As winter sets in, your skin will experience a shift. The chilly winds will leave your skin feeling dry and uncomfortable. And as much as you wish you snuggle in your blankets and skip your winter skincare routine, it's best you don't. Especially moisturization.
Why are we saying this?
A winter moisturizer is your skin's best friend when the winds blow cold and dry. Think of it as a blanket but for your skin. It protects it from the harsh and damaging impact of the cold weather. But that's not all it does. A moisturizer goes above and beyond to nourish and pamper your skin. Want to know how?
Stay with us till the end, and you will have all the information you need on:
- How does a moisturizer work?
- How does the cold weather affect your skin?
- How to choose the best moisturizer for your skin type?
We will also tell you what ingredients to look for and which to run from while choosing a winter moisturizer.
So, keep reading!
Why Is Moisturizer Important in Winter?
Winter skin manifests as dryness, flakiness, itching, and even cracking. This often leads to a compromised skin barrier, leaving your skin vulnerable to the external environment.
Moreover, cold weather reduces the skin's ability to retain moisture. The drop in humidity levels, outdoors and indoors, due to heating systems leads to water evaporation from the skin's surface. Result? Redness and irritation.
Moisturizer plays a crucial role in winter skincare. It is a barrier to lock in moisture and protect the skin from a harsh external environment. Furthermore, it helps replenish lost water and maintain the skin's natural hydration. Thus preventing dryness, itchiness, and discomfort.
But you cannot apply any face moisturizer during winter. The best winter moisturizer is the one that suits your skin type and meets your skin's unique needs. This means you need to:
- Know your skin type
- Strictly check for the ingredients
Once you know these two things, you can choose the best face moisturizer for your delicate skin!
Ingredients in Your Moisturizer: Look For vs. Run From
Your face moisturizer is only as good as its ingredients. Likewise, your skin is only as good as the ingredients you apply to it. So here are some ingredients that you must LOOK for and some that you must RUN from:
Ingredients to Look For:
Humectants
Humectants are ingredients that attract moisture from the environment into the skin. As a result, they effectively enhance hydration levels. Furthermore, they help maintain the skin's suppleness. Thus preventing it from becoming dry and flaky.
Here are some humectants you should consider:
- Glycerin: Glycerin draws moisture to the skin. As a result, it creates a protective layer to maintain hydration levels.
- Hyaluronic Acid: This powerful ingredient can hold vast amounts of water for intense hydration. Moreover, it plumps up the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
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Aloe Vera: Beyond its soothing properties, aloe vera is very effective at attracting moisture to the skin. It also helps fade dark spots, speeds up skin's healing, and supports collagen production.
Occlusives
A robust skin barrier prevents moisture loss. Occlusives help create a protective barrier on the skin's surface, sealing in moisture. Furthermore, they protect your skin against harsh environmental factors.
For instance,
- Petroleum Jelly: Petroleum jelly forms a barrier that prevents water evaporation, keeping the skin moisturized for a long time.
- Lanolin: Derived from sheep's wool, lanolin locks in moisture and prevents dehydration. It also softens and heals aggravated areas. And the best part? It does not feel too heavy on the skin.
- Beeswax: This natural ingredient retains moisture and prevents dryness. Besides this, it offers antioxidant protection and helps keep the skin clean.
Emollients
Emollients soften and smoothen the skin, reducing roughness and enhancing skin texture. They work by filling in the gaps between skin cells, making the skin feel smoother and more supple.
Here are some of the best emollients:
- Ceramides: These lipids help in restoring your skin's barrier. They are essential for repairing and protecting the skin from external aggressors.
- Shea Butter: Popular for its fatty acids and vitamins, it nourishes and prevents moisture loss. Our Deep Moisturizer contains shea butter to help transform your dehydrated skin into mochi-plump skin. It also has skin-softening Japanese Rice Germ Oil to make your skin baby-soft.
- Squalane: Lightweight and non-greasy, squalane goes deep into the skin, providing intense hydration. And the best part? It does not clog your pores.
Ingredients to Avoid:
Alcohol
Alcohol has a drying effect on the skin. Thus, it can strip away the skin's natural oils, increasing dryness and irritation and worsening skin concerns.
Fragrances
Artificial fragrances in skin care may cause irritation and allergic reactions. This is especially true for those with sensitive skin. During winter, when the skin is more susceptible to dryness, it's best to avoid fragrances.
Essential Oils
Although natural, some essential oils might be too potent for sensitive skin. Certain essential oils can worsen dryness or redness during winter, causing discomfort. Thus, it's important to be cautious. Additionally, it is wise to opt for fragrance-free and hypoallergenic face moisturizers.
Choosing the Right Moisturizer For Your Skin Type
Now that you know which ingredients to look for and run from, we will put the puzzle pieces together. So read what follows carefully to choose the right face moisturizer for your skin type.
Dry Skin
Dry skin requires extra hydration and nourishment to fight flakiness, tightness, and discomfort. It lacks natural oils and, therefore, struggles to retain moisture.
The best moisturizer for dry skin is a rich, creamy face moisturizer with humectants and occlusives.
Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid will draw moisture to the skin. At the same time, occlusives such as shea butter create a protective barrier to lock in moisture. This combination, thus, provides:
- Intense hydration
- Restores the skin's moisture barrier
- Prevents water loss
- Effectively combating dryness.
Oily Skin
Unlike dry skin, oily skin tends to produce excess sebum. Result? A shiny complexion and a chance for acne breakouts. However, it still needs hydration without adding extra oiliness. What do you know?
The solution is a non-comedogenic, lightweight, oil-free moisturizer for oily skin.
A lightweight moisturizer like our Light Moisturizer with Niacinamide hydrates your skin without adding excess oil or clogging pores. Plus, including humectants like hyaluronic acid and lightweight emollients will ensure balanced moisture levels without causing your acne to flare.
Combination Skin
Combination skin, as the name suggests, presents a blend of dry and oily areas on the face. Here, your T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) tends to be oily, while the cheeks may be dry.
Double the problem, double the challenge. As a result, consider using not one but two different face moisturizers. Or choose one specifically formulated moisturizer for combination skin.
Using two different moisturizers allows for targeted hydration without worsening either issue. In contrast, a face moisturizer for combination skin nourishes dry and oily areas without over-moisturizing or making the skin greasy.
Sensitive Skin
Ah! The sensitive type. Sensitive skin is easily irritated and prone to redness, itching, or allergic reactions. It requires gentle, soothing care to prevent irritation. Moreover, you need to be extremely careful with the formulation of the moisturizer.
Choose a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic face moisturizer with calming ingredients like aloe vera or chamomile. Fragrance-free formulations reduce the risk of irritation. Likewise, hypoallergenic products are less likely to trigger allergic reactions.
For instance, our Moisturizing Cream consists of collagen-boosting Alpine Rose Stem Cells and moisturizing Japanese Fermented Rice Extract. The unique formula is specially crafted for sensitive skin with 98% natural origin ingredients. It ensures that your skin receives the right balance of hydration and nourishment. Thus promoting a healthier, more radiant complexion.
How to Apply Your Moisturizer?
Every product has two reasons it works so well—one, its ingredients, and two, its application process. Winter skincare, or any skincare, is best applied on clean, dry skin.
Think of your clean, dry skin as a blank canvas. It's easier to bring out the colors. In the same way, clean, dry skin makes it possible for your skincare to penetrate deep into the skin and work its magic.
Next, how do you apply it? While applying your face moisturizer, use gentle upward circular motions. The gentle upward circular motion follows the natural orientation of the skin's texture, allowing the product to penetrate more effectively.
Furthermore, it reduces the chances of tugging or pulling on the skin. Gently massaging the moisturizer in upward circles is gentler on the skin, minimizing unnecessary stress that could lead to premature aging or skin irritation. But that's not all.
It also helps with lymphatic drainage, removing toxins and reducing puffiness in the face. This technique can help with the appearance of under-eye bags or facial swelling. Finally, it improves your skin's blood circulation and helps maintain its firmness over time.
Remember to pay special attention to dry areas like cheeks, forehead, and chin.
Your Winter Bonus: Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Skincare Routine During Winter
- Drink herbal teas and infused water to keep yourself hydrated. Also, avoid excessive caffeine intake, which can contribute to dehydration.
- Include seasonal green leafy vegetables, fruits, and fatty acids like avocados, nuts, and fish. These nourish your skin from within, keeping it supple and hydrated.
- Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air indoors.
- Opt for lukewarm water instead of hot showers or baths. Plus, limit the time spent in the shower and avoid harsh soaps or cleansers that can further dry out your skin.
- UV rays are still present during winter, and they can cause damage to your skin. So apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily, even when you are staying indoors.
- Apply a nourishing lip balm to protect your lips from harsh weather conditions.
- Wear gloves to protect your hands. You can also apply a rich hand cream to prevent dryness and cracking after washing your hands.
Choose The Best Moisturizer For Your Skin This Winter
Winter moisturization can be tricky. However, as long as you know your skin type, its needs, and the ingredients you should look for, you will be good to go!
Remember, the goal is to protect your skin from the season's harsh effects and maintain its moisture levels. This is best achieved with a proper winter skincare routine and lifestyle changes.
To summarize,
- Look for humectants (like hyaluronic acid), occlusives (like beeswax), and emollients (like shea butter and squalene).
- Stay away from products with alcohol, added fragrances, and potent essential oils for calm skin.
- Finally, ensure your moisturizer suits your skin's type and needs!
Happy Winters!☃️
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