Winter is a challenging time for our skin. Cold, dry air makes maintaining a healthy skin barrier difficult, but it’s not impossible with proper knowledge and care. Below, you’ll find Jenn's PRO TIPS to keep your skin your skin looking and feeling it’s best during winter months.

Moisturize quickly!

Apply your moisturizer within 60 seconds of washing your face or exiting the shower. This ensures MAXIMUM hydration. After the passing of just ONE MINUTE, bare skin begins to dehydrate as dry air extracts skin’s moisture. To best protect your skin, give it an instant boost with a hydrating toner immediately after cleansing. This will help active ingredients penetrate better, brighten the skin, and restore skin’s PH level after cleansing. Immediately follow toner with a recommended serum, moisturizer, and (don’t forget!) SPF as part of your daytime routine during every season.

Load up on Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)!

EFA’s are the building blocks of healthy cell membranes, which help create the skin's natural oil barrier. Critical for keeping skin hydrated, plumper, and younger looking, EFA’s are easily obtained by consuming foods like avocados, Brazil nuts, and fish or fish oil. Without them, your skin may become dry, inflamed, or prone to whiteheads and blackheads as your barrier becomes compromised.

Increase hydration with specialty products!

You may need more than what you’re getting from your moisturizer. If your skin feels tight and dehydrated, consider a gentle enzyme exfoliant a couple of times per week. I love Revival Masque from Environ. This masque contains a blend of acids that help to brighten and hydrate the skin as well as boost collagen formation, which leads to firmer, smoother skin.

I always recommend incorporating a serum in your skincare regimen. Serums are applied directly to the skin after cleansing and toning. They contain active ingredients that address specific individual skincare concerns, and can be tremendously impactful. Using more than one serum can have a big impact on your skin.

And, staying on the topic of serums, using more than one serum can have a BIG impact on your skin. For example, you might use one serum that addresses aging or acne and add a second serum — during winter — that contains hyaluronic acid for hydration. Hyaluronic acid is a moisture binder and improves skin's elasticity and plumpness. We LOVE Hyaluronic Acid Concentrate from Dermaviduals. This incredible serum contains glucosamine (a precursor to hyaluronic acid), which is a compound vital to collagen. Because glucosamine stimulates the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, this compound accelerates wound healing, improves skin hydration, and decreases wrinkles. In addition, as an inhibitor of tyrosinase activation, it inhibits melanin production and is useful in treating disorders of hyperpigmentation.
 

Add a finishing serum or finishing oil for protection!

So, we know that serums are good for our skin, but what's a FINISHING serum? Finishing serums are unique to Biologique Recherche. They are applied as a last step OVER your moisturizer, to lock in hydration from the water-based products you applied beforehand. Finishing serums are complex and concentrated and give your skin a natural radiance. We LOVE finishing serums from Biologique Recherche, especially Sérum Yall, which replumps and regenerates the skin with hyaluronic acid and antioxidant botanical extracts (please call or email to purchase Biologique Recherche).

Drink more water!

I know you hear this all the time, but it’s SO true. Every day we need to drink a half ounce of water for every pound of body weight. Water is a great way to detoxify and help keep skin clear and hydrated. And...it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, too!

Use a humidifier and/or diffuser!

If you heat with a wood stove or if you feel the air in your environment is dry, a humidifier is an excellent way to add moisture to the air and improve breathing. I love diffusers next to the bed at night with a couple essential oils to help me relax. Just remember to clean humidifiers and diffusers frequently using vinegar.

Re-visit your routine!

As the climate changes, so will your skincare needs...each and every season. The dryness of winter air requires a more intense moisturizer and supporting products, while the humid months of summer might require something lighter. Visit us for a facial or a consult (in-person or virtual!) and ask your expert esthetician how you can improve your winter skincare game. Online booking is available!