When the seasons change, the skin is subject to dehydration problems which should not be taken lightly. Indeed, our skin plays the role of a skin barrier, and thus allows us to counter external aggressions. It therefore seems essential to hydrate it, from the inside and the outside, to protect yourself.
Winter and sudden changes in temperature make our skin drier and damaged, less supple and less soft. The skin of the face, hands and lips is the first to suffer from the cold. This aggression leads to dryness, sensitivity and redness. But how does it affect our skin?
To begin with, the cold winter climate and dry heating lead to a drop in ambient humidity. Due to differences in temperature and humidity between the inside and the outside, the skin's hydrolipidic film deteriorates and impacts the quality of the skin, which becomes more sensitive to dehydration and skin drying. In fact, the drier the ambient air, the more it absorbs the moisture released by the skin. It becomes fragile and thinner. Your face then becomes more marked, your skin dries out and redness appears on your body. This is why it is essential to moisturize the skin daily to strengthen this hydrolipidic film.
Furthermore, regulating body temperature is a main function of the skin. As temperatures drop, blood flow to our skin decreases because our body prioritizes irrigation of vital organs. The skin is therefore less oxygenated and less nourished. This strongly impacts the production of sebum by the skin, which decreases by half. Sebum is a fatty substance deposited on the epidermis which is used to form the hydrolipidic film, the protective layer of the skin. It is less protected from external aggressions such as wind and cold and automatically becomes more fragile. It dehydrates, dries out and loses its elasticity. Yet another good reason to moisturize your skin every day.
Finally, the friction of clothing on the skin could also impact its quality and irritate it.
In winter, the skin is sometimes so dry that it itches and feels tight. Redness and cracking may also appear. To fight against this dryness and protect or repair your skin, you must take care of it and nourish it daily.
Here are some tips and solutions to take care of your skin and limit the inconvenience caused by the winter season.
Hydrate yourself
The surface of the skin is covered by an emulsion of water and fat which forms the hydrolipidic film, the skin's protective barrier. Water makes up more than 30% of our skin! One of the best ways to provide our skin with the water it needs to protect itself from wind and cold and to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water per day to hydrate it from the inside and allow your hydrolipidic film to renew itself. Your skin will thank you!
Opt for nourishing plates
The main problem with dry skin is that the skin's protective barrier (the hydrolipidic film) is unbalanced because it lacks nutrients. Without sufficient nutrient intake, the skin is no longer able to retain the water it contains and ends up drying out. It is therefore important to ensure that you consume enough:
- Good fatty acids: omega 3, 6 and 9. They provide the skin with suppleness and elasticity. The best sources of good fats are avocado, fatty fish (salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel), nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), and vegetable oils (rapeseed, flax, olive, etc.) not heated!
- Vitamin C: it promotes the synthesis of collagen which gives the skin more tone and suppleness. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers, kale and even broccoli.
- Carotenoids: they contribute to good hydration and elasticity of the skin , and often contain provitamin A, which promotes cell renewal. They are found in carrots, melon, tomatoes, parsley, lamb's lettuce, watercress, watermelon, spinach and even kale.
Adapt your skin cleansing
In winter, removing makeup is essential, just like the rest of the year. However, too frequent and intense cleansing can contribute to dehydration and drying of the skin. Favor gentle and short washes so as not to attack the skin. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, using water that is too hot or too cold, which could cause significant dilation of the facial vessels and therefore cause redness. Use oils or cleansing milks, rich in fat, rather than micellar water or cleansing foam. You can also use a lotion which will penetrate the skin more easily and moisturize the upper layers of the epidermis. This is because the skin is not capable of creating water. The moisturizing lotion will therefore be very useful for perfecting makeup removal, by eliminating cosmetic residues and impurities left on the skin, optimizing the penetration of the active ingredients used afterward and above all to deeply moisturize the skin. In these lotions, we often find hyaluronic acid, an active ingredient that can retain up to 1000 times its weight in water, storing it on the surface of the skin, but also glycerin, an active ingredient that captures humidity from the air. to restore it to the surface of the skin.
Consider exfoliating your skin
The skin is your largest elimination system. If it cannot eliminate toxins effectively, certain skin imbalances may appear. Exfoliation rids your skin of dead cells and promotes skin cell renewal. In addition to freeing pores and promoting the absorption of moisturizing products, it helps stimulate the circulatory and lymphatic systems and ensure oxygenation of the vessels. You can exfoliate your skin once a week using natural exfoliation ingredients like sugar mixed with coconut oil. Also think about regenerating masks to brighten up your skin that is a little too dull in winter.
Moisturize your face
In cold weather, skin cell renewal slows down to conserve body heat. To maintain hydration, it needs a protective layer of fat on its surface, because fat slows the evaporation of water. Whether you have dry, oily or combination skin, it is essential to moisturize it daily. You can strengthen the hydrolipidic film of your skin by using products rich in lipids such as an oily serum (mixture of essential and vegetable oils and plant extracts). Vegetable oils are nutritional bombs for our skin. They are naturally made up of essential fatty acids (omega 3-6) and antioxidant active ingredients (AEDK vitamins), which prevent dehydration of the skin, protect it, soothe it and nourish it. Jojoba oil is very beneficial for all skin types because it balances sebaceous secretions. If you have dry skin, the most recommended are almond, coconut, avocado, evening primrose, wheat germ, macadamia or grapeseed oils. And for oily skin, those of apricot, hazelnut, evening primrose and sesame are more recommended.
Furthermore, to stimulate cell renewal, it is recommended to use a nourishing moisturizing cream rich in active ingredients as a complement, which will protect your skin and help it to hydrate and soothe.
Humidify the air
Outside, the wind and cold attack our skin... and inside, the heating makes the air extremely dry. The artificial heat of winter is not a good ally for our skin, but we can minimize its effects with a few very simple tips:
- Place a humidifier or essential oil diffuser in the room you are in to prevent the skin from drying out even more.
- Spray the face with a hydrosol or thermal water. They can be used on all skin types, including sensitive and damaged skin. They will help to hydrate the skin but also to better absorb the treatments, which penetrate more deeply.
Don't forget the rest of the body
The rest of the body, wrapped up in our clothes, suffers from the cold but also from friction caused by the materials of winter clothing. It is recommended to apply a moisturizing body lotion or balm to combat dry skin and soothe irritation and itching.
Furthermore, our hands are very exposed to the cold and their skin is unfortunately thin and fragile. First of all, you need to protect them from the cold by wearing gloves. In fact, people who do not want to wear them often suffer from sores on their fingers caused by the cold. So, once your hands are protected, it will be easier to moisturize them effectively. Their skin does not produce sebum, so remember to apply a very nourishing moisturizer several times a day to prevent them from drying out. Finally, to relieve chapped lips, use products rich in moisturizing active ingredients.
