Is your skin prepared for the winter?
Environmental factors, such as cold weather and low humidity
have a negative impact on your skin, such as dryness and
irritation. Dry skin can appear at any age however, the severity
of the dryness increases with age. Dry skin can trigger other
skin ailments such as dermatitis, itchiness and irritation and
can be characterized by flakiness, roughness and loss of
elasticity.
Inappropriate skin care products can also trigger skin dryness
in particular during winter. For example, every day cleansers,
especially cleansers that contain harsh surfactants (detergents)
can have a negative impact on your skin. Be aware of detergents
such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate from a
product's ingredients list. Due to cold weather and changes in
the lipids structure of the skin cells, those detergents can
easily penetrate the outermost skin layer (stratum corneum)
leading to cell damage.
The use of products with high pH alkaline such as soaps can
lead to dryness. The impact of the alkaline pH on the stratum
corneum, which has slightly acidic pH, induces rapid tightness,
which generates skin cracking.
Cold weather promotes a significant reduction in skin
hydration. A cleanser without any moisturizing ingredient can
reduce the level of fatty acids and cholesterol from stratum
corneum even after a single wash. The removal of these lipids
can impair the maintenance of a healthy skin. Humectants, such
as vegetable glycerin in the formulation of the cleansers are
very efficient to attract the moisture into the skin.
To prevent weather-induced skin damages, you have to take into
account an extra skin care.
Here are some practical ideas for your consideration. Use a
very mild cleansing formula, such as a natural cleansing product
without harmful detergents. Remove completely the soap from your
skin care routine during the winter months. Apply face creams
that include high physiological lipids content, such as:
cholesterol, ceramide and free fatty acids, like palmitoleic
acid. These lipids ease the penetration of the ingredients into
the skin and help reform the lipid's skin structure. Ingredients
that can promote the synthesis of ceramide, like linoleic and
gamma linoleic acids are also of great importance in maintaining
a healthy skin. A night cream instead of a daily moisturizer is
much more recommended during the winter in order to replenish
and balance the moisture of your skin.
In conclusion, don't forget to extend and adjust your skin care
routine to the cold and dry weather conditions.