As the weather cools down, we change our wardrobe, so doesn’t it make sense to change your skin care too?

Cold weather wreaks havoc on our skin. Crisp, cool temperatures and dry, warm heaters are a recipe for dehydration and dryness in even the healthiest skins. Here are some tips to keep your skin happy and healthy.

Add a biomimetic oil under your moisturiser

Biomimetic is a big fancy word for something that mimics the natural environment of the body. A well formulated, biomimetic oil will be easily absorbed into the skin and will leave little residue. This means that it doesn’t clog your pores or lead to breakouts. It is important to note that not all oils are created equal, oils such as coconut oil, almond oil, and even some jojoba and rosehip oils leave a glue-like film, cementing your dead skin cells. This means these types of oils cause blackheads, breakouts and even prevents your other skin care from absorbing through it.

Try a hydrating serum

If your skin isn’t feeling rough, but it is feeling tight or your fine lines are standing out more, your skin could be lacking water in the upper layers. Drinking water is fantastic for your health, but in the upper layers of the skin there is a special layer that prevents water from evaporating, but it also prevents water from reaching it too. To make sure your skin is adequately hydrated, it is important to either have a well formulated moisturiser that has a high water content, or you can add a serum for hydration.

Sunscreen

Even though the temperature is cool, it is still possible to get sun damage. UV rays emitted by the sun are stronger during Summer, but they are still at a strong enough during winter to cause damage to your skin. Sunscreen should be used all year round, although a lower SPF (15+ or 30+) during winter will suffice.

Ditch the face scrub

There is nothing nicer than freshly exfoliated skin. Exfoliating during winter can be a great way to reduce the rough texture of dry and dehydrated skin, although not all exfoliants are created equally. Scrubs and granular exfoliants cause microscopic tears in the skin, which happen very easily if your skin is already feeling the change in weather. The tears lead to irritation, increased dryness, redness and inflammation. We would recommend trying a liquid exfoliant instead, also known as a chemical exfoliant. Although these exfoliants are considered ‘chemicals’, they are usually extremely gentle on the skin and are made from natural sources. Liquid exfoliants will help to break down the ‘glue’ that hold dead skin cells together and will work deeper in your pores to dissolve blackheads (depending on the ingredients).