A Dermal Therapist’s Guide to the Best Skincare for Winter

The days are getting cooler, the air is getting drier and the heaters are cranked up, and if you’re not lucky enough to be jet setting across the globe to enjoy a European Summer, you may soon feel like your skin is becoming dry, tight, sensitive, red or flaky. Face Fit’s Dermal Therapist Ashleigh shares her recommendations on the best skincare for winter.

Common Winter Skin Complaints

• The most common skin complaints we start seeing in clinic throughout winter are:
• Increased sensitivity and reactivity
• Reduced tolerance to at home products – including stinging on application
• Inflammation/ flaking – which may appear in patches or with rash-like appearances
• Acne
• Dull and Rough Skin

These skin conditions tend to all share one thing in common throughout the colder months and that’s an impaired skin barrier. This is why it is essential to constantly review your skincare and change it up when required, not only for the season and external environment but also for your current skin condition. We know the choices can be overwhelming, so we are here to help! (It’s important to remember that even oily skin needs hydration to thrive and function optimally, so if you’re sitting there thinking, my skin is not dry, this isn’t for me, we promise it is!)

Why Is Winter Harsh on our Skin?

First things first, it’s important to understand a little bit about how our skin functions and why Winter can be such a struggle! Hint.. it’s to do with the same thing that makes our hair frizz and our clothes cling to our bodies in Summer.. Humidity! (The amount of water vapor in the air).

In Winter the humidity drops significantly and as a result the water in our skin evaporates faster, you may have heard this referred to as transepidermal water loss or TEWL. It is inevitable that our skin will experience some water loss throughout the day. The healthier our skin barrier is functioning, the better it will retain moisture, and the more our barrier is impaired, the more water loss we will experience.

Skincare To Protect The Skin Barrier

Our skin barrier has a pretty important job in the grand scheme of our body. Imagine your skin barrier as your first line of defense against the outside world, its job is to keep everything that’s meant to be in (such as water) in; and keep everything that’s meant to be out, such as bacteria, out! Without our all important skin barrier intact, we begin to see increased inflammation, dehydration – which can then lead to the overproduction of oil as the skin desperately tries to protect itself, irritation, along with the invasion of bacteria and other potentially harmful pathogens.

Finding a harmonious balance of oil and water in your skin barrier will provide your skin with the best possible environment to thrive. So, what are the essential skincare items you should include to combat the cold and keep your skin hydrated and healthy?