How winter affects your skin and how to deal with it

With autumn comes pretty colours, cosy jumpers, festive events and bad skin. The colder, rainy, windy days can make your skin feel tight or drier than usual, and if you suffer from acne or spots, they might feel more inflamed.
 
These changes in your skin can be caused by the change in seasons and this is because the harsh weather that autumn and winter brings can strip the skin’s natural protective barrier which allows water to escape and irritants to get in. This results in dehydrated and sensitive skin.
 
You’ll probably find that your lips and eyelids tend to suffer the most. This is because of how thin the skin is around these areas. If you suffer from eczema, rosacea or psoriasis, the cold weather will aggravate your skin and worsen the condition.
 
It’s not just the weather that can irritate our skin after a season change either, it’s partially due to the habits we adopt as the temperature drops. The hot showers we take to warm up and the heating we put on to stay toasty are also to blame for dehydrated skin.
 
But we have some helpful tips to see you through the winter months!
 
Skincare
 
Take a look at your skincare routine, use products that are gentle and will add moisture back into your skin. You want to look at day creams that will protect you from external factors to keep moisture locked in and repair your skin’s natural barrier. Sounds like a lot but we have a few products that’ll help you on your way!
 
Invest in a good quality soap-free cleanser if you can. These are more gentle on your skin and will also remove any debris you’ve picked up throughout the day. We love Dermalogica’s Intensive Moisture Cleanser which moisturises dry skin as it cleanses and Dermalogica’s Ultracalming Cleanser which helps to calm and cool and it cleanses.
 
Make sure you have a decent moisturiser to increase and lock in moisture in your skin and protect you from the elements. We love Dermalogica’s Prisma Protect with SPF 30. It’s a multitasking moisturiser that provides broad spectrum defence while preventing future signs of skin damage. All while protecting your skin from pollution and external factors.
 
During the winter months, we love using a richer moisturiser overnight to help repair the damage from the day keep skin healthy. We love Dermalogica’s Skin Hydrating Masque to remedy dry, stressed skin. It contains a high dose of hyaluronic acid which traps moisture to deliver time-released hydration. You could also invest in the Overnight Repair Serum packed with argan and rose oils, vitamin E and ferulic acid which helps repair skin while you sleep.
 
If your skin is feeling very sensitive, the UltraCalming range from Dermalogica has all the staple products you will need to get you through the winter.
 
As your eyes and lips tend to take the brunt of cooler temperatures, you may want to look at getting an eye cream and a lip treatment. We love Dermalogica’s Intensive Eye Repair which is an ultra-rich cream that targets dehydration and smooths the texture of the sensitive eye area. It also helps to protect your eyes from further environmental damage. We would also recommend Dermalogica’s Renewal Lip Complex which infuses lips with moisture to help smooth and restore your skin.
 
Reduce the temperature
 
We know it’s all too tempting to jump in a hot bath to warm up while it’s bitter outside, but hot showers and baths can cause havoc for your skin so try to reduce the temperature while you wash. Look at bath oils that will help to keep your skin moisturised while you bathe and invest in moisturising shower creams rather than gels or bars.
 
Once you’re out of the shower or bath, apply moisturiser straight away to replace the moisture you’ve lost. Your skin will thank you for it!
 
Central heating and fan heaters are also responsible for our skin drying out when it gets cold. If you can, avoid heaters and layer up to keep warm. We’ll probably leave the heating on for now though!
 
Diet
 
Not a word we love but since the dry winter weather robs your skin of moisture, it’s important to increase it through your diet. Avoid caffeine and increase your essential fatty acids.
 
We hope our tips help you fight off bad skin this winter!
 
If the weather is playing havoc with your skin, why not book in online to see one of our skincare experts for a facial or a SkinSolver. They will be able to advise exactly what products will work with your skin type and what treatments will be best for you.