What Exactly is Winter Skincare?
Our skin is constantly changing and evolving. As each new season emerges, it can also mean a new or slightly altered skincare routine in order to meet your ever-changing needs.
Winter skincare is about using the right products that are appropriate for cold weather, while also using them in the right way, at the right time (your skincare routine).
What Happens to Your Skin in Winter?
The way in which you look after your skin may need to change as your face and body become more susceptible to dullness, dryness, tightness and cracking. It’s sensible to be extra vigilant if you have a skincare condition like eczema or psoriasis. During winter months, people are more likely to notice the appearance of Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL), the process of water evaporating from the skin, resulting in that very common dry feeling.
What is Good for Skin in Winter?
Winter skincare is all about knowing the fine balance of what you should do more of, versus what you should strip back on and do less of.
In a nutshell, you should aim to trap in as much hydration and moisture as possible. This means less:
Stripping the skin - Avoid excessive cleansing. Use hydrating, cream, gel, or oil cleansers. Some people will find foaming cleansers to be a bit too harsh for their skin during winter months. It all depends on the formula and ingredients used in the product.
Heat – Be mindful of how heating systems affect your skin, and be sure not to overdo it by using very hot water when cleansing your skin as it will make it drier.
On the flip side, winter skincare is going to mean more:
Products – In comparison to warmer seasons where your skin may have been producing more moisture and sebum, winter may call for the use of more products to ensure healthy skin. This leads on to…
Layering – Using more products will naturally call for layering. This means building up your skin’s hydration levels and then following up by locking it all in with moisturising products and occlusives which will seal everything in.
Aside from your key skincare steps like cleansing, take extra care and steps when applying products like mists, hydrating toners, essences, serums, facial oils, creams and balms. If you’re unsure on what order to do this in then be sure to read our previous article on layering and when in doubt, use your products from thinnest to thickest in consistency.
Essential Ingredients for Winter Skincare
Hydrating ingredients
Hyaluronic acid, glycerine and panthenol are just a few of the most popular, hydrating skincare ingredients to help your skin thrive. Others include; coconut milk, algae such as spirulina and aloe vera. You can find these ingredients in serums and facial masks.
Moisturising ingredients
Oils are great for dry skin because they act as emollients that soothe and soften the skin, giving a moisturising effect. Non-greasy oils that mimic the skin’s natural sebum are good options. Try ingredients like squalane or an alternative like camellia oil, which naturally contains squalene. It is absolutely fine to still use oils, even if you already have oily skin. You can find these ingredients in facial oils and serums.
Occlusive ingredients
These ingredients create a protective barrier to lock in moisture and hydration. They can be especially helpful when used on pre-hydrated skin on the body. We don’t necessarily recommend all of these ingredients used in high concentrations on the face, but, they are however very good when used alongside other ingredients in creams, lotions and balms. These include, shea butter, cocoa butter (the raw version!), petroleum jelly/vaseline and natural waxes.
Jierra Beauty's best-selling serum and hydrating clay mask can be used in combination in order to achieve healthy, soft, exfoliated and hydrated skin during the winter. Our Serene Green Clay Mask isn't drying and boasts of amazing ingredients like cucumber extract, coconut milk and colloidal oats to soothe the skin. Our Superior Complexion Antioxidant Serum can then be used as part of a restorative night time skincare routine as well as during the day for extra moisture.
