Essential Winter Skincare Tips
Winter is the season of cute scarves, hot chocolate and... dry, flaky, irritated skin. We love the sound of the first two...the third? Not so much!
It doesn’t matter what skin type you have, your complexion can take a hit in winter. Even oily and acne prone skin can suffer from dryness during the cold months if you don’t adjust your products accordingly. Here are our tips for keeping your skin healthy, hydrated and glowing in the winter months!
What causes dry winter skin?
Temperatures drop along with humidity levels which means there is a lot less moisture in the air. This alone zaps the moisture from your skin but then combine it with heated, dry rooms inside and windy days outside and you’ve got a dry, flaky skin disaster on your hands.
Signs of dry winter skin include:
- Patches of rough, scaly skin
- Painful cracking
- Itchiness
- Dullness
- Chapped lips
- Flaking patches
- Fine lines and wrinkles are more pronounced
The good news is, a few changes to your routine can help winter-proof your skin.
Use an oil-based moisturiser
Our sebaceous glands provide the skin with sebum to keep it lubricated and healthy.
In winter these glands aren’t as active as they are in the warmer months, meaning your skin produces less of its own natural moisturiser in cold weather and needs a little extra help.
The lighter, water-based moisturiser you used for summer may not stand up to the test for winter skin.
Choose an oil-based moisturiser instead as plant-based oils like jojoba, plum kernel, avocado, and almond are similar to the skin’s natural oils. They step in to provide an extra layer of protection and moisturisation when the skin is more vulnerable.
Even oily / acne prone skin can become dry in the winter months and will benefit from an oil-based moisturiser. Don’t stress that your skin will become even oilier and bring forth a fresh round of breakouts; oil actually helps regulate and balance sebum production which leads to clearer skin.
For acne prone skin, look for moisturisers containing green tea extract, an excellent anti-inflammatory which cools and soothes red, inflamed skin. German Chamomile essential oil also possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties and has a stellar reputation for treating dry skin and acne conditions while minimising the look of broken capillaries.
Vitamin B is beneficial in winter for all skin types. It helps improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation, skin texture, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and boosts moisture by strengthening the outermost layers of the skin.
We recommend -
Nephelium Resurface 3 - Gentle Exfoliating Moisturiser - A highly concentrated exfoliating moisturiser contains active nutrients from patented Nepheline botanical extract for youthful looking skin. Gently exfoliates dead skin cells, resurfacing your complexion for a more hydrated even skin tone. Ideal for normal skin.
Nephelium Strengthen 2 - Soothing Balancing Moisturiser - A highly concentrated strengthening skin booster containing active anti-aging and anti-glycation nutrients from patented Nepheline botanical extract. Contains B vitamins, green tea extract, and German Chamomile essential oil. Ideal for dry and acne prone skin.
Add a serum
If you’re not already using a serum, winter is the perfect time to add one to your routine to maximise its moisturising and anti-ageing benefits.
Serums provide a potent dose of antioxidants to the skin thanks to their small molecular structure. A serum’s tiny molecules have the ability to penetrate the skin more deeply than a regular moisturiser, delivering a potent hit of active ingredients to skin cells.
Vitamin C is a key ingredient in a serum worthy to winter-proof your skin. This vitamin is your skin’s best friend all year round but especially during the cold months when skin is on the dull side, vitamin C will brighten and help improve elasticity.
Acne-prone skin will respond beautifully to a serum with natural ingredients specifically targeting inflammation, irritation and those which have astringent properties.
Blue Tansy oil is a natural potent anti-inflammatory that helps reduce the appearance of redness and calm stressed, damaged оr acne-prone skin.
We recommend -
Nephelium Renew 1 - Skin Radiance Booster - With the texture of a lotion, this deeply nourishing active serum contains Vitamin C, White Lily root and Jujube fruit for a younger looking appearance with a brighter, smoother complexion. Ideal for normal skin.
Clear Skies - A highly concentrated ѕkin purifying serum, соntаining natural botanical based active ingredients made up of Blue Tansy, Juniper Berry essential oil blend in a base of Organic Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, targeted аt deep cleansing аnd soothing уоur skin. Ideal for acne prone and dry skin.
Nourish and hydrate at night
Overnight masking is a great way to wake up with nourished, hydrated skin, even in the chilly depths of winter! While you sleep your skin is in total repair mode, hitting maximum night time regeneration between 9pm - 12 midnight.
During sleep, your skin -
- Replenishing collagen stores
- Regenerates cells
- Is more receptive to treatments
- Takes a break from fighting free radicals produced by UV rays in the daytime
There is a difference between dry and dehydrated skin - dry skin lacks oil, whereas dehydrated skin lacks water. All skin types can suffer from dehydrated skin.
While your oil-based moisturiser targets dry skin during the day, use a mask at night to target the issue of dehydration.
When it comes to restoring the water to the skin, Hyaluronic Acid is a superstar. This substance occurs naturally in our skin, attracting water into skin cells to help keep your complexion hydrated and plump. Its super hydration powers make it a must-have ingredient in winter skincare, it’s a big drink for your skin from the inside out.
We recommend -
Nephelium Hydrate 4 Sleep Mask - With a gel like texture, this is one super concentrated hydrating moisturiser! Aloe Vera, Blueberry, Acai Berry, White Orchid Milk, and Hyaluronic acid, all work in synergy to bring you a plumper, firmer looking complexion. Ideal for normal skin.
Change your cleanser
Foaming, soap-based cleansers can wreak havoc on skin, especially during the cold months.
These cleansers are usually highly alkaline and while they work well to remove dirt and impurities they totally strip the skin of its natural oils too, leaving it vulnerable to extreme dryness and that awful ‘tight’ feeling.
Acne-fighting cleansers with ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are especially drying. When skin is stripped of its natural oils by harsh cleansers, it then over-produces oil to compensate which in turn triggers breakouts.
This frustrating cycle is how you can end up with problematic skin that is both dry and acne prone in winter. Switching to a gentler cleanser can help break this cycle and keep dry, flaking skin at bay. Oli-based cleansers are effective at lifting away dirt and impurities while remaining incredibly gentle and nourishing for skin.
We recommend -
Tangerine Love - A facial cleansing oil that removes the daily dirt and grime. A specially formulated blend of carrier oil using Camellia Oil, Jojoba and French Plum Kernel Oil with Castor oil that is supremely cleansing. Suits all skin types.