By Lauren Jablonski
It’s winter, time to switch up your wardrobe as well as your seasonal skincare routine. Following a healthy lifestyle as well a good skin care regiment, is the best way to slow the signs of aging and guard against winter weather. Below are some ways to winterize your skincare routine.
Beware of the Winter Sun
Even though you might not be visiting the beach during the winter, remember clouds don’t block the UV rays that contribute to aging and skin cancer. Don’t slack on sun protection in the cold months. The snow is a powerful reflector of UV radiation, beaming back 80% of the sun’s harmful rays. Before you venture out into the cold, apply a nickel-sized portion of sunscreen to your face.
Lay it on Thick
The cold, dry winter air damages your skin’s natural barrier. A permeable barrier allows water to evaporate off your skin quickly, leaving you parched. Update your skincare routine with rich, heavy duty moisturizers.
Apply product while your skin is still damp, so it can lock in moisture instead of dryness. Don’t be afraid to layer on more than one moisturizer; your skin craves the extra nourishment. Hydrating face masks can also provide some much-needed holiday season pampering.
Out with the Old
If you’ve lathered on your favorite product, but your skin still feels dry, itchy and irritated.
Use a gentle exfoliator to slough off the dead skin, so that your lotions and serums can do their job, moisture can’t absorb into your skin if it is sitting on a layer of dead skin cells.
After you’ve removed old skin cells, the new ones will flourish, and you’ll have fresher, brighter-looking skin. You’ll also reduce the itching and flaking that often plagues your skin during the winter. If you have sensitive skin, exfoliate once a week for best results.
Combat Redness
There are many contributing factors to winter redness. When you turn up the heat in your house, sip red wine at holiday parties, and take super hot showers, your blood circulation increases, and you look redder. The sudden change in temperature can lead to broken capillaries as your body tries to adapt itself to the weather. Seasonal coughs and frequent nose-blowing also produce an unwanted rosy appearance.
Wash your face and body with lukewarm water. Switch to alcohol-free products and soothing serums. Consider using a humidifier to counteract the dry air in your home.
Go easy on yourself
Avoid vigorous scrubbing, harsh exfoliants, and foaming cleansers that strip away precious natural oils from the skin. Use gentle products on your face to lock in moisture. Apply serums and moisturizers by tapping with the pads of your ring fingers.
Don’t spend too much time out in the cold if you can help it, the frigid winter climate causes, on average, a .5 increase in your skin’s pH level. High pH makes it harder for your skin to kill bacteria. Coldness also makes your skin tighter and less elastic.
