How to care for your skin in winter

KEEPING WINTER SKIN HYDRATED IN MELBOURNE’S WINTER

It’s not just our wardrobes that need an overhaul for the seasonal change into winter – we also need to make sure our skincare regime will protect us from winter! In Melbourne, wet days, cold temperatures and fierce winds force us to turn up our heaters, take long baths or hot showers – which ALL cause the water in our skin to evaporate very quickly, leaving the skin tight, dry/flaky. Even an oily skin type can be affected by loss of water and can actually cause more oil on the skin.

How do I know if my skin is dry or dehydrated?

Dehydrated skin lacks water and therefore needs to be hydrated. It’s that tightness you feel without product on the skin. When you feel like your skin needs a big drink of water. In an attempt to beat the shine, many people will dehydrate their skin with harsh cleansers & avoid moisturising – which can lead to irritation/impaired barrier. Dry skin lacks oil and needs to be nourished.  Dry skin will normally flake or have a rough texture. It’s a skin condition that needs management, otherwise it can cause premature ageing!

Ingredients which are great for Dry skin

Usually the words ‘good’ and ‘fat’ don’t belong is the same sentence, however, OMEGAS are fatty acids which nourish the skin with healthy fats and are essential for a healthy skin. We can find Omega 3 in foods such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herrings, tuna, nuts, seeds, oils such as rapeseed, canola and flaxseed and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as other foods such as soybeans and tofu. Omega 6 stimulates collagen production and act as an anti-inflammatory. Omega 6 can over time assist in calming inflammation associated with conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis (which can be impossible to manage, particularly in winter). Omega 7 – Sea Buckthorn contains the highest concentration of this valuable fatty acid, up to 40%.  It’s a rich source of vitamins, like C & E as well as minerals & amino acids. Benefits of Sea buckthorn;

• It enhances our skins ability to retain moisture
• Enhancing the skin’s ability to retain moisture
• Protecting against free-radical damage
• Rejuvenating skin cell membranes
• Collagen production

Topical omegas as well. Vitamin E (in moderation if you have acne) boswelia, Kiwi or Linseed oil to name just a couple.     Oh! and Lotion N- of you haven’t used this it is like liquid gold.

Adding oils to your moisturiser. Oils by themselves such as rosehip, avocado etc, just sit on the surface as they have no delivery agent, but when mixed with a moisturiser can penetrate slightly deeper giving you more hydration.

Squalene is a powerful anti-oxidant which is found naturally in our skin- it makes up 10-16% of our sebaceous oils. It usually peaks in our teens, but like our omegas, they diminish as time goes on. The ingredient you normally see listed on products is ‘squalane’, which is basically a hydrogenated version of our naturally occurring squalene, just more stable for topically applied products. So we mentioned that hyaluronic acid is like giving your skin a big drink of water, well, squalane is your big fluffy coat that keeps the warmth in (holds moisture in the skin). Besides being a natural anti oxidant and skin protectant, it’s also antibacterial and helps protect skin from UV damage.

Pro tip: Add a night serum and cream if you aren’t already using them, as your skin regenerates more at night therefore you get optimum from your products!

Ingredients which help with dehydration

The obvious way to help with hydration is to drink your two litres of water per day; though if its just not cutting it here are some ingredients to include in your skin care: Hyaluronic Acid: Lots of our clients come in with Hyaluronic Acid in their regime already, but they have no idea what it is or why they are using it. It’s become an ingredient of trend, however, its ability and function in our skin is totally understated.  A lot of you will have heard or read that Hyaluronic Acid acts like a sponge, attracting and holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water – which is so impressive…but let’s have look at how Hyaluronic Acid works in our skin. When looking for Hyaluronic Acid in a product, you should note its molecular weight. Ideally a mixture of high & low is best.  A low weight molecule is able to penetrate deeper to hydrate those low levels of our skin, which are essential for collagen reproduction, whereas the high weight is a larger molecule which will work on the surface of our skin therefore results of plumping and glow are immediate! It creates an amazing barrier, protecting the skin from harsh winter elements.

Pro tip: it is always good regardless of dehydration or dryness to add oils to your skincare routine in winter

Don’t forget facials.

We have a range of facials with rubberised masks designed to allow all the serums, massage balms and masks to penetrate into the skin giving you a wonderful plumpness and softness.

Customised serums to give your skin the extra drink and boost it needs, a gentle exfoliation to renew the skin. Not to mention the amazing hydration mask massage cream we use to hydrate, but also promote blood flow enabling a more radiant skin, and if you have a level 2 or 3, then our rubberised masks to lock all that hydration it.

don’t forget the heaters, electric blankets and cozy rooms.