Ingredients for Dry & Dehydrated Skin
As we are moving into the colder months, a number of atmospheric changes are taking a toll on our skin. It’s important to note the difference between dryness and dehydration and which ingredients are best suitable for either of these concerns. When it gets cold outside, there can be more wind, and humidity can fluctuate, wreaking havoc on our barrier. We also shouldn’t forget the psychological effects we face due to less sunlight, leading to Seasonal Affective Disorder in many people. There are a few ways we can combat this with our lifestyle and using skin care products.
With the turning of the earth’s axis away from the sun, we are faced with the signs of winter. This is characterized by less sunlight, less humidity, lower temperatures and increased wind gusts. The effects can be detrimental to the skin if we don’t know what changes need to be made in our lifestyle to make the colder months more comfortable. With low temps, we may find ourselves turning up the heat in our homes. This will directly lead to trans-epidermal water loss in the skin, similar to the way food dries out in an oven. Introducing a humidifier while we sleep can help replenish moisture lost throughout the day. If you find yourself dry rather than dehydrated, try increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet to increase the amount of oil on the skin. This will help prevent TEWL in the skin. Can’t tell if you're dry or dehydrated? Try this simple test: pinch an inch of skin near your wrist. If there are excessive fine lines present, or the skin is slow to snap back, you may be dehydrated. Increased breezes and winds can cause wind burn, damaging the barrier further. And, with the sun being further away, we face other issues like Seasonal Affective Disorder. This short-lived depression can cause us to stray from self-care like doing our skin care routine every evening.
When it comes to treating the skin topically, here are some ingredients you can look out for botanicals such as aloe vera, angico derivatives, Blue Malva flower, cranberry seed oil, Irish moss, marshmallow root, meadowfoam seed oil and sweet almond milk. Vitamins include panthenol (vitamin B5) and tocopherol (vitamin E). Additionally, Gardenia stem cell extract and acetyl hexapeptide-37 are shown to increase water and lipid retention. When it comes to your winter skincare some key things to remember: apply hydrating toners, serums and moisturizers on slightly damp skin to seal in hydration, exfoliate less and moisturize more, and avoid excess heat or drafty air sources whenever possible. In combination with the aforementioned lifestyle changes you can make, this will lead to more hydrated, less cracked and irritated skin this winter.
