Tackling Winter Skin

Many people experience dry skin in the winter. What exactly is dry skin? Dry skin is caused from harsh winter weather and using strong products that deplete moisture out of the skin. For some people, the problem is worse that just a general tight, dry feeling. Their skin can get so dry that it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed). Read my earlier post on natural remedies  and 20 top oils suited for eczematous skin: http://centella-skincare.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/20-of-best-of-oils-to-treat-eczema.html 

These create tiny, superficial cracks in the skin that break down the skins protective moisture barrier to let moisture further escape out of the skin, adding to the cycle of dryness. For those with sensitive skin, these little cracks in the skin allow irritants to enter into the skin more easily, causing redness and skin sensations from products and environment you might not have any other time of year. Even if you haven’t changed your skin care products, you may find that now that winter is here, your regular products seem to not work the way they did before and they may even be causing a stinging sensation and irritation. It’s all because of the winter dryness.

What is the cure for dry skin? Aside from being sure to not use any harsh products on the skin, the solution is to use a moisturiser high in lipid-rich oil that can repair the skin’s protective barrier (those little cracks) so that moisture stays in so less dryness occurs and irritants stay out.

To repair dry, flaky skin, look for the following emollient barrier-repair ingredients when choosing a moisturiser:

• Borage Seed Oil
• Rose Oil
• Carrot Oil
• Evening Primrose Oil
• Cranberry Oil
• Ceramides
• Linoleic/Linolenic Acids
• Squalane
• Linoleic Acid
• Tocopheryl Linoleate
• Phytosterols
• Shea Butter
• Sunflower Oil
• Soybean Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Canola Oil
• Sesame Seed Oil

These ingredients will correct both the lack of oil and lack of hydration deep within your skin and actually repair the skin’s lipid moisture barrier to make your skin moist, supple, and smooth—and more importantly, less sensitive during the winter. It's also important to pay attention to the ingredients in your skin care products so you're not using anything harsh or drying.

In order to win the battle winter weather can wage against your skin, you have to put back into skin what it is missing: antioxidants, skin-repairing ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients. That requires brilliantly formulated products we will recommend in the steps below.

You also must stop doing things that abuse your skin and further destroy its ability to be vital and radiant. Those bad habits will only make seasonal dryness worse, resulting in dry, flaky, downright uncomfortable skin.Every day and night, season to season, your skin requires certain basics to defend against any environmental conditions.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Wear sunscreen 365 days a year no matter how warm or cold, or whether the sun is shining or not: Sun-damaged skin has minimal ability to function normally so it can look luminous and silken. The damage leads to a host of problems that keep your skin from looking its best.
2. Apply a well-formulated moisturiser: If you're struggling with dryness, use a moisturizer that is filled to the brim with antioxidants to fight environmental damage. It should also contain ingredients that help keep water in skin, anti-inflammatory ingredients to reduce irritation, and cell-communicating ingredients to help skin produce normal skin cells (which it can't do on its own because of the factors mentioned above).
3. You must use a moisturiser appropriate for your skin type: A lotion or cream is best for dry skin, a serum or gel for combination skin, and a liquid (think toner) for oily skin. If you have oily skin that gets drier during winter months, definitely consider a lotion or lightweight cream for the dry areas.
4. Avoid soap, use only gentle cleansers: This habit cannot be stressed enough. Never use a cleanser that is harsher on your skin than the weather outside, and that includes from the neck down. Do not scrub skin; you can't scour away dryness. Scrubbing creates tiny tears on the surface of skin impairing its ability to keep water where it needs to be. 
5. Avoid soaking in the bathtub, Jacuzzi, or taking long showers: As wonderful as a leisurely bath or shower feels, too much water is bad for skin. Inundating skin with water breaks down the substances that keep skin cells intact. Keep showers or baths short, especially during the winter.
6. After bathing or showering, apply a body moisturiser as soon as you can: Skin is more vulnerable after it is clean (water and even gentle cleansers can remove some amount of the essential substances that keep your skin soft and smooth). The sooner you get a moisturiser on, the better. It will help keep any moisture on the surface of skin from escaping into the environment.
7. Get a humidifier: Low humidity is the cause of most weather-related dry skin, whether it is winter or a desert environment. Humidifiers are relatively inexpensive, last a long time, and work for the whole family. If you have a large home, you may need two or three humidifiers to gain benefit. Be sure to follow usage and cleaning instructions.
8. Exfoliate: A well-formulated AHA or BHA exfoliant can help facilitate normal skin cell turnover and that makes the surface of skin and the lower layers behave beautifully as they should. Helping skin do what it should do year-round (turn over the top layer and replace it with newer, smoother cells that can better protect skin) is a great way to prevent dryness and dull skin.
9. Use non-fragranced plant oil: At night, after you've applied your moisturiser, massage a few drops of plant oil such as extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil over stubborn dry areas. These types of oils are not only incredibly emollient, they are also rich in antioxidants and that is great for skin. Other oils to consider include evening primrose, jojoba, safflower, or wheat germ. Try: http://www.centellaskincare.co.uk/facial-oil.html 
10. Don't forget your lips: Lips are the least capable of staying smooth and soft when the air becomes dry. They lack the oils and skin structure the rest of the face has and, as a result, are far more vulnerable to the effects of dry air. During the day and night be sure to put an emollient lip gloss or lip balm on your lips. It absolutely should not contain any irritating ingredients such as peppermint or menthol which makes dry lips worse. And by the way, your lips don't adapt or become addicted to lip balms. The need to keep reapplying is because the ones you chose didn't work all that well in the first place (and of course lip balms do wear away, necessitating occasional reapplication).

For dry skin on your hands, apply and reapply moisturiser: The thicker the better! Because hands are subject to intense cleansing agents all day long they struggle the most with dry skin. You must be diligent about applying and reapplying moisturiser every time you wash your hands. Don't forget to keep a moisturiser in your purse, at your desk, and in every bathroom in your home. For hands thicker, extremely emollient moisturisers work best; during the day it needs to also include sunscreen.