You change your wardrobe for winter but do you change your skincare?

As the seasons change, your skin goes through different cycles, adapting to its surroundings. In the winter months, you may start to notice more redness, inflamed acne/breakouts, dryness and dehydration. That's why it's important to switch up your skincare to treat these seasonal skin concerns.

Why does this happen?

• Lower humidity - This can cause a loss of hydration and inflammation
• A weaker barrier - Makes your skin more susceptible to sensitivity, redness and inflammation
• Lifestyle changes - Hotter showers, having the central heating on for increased periods of time or going from a warm house to the cold outdoors can draw out the moisture and dehydrate the skin. You may also be drinking more hot drinks and drinking less water

Dry and dehydrated skin

Dry and dehydrated skin is a common skin concern especially during the changing seasons. During the winter months, skin may feel tighter and more sensitive, with a more dull appearance and may even be itchy and flaky. But what is the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?

If you suffer with dry skin, generally this is something you are born with or is genetic. Your skin will typically be dry throughout your body and you may also find that your hair and nails are dry too. This is due to your skin lacking sebum (natural oils) and requires oil rich products such as hyaluronic oil to help treat the dryness. Although you can control it with products, you’re not necessarily going to be able to remove the overall dryness.

Typically, people think the richer the better when treating dry skin. However, this may result in the heavy product sitting on the surface of the skin, causing a build up of product, dead skin cells and trapped dirt. This can make the skin become lazy and stop producing natural oil, in turn, creating in a negative effect. To prevent a build up of product, exfoliation and the layering of products to hydrate and protect the skin is key.

Nimue Hyaluronic Oil - shop here

When it comes to dehydrated skin, dehydrated skin can be dry but can also be oily and dehydrated at the same time. This is due to the skin lacking water. This could be influenced by external factors such as diet, health and lifestyle - as a result, dehydrated skin is usually temporary and can be treated with water-rich products such as the Nimue Hyaluronic UltraFiller serum to quench the thirst of the skin.

Nimue Hyaluronic UltraFiller Serum - shop here

SPF

SPF is one of the most important steps in your routine and shouldn’t just be worn when you’re on your holidays - it is an essential all year round. It not only protects your skin, but also can prevent premature ageing, help maintain an even skin tone and lower your risk of skin cancer. It is important to look for a broad spectrum, daily SPF that protects from both UVA and UVB rays as well as HEV and pollution.

Why do I need to wear SPF in winter?

The depleting ozone has led to stronger UVB burning rays with clouds doing very little to filter out wrinkle accelerating UVA rays. UV rays can also reflect off surfaces such as snow. For example, if you’re skiing, not only are you in higher altitudes and closer to the sun, the sun can also reflect off the snow, increasing the risk of damage to the skin.

Aside from skin damage caused by the sun, skin can also be damaged through HEV (high energy visible light) or blue light from phones, TVs and computers. We can be exposed to blue light for up to 12 hours a day, so it is important during this time to make sure your skin is being protected, even when you're indoors, to avoid premature ageing and dullness of the skin.

Pollution can also have a great impact on the skin, particularly for those who live or spend a lot of time in cities. After the sun, pollution is the second biggest aggressor when it comes to ageing your skin causing fine lines, build up of trapped toxins, sagging of the skin, increased breakout activity and lacklustre skin. Finding an SPF that protects against all of these elements, is essential for any skincare routine.

Nimue Sun-C SPF40 - shop here

Treatments

Cooler months are a great time to start laser and skin peels as the risk of sun induced pigmentation is less. However, always ensure the skin’s barrier is intact before a treatment to help boost skin recovery and to ensure optimum results. Good skincare with hydration and protection along with consuming essential nutrients are key to ensuring skin is performing at its best and isn’t being compromised.

As well as hydration and protection, exfoliation is also just as important throughout the year and key to repairing the skin barrier. Through exfoliating, you are removing old cells to make room for new cells, stimulating skin renewal resulting in brighter, younger looking skin as moisture rich cells move to the surface.

There are two types of exfoliants, physical and chemical. Physical exfoliants contain granules or natural beads to physically remove the dead skin cells. These can often be harsh on the skin and can cause irritation. Chemical exfoliants are able to penetrate much deeper in the skin without being as abrasive.

Exfoliating enzymes are an ideal option for exfoliation for during the winter months. With ingredients derived from fruit and vegetables such as papain (papaya), bromeliad (pineapple) and pumpkin, designed to digest or dissolve dead skin cells whist being gentle on the skin.

Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme - shop here

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