It’s officially the winter season and while it’s the season associated with bringing around the peppermint lattes and holiday cheer, it’s also the season where the cold and dry weather may have you feeling the need to slather on copious amounts of ineffective moisturizers as a temporary fix for the brutal, dry and chapped skin the winter season is infamous for providing.
No need to worry if you’re a victim of such unfortunate skin conditions during the winter, BlackDoctor.org spoke with holistic skin care therapist, AirestDion of AirestDion Skin Therapy, to get some helpful daily tips on how to prep your skin for the cooler months, as well as throughout the year.
When it comes to prepping your skin to achieve glowing greatness no matter the season, it’s important to start with a clean palette. Aim to look for cleansers that gently removes dirt and impurities from the skin, while maintaining the skin’s hydration
Try: Rose Cleansing Tonic
When you combine a good moisturizing oil with an equally good toner, you’re mimicking the way the skin naturally moisturizes itself, which is through oil and water, Dion mentions. So, why is an alcohol-free toner a necessary staple in every skincare arsenal? Simply put, it’s basically a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer all in one package, which makes it beneficial because it will remove any additional traces of dirt a cleanser may have left behind, balance the pH of your skin and tighten your skin’s pores.
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Try: Balancing Tonic
Repair
According to Dion, repairing the skin is to predominately help feed the skin with the nourishment that it needs so that it can continue with the cellular mitosis process or the process of creating more skin cells in order to keep the youthful appearance. While it may seem that an appropriate face mask may be an obvious choice to help repair the skin, Dion states serums can be a great effective skin staple when it comes to repairing the skin.
“Serums are like the food for our cells,” says Dion “They provide all of the vitamins, all of the nutrients, [and] the amino acids that our skin requires just to maintain overall health and to help support cellular rejuvenation and regeneration.”
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Try: Aloe Vera Serum
Protect and Moisturize
The winter season produces cooler and drier weather, thus decreasing humidity causing less moisture in the air, which is why the focus of skincare during the winter tends to shift towards moisturizing the skin. While it may seem cliché when celebrities mention the key to their radiant skin is to drink plenty of water, that statement does hold a lot of validity according to Dion. “Moisture is key,” says Dion.
“With moisture, we’re talking more about water and you still have to keep the skin hydrated whether you have oily or dry skin.” Granted, drinking water is extremely important regardless of the skin type, but, it’s also necessary to note there should be a balance between a good oil and water hydration.
“Depending on the skin type, there may be an increased amount of moisturizer that is used in the winter time versus in the summer or spring months,” says Dion. “If you’re noticing flaking or dry patches, that lets you know that you really need to ramp up the amount of moisture you’re applying to the skin, so you may want to consider either increasing the amount of moisturizer that you use and/or adding a weekly treatment that helps to balance the skin’s moisture levels during the cooler months.” Another major key to moisturize the skin: increase your fruit intake.
According to Dion, to really hydrate the body, eating more fruit is the best option as a way of getting your hydrating minerals since the water from fruit is naturally filtered through the fruit itself; also, make sure you’re drinking at least 64 ounces of quality water such as alkaline or mineral springs water daily.
“When we moisturize our skin…we’re basically creating a protective barrier for our skin’s protective barrier, so we’re kind of fortifying the skin to ensure the hydrolipidic film stays in place [to prevent acne-causing bacteria, environmental pollutants, and various pathogens].”
Try:
Whether your skin is going through a rough patch or you’re simply interested in trying a new skincare regimen or product this winter, remember to pay close attention to how your skin responds to the change of season so you’re able to accommodate your skin’s needs.
