How to look after your skin during winter

Winter is the time of year when our skin can feel the most dry and tight. The air is colder and drier, and we are less likely to spend time outdoors in the sunlight. As a result, our skin can become dry, flaky, and irritated. Winter skin dryness can cause a variety of issues, from itchiness and redness to eczema flare-ups. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help combat winter skin dryness, which we’ll explore in this article.

Protecting Your Skin Barrier in Winter

You may have heard us talk about your skin barrier before – we dermal clinicians like to harp on about protecting, repairing and rebuilding it after all! But what is your skin barrier, and why is it so important for reducing those frustrating winter skin issues?

The skin barrier is the top-most layer of your skin, it is made up of the most mature skin cells and sebum (oil), which protects you from the adverse effects of the environment, including bacteria and potential infections. When there are fewer natural oils on your skin, your pores can dry out, and the skin becomes dry, flaky and sometimes itchy, cracked or irritated.

Tips to keep your skin healthy and hydrated during Winter

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help combat winter skin dryness. Be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated from the inside out. And choose quality, gentle skincare products that won't further irritate your skin. With a little care, you can help keep your skin healthy and happy all winter long!

Keep yourself and your skin well hydrated

It’s been drummed into us that in order to stay well hydrated, we need to drink 2L of water a day. Therefore, it might surprise you to learn that the exact amount of water you need actually depends on your gender, age, height, weight and activity levels (and of course if you’re pregnant or lactating!). So the standard 2L may not be enough to keep you well hydrated. You can use a water calculator to work out how much water you need. If you’re struggling to keep your water intake up, you can try using a water tracking app, or keep a large water bottle close by (so you don’t have to keep remembering to fill your water glass up throughout the day!).

Create a skin-friendly home and office environment

With winter comes a lot of time spent in artificial environments, such as heated homes or offices. Whilst this is perfect for staying warm and cosy, it can exacerbate dry skin. Using a humidifier in your home or office can help add moisture back into the air, so your skin doesn’t have to fight so hard to keep its moisture.

We also love the Lira Clinical Biohydrating Mineral Mist for when you’re moving from a warm home or office environment, out into the cold winter air. Thanks to its hydrating minerals (including gold and silver), this product is great for protecting and rehydrating your skin. Keep it in your handbag, ready for spritzing yourself throughout the day.

Reduce dehydrating liquids

Coffee, or caffeinated drinks of any kind, get a bad rap when it comes to skin health because they’re known diuretics – meaning they strip the body of water. Over time skin can become drier, especially if you're not drinking enough extra liquids.

Some other effects of caffeine include an increased risk of breakouts, reduced blood circulation (which can trap toxins in the skin) and a higher likelihood of developing fine lines and wrinkles.

If you’re noticing your skin is feeling a little dull, dry or maybe just a tad blah, you may want to switch up (or at least reduce) your coffee habit. Instead of reaching for that second (or fourth?!?) coffee, why not try a relaxing cup of chamomile tea instead.

Boost your skin’s health with Omega 3’s

Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are an important part of protecting your skin barrier, especially in winter. EFAs ensure skin cells are getting adequate hydration, as well as decrease sensitivity to the sun. Not only this, EFAs also help reduce stress by regulating hormones, and improve gut health – which is linked to creating that healthy glow from the inside out. You can find EFAs in fish, seeds and nuts, however we suggest exploring a great supplement, as it’s not always possible to get an adequate amount of EFAs from only food sources.

Keep up your SPF

Although the UV index is lower in winter, it doesn’t mean you should skip your daily SPF application. The winter sun can still cause harmful damage to your skin, as well as adding to the drying out of your skin barrier. So always remember to apply a quality SPF sunscreen such as Lira's Hydrating Solar Shield. Need more help on choosing the right one? We cover everything you need to know in this sunscreen blog post.

What’s the best winter skincare routine?

If you want to say goodbye to winter skin issues, then you need to know how to hydrate your skin properly and ensure that your winter skincare routine is providing the support your skin’s protective barrier needs.

Firstly, it’s important not to over exfoliate. Even though it might be tempting to scrub away that dry skin, this will only further deplete your skin barrier. Instead, we want to focus on creating ultimate hydration – and that starts with a quality moisturising masque, like the Lira Clinical BioHydrating Mineral Masque, to brighten, hydrate and soothe dry irritated skin.

One of the more common signs that indicate your skin is dry, is chapped lips. This is because there's unfortunately no such thing as a lip scarf to protect the delicate, thinner skin of your lips from the dry winter wind. Lucky for you, we have the next best thing – the Lira Clinical Bio Lip Factor, which is designed to hydrate, soften and protect lips, all whilst giving your Lips a beautiful glossy shine!

Finally, because no skin is perfect, we love our Lira Clinical Bio Recovery Balm, for helping to restore and rehydrate skin, thanks to its healing ingredients of Aloe Vera, Colloidal Gold and Silver.

Give your skin an extra boost in Winter

If you feel like your daily skincare routine just isn’t cutting it, and the dry skin of winter is getting too much, why not help winterproof your skin with a Biosonic Microdermabrasion treatment, which helps revitalise and restore dehydrated skin. We know you’ll also love our  Ultimate Hyrdration Facial for alleviating winter skin issues. We recommend this facial prior to our advanced treatments, such as a skin peel, to ensure your skin is well hydrated for maximum results.

Winter is a time when many people experience dry, itchy skin. The cold weather and harsh winds can strip the skin of its natural oils and lead to cracking, redness, and inflammation. In this post, we’ve outlined some tips on how to protect your skin barrier during winter and keep your skin healthy and hydrated. We also suggested ways to reduce the environmental stressors that can aggravate dry skin conditions. If you have any questions or want more personalised advice, please book a consultation with our team of experts. We would be happy to help you create a skincare routine that will keep your skin looking its best all winter long!