Winter is not a great time for my skin. The air is cold and dry, making my skin even dryer than normal. In past winters I would just suffer through it and wait for spring, but not this year.
Because I have a few tricks up my sleeve. And I’m going to share my winter skincare tips with you so you can have perfect skin and the best winter ever.
We’re not going to make any drastic changes to your skincare routine, we’re just going to build onto your foundation and give your skin some extra love and protection.
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Side note: I recommend Faithful To Nature throughout this blog because it’s where I buy all my natural products and I absolutely love them, but it’s a South African business that only ships locally (which is better for our carbon footprint).
If you want to find out more about what they do and their values, you can visit their website by clicking the button below.
But if you’re a reader from the US I recommend The Detox Market, because although I can’t shop from them, they share my values and I would definitely put their products on my skin.
All of their products are hand-picked by beauty experts and checked for the highest quality, non-toxic ingredients and performance.
If you would like to find out more about them and their values, you can visit their website by clicking the button below.
Start in Autumn
In order to give your skin good protection in winter, you need to start it early before any damage can be done. What I like to do is prepare my skin for the harsher temperatures.
I start making changes late in autumn to give my skin time to get used to the new regime and to start protecting it before the new season comes.
Exfoliate often
When your skin lacks moisture the outer layer can dry out and flake off. As the air becomes colder and dryer I find that my skin starts to become bumpy and flaky.
It’s not a good look and it can clog the pores too. I start exfoliating more as soon as I realise my skin is slightly bumpy. That way I can stop my skin from getting flaky because once it’s flaky it’s really hard to get rid of.
In winter I usually exfoliate twice a week, where normally I exfoliate once a week or less. You don’t have to exfoliate more if you don’t feel you need to, just keep an eye on your skin and do it whenever you feel your skin needs it.
I don’t like using scrubs because they contain microplastics, and natural scrubs can have small particles that can make little cuts in your skin, which you don’t want.
So, I use scrubbing gloves because they’re gentler on the skin.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Hydration, the magic word to keeping your skin in great shape this winter. It’s a word I’ll be using a lot in this article. And it starts from the inside out.
In winter we can become dehydrated because it’s colder and we don’t realise we’re thirsty. So drink more tea, preferably without milk, make some soup with lots of water and make sure you stay hydrated.
While water is important, you need to make sure that hydration stays inside your skin.
I add a beeswax moisturizer to my routine that hydrates my skin and forms a light barrier that keeps the moisture inside but is still breathable and won’t clog my pores.
In my normal skincare routine, I don’t really use a moisturizer because I get enough hydration, but I find that it’s not enough in the winter, so I need the added protection that I get from the beeswax moisturizer.
I use the Bee Natural Rehydrating Face Balm from FTN. It contains beeswax, pollen, honey, propolis and is enriched with omega oils, antioxidants and avocado oil.
It is anti-ageing (I’m 20) but since I have very dry skin it helps protect it from the winter elements. (But if you are looking for an anti-ageing moisturizer, I would recommend this one.)
A lot of people use coconut oil but I find that it doesn’t work because the oil particles are too big to be absorbed by the skin, so it blocks the pores.
More facemasks
Normally I put on a hydrating sheet mask once every two months, but winter calls for at least one a month. This helps my skin retain its elasticity and stay hydrated too.
I like to use the hydrating sheet mask from Neutrogena because Faithful To Nature doesn’t have sheet masks.
This is not great for my zero waste efforts but I can’t find zero waste ones in South Africa so it’s the best I can do.
But if you live in the US, The Detox Market has reusable sheet masks, so you can check them out if you’re in need of a good hydrating mask.
Check your cleanser
A lot of cleansers do more than get rid of dirt. They can strip away the natural oils that your skin produces to keep itself healthy and hydrated.
When that happens your skin can either overcompensate and become oilier, or it can become dry and flaky.
I don’t use a cleanser, because I find that it’s too harsh on my skin. I use water to wash away the dirt from my face. It’s really all I need.
But if you use a cleanser make sure to use one that only contains all-natural products and without alcohol, which also dries your skin out.
Whenever my face feels like it does need a bit of cleansing I just use the Bamboo Charcoal Soap that FTN makes.
So, if you do need a cleanser you can always use their bar soap because it doesn’t contain any alcohol and is really gentle on the skin.
Lip balm is a must
My lips suffer the most in winter, it’s the driest part of my face in any weather. Way too often my lips have cracked because I forgot my lip balm, so now I carry a lip balm with me everywhere, especially in winter.
If you have dry lips then lip balm should be more important than your phone.
I like to use Faithful To Nature’s brand lip balm, it has beeswax, honey and propolis in it which is hydrating, healing and protecting. It lasts me a really long time and has great value for money because it’s not expensive at all.
If you’re looking for a lip balm for your dry lips, make sure it doesn’t contain menthol, which can dry out your lips more. Look for something completely natural that can keep the moisture in, but is still breathable.
For me, beeswax just works the best.
Change your heating
Heating can suck the moisture out of the air, making it really hard for your skin to keep its own moisture.
If you have electric heaters or use your air conditioner to heat up a room, you might want to consider using a gas heater. Gas heaters don’t make hot air so it won’t take any moisture out of the air.
If this is not accessible to you then don’t worry, just make sure your skin is protected when you do use your heating.
And if you live in a warmer climate like I do you can always skip the heating and just keep yourself warm with a thick blanket.
And there you have it, 7 of my best tips to have amazing skin this winter. I hope this article was helpful for you and if you have any more tips, please share them in the comments.
Remember to check out Faithful To Nature and The Detox Market if you’re in need of nourishing skincare products.
Cheers for now,
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