My top 3 Tips for healthy Winter Skin
While summer's challenges are obvious, winter poses some special challenges for your skin, especially if you're outside working or playing.
TIP #1
• Immediately after cleansing - set up a solid foundation for skin health with the right types of deep hydration.
• Both water and oil are necessary here. Medicinal water or hydrating toner is the place to start. *Avoid anything that contains alcohol or unnecessary chemicals!
• Next, apply your nutrient serum(s) - such as vitamin C, or hyaluronic acid.
• Now it's time to apply your oily hydration. Depending on your skin type, a light, squalane based serum is great if you're in a humid climate or if you have oilier skin. This is also a good option if you're applying a tinted sunscreen that contains oil over the top, or if you'll be applying a cream or skin balm as the final step.
If you have dry or mature skin and/or you live in a dry climate, an oil that's a bit heavier may be best in winter.
• Don't have a medicinal water or hydrating toner? After cleansing your skin or showering, while skin is still damp, apply your next step - serums and/or oils. This will seal in the hydration.
Product Options from Mamayurveda:
• Water hydration - Trifecta & Immortelle hydrating medicinal waters are a perfect start to your hydration routine. Simply mist your face and be ready to immediately move on to the next step of applying oils while your skin is still damp.
• Oil hydration - choose Rose Dew Serum if you want something light, or Rejuvenating Night Oil if you need more hydration. These can be layered, and Rose Dew is great for adding hydration throughout the day.
TIP #2
• Seal in moisture and protect your skin from wind and cold with a face balm. Balms are made exclusively of oils, butters and beeswax, and will provide another level of hydration and seal in the hydrating elements of serums & oils.
• Face balm is especially important if you'll be out in the cold and wind - and is perfect for being on the slopes or in the mountains.
A body balm will similarly seal in moisture everywhere else.
• If you have oily skin or you won't be out in the elements, you may not need a balm, and can go right to the next step.
Product Options from Mamayurveda:
• La Luz Face balm
• Golden Body Balm
TIP #3
• Sunscreen! After 9am + ESPECIALLY if you'll be on the snow (receiving early AM light with a bare face and no sunglasses is one of my top recommends to regulate your bio rhythms and boost Vitamin D levels).
• My current healthy sunscreen faves are Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint, Marie Veronique Everyday Coverage tinted sunscreen, and Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream Zinc.
MORE TIPS
• In addition to excellent hydration and protection, it's important to keep in mind that the key to supporting all aspects of your skin is to not strip it down in the first place, even if you have oily skin.
• Scrubs and "active" products like acids and typical products for oily or congested skin can disrupt your skin's barrier function, leaving it reactive and unprotected. If you do use active products, limit their use to a couple times weekly at most, and support barrier function with weekly honey and/or yogurt masks to replenish hydration and your skin's microbiome.
Cleansing with an oil cleanser will remove makeup and sunscreen without disturbing your skins natural protection.