A skincare regime to defy the drying winter months.
You may have noticed that your skin is on the drier side, inflamed, or some pesky pimples appearing. These not-so-fun changes are tell-tale signs that your skin is trying to adapt to the transition of seasons. Add central heating and hot showers into the mix and you’ve got the perfect recipe for stressed out skin.
Here’s what to watch out for and how to foolproof your routine to defy the drying winter months this Autumn.
Harsh heating
Central heating causes low humidity, which causes water to evaporate from our skin. This can cause cracking, flaking and irritation. In fact, some of the most common winter skin concerns are a lacklustre, parched and sallow appearance – the result of dehydration. To counter the drying effects, it’s vital to drink plenty of water – up to 3 litres a day. Also upping your moisture levels by introducing a great hydrating and soothing moisturizer is essential. Look out for those rich in nourishing and plumping essential fatty acids such as Chia and Marula (found in A-Game) which help to protect, soothe and strengthen the skin barrier from the elements and lock in moisture.
Sun strength
Even though the sky is grey and cloudy, it remains essential to protect against UVA rays all year round – especially if you want to maintain healthy, youthful skin. From accelerating the breakdown of collagen which causes sagging and fine lines, to the development of age spots and an uneven tone, prevention really is better than cure. Reach for a minimum of SPF 50 and slather it on come rain or shine to keep ageing at bay.
Pollution solution
Daily exposure to skin damaging pollution is inevitable when you live in an urban area. Pollution particles are microscopic, enabling them to slip into our pores where they clog up skin cells and trigger inflammation, acne and pigmentation. Free radicals from pollution can also cause oxidative stress. They trigger an increase in the amount of damaging enzymes that break down collagen and elastin within our skin – bad news for sagging and wrinkles.
So, what can you do about pollution?
- Deep Cleanse
Make sure you deeply cleanse (ideally double cleanse) at the end of the day to remove these pesky particles. Try our guilt free biodegradable wipes Take Off – Touch Down, on late nights when all you want to do is collapse in bed (we all have them). Infused with a natural salicylic acid (an exfoliant which helps draw out impurities) it keeps skin fresh and clean, without the dreaded dryness.
2. Protect with Anti-oxidants
Night time is also when our skin regenerates, so it’s the ideal time to apply an antioxidant rich treatment. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E (found in abundance in our A-Game) fight free radicals and help prevent oxidative stress as does maintaining a healthy and antioxidants rich diet of fruit and vegetables.