Winter is a magical time of year that comes with snow, twinkling holiday lights, and cozy nights spent at home with the people and things we love most in this world. It’s also an excellent time of year to nourish your skin and take the best care you can. After all, the blistering cold weather and dry air can wreak havoc on your skin if you’re not doting on it the way you should be. Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and you wouldn’t neglect an issue with your kidneys, would you? So, let’s take a look at some ways to get the most out of your winter skincare routine so you can step into the New Year as a “new you.”
Even though the skies may be more overcast than during the sunny summer seasons, you still need to slather on that SPF daily. Make sure you’re choosing moisturizers that have SPF in them as part of your morning skincare routine. And equally important, you can purchase foundations with SPF in them as well.
While it’s important and well known that you need to be drinking at least eight glasses of water a day (no matter what time of year it is) – you also need to be hydrating your skin even more during the winter months. The moisturizer you use during the day will depend on your skin type, you might opt for a light oil-free moisturizer or a heavier cream. Just make sure that you’re hydrating your skin every morning and incorporate a nighttime cream every evening. Since you’re going to be cozied up inside, it’s also worth considering drinking herbal teas that promote skin health as well, because why not?
Many people recognize the importance of exfoliating as the season’s change – after all, we are turning skin cells over at an alarming rate. So, you want to make sure you’re sloughing all that dead skin off. However, during the winter months, our skin is prone to dryness and flaking. Make sure you’re cleansing your face with a gentle exfoliant at least once a week and following that up with a luxurious toner and moisturizer.
At this point, you’ve likely got your morning and evening skincare routine nailed down with the products you know work for you and you love. It’s equally important to nourish your skin from within. While that includes eating a healthy diet full of plant-based ingredients, you can also include supplements into your skincare regimen—supplements like biotin, collagen, selenium, and even Vitamin C to do wonders for your skin. And, as mentioned above, don’t forget the myriad of herbal teas that can get you glowing!
By the time you’re in your thirties, you ideally have a dermatologist on speed dial. But, no matter what age you are, it’s a good idea to visit a dermatologist at least twice a year. Your dermatologist can help guide you toward either over-the-counter products to up your skincare game or prescribe you topicals to banish any skin issues you may be dealing with. While it would be a wonderful world if we could solve all our skin problems on our own and from the aisles of Target, it is not realistic.
While your skin care regimen and the products you use are paramount to maintaining a healthy and beautiful complexion, sometimes age catches up to us. If you want to maximize your efforts, consider visiting a medical spa to instantly relieve some of your woes with injectables like Botox or fillers. These can give you that confidence boost you need to keep going with your skincare routine. There’s nothing like waking up every day feeling fresh-faced and youthful!
That’s right, beauty sleep, we know it’s called that for a reason. There is no amount of creams of undereye concealer that can hide the fact that you’re exhausted. Take advantage of time changes and the sun setting earlier by heading to bed early too! Getting anywhere from eight to ten hours of sleep a night will show you a faster return on your skincare investment than products alone.
Your skin is a strong indicator of your overall health and wellness. It is essential to take steps to get the most out of your skincare routines and the products you invest in. Consider utilizing the ways mentioned above to maximize your efforts and reap a greater, more beautiful reward. Here’s to you!