How to have glowing winter skin all season long
Winter arrives, cold weather and shorter days settle in, and so does your dry skin. With less moisture in the air, less time spent outside, and your skin showing the effects of ALL THE THINGS, now is the best time to take a mindful approach to caring for your skin.
You may feel an urge to change things up entirely, but often just a few small, mindful tweaks and you'll have the happiest skin on the block.
Follow these 6 simple steps for glowing winter skin all season long
1. OPTIMAL HYDRATION
Hydrating your body from the inside out AND outside in is crucial. You'll want to increase hydration with A) Increased water intake and B) Increase hydration in your skincare.
2. EXFOLIATION
Our skin sheds tens of thousands of dead skin cells every minute and anything that interferes with normal skin shedding will create a build-up of dead skin causing the skin to look dull, dry and lackluster as well as clogging pores and contributing to some skin conditions. Incorporating a regular exfoliation practice into your skin care routine that will assist your skin with the removal of these dead skin cells is crucial during the dry, winter months.
3. SKIN PREPARATION
The 2nd step to your skincare regimen, and most often overlooked, is the "prep" step. Why is this step important? Prepping your skin with a toner helps to restore and balance the skin's pH. Your skin's optimal pH is slightly acidic, helping to keep moisture in and bacteria out.
4. NOURISHISHMENT
What you eat and apply to your skin can make an enormous difference to how your skin looks and feels, as well as having an impact on common skin conditions. Your skin uses the nutrients from the food you consume to repair and rebuild while also helping to reduce inflammation and fight the damage of free radicals.
Adding antioxidants, vitamins & minerals, and omegas into your diet is a great start while avoiding processed food, refined sugar, and alcohol.
5. TREATMENTS
Ideally, when treating your skin, you want to avoid sun exposure, so winter is the best time to treat those skin concerns
6. PROTECTIVE PRODUCTS
One of your skin's most important functions is to protect your body from external elements. You can return the favor by helping to protect your skin in the same way. Protective Moisturizers, Balms, Lip conditioners, and Sun Protection can go a long way in helping you achieve glowing winter skin all season long.
Hydrating your body from the inside out AND outside in is crucial. You'll want to increase hydration with A) Increased water intake and B) Increase hydration in your skincare
Water Intake: DRINK MORE WATER
Water makes up 50-70% of your body. Every organ needs it, including your largest one: your SKIN. When skin is hydrated, it appears brighter and plumper. Proper hydration helps to improve the skin’s elasticity, flush toxins, reduce oil production, and achieve a smooth and glowing complexion. It is recommended that you drink a minimum of 6-8 glasses of water per day, but this winter, try to track your body's response to increased water intake in order to find what is optimal for YOU.
TIPS TO DRINKING MORE WATER:
Drink one glass of water before each meal
Add flavour! My faves include a squeeze of lemon or lime, Vitamin C pack, or cucumbers
Have a water bottle that you fill (and re-fill) with intention.
Hydrating Skincare Products: ADD TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE: Hyaluronic Acid, Facial Oil, and/or a Protective moisturizer.
Depending on your skin type and skin conditions, you’ll want to pay attention to the hydration needs of your skin and add or reduce hydration accordingly. Learn more about skin types and determine yours by taking our Skin Type Quiz now!
Remember, you do not need to make drastic changes; just a few small tweaks based on your skin type as follows*:
(*These are my HYDRATION RECOMMENDATIONS based on skin type using Beautycounter's products*)
Dry Skin Type: your skin may want ALL the things. Essence + HA serums + oil + cream.
Trisha's Recommendations:
Beautycounter's Countertime Hydrating Mineral Essence (am+pm)
Beautycounter's Countertime OR Countermatch Serum (am+pm)
Beautycounter's Facial Oil (at least once a day. Added to your serum or applied on it's own AFTER serum)
Beautycounter's Countertime OR Countermatch Day & Night Creams (am+pm)
Combination Skin Type: a combination of toner, essence, serums, oil, and cream. Instead of twice a day or every day, your skin may only need these things once in a while. Pay CLOSE attention to the zones of your face: forehead, nose, cheeks, chin. Are they oily mid-way through the day? Are there patches that appear dry?
Trisha's Recommendations:
Finding the combination of products that works for you!
Beautycounter's Countercontrol All Over Acne Treatment (once a day)
Beautycounter's Countertime or Countermatch Serum (pm only)
Beautycounter's Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream (am only)
Beauycounter's Facial Oils (added to serum as needed)
Oily Skin Type: your skin will need to be hydrated with caution, but hydrated nonetheless. Look for serums, lightweight lotions, and avoid heavy creams.
Trisha's Recommendations:
Beautycounter's Countercontrol All Over Acne Treatment (once a day)
Beautycounter's Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream (am only)
Beautycounter's Facial Oils (as needed)
Normal Skin Type: because your skin is well-balanced; neither too oily or too dry, you may have a T zone that is slightly oily, but overall the moisture is balanced.
Trisha’s Recommendations:
1) Beautycounter's Countertime Hydrating Mineral Essence (am+/or pm)
2) Beautycounter's Countertime OR Countermatch Serum (am+pm)
3) Beautycounter's Facial Oil (as needed. Added to your serum or applied on it's own AFTER serum)
4) Beautycounter's Countertime OR Countermatch Day & Night Creams (am+pm)
Our skin sheds tens of thousands of dead skin cells every minute and anything that interferes with normal skin shedding will create a build-up of dead skin causing the skin to look dull, dry and lackluster as well as clogging pores and contributing to some skin conditions. Incorporating a regular exfoliation practice into your skin care routine that will assist your skin with the removal of these dead skin cells is crucial during the dry, winter months.
Exfoliation can be done via mechanical or chemical means and I encourage you to choose the option that feels best for your skin. This time of year mechanical exfoliation may cause irritation, so be mindful of how your skin is reacting. Slight redness for up to 15 minutes after is ok, but pain and redness lasting more than 15 minutes is a sign that your exfoliation practice may be too aggressive.
Mechanical (or physical) exfoliation occurs when you use a washcloth, cleansing round, or any type of brush, exfoliating cleanser, or microdermabrasion.
Chemical exfoliation is the use of Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy Acids to cause a peeling of the skin.
Note that chemical exfoliation may be your less aggressive and better option during the cold, winter months as it works to eat away those dry, dead skin cells without the physical aggression and irritation.
One of your best options this season, is a product that provides a combination of BOTH chemical and physical exfoliation. My all-time fave product is Beautycounter's Charcoal facial mask which uses both mechanical AND chemical exfoliation for optimal results.
Note: Daily exfoliation is likely not necessary unless you have moderate acne, visibly dry/flaking skin, or visible congestion (tiny little bumps). Most often, an exfoliation practice 2-3 times per week is ideal.
The 2nd step to your skincare regimen, and most often overlooked, is the "prep" step. Why is this step important? Prepping your skin with a toner helps to restore and balance the skin's pH. Your skin's optimal pH is slightly acidic, helping to keep moisture in and bacteria out. This also makes your skin more susceptible to receiving treatment products, improving hydration, and boosting protection to help provide glowing winter skin all season long. Our favourite prep product by Beautycounter is the Countercontrol Instant Matte Toner.
What you eat and apply to your skin can make an enormous difference to how your skin looks and feels, as well as having an impact on common skin conditions. Your skin uses the nutrients from the food you consume to repair and rebuild while also helping to reduce inflammation and fight the damage of free radicals.
Adding antioxidants, vitamins & minerals, and omegas into your diet is a great start while avoiding processed food, refined sugar, and alcohol.
Look for:
Foods that are strong antioxidants like berries & avocados. Nuts and Seeds, which are rich in Vitamin E help to combat free radical damage and green tea helps to rejuvenate skin cells. Carrots & dark, leafy greens are also a great addition, as they offer a rich source of beta-carotene which also acts as an antioxidant: the darker the green, higher the antioxidants.
Optimizing your vitamin & mineral intake can also have an impact on your overall skin health.
Vitamin C (found in many foods but particularly berries & kiwi fruit) acts as a powerful antioxidant and is essential in building collagen.
Collagen is a protein that gives your skin its elasticity, maintains hydration, and strengthens capillaries to help reduce spider veins and easy bruising.
Vitamin A is also formed by beta carotene, so another reason to be adding in those leafy greens and carrots.
Zinc and Selenium are minerals that offer reduced inflammation, improved skin healing, and help to prevent infection. Zinc can be found in things like mussels & Oysters and selenium can be found in barley. According to webmd, selenium also helps certain antioxidants protect your skin from UV rays which can help to reduce your risk for skin concerns. Of course supplementation is also an option.
Omegas are rich, essential fatty acids that nourish our skin from the inside out and help to reduce inflammation. One of my favourite supplements is from Bend Beauty.
Try to Avoid:
You may have heard “chocolate causes pimples” or “if I eat that slice of cake, my skin will break out”, well there is actually something to that.
Refined and processed carbohydrates found in processed foods and refined sugar (ie. white sugar) cause a spike in blood sugar levels resulting in a response from your pancreas to release insulin. This insulin production can also impact oil production and cause a stress response.
Alcohol increases hormone fluctuations by releasing glucocorticoids and adrenal androgens during stress which causes the stimulation of oil glands as well as inflammation. This means that reducing your alcohol intake can reduce your stress which in turn can reduce your oil production and inflammation.
Ideally, when treating your skin, you want to avoid sun exposure, so winter is the best time to treat those skin concerns. (ie. sunspots, spider veins, rosacea, and fine lines & wrinkles). The cold winter months are the ideal time to book your treatments and treat what you have while preventing more from coming. IPL, laser, microdem, micro needling, etc. Book with an experienced practitioner and space#'s 4- books apart.
At home → IPL, microdent Peels
One of your skin's most important functions is to protect your body from external elements. You can return the favour by helping to protect your skin in the same way. Protective Moisturizers, Balms, Lip conditioners, and Sun Protection can go a long way in helping you achieve glowing winter skin all season long.
Applying a protective product as the last step in your skin care regimen helps lock in active ingredients, hydrates skin, maintains optimal hydration, and strengthens your skin’s barrier. Try one of my faves from Beautycounter: Moisturizers, Counter+ Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm, Sun Protection
Use these 6 tips to enjoy glowing winter skin all season long!
If you're looking to up your skin knowledge as you enter the New year, our Mindful Skin Program may be the boost you're looking for! If you work in skincare, have family members that struggle with skin concerns, or would like to enjoy more knowledge around your own skin, then this program is for you.
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Resources
https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-beauty/skin-ph-yours-healthy-why-it-matters-how-tell/
https://www.windsordermatology.com/the-importance-of-hydration-for-your-skin
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abk5466
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exercise
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
Disclaimer
This resource/presentation is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace independent judgment. Statements of fact and opinions expressed are those of the participants individually and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, are not the opinion or position of Trisha Conrad and Trisha Conrad Consulting Corporation, it’s cosponsors, or its affiliates. Trisha Conrad and Trisha Conrad Consulting Corporation do not endorse or approve, and assume no responsibility for, the content, accuracy or completeness of the information presented. Attendees should note that sessions are recorded and may be published in various media, including print, audio and video formats without further notice.