What is the main danger to our skin in autumn and winter?
Firstly, it is the cold itself. Any cooling leads to the fact that the vessels narrow, moisture «migrates» to the deeper layers of the skin, metabolism slows down and, accordingly, cell nutrition worsens. The result is dry and irritated skin.
48 hours is necessary in order to restore the lipid barrier of the skin, if you do not use protective creams in the cold.
The second unfavorable factor is gusty wind. It promotes additional evaporation of moisture and, as a result, causes over-drying of the skin.
Our next «enemy» is frequent temperature changes. When leaving a warm room on the street, there is an instant change of vascular tone. Many small vessels located on the surface of the skin cannot withstand such training and «drive us into the paint.»
And finally, central heating. Excessively dry and warm air steadily aggravates skin dehydration.
An interesting fact: the skin of many women becomes oily in the warm season, and dry in the cold (sebum production slows down in winter). If you are used to using not creams, but gels for oily skin, then with the onset of cold weather you can do the following: buy a cream from the same line and apply it to those areas that have become drier (cheeks, nose area), on the rest (forehead and chin) continue to use the gel.
Building a defense
In the autumn-winter period, the rules of daily care are turned «upside down». During the day, saturated nourishing creams are used, and at night their moisturizing «like-minded people» take over. Their mission is to create a protective film on the skin surface (a barrier against adverse weather conditions) before going outside, and to provide additional «irrigation» to the skin before going to bed. If your skin is dry, then choose a cream with a rich texture, if oily — light, if very oily, you can refuse a nourishing cream and even use a moisturizer in the morning.
In order to feel as comfortable as possible with the onset of cold weather, it is important:
drinking a lot of fluids accelerates the metabolism.
taking vitamin complexes containing fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) are indispensable for maintaining skin tone.
increase consumption of salmon, avocado, nuts. These products, useful in all respects, also saturate the skin with moisture and improve its structure. And the nutrients contained in them act as a barrier to external stimuli and allergens.
in the morning after washing, apply a nourishing cream with avocado, cocoa, jojoba oil to the skin, which will protect it from frostbite during the day.
in the evening, apply a moisturizer with aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, seaweed extract, thermal plankton. It is better to apply a moisturizer on the face immediately after cleansing it. So it will help to retain moisture on the surface of the skin. Please note that in the evening you should not use a cream with SPF filters, since its structure can lead to clogging of the pores. Do not forget that the neck and decollete area also need care. After all, under high collars and scarves, the skin weakens and withers.
ventilate the bedroom well before going to bed, and if possible, use an air humidifier throughout the night. After all, if you measure the moisture level in the premises, it will be no more than 30%, and 70-80% is necessary for our skin.
Autumn and winter are good for various peels. First of all, because at this time the sun is less active and it will be easier to avoid side effects, such as age spots. Nevertheless, in order not to damage the protective barrier of the skin, do not use scrubs with large abrasive particles, give preference to soft gommages, enzyme peels or cleansing masks based on clay (white — for oily skin, red — for dry).
In the cold season, the face was smeared with goose fat to avoid frostbite. Modern drugs, fortunately, are not as greasy (although thick enough), but no less effective. Their task is to saturate the skin with nutrients and serve as an «anti-stress».
Vitamins C, E, A and lipids play a particularly important role in the composition of our «amulets». They act as a shield at the same time against wind, cold and dry air in the premises. However, the components that facilitate skin regeneration processes do not lose their relevance: fruit acids, panthenol, aloe and ginseng extracts, karite oil. And remember that in the cold season, all creams and balms are applied to the skin at least half an hour (or even better, an hour) before going outside.
Perhaps the most vulnerable area on the face is the lips, especially if you have a habit of licking them often. In this case, the delicate skin of the lips quickly begins to peel and crack. Balms and hygienic lipsticks with special components can protect our mouths:
panthenol (restores damaged skin);
glycerin (moisturizes);
Karite, sage and almond oils (nourish well);
sea buckthorn and thermal water (relieve irritation);
beeswax (creates a protective coating);
vitamins A and E (soften the skin).
Always keep these «rescue sticks» at hand and use them as often as possible. For makeup during the cold snap, choose greasier lipsticks, especially those that include the hydration guru — hyaluronic acid.
Hot herbal compresses have a good effect on the skin. You will need: chamomile pharmacy, calendula, St. John’s wort, rowan fruits (you can buy at any pharmacy). They need to be mixed. Next, 3 tablespoons of the mixture are placed in an enameled dish, poured with a glass of hot water, tightly covered with a lid and left in a water bath for 15 minutes. Liquids should be allowed to infuse for 30 minutes at room temperature. Dip a thin terry cloth into the infusion and squeeze. Put a hot lotion (the ideal temperature is 38 degrees) on your face and leave for 10-15 minutes. It is advisable to complete the procedure by applying a nourishing cream or face mask.
