For many, figuring out a skincare routine that addresses the cold weather effects on the skin is a yearly struggle. Let’s look at a few tips and tricks for building an effective winter skincare routine.
Do You Need a Winter Skincare Routine?
During the winter, you aren’t only exposing your skin to cooler weather. Chances are, you’re also regularly taking hotter showers and cranking up the heat to get some relief from the chill.
The cold constricts the blood vessels and decreases the moisture in the skin, whereas the heat dries the skin by evaporating water from the surface. Keeping these changes in mind, it is important to adjust your skincare routine to adapt to the shift in the environment.
Adjusting Your Skin Care Routine for Winter
In the cooler season, you don’t have to do a complete overhaul of your favorite skincare products. Rather, you’ll want to make small adjustments to account for the change in weather. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when building your winter skincare routine.
Assess Your Exfoliating Frequency
Exfoliating topicals like retinols and alpha hydroxy acids are wonderful for your skin. The exfoliation boosts the production of collagen, which leads to smoother and plumper skin. However, when your skin is being exposed to harsh winter weather, too much exfoliation can be harmful. When overdone, exfoliation leads to inflammation and dry skin. Assess how your skin is reacting to your exfoliating products, and cut down on your use if you notice irritation or dryness. If you do at-home chemical peels, it is also a good time to decrease your use, as the peeling may irritate already delicate skin.
Add Moisture
As you probably guessed, it is vital that you stay on top of hydrating your skin. Adding and preserving skin moisture is key to fighting the dryness that comes with cool air and hot showers. Look for serums and moisturizers with powerful hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Consider adding a hydrating serum, and then topping it off with a moisturizer for maximum hydration.
Don’t Forget Your Body
Your winter skincare routine shouldn’t stop at your face. You’ll want to give your skin the extra moisture it needs during these drier times – from your feet to your head. In order to prevent dry skin, you should swap out your lighter consistency body lotion for a heavier cream or balm. These thicker body moisturizers have less water than lotion, which means they’ll last longer on the skin. They are also better suited for preventing evaporation and trapping water in the skin.
Best Winter Skincare Products
If you want to preserve hydration in your skin and keep it happy and healthy in the cold months, consider adding these moisturizing skincare products to your winter skincare routine.
Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum with Illuminotex™
This multitasking serum improves the overall appearance of the skin while still keeping it hydrated. It contains active ingredients that boost collagen production, soften wrinkles, minimize sun spots and hyper-pigmentation, improve skin texture, and minimize the appearance of pores. Ingredients include retinol, exfoliating acids, and hyaluronic acid, which dramatically boosts hydration levels to prevent dry skin.
Visha Skincare RejuVenating Moisturizer
The RejuVenating Moisturizer is an emollient face cream that restores moisture in the skin, reinforces the skin barrier, and improves overall elasticity. It also contains soothing and calming wild yam extract, which can be particularly useful for skin irritated by winter weather.
Visha Skincare Face 2 Feet
If you’re looking for something that will prevent dry skin, this is the product to add to your winter skincare routine. This body balm contains ingredients that boost hydration, increase skin firmness, and improve overall skin radiance, including shea butter, cocoa butter, and sunflower oil. It also contains rosehip and lavender essential oils, which minimize skin inflammation.
Additional Winter Skin Care Tips
In addition to establishing an effective winter skincare routine, here are a few tips to keep your skin healthy and protected during this time of the year:
- Sun protection is crucial, even during the winter. UV radiation is still able to penetrate through clouds, and it can bounce off surfaces (especially the snow and water) and hit your skin. Wear SPF protection of 30 or more daily.
- Take care of your skin from the inside out. Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day, and aim to get 8 hours of sleep. You should also take a multivitamin and probiotic to enhance your skin and your overall health.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to completely change your skincare routine during the winter. However, a few smart tweaks will help you prevent dry skin and keep irritation at bay.