While a winter wonderland evokes feelings of comfort, it has the potential to wreak havoc on your skin. Freezing temperatures and blustery winds have the dreaded side effect of depleting your skin’s moisture and leaving it dry and dull. To beat the cold, we’ve got some essential winter skin care tips, including a winter skin care routine. Plus, our estheticians have handpicked a selection of Eminence Organic Skin Care products, including the best winter moisturizer for every skin type.
The impact of the season | Tips to protect your skin | 6 step winter routine | Tips to Brighten Dull Skin Video | Sensitive skin | Dry skin | Oily skin | Combination skins | Normal Skin
Winter Skin Care: The Season’s Impact on Your Skin
It happens every year — winter descends and your skin turns upside down by becoming dry, raw and dull. For many reasons, the cold season is often the worst time of year for your skin. First, the brutal winter weather whips around your skin, with icy winds draw moisture directly. Second, we compensate for cooler temperatures by turning up the thermostat, which further removes moisture from your skin. In a double whammy, it’s no wonder your skin suffers from dryness during the winter.
The end result of winter conditions? Dull, dry skin. Without moisture, your skin can be more sensitive and reactive than normal. Even the oiliest skin types experience uncharacteristic dryness and flaking. To soften your complexion, here are our suggestions for an Eminence Organics winter skincare routine.
Winter care tips to protect your skin
1. Use a humidifier
Forced air heaters remove moisture during the winter, removing important oils and leading to itchy skin. Try counteracting these drying effects by blowing a warm or cool mist humidifier instead. Restore moisture to the air helps soothe and calm irritated skin.
2. Hot showers and baths dry out your skin
Hot baths and showers may warm you up on cold winter days, but hot water, especially on your face, will dry your skin. Extreme temperatures break down your skin’s moisture barrier, preventing it from locking in the moisture it needs to stay soft and smooth. If possible, choose warm, not hot, water every time you clean. When you take a hot bath, add a dollop of body oil to water and your skin will look super smooth and hydrated. After your shower or steam bath, follow up with a moisturizing body lotion or oil to refresh the skin.
3. Fight dry skin symptoms from within
Who would have thought that you could treat dry skin from both the inside and the outside? WebMD states that foods rich in healthy fats improves your skin’s moisture levels. Plus, fatty acids like omega-3s help replenish your skin’s lipid barrier and protect against moisture loss. Eat foods rich in healthy fats such as flax, avocado, sunflower oil and nuts, as well as fish such as salmon and sardines.
A 6-step winter skin care routine for hydration
To tackle dull and dry winter skin, we’ve created a routine for all skin types that face winter issues. Follow these steps to return a radiant glow to your skin:
1. Clean up
As winter drains moisture from your skin, try adding an oil-based cleanser like ours Stone Crop Cleansing Oil in your winter skincare routine. This type of cleanser is beneficial for all skin types (even oily!) due to its ability to remove oil-based impurities such as stubborn makeup. This cleanser also replenishes the skin with moisturizing ingredients like sunflower oil and jojoba oil. Use alone or combine with your favorite gel or cream-based cleanser for a double cleanse. For extra comfort and nourishment, your skin will also love the Coconut Milk Cleanser. This cleanser contains both coconut milk and coconut oil, ingredients that hydrate and soften the appearance of skin.
2. Tone
Another easy way to keep your skin hydrated during the winter months is to use a toner. You can think of a toner as the emollient for your cleanse. It adds an essential layer of hydration that keeps your skin soft and hydrated. Try the Stone Crop Hydrating Mist, with the unique properties of the stone crop plant, to hydrate, soothe and heal dry skin.
3. Apply Essence
One of the best ways to replenish dry winter skin is to add an ingredient to your skincare routine. Facial essence is a light liquid often described as a cross between toner and serum. Our Birch Water Purifying Essence deeply hydrates the skin and prepares it to absorb the benefits of the skin care products that follow.
4. Exfoliate
Exfoliating is the best way to revive dull winter skin. However, it’s important to keep in mind that cold temperatures and strong winds can also make your skin more reactive. Fab Fit Fun recommends Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel: “Eminence’s range of home exfoliating peels will leave your skin looking great. We love the Chamomile version, which soothes and refreshes even the most sensitive skin without irritation and redness… And unlike some harsh formulas on the market, you can use this gentle one up to three times a week.”
If you want to learn how to combat dull skin, watch our Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergaras it takes a deep dive to revive a dull complexion.
5. Treat
6. Hydrate
And last but certainly not least, moisturize. Hydration during winter is essential to combat dry skin. Even though the sun isn’t as strong in the colder months, exposure to the elements can suck moisture from your skin. Refresh it with the Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer, which includes deeply hydrating coconut oil, shea butter and grapeseed oil.
Moisturizing creams, serums & facial oils for dry winter skin
Sensitive skin
Cameron Diaz is one of its many fans, saying: “One drop goes a long way in relieving dryness on your skin… A drop on each cheek after you shower will do wonders.” Referred to as ‘liquid gold’, this precious oil is key to keeping dry skin soft and supple during the cold winter months.
Dry skin
If you suffer from dry skin in the winter, give your skin an extra dose of support with it Kombucha Leave-On Germ Mask. This mask features ginger and pro, pre* and metabiotics to support the skin’s moisture barrier and visibly renew its appearance. In addition, you can use the Firm Skin Acai Moisturizer that rejuvenates and hydrates mature skin. Contains shea butter and botanical hyaluronic acid that plumps the skin. Targeted formulas Homostatin® and BioComplex enhance the appearance of elasticity for youthful skin.
As already mentioned, the Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer is another luxuriously rich formula that combines coconut, shea butter and grape seed oil to hydrate dry skin. It also contains a Natural Alternative Retinol Complex making the skin look lifted and tightened.
Oily skin
If your oily skin still feels dry, add Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Moisturizer to your skincare routine. This moisturizer is essential for taking care of dry skin during winter as it contains a Botanical Hyaluronic Acid Complex, a blend of multi-weight hyaluronic acid and marshmallow root that deeply hydrates and locks moisture into the skin. For best results, apply under Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer.
Combination skins
Protect yourself in the winter with the Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer, which promotes the appearance of smoother and revitalized skin. Mangosteen is an antioxidant-rich superfruit that encourages a natural glow and minimizes the appearance of environmental stress.
Combination skin will also benefit from the Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer as it restores skin’s hydration using a combination of retinol alternative bakuchiol and niacinamide. These two key ingredients smooth the appearance of wrinkles while visibly tightening your skin.
Normal Skin
Even normal skin types may notice dry patches during winter. Defend your skin from the harsh winter elements with the Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer, which gives you a smoother and rejuvenated look. You can also use the Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream featuring illuminating peptide complex to reveal your glow naturally.
To take your winter skincare routine even further, try our collection of cold essentials at an Eminence Organics Spa partner near you.
This article was originally written in December 2020.
*The product does not contain live probiotic cultures.
