Newsletter No.7
As the weather cools and skin becomes more susceptible to dryness, for many of us it feels natural to reach for richer formulations. But according to expert facialist Kate Kerr, this can result in skin that becomes imbalanced and more dry. In this week’s newsletter, Kate shares some inexpensive and easy-to-follow ways to keep your skin glowing this winter.
“Whether it’s winter or summer, our skin doesn’t need an entirely different regime,” shares Kate. “A common misconception is that thicker formulations help to support skin through the colder months, but this isn’t the case. By using a moisturiser, our skin’s surface sends a signal down to its water reservoirs telling it that there is plenty of moisture and to halt production. This makes the skin sluggish and lacking in moisture, so we reach for more moisturiser, thus exacerbating the problem.” So what is the answer to achieving healthy-looking, hydrated skin?
Throw on an extra layer.
In winter the constant change of environment, from a hot, centrally heated room to the fresh cold outside air can play havoc with the skin. The dehumidified air of a heated room strips the moisture from the skin leaving it feeling tight, dry, and dull and can even exacerbate sensitivity and rosacea. The skin will often try and counteract this by over producing sebum to prevent moisture evaporation. Add this to the mix of a build-up of dead skin cells and you have an increased risk of acne.
To help counteract the dryness, turn the temperature down a few notches and put on a jumper instead. Cleanse the skin with a gentle exfoliating cleanser to prevent build-up of dead skin cells to enhance product penetration and help the skin to look brighter. Apply a hyaluronic acid-based serum as this holds 1000 times its own weight in water and will help counteract this water loss, without upsetting your skin’s natural moisturising factors. Drink plenty of water to keep the body and cells hydrated.
Beware of hot water!
While it can be tempting to dial up the water temperature in the colder months, using hot water when cleansing can actually dry the skin out. When we use hot water on our skin, it can deplete the lipids of the skin, disrupting the skin barrier and increasing dehydration and skin sensitivity. If you also suffer with a skin condition, you might notice that hot water exacerbates flare-ups for rosacea, acne, dermatitis and eczema too. This is because the heat from the water can stimulate oil production, creating a surplus of oil that encourages congestion and stimulates rosacea flare ups and acne breakouts. For rosacea-prone skin, your skin might also appear to have more of a permanent redness as the hot water can cause rosacea skin to flush, causing the capillaries to consistently dilate and give the appearance of redder skin.
Give it some time.
As the weather turns cold our skin’s moisture is depleted due to the decreased moisture content in the air. We further exacerbate this problem by turning on the heating and sucking all water from the air. Unfortunately, people see that the answer to this is to step up to a richer moisturiser, or even an oil, and then the skin is tricked into thinking it is in a moist environment causing its own moisturising processes to shut down. This serves only to perpetuate the dry and dull skin problem by applying more moisturiser to try and compensate. When the skin’s moisturising mechanisms aren’t effectively working this has a knock on effect to many processes in the skin, one being cell mitosis, or cell turnover. The rate of cell division and the migration of these cells through to the surface of the skin slows down. This leads to a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. These skin cells are flat and very loosely packed on the surface of the skin, this not only upsets the skin’s protective barrier causing sensitivity and irritation but prevents light reflection, leaving the skin looking flat and dull.
When the weather turns cooler, the trick is to wait for our skin’s own moisturising to adapt. This can feel a little uncomfortable at times but your skin needs to feel the panic to kick start its own moisturising. Be patient! To help make this process feel more comfortable use a hyaluronic acid based serum and mask.
Cleansing is key.
In the winter, skin’s subjection to pollution can be higher. This isn’t just due to added pollutants from fires and wood stoves, but also is the result of something called temperature inversions. In other seasons, warm air sits near the ground and as it rises, carries pollutants away. In the winter, cold air is trapped near the ground underneath a layer of warm air, which means smoke and carbon monoxide from pollution can’t rise and can reach unhealthy levels. Pollution particles stick to our make-up, which is why cleansing when you’re in for the evening is so important. If left on the skin, pollution can result in free radical damage, leading to breakdown of healthy collagen and premature ageing.
Reach for a retinol.
The extended darker hours of winter can mean a reduction in vitamin D, as the sunlight stimulates our skin cells to produce it. Vitamin D contributes to skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism. It optimises our skin’s immune system, which in turn helps destroy the free radicals that cause our skin to age prematurely.
A retinol serum is very important as it helps to stimulate these skin processes to wake up more quickly. Retinol - a Vitamin A derivative - helps to stimulate a large percentage of the different cells within the skin to behave as fresher, healthier, and younger versions of themselves. This not only improves collagen and hyaluronic acid production but also speeds up cell turnover to improve skin function, hydration and to smooth and brighten.
Well Curated
If you need an extra helping hand, here are our product recommendations for keeping your skin happy this winter. As Kate mentioned earlier, your skin doesn’t require a completely new routine just because it’s colder, so we don’t encourage buying products unless your current ones aren’t working for you.
A nourishing cleanser containing biodegradable wax that gently exfoliates to slough away dirt, pollution, and impurities.
A supercharged hyaluronic acid serum proven to boost skin hydration in cold weather.
La Roche Posay Toleraine Sensitive Fluid Moisturiser
A lightweight moisturiser, recommended by Kate, for people with truly dry skin.
If you’re new to retinol, this is a great place to start. You can always build up to their R-Retinoate Intense.
001 London Microsculpt Gua Sha Kit + VA Repair & Reglow TCM-Warming Concentrate
Designed to boost circulation and cell renewal, while providing hydration for dry, stressed skin.
We hope you have enjoyed our newsletter. Cam & Kate x