In the winter all skin protective mechanisms get weaker, especially the lipid barrier of epidermis. Although dry, sensitive and couperose skin have the biggest problem with enduring this season, normal and oily skin types require protection as well. Winter beauty routine should consists of applying a face cream and a delicately cleaning preparation of neutral pH (5.5) without any abrasive particles. When it comes to a face cream, its winter version should protect skin against frost, wind and the sun, which affects skin no matter the season. Moreover, you should match a face cream with your skin type. What cream to choose to treat dry, oily or couperose skin during winter and what to apply instead of a face cream? What face cream should you choose for skiing? How to protect lips in winter? I’m going to answer all the questions right away.
Which face cream to choose for winter?
I’m sure you’ve already noticed that skin has this tendency to get dry during winter. Low temperature makes dry skin produce less sebum due to which its protection is worsened. Even dry and warm air in all the rooms we spend time during winter encourages water to evaporate from skin. Moreover, constant temperature fluctuations makes blood vessels contract when exposed to frost and enlarge in warmth, and this increases the risk of breaking vessels’ walls which, naturally, leads to spider veins appearance.
Another factor which impairs skin condition is the sun. Although UVB radiation – responsible for rosacea and sunburns – isn’t that intensive during winter as it’s in the summer, UVA radiation – causing wrinkles and even skin cancer – is powerful even on cloudy and rainy days. For that reason, a sunscreen shielding against UVA has to be applied every morning. If your winter cream doesn’t feature a sufficient concentration of filters, follow with another cosmetic with sun filters – a light product of a fluid consistency. On sunny days, wear sunglasses which will help you avoid pre-mature fine lines appearance that blemish eye skin area.
Winter cream for dry skin
If your skin is dry, apply skin lubricating creams of thick consistency. They should be enriched with vegetable oils (e.g. sunflower oil, oenothera oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil or olive oil), waxes as well as karite and cocoa butter.
Winter cream for oily skin
Winter is a tough period also for oily skin type. Influenced by cold sebaceous glands might start working more intensively to protect skin against low temperature. As a consequence, oily skin becomes even more oily and needs additional protection. You can gift it with what it needs by applying a moisturising cream or a lubricating day cream and moisturising night cream. Of course, this blemishing skin shine might be dealt with by using blotting papers or a mattifying powder.
Winter cream for couperose skin
If your skin is couperose, you should treat it with two creams: for capillaries and delivering skin protection.
Face cream for skiing
A cream that you should apply before entering a ski slope or for a mountaineering must provide skin with an exceptionally strong protection from the sun. For that reason, I recommend you using a cream with high SPF such as 30 or 50. Choose thick sunscreen even if your face is oily. It doesn’t matter that your face will shine – what matters is that you will get back from your winter holiday with healthy skin that wasn’t damaged by the sun. Moreover, you can make a good use of a stick with high SPF so you can apply it to protect your lips, ears and nose.
What instead of winter face cream?
Obviously, a skin protective function might be also played by a foundation and a powder. Colour cosmetic that you choose shouldn’t dehydrate skin (enhance the dry patches of skin), therefore apart from sun filter it should also feature moisturising agents. Still, it shouldn’t be considered as the one and only protection against radiation. It could, providing that you apply a really thick layer of it. In this way you’ll obtain blemishing mask effect, which will enhance wrinkles and skin pores even more.
Mind you, if you don’t apply a foundation on a daily basis, don’t do this in the winter only to protect skin! In this situation, a good sunscreen will suffice.
How to protect lips in winter?
During winter your lips need special kind of protection; deprived of sebaceous glands, they can’t defend themselves against the external factors. For that reason don’t leave your home without wearing a protective lip balm. At bedtime treat your lips with a nourishing balm, best if it features karite butter, honey, vegetable waxes. When you notice your skin flakes off, you can apply peeling – either a special peeling designed for lip care, or a super delicate face scrub. It’s also worth realizing that lip glosses and colour lipsticks are also able to moisturise lips, but don’t use them if your lips are dehydrated and chapped because the very cosmetics will accentuate dry skin patches.
What methods do you use to protect face skin in winter? Which cosmetics do you use to shield it against frost, winter and the sun? I’m waiting for your suggestions!
Leave a Reply