As magical as the festive season is, it can’t be denied that it has its drawbacks. The cold winter weather doesn’t just require us to wrap up in warm layers — it also takes its toll on our skin. From low humidity levels to dry indoor heat, it’s essential to take additional measures to nourish and protect your face and body throughout the cooler months. In this blog post, we’ll outline some of our best winter skincare tips to keep your skin happy and hydrated as you combat that cold-weather chill.
How does the weather affect your winter skincare routine?
From around late autumn each year, you may notice that your skin feels tighter and drier than usual. The changes you experience can often be attributed to the change of seasons and the symptoms that come along with it.
Our skin favours consistency — both in terms of weather and care routine. As autumn gives way to plummeting winter temperatures, the cold weather and low humidity levels cause the air to dry out and draw moisture away from the skin. The resulting dryness experienced is worsened still by other winter-related factors such as harsh winds and dry indoor heat. Existing skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis may also be triggered and flared by the effects of cold temperatures.
Winter skincare tips
Luckily, there are a few protective and preventative measures you can take to safeguard your skin against the drying and damaging effects of the cold weather. Here are a few of our best tips for beating the winter chill:
Limit shower time and temperature
While a long, steamy shower may seem like the perfect remedy after a day spent battling the frosty elements, high heat and prolonged time spent in the shower may come at a cost for your delicate skin. By limiting your session to no more than seven minutes and keeping the temperature below 37 degrees celsius, you can avoid stripping your skin of essential moisture and preserve its natural protective barrier.
Equally important is taking care to avoid roughly rubbing yourself dry with a towel, as the vigorous friction may irritate and over-exfoliate the skin. It is recommended to use a soft towel to gently pat yourself dry and moisturise directly after towelling to seal in the moisture from your skin’s natural barrier.
Modify your facial routine
You may notice that your face looks a little dull and lacklustre during the winter. This is primarily due to dead skin cell buildup from the changing climate, which can, in turn, lead to trapped oil and bacteria and increased breakouts. By switching up your facial routine in a few simple ways, you can better prepare your skin for the harsh effects of the cold weather. Here are some of our winter skincare tips for taking care of your face this season:
Exfoliation – While your skin needs a little extra exfoliation during this time, take care not to overdo it. By choosing a light acid rather than a heavy scrub and taking care to apply it carefully in circular motions, you can gently and effectively eliminate that unwanted buildup of oil and bacteria on the surface of the skin. Ground coffee, sugar and sea salt are some of the best ingredients to use in exfoliating home remedies.
Moisturiser – Opt for a thicker moisturiser that helps replenish and repair the skin’s natural barrier. A deeply nourishing facial serum can also help penetrate the skin at deeper levels and restore the natural glow that is often missing during the winter.
Cleanser – By choosing a creamy, hydrating cleanser over a foamy, gel alternative, you can avoid stripping your face of essential moisture and eliminate the tight, uncomfortable feeling that comes along with it.
Toner – An effective facial toner used as part of your AM and PM routine can add essential hydration and strengthen the skin’s barrier. In the winter months, it balances the skin and helps it adapt to the change of season.
Maintain a healthy diet
With the frosty winter weather in full swing, cough, cold and flu season is inevitably right around the corner. With many of us also susceptible to seasonal weight gain, it’s vital to take the time to take care of your body and stay hydrated and nourished during this time.
While a healthy diet won’t prevent you from picking up nasty illnesses, it will strengthen your immune system and increase your ability to protect yourself against such ailment’s. By sticking to nutritious food choices, you can also help speed up your recovery if you do fall ill. A healthy diet will also have a knock-on effect on your skin, eliminating the withdrawn, dull appearance that comes with a lack of daylight and poor dietary choices.
Stay hydrated
Hydration is a crucial element of winter skincare. Drinking plenty of water keeps your body hydrated and maintains your skin’s elasticity. During the winter, you will often be wrapped up in extra layers and spend the majority of your time in artificially warm spaces through the use of indoor heaters. Staying hydrated at this time can help regulate your body temperature and allow important nutrients to flow freely through your body.
Consider a professional treatment
If you’d like to go a step further in rejuvenating and refreshing your skincare for winter, Botox® and dermal filler treatments are a great way to add a boost of moisture to the skin. By restoring lost volume, injectable procedures create a smooth, hydrated appearance and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the injected area.
At Acquisition Aesthetics, we provide gold-standard training in aesthetic medicine and work with doctors, dentists and nurses throughout the UK and Ireland. A fundamental part of our training process is our model patients, and we are pleased to offer clinic-standard treatments at a fraction of the price.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the treatments we offer, click here to view a complete list. Alternatively, you can contact us on 0203 514 8757 or email models@acquisitionaesthetics.co.uk to speak to a member of our team.
