Winter's cold wind, low temperature and lower humidity can all wreak havoc on your skin by damaging the skin's lipid barrier. As a result, the skin becomes more prone to dryness, redness, sensitivity, itchiness, flakiness, inflammations, eczema, psoriasis, and sometimes even acne, as not only is its water retention function impaired, it can no longer effectively block out irritants, pollution, dirt and bacteria.
Luckily, there are many ways to still keep the skin healthy and supple even during this dreaded cold season long. Read on for our top 10 tips!
We know hot water feels much better than cold, or even lukewarm water for showers and hand washing during winter, but very hot water can damage the skin barrier and dry out the skin. Worse yet, if you do not moisturize it immediately, flakiness, itchiness, and even eczema and dermatitis will develop very quickly.
How do you know when it's too hot? If the water causes the skin to turn red, then it’s too hot.
We have also recommended against foaming cleansers and soaps, but more so during winter. Foaming cleansers, which usually contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), strip the skin of its natural oil, and can damage the skin’s lipid barrier, thus weakening its water retention ability, which leads to dryness and pre-mature aging. Its defence ability in stopping harmful bacteria and pollutants from entering the body through the skin will also plummet, resulting in acne, irritations, redness, and inflammations like eczema and dermatitis.
In addition, they are both alkaline. SLS for instance, has a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Whilst, bar soap generally has a pH range of 8.0 to 10.0 (even handmade soap is considered alkaline). This alkalinity can increase the skin’s natural pH, disrupt and damage the skin barrier, strip the skin of its important oils, deteriorate the skin's natural water retention and defence function, resulting in dry, itchy, and inflamed skin, as well as worsened eczema and dermatitis symptoms and flare ups.
In other words, always use a cream, lotion or non-foaming gel/liquid cleanser, so that the skin will not be stripped of its natural oil, and the lipid barrier can remain healthy and intact.
Product Recommendation
MARIE REYNOLDS LONDON
Goji Mallow Cleanse™ <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH LIBRARY
Smooth Operator Purifying Cleansing Gel <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
holi(wash) Ageless Resurfacing Body Cleanser <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH Library
Moonlight Garden Nourishing Hand Wash <- Click to shop
The skin is constantly producing new skin cells and shedding old ones. The rate of this process of cell turnover can be slowed down by factors like sun, wind, pollution, stress, hormones, age, as well as dryness. Thus when the skin looks and feels dry to the touch, sometimes it may not actually be as dehydrated or dry as you think——it may be merely a buildup of dull, dry, discolored, dead skin on the surface, which not only makes the skin appear dull and textured, but also makes it difficult for skincare ingredients to penetrate. Bacteria and inflammations may also be easily trapped inside the skin, resulting in eczema flare ups and acne.
A well-formulated gentle acid formula, doesn't matter whether it is in a cleanser, mask, or serum form, can dissolve the bond between dead skin cells, so that they can shed easier and quicker without irritation even for sensitive skin. The skin surface will be smoothed, pores will be unclogged and minimized, hyperpigmentation will lighten, and skincare ingredients can better penetrate the skin. Over time, it will also stimulate collagen synthesis, thus thickening the dermis and smoothing wrinkles.
Just avoid glycolic acid that can easily irritate, and also physical exfoliation, as these physical particles can easily damage the skin, as well as cause micro-tears, leading to dryness, redness, inflammations, and acne, or worse, permanent damages.
Product Recommendation
OUMERE
No. 9 Exfoliant <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
acid(wash) Lactic Acid Brightening Cleanser <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Supreme Seed Delicate Purification Mask <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
Agent Nateur
holi(bright) Resurface Glass Face Mask <- Click to shop
As soon as you finish your face cleansing routine (or if you shower straight after cleansing your face, then as soon as you step out of the shower), tap on a hydrating toner first. Do not wait till you are back in the bedroom. This will help replenish the lost hydration and prevent the skin from drying out immediately.
Once you're back in your bedroom and ready to start your routine, use your hydrating toner again.
Why is it needed twice?
Think about how you wash the dishes. When you squeeze dish-washing liquid to a dry sponge, it won’t get distributed evenly on the sponge, and you won’t be able to clean the dishes effectively. Without that extra water in the skin, all the skincare products you put on the skin afterwards won’t get absorbed and distributed in the skin; whereas if you put serums, oils or moisturizer on damp skin, they will be able to penetrate much better. Now, between the time you leave your bathroom and ready to do your routine, some time may have passed, and therefore an extra layer of hydrating toner is always beneficial, especially during winter.
Product Recommendation
TWELVE BEAUTY
Ultra Revitalising Elixir <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH LIBRARY
Wise Awakening Advanced Nourishing Toner <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
holi(water) Hyaluronic Pearl & Rose Essence <- Click to shop
Colder weather and hotter showers will accelerate trans-epidermal water loss. It is further accelerated by using heaters at home or in the car. To compensate for this water loss, it is essential to replenish the lost hydration.
However, a serum that merely provides hydration, such as a hyaluronic acid or vitamin B5 serum, is not enough. As mentioned above, a damaged skin barrier can result in redness, sensitivity, and inflammation like eczema because it can no longer effectively block out irritants, pollution, dirt and bacteria. By choosing a hydrating serum with anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant properties, the skin will be hydrated, soothed and strengthened at the same time.
The correct step for a hydrating serum is after toner, and due to its properties and main function, also after other serums. Then follow up with an oil or moisturiser (or both) to lock in that hydration.
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Immersion Serum Concentrate <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH LIBRARY
The Pure Wonder Active Serum <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
TWELVE BEAUTY
Ideal Moisture Level Serum <- Click to shop
While the body is made up of up to 70% water, the outermost layer of the skin, aka stratum corneum, is made up of ceramide, cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. Together they create a water-impermeable, protective layer to prevent excessive water loss, and act as a barrier against the entry of bacteria. However, the levels of these lipids decline with age; as a result, upper layers of the skin become thinner.
On top of that natural loss of lipids, the colder weather further weakens and damages the barrier. The result is skin that is more prone to dryness, dullness and conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis, whilst fine lines and wrinkles become more prominent.
This means, not only do you need to add hydration, you also need to add oil to achieve healthy skin. By replenishing the skin with lipids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols that are abundant in oils, not only will the skin feel moisturized, the skin will also be able to fortify itself, retain optimal moisture, fight free radicals, stimulate collagen production, and maintain a healthier, stronger barrier to effectively improve skin issues such as dryness, eczema, irritations, and wrinkles, thereby slowing the aging process.
While some people say apply oils after moisturizers, or mix them with moisturizers, to get the most out of an oil, the correct step is actually after serums when the skin is still damp, and before moisturizers. This is because face oils can go through the intercellular matrix or through the follicular route, unlike water-based ingredients that can only take the intracellular route. They also have a much smaller molecular size. This is exactly why face oils of any kind have a much higher chance of absorbing into skin and deliver a wide array of nutrients deeply. Mixing them with moisturizers will only render it less effective, whilst applying oils after moisturizers is just a waste of money, because moisturizers contain occlusives, meaning anything put on top will not penetrate——the oils will just sit on top of the skin and feel greasy.
Product Recommendation
OUMERE
Serum Bioluminelle™ <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
holi(oil) Ageless Face Serum <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Unseasonal Kind Lipid Replenishment Oil <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
ANFISA
LILOU Radiant Hydra Balm <- Click to shop
While moisturizers are best to lock everything in during winter and prevent water loss, it is better to choose a lightweight moisturizer, rather than a heavy one.
This is because:
- The high occlusive content of heavy, thick moisturizers may clog pores and cause acne.
- They would essentially be sticking dead skin cells and bacteria to the skin, instead of allowing them to shed. This will lead to a build up of dead skin cells, resulting in even more dryness, scaling, roughness. Hydration and nourishment won't be able to penetrate either.
- Since they work like a plastic wrap, they will also stop inflammation and bacteria from leaving the skin, which will end up making any acne, eczema or psoriasis issues worse.
- The skin has a naturally built-in function of hydrating itself. When heavy moisturizers are continuously applied to the skin, the cells in the epidermis would send a signal to the cells in the dermis telling them there is enough hydration so there is no need for more, instead of asking them to move hydration up to the skin surface. Gradually, the cells in the dermis would become lazy, go dormant, and ultimately stop regulating its own hydration level, resulting in drier and less elastic skin.
To truly keep the skin healthy and supple, therefore, is to use a face oil first, then use a lightweight moisturizer with nourishing ingredients on top.
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Sculpture + A Overnight Enrichment Cream <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
AGENT NATEUR
holi(crème) Filter Face Cream <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
EATH Library
All Day Radiance Light Concentration Cream <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
MARIE REYNOLDS LONDON
Skin Quencher <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
Twelve Beauty
Nutritive Repair Emulsion <- Click to shop
Many people tend to use sheet face masks daily or every other day for hydration. However, there are drawbacks. If you keep adding too much water to the skin, the stratum corneum will become brittle due to water overflow, and the lamellar structure that controls barrier function will also become unstable, which will in turn damage the barrier function. As a result, dryness, irritation, sensitive, and even inflammation may occur.
Instead, follow the above tips, then use a light layer of sleeping mask at night. Our skin is at its most reparative state when we sleep, and what a sleeping mask does, is locking in all the moisture and nutrients previously given to the skin, whilst providing the skin with extra nutrients to address specific skin concerns. Thus, choose a sleeping mask that does more than pure hydration will greatly benefit the skin. A light layer is all you need.
Product Recommendation
EATH LIBRARY
The Bright Recovery Brightening Overnight Mask <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
MARIE REYNOLDS LONDON
Butter Balm <- Click to shop
Yes, our skin needs hydration, but our body skin experiences much less trans-epidermal water loss than our faces, as it is covered by clothes most of the time. On the contrary, the lipids that are needed to repair and maintain a healthy skin barrier decline with age. Without enough lipids, the upper layers of the skin become thinner, which then lead to dryness, roughness, dullness, wrinkles, and conditions such as eczema.
Moreoever, just like our faces, our body skin, besides needing hydration and lipids, also needs other nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to stay healthy, prevent inflammations, as well as slow signs of aging, such as loss of elasticity, sagging, dark spots, etc., which body lotions and moisturizers don't usually provide.
In fact, generic body lotions and moisturizers could make dryness and issues like eczema worse, due to their high concentration of occlusive ingredients. The reason is explained above in point 7.
On the contrary, body oils or oil-based body products free of heavy occlusive ingredients, are made of a mixture of soothing oils and botanical extracts, and without any emulsifiers, texture enhancer, nor silicones. This means every single ingredient, many of which are have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that are great for dry, sensitive, keratosis pilaris, psoriasis and eczema skin, works to nourish and soothe the skin with their huge amount of essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phenols, phytonutrients, etc... Because of their lipophilic nature and their small molecular size, they also penetrate the skin’s layers way faster and deeper to repair and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, soothe redness and inflammation, protect the skin against external aggressors like pollution and allergens, and fight free radicals.
In fact, aside from the benefits mentioned above, many are also developed to address signs of aging such as dark spots, sagging, loss of elasticity, and even stretch marks and cellulite, and delivery skin that is firm, soft, smooth, and radiant.
The best timing to use a body oil or oil based body product is when the skin is still damp straight after shower, although they may also be used on dry skin.
Product Recommendation
Agent Nateur
holi(body) Ageless Body Serum <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
KLUR
Elements of Comfort Aromatic Body Oil <- Click to shop
Product Recommendation
Agent Nateur
body(balm) Lifting & Firming Body Treatment Crème <- Click to shop
Our hands are being washed so many more times during the day compared to our face and body, and frequent hand washing can damage the skin barrier, leading to dry hands. And when the hands are dry, they are prone to cuts, scratches, and itchiness.
In addition, dry hands coupled with the use of sanitizing products, household cleansers, detergents etc. may lead to inflammations, resulting in contact dermatitis and eczema.
Therefore, besides not using foaming cleansers and water that is too hot, it is essential to use a hand cream to nourish and protect the hands straight after cleansing. Don't wait till you get back to your bedroom or seat——bring your hand cream to the bathroom, and use it as soon as you pat your hands 80% dry.
Product Recommendation
EATH Library
Moonlight Garden Nourishing Hand Cream <- Click to shop
Also in The Journal
Top 30 Skincare Questions Answered - Part 3
Here are the top 10 questions about cleansing, as well as eczema and rosacea we got. Check them out!
Top 30 Skincare Questions Answered - Part 2
Here are the top 10 questions about pigmentation, and pore care we got. Check them out!
Top 30 Skincare Questions Answered - Part 1
Here are the top 10 questions about anti-aging, and collagen we got. Check them out!
