Follow these exfoliating body procedures with either ultra-rich soothing body butter or body oil to hydrate and protect skin even more.
Soften dry winter hands and lips with rich-textured products
Cold, windy and wet weather can cause hands to become dry and painful with brittle nails and frayed cuticles. Use ultra-rich creams to help to nourish and protect dry hands, repeating as often as needed and always after hand-washing. Cold cream is a true multi-tasker that takes care of cuticles. To exfoliate dry hands, use acid exfoliators. Overnight you can use a nourishing mask.
Lips are sensitive to cold weather because they produce less oil than the rest of the face, so it’s important to take extra care of them during winter. Protect and nourish them during the day with a lip balm or cold cream.
No products in the cart.