If winter has your skin feeling dry, tight and flaky you need to add hydration to your skin routine. With so many ingredients available, and so many skincare hacks, it can get confusing.
“Water in skin evaporates quicker when the air is cold and dry, such as during the wintertime,” explains Natasha Davel from Fundamentals Skincare.
“In fact, the skin loses more than 25 percent of its ability to retain moisture in the Winter. This can make skin feel dry, tight, and flaky. Add wind into the mix, and skin feels chapped all over,” she adds.
What ingredients are your fighters
“Adopting a Winter skincare routine is one way to rejuvenate and replenish dry skin. Certain ingredients are more hydrating than others. When updating your routine for the new season, opt for these skincare ingredients for dry skin.
“Ideally, look for ingredients that are hydrating, nourishing, and protecting. If you are not a pro at reading skincare product labels, these skincare ingredients for dry winter skin should help,” explains Davel.
Ceramides
Considered as a skin-identical ingredient as they are naturally found in the skin, play a vital role in your skin barrier which is your first line fighter against environmental elements. Not only does the skin barrier keep invaders out, but it’s also responsible for keeping moisture in.
Ceramides act as the glue that holds skin cells together. Without the right amount of Ceramides in the skin, the skin barrier becomes weakened and compromised. This allows for precious moisture to escape while leaving skin vulnerable to environmental aggressors.
Niacinamide
A staple and loved serum all year round. Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B, and it strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier so it can better hold on to precious moisture better. It’s perfect for dry skin in Winter. Incorporating this into your skincare regime your skin is less likely to dry out and stays hydrated longer.
Squalane
A good facial oil is all you need in your simple skincare routine for Winter. It provides a layer of moisture retention as well as protection from the harsh cold and wind.
Squalane Oil helps boost hydration and it has powerful antioxidant properties. During the colder months, increased moisture and protection against free radical damage is exactly what skin needs.
Hyaluronic Acid
This serum is suitable for skin types, and is normally used all year round – making is a staple favourite for many. This ingredient is a natural humectant that can hold 1000x its weight in water. Hyaluronic acid in skincare and cosmetics restore moisture, firmness, and plumpness.
Since it’s so hydrating, using a Hyaluronic Acid serum to increase hydration in dry Winter skin is a given. Remember to layer your serums before sealing them in with a thick moisturiser.
Baobab
Last but not least baobab oil is a great fighter for barrier protection and hydration. This plant-based oil can moisturise your dry skin and heal damaged skin. It’s loaded with healthy nutrients, such as Vitamins A, C, D, E, and F, omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and more.
Skin can be temperamental, and so can the weather. When your skin takes a 180-degree turn or the climate changes drastically in a short period of time, you may notice a change in your skin moisture levels and overall appearance. Dry skin in Winter can appear in many different forms.
There is the notorious and easily detected dry skin, and dry patches but dry skin can also show itself in the form of redness, cracking, rough texture, itching, and increased sensitivity. Let’s also not forget that a bad case of Winter skin can even develop into dermatitis and rashes.
“One way to keep up with the changes in your skin and the way the environment affects it is by adopting a skincare routine that has all or most of the above ingredients, from your serums to moisturisers and everything in-between,” concludes Davel.