Winter Skin Tips Q&A

Adjusting your skincare routine for winter.

Why is it necessary to review your current skincare routine at this time? (How do the indoor and outdoor elements affect skin?

Your skin is the largest organ of the body, exposed to the outside and the elements. As the weather gets cooler and showers get hotter the epidermal barrier to the outside may be in need of boosting. Cold air and wind constrict blood vessles and can result in decreased moisture to the surface of the skin. Hot showers and heating inside evaporates water from the skin faster, resulting in drier skin that can crack and become inflamed. Adjusting your routing may entail small changes such as exfoliating less often and moisturizing more often. 

 2.       What is the most important change someone should make to their skincare routine and why? 

Adding retinols and alpha hydroxy acids in your skin care product routine helps with exfoliation. Exfoliation helps boost collagen production and results in smoother plumper skin. This however may need to be decreased in the winter months, depending on what products are being used. Too much exfoliation can result in skin drying and  inflammation, as the weather is not permitting the water and protective barrier to be repaired or restored as quickly.

There are products with retinol, such as Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum, that are also formulated with hyaluronic acid and can be used throughout the year without causing irritation.  These ingredients can be used with caution, in the winter months.

As the weather gets cooler, a moisturizer with ceramides should be added to help coat the skin barrier and keep the elements from causing skin dryness and irritation. Look for creams and balms over lotions, as they are thicker and have less water (last longer) than lotions. These trap water in the skin and prevent evaporation as they fill in the surface cracks. Filling in the surface cracks of the skin, helps the nerves exposed to the air, not fire (decreases sensitivity and itching) . Visha Skincare Face2 Feet body balm has a combination of natural butters and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help fill in cracks, moisturize and decrease inflamed skin.  If your skin is very itchy or eczema prone, a natural ingredient with soothing and coating properties is oatmeal. Silicones are used in some skin products, and they help coat the skin to prevent water loss. This ingredient, as most of the thicker ingredients, are better used on the body than on the face as they can clog pores. Visha Skincare Rejuvenating moisturizer is specifically made to work on skin that is aging (all of us are doing this as I type) . As we age we also loose estrogen, we loose moisture, and elasticity  of the skin of the whole body not just the face. The RejuVenating moisturizer is made to replenish moisture on the face, neck, decolletage and vaginal area- a perfect addition to winter skin months, or even all year round. Wearing a a daily SPF >30 is always recommended to help keep your results and prevent further photodamage

 3.       Should someone do something extra with products during winter?

Always layer with wash/disposable product, thinner product to thicker product. with the thickest skincare product on first.for example. 1- cleanser/mask (remove after using) 2- serum 3- moisturizer or balm (if on the body)

 4.       Is there something someone should stop doing in winter that might make dry skin or irritation worse (that they might have been fine with in the summer/fall)?

If you are using products with BPO or stronger alpha hydroxy acids, or astringents- they may dry out the skin or cause more irritation in the winter. Prescription tretinoin, may need to be augmented with a hyaluronic acid moisturzier as well. At home chemical peels should be decreased so that peeling and exfoliation do not irritate the skin now too. 

5.       What else do people need to know about transitioning their skincare routine during winter?

You don' t need to change everything, just tweek what you have. Some products can be used during all seasons (serums such as Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum). While it may be colder, SPF protection of >30 is always a must. UV radiation bounces off surfaces as well, especially snow and water, so even though it is cold, the sun is still out, and you need to protect yourself. Your skin is still an organ and needs: 6 glasses of water, 8 hours of sleep, a multivitamin and a probiotic daily.