There are plenty of things to love about this chilly season, but winter skin isn’t one of them. Winter brings with it dryer air, cold temperatures, harsh winds, moisture sapping indoor heating and super hot showers, which combined can wreak havoc on our skin.
Together with our friends from Sylk Skin we've put together a guide of simple steps you can take to combat dry, scaly and lacklustre skin as the temperature drops, so you can maintain a gorgeous healthy glow, year-round!
Hydrate from the inside: We’re less likely to reach for our water bottles in the colder months, but drinking plenty of water will do wonders for your skin as it hydrates and plumps from the inside out. If you’re struggling to hit your water goals, try herbal teas. Sorry to our coffee-loving friends, but caffeine can have the opposite effect so try sticking to non-caffeinated varieties
Keep cool in the bathroom: We know how tempting it can be to turn the hot water all the way up for a toasty bath or shower, but hot water saps skin of its natural moisture, leaving skin feeling tight and increasing flakiness. Instead, keep the water temp a little cooler. A good test is checking the colour of your skin post-bathing, if it’s pink or red you probably need to turn the heat down a notch. Can’t resist? Keep those steamy showers to no longer than 5 minutes and double down on hydrating and moisturising!
Look to mother nature for moisturising skincare products: Always check ingredient labels and try to choose nourishing, natural skin saviours in lieu of regular moisturisers which can contain alcohols and harsh fragrances that suck moisture from your skin. These will feed your skin an abundance of nutrients and hydration, leaving it feeling smooth and loved. Here are some of our favourites to look out for:- Shea Butter: Derived from the fruit of the Shea (Karite) Tree, shea butter has been heralded as a skin superfood for thousands of years in Africa, and for good reason! It’s an emollient, helping to lock moisture in the skin; is high in moisturising fatty acids; possesses powerfully protective antioxidants, and; promotes the skin’s natural collagen production.
- Coconut Oil and Sunflower Oil: Rich in moisturising Vitamin E and regenerative Linoleic Acid, these lightweight oils help to hydrate the skin while protecting against premature ageing. Coconut oil has also been proven to promote collagen production—a must for bouncy, glowing skin.
- Beeswax: First recognised as a beauty must-have by the ancient Egyptians, beeswax forms a barrier between skin and damaging environmental elements. It’s also rich in rejuvenating Vitamin A and is a humectant, meaning it attracts water—exactly what dehydrated skin requires to regenerate!
- Calendula: This herbaceous flower is gentle, hydrating and choc-ful of antioxidants. Rich in regenerative carotenoids which occur naturally in our skin’s upper layer, Calendula is incredibly soothing for even the most sensitive of skin.
- Chamomile: Used for thousands of years to restore mind, body and soul, Chamomile promotes restful sleep and relieves stress. What you may not know is that anti-inflammatory properties make this beautiful flower calming and soothing for dry, raw winter skin, and offer the perfect antidote for wind burn or general redness.
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Check out Sylk Skin's full range of cleansing and nourishing skincare for mum and bub at www.sylkskin.com.au and use the discount code RYWINTER for 20% off site wide until 30/11/21