As the weather gets chillier, you might start the annual routine of swapping the thin cardigans for the fluffier jackets…but what about your skin? The colder weather, increased indoor heat, warmer showers and less sun all mean that your skin might bear the brunt of the winter blues. You might start to notice it becoming drier, more cracked, flaky, tight, irritated or even oilier. This is because, chances are, the skincare routine that worked perfectly well for you during the summertime won’t be the same one that your skin will love during the autumn and winter time, but that’s okay because it’s totally normal! This is one of the first things I delved into as a holistic skincare formulator! Once you hack into what your skin is lacking, you can find yourself being incredibly in tune with it as an organ. By adapting your skincare to the seasonal changes, you are giving your skin what it needs, which in this case is extra moisture and care. So maybe it is time to finally start swapping the light creams for the creamier butters…but where do we begin?
1.Swap: Strong Cleansers for Gentle Ones
Cleansing is an integral part of any skincare routine. It removes makeup, build-up, dirt and dead cells from the top layers of our skin that are prone to clogging up and breaking out. However, wintertime means that our skin will be more delicate, lacking moisture and stripped of oil. This can either lead it to becoming significantly dry or the sebum imbalance will lead to significantly oilier skin. The switch up in terms of cleansers should ideally be to a much gentler, milk-based cleanser. Milk contains lactic acid, which is a natural, gentle exfoliator. This is a great alternative to the harsher chemical-based exfoliators that run the risk of damaging the skin barrier when it is already rather vulnerable due to the harsher elements during the seasonal change.
2.Swap: Harsh Wipes for Oil Cleansing
Oil cleansing is a godsend. It is such a powerful way of pulling out the dirt, build-up and sweat from the pores in a way that doesn’t strip the skin of all of the essential oils that it needs to keep healthy and balance sebum production. Oil cleansing right before using your gentle, clarifying cleanser will allow you to thoroughly clean your skin without using either the harsh abrasive chemicals that will disturb the natural oil balance or the exfoliating beads, brushes and wipes that will further damage the skin barrier, leading to more breakouts, texture and scarring.
3.Swap: Light Moisturisers to Butters and Oils
During the harsher weather and increased indoor heat, opt for thicker butters, balms, salves and oils that lock in moisture and protect the barrier of the skin, rather than lighter moisturisers. This is to add extra layers which will help to nourish the skin. The recent ‘slugging’ trend is a great example of this, as coating the skin in healing products gives it the replenishment its needs, especially if it has been damaged or stripped of its natural oils, which is something that is rather common during the winter months. Some great ‘slugging’ butters to use would be ones that are natural, such as shea butter, cocoa butter or other nourishing liquid oils like jojoba or argan. This is also where DIY face masks can be incredibly helpful. Try to use ingredients such as yogurt, honey, green tea, oats and turmeric in masks and treatments to give the skin a natural boost of TLC. Focusing on getting in those essential vitamins into your skincare regime, as well as your diet, will make the world of difference.
P.S. Make sure that you maintain the use of SPF though, as the sun’s UV rays are just as active during the gloomy, cloudy days as they are during the blazing hot summer ones too!
4.Swap: Hot Showers for Warm Ones
In the colder months, we can all appreciate a lovely warm shower or bath to soothe us after exposure to the chilly weather, but bathing in hot water can do more damage than we think. Just like the heat exposure from constant central heating or electric heaters, hot water also dries out the skin, stripping it of the all-important oils that we need to keep it healthy and balanced. Post-bathing body care is also essential! Slathering your body in nourishing oils and butters helps to prevent any dryness and eczema which might flare up during this time of the year. Remember not to dry too abrasively and ideally moisturise while the skin is still a little bit damp, as this helps the butters and oils to lock in that moisture, leaving the skin looking and feeling more hydrated and softer!
Final Cheat Code: Diet and Lifestyle
As the barrier of the skin may be more vulnerable and drier, ensuring that the skin is well hydrated and nourished is an essential. All of the products in the world cannot replace sufficient nutrition. Make sure you’re drinking lots of water, eating lots of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables that will help your skin to glow from the inside out. Lots of vitamin C is also a total gamechanger, brightening your skin and getting rid of that dull winter dryness that so many of us suffer from in these months. Foods like oranges, bell peppers and strawberries are packed with it, and drinking tea made from hibiscus flowers or rose hips are equally as beneficial for that vitamin C content. Foods rich in omegas-3 and 6 are also important in skin health too. Fatty acids are essential for maintaining the health and appearance of the skin, especially for preventing age-related degeneration such as wrinkles, loss of elasticity and reduced suppleness.
Overall, caring for the skin will always be a holistic process. But being in alignment with the cycles of nature will help us to stay in tune with what our skin, mind, body and soul need. In this case, just as you would change your choice of coat as the weather gets colder, changing your choice of skincare should be just as habitual as it is an essential! So many of us dread the way our skin responds to the cold weather, but never think to address the way we care for it throughout the year. Swapping your summertime regime doesn’t need to be a big job, it should be more like a little spring clean, removing your ‘out of season’ products for your ‘in season’ ones! Flexibility and adaptability are needed in self-care to truly allow your skin to flourish the way you deserve it to.
Written by: By Taran Nina
Taran Nina is a herbalist and founder of a holistic self-care brand called Veil of Gaia. Her work is all about crafting intentional self-care designed to reconnect and align us with our body and soul, using plant-based remedies and holistic therapies to do so.
The website: www.veilofgaia.co.uk
Instagram: @veilofgaia
