For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, winter is quickly approaching. You will no doubt be able to feel the difference the environment has on your skin.
From colder temperatures to drier air, winter can really take its toll on your skin. Which is why it is important to understand how to adapt your standard skin care routine for the cooler months. This will enable your skin to thrive throughout the season.
Switch to a Milder Cleanser
Every skin care routine should start with a cleanser because, without clearing away all of the dirt, bacteria and oil will build up on your skin. And no other skin care products will be able to properly penetrate your skin's layers.
Foaming cleansers are always popular, and while the impressive lather may feel great, these types of cleansers actually end up stripping away too much of your skin's natural oil. This is not too much of a big deal in the summer, as oil production is amped up. But, in the winter your skin is so much drier and really needs this extra oil. For this reason, opt for a mild gentle cleanser instead. Preferably with a cream-based formula.
Give a Toner a Try
When it comes to your skin care routine, toners are not essential. However they do help quite a bit. Every time you cleanse your skin, your cleanser disrupts your skin's natural pH balance. This can lead to a number of different issues in the long run.
A toner helps to balance these pH levels back out and does not take long at all to apply. There are many commercial toners out there but if you would prefer to opt for something more natural, give rose water or witch hazel a try.
Layer on Your Serums
After you have applied your toner, the next step is your serums. Serums are lightweight products, but they are extremely highly concentrated with active ingredients. Their light consistency means that your skin is easily able to soak these up, enabling them to work their magic even quicker.
Serums are available to target just about every skin issue, so make a list of your top three skin problems and then look for a serum to help with this.
If you have dry or dehydrated skin, a hydrating serum that contains hyaluronic acid would be great. Whereas if you are trying to eradicate wrinkles and slow down the aging process, a retinol and vitamin C serum would be more useful. There are even serums for skin lightening. These can be used on any part of your body that you would like to lighten, not just your face.
Serums can be layered on top of each other, but make sure that you wait for a minute in between each layer. This gives the active ingredients time to penetrate your skin, without being diluted by the next product you apply.
Not sure which serum to apply first? The general rule of thumb is that the lighter the product, the closer it should be to your skin. This is why serums are applied before creams and moisturizers, as they are much lighter.
Moisturize, Moisturize and Moisturize Again
Your skin desperately needs the extra moisture in the winter months, so you need to ensure that you are completely dedicated when it comes to moisturizing.
In the mornings, a day cream is the perfect way to round up your skin care routine, while a night cream is best applied before heading to bed. While many may think that the only difference between the two is the packaging, day and night creams do actually contain different ingredients.
For example, many night creams contain retinol, while day creams do not, because this ingredient, when worn during the day, can exacerbate sun sensitivity.
When it comes to the texture of your moisturizer, thick, rich and greasy is what you want to go for in the winter months. While a lighter lotion may be sufficient during summer, your skin will need much more than this now due to the dry air around it.
One tip to always keep in mind, is that you should only moisturize damp skin. This is because a moisturizer is designed to form a thin film over the surface of your skin. Which then prevents moisture from evaporating, while protecting the skin from the environment. If you apply moisturizer while there is already water on your skin, then this water ends up being trapped beneath the moisturizer. Meaning that the only place it can go is into your skin, hydrating it even more.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is something that you need to do about twice a week, after cleansing. Exfoliation sloughs off the dead skin cells that settle on the surface of the skin, revealing the fresh, younger skin cells beneath. If you do not exfoliate, your skin will soon take on a rough dull appearance. In the long run, your rate of skin aging will speed up.
There are many methods of exfoliation out there. From simply using a scrub in the shower to using a dry body brush or using products that contain fruit enzymes. It is definitely worth trying a few different methods, so that you can learn what works best for you and your individual skin type.
The winter months can really be harsh on your skin, which is why it is important to give your skin the extra care that it needs during this season. This skin care routine only takes a few minutes to carry out, so make sure that you set aside some time each day to do this.
Last Updated : September 4th, 2022
Debby Lee is the founder and main author of Mylighterskin.com
She is a full-time website manager and freelance writer, with ten years of experience. She is an expert writer in the areas of health and beauty, with a special interest in skincare.
