January Skin Care Essentials

January Skin Care Essentials

It’s January and with winter in full-force, the harsh, cold temperatures have probably had a significant impact on the tone and texture of your skin. Your skin may be feeling dehydrated and scaly and you may be noticing more lines and wrinkles than you did just a few months ago. In order to combat winter skin dryness, we’ve put together a list of tweaks that you can quickly and easily make to your at-home skin care regime.

1. Make sure you’re using a gentle cleanser when washing your face
During the winter months, our skin loses 25% of its ability to hold moisture. This means the gel-based cleanser that you loved during the summer months is probably not leaving your skin feeling as soft and supple in the dead of winter. Check the ingredients on your favourite cleanser’s label and ensure that it does not contain alcohol and that it is soap-free. A great cleansing option for all skin types this time of year is Vivier’s Hexam Gentle Cleanser.

2. Go extra easy on your skin when exfoliating
While regularly exfoliating your skin during the winter can help banish dull skin and reveal a glowing complexion, it is important to pay extra attention to how you’re sloughing off those dead skin cells this season. If your skin is currently feeling dehydrated and vulnerable, physically scrubbing your skin with a an exfoliant that contains granules may be too harsh and can cause more damage. We suggest switching to a chemical exfoliator during the winter months to gently dissolve the top layer of dead skin and wash it away at home safely and effectively. Chemical exfoliators such as Alumier’s Enzymatic Peel uses a combination of acids and fruit enzymes to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, all while calming inflammation and redness.

3. Use a richer cream moisturizer

Are you suffering from dry patches or feel like your face can’t get enough moisture these days? When reviewing your winter skin care regime, you may be noticing that it’s time to step up from your lightweight moisturize to one that is richer and more calming. A fabulous anti-aging product that works wonders in providing your skin with an extra protective barrier is ZO Skin Health’s Renewal Crème. This skin hydrator contains retinol and is an ideal dry skin product as it restores hydration, promotes healthy skin repair and provides antioxidant protection.

4. Add a serum to the mix
Serums are the key to providing your skin with uber moisturizing and anti-aging benefits, all of which are even more important during the winter months. Those that contain active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid are especially powerful when combatting winter skin dryness. Serums tend to be thinner in consistency and are generally applied before your moisturizer to really absorb into your skin and provide maximum results. One of our favourites is Neocutis Hyalis – it is formulated with a high concentration of premium grade hyaluronic acid and acts as a drink of water for your skin. With daily use, your skin will look plumper and smoother as it works to soothe sensitive, stressed skin. It is also the perfect product to use post-laser treatment for a quicker, speedier recovery.

5. Take extra care of your eyes
The one area of our face that tends to give away our age the most is the skin around our eyes. Dehydrated and dry skin around the eyes tends to highlight pesky fine lines and wrinkles. To protect this delicate area of skin from cold temperatures and dry winds, it is imperative that you use an eye cream that contains elastin and collagen daily, both in the AM and PM. Vivier’s GrenzCine Eye is a specialty eye cream that increases moisture, diminishing fine lines while increasing firmness of the skin around the eye.

January is the ideal month to address your winter skin concerns by practicing a solid skin care regime to combat winter dryness. In addition to the recommendations made above, we highly encourage you to consider using a humidier if your home is very dry. This will help prevent your skin from drying out too much and allow you to get the most benefits out of your winter skin care products. Shop skin care online today!