Everything is connected to your skin. Food, sleep, work, space, it all has the power to influence the look and function of skin. As the seasons shift into the winter in Canada the air chills, the furnace switches on, and our skin starts to feel it. No matter your skin type, your regimen should be changing with the season. Here are our top 5 tips for caring for your skin this winter.
 

1. Conserve water where you can

Cold air and furnace-forced air contains very little moisture resulting in the atmosphere drawing water from the skin. This evaporation is known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and is the leading cause of tight, flaking skin. This dehydration can happen to all skin types and can result in more pronounced visible signs of aging, irritation, and a compromised skin barrier. One of the best ways to lock water into the skin is with a powerful humectant (water-binding ingredients). HydrExtreme is clinically proven to outperform hyaluronic acid (the former gold standard of skin hydration). Layering a hydrating serum onto damp skin before the rest of your products can help prevent TEWL, keeping the skin quenched and healthy-looking despite the dry, dehydrating air.
 

2. Make yourself a moisture sandwich

Get the synergistic benefits of humectants, emollients and occlusives by layering your products correctly. Help lock water into the skin by making your regimen into a moisturize sandwich. Think of your face like one slice of bread, a layer of water and humectants are the filling and an emollient and occlusive top layer is the other slice of bread. It can be as simple as dampening the skin with water, adding a hydrating serum and following with a rich moisturizer and/or face oil that contain rich plant oils or natural waxes. This not only helps nourish and soften the skin but forms a physical barrier that prevents water from escaping. Hello hydration!
 

3. Don’t skimp on sunscreen

You may be swapping picnics for a cozy fireside setting but even if you find yourself spending more time inside, the sun will be waiting for you on those winter hikes and snowy slopes. Making sunscreen a part of your daily routine will help prevent being caught out without it. Especially when facing snow covered ground that reflects light you can be exposed to high amounts of damaging UV light. A simple solution is finding a sunscreen you love and applying it every morning. Your skin cells will thank you!
 

4. Seek the assistance of accessories

Get your products to work harder for you by layering in some simple, yet science-based accessory products. Whether you need more hydration or brighter under-eye adding hard-working beauty tools to your routine can do some heavy lifting. Try some of the best-selling accessories (that also make great gifts) like the Reusable Silicon Eye Masks. Not only can they fight the effects of environmental stress but you can use them while doing just about anything. Who doesn’t love multi-masking?
 

5. Hydrate from the inside out

Without warmth or sweating prompting us to hydrate, it’s easy to forget to drink water, leading to a dehydrated body, and subsequently dry skin. Sipping a little water throughout the day is one of the best ways to prevent skin dehydration. Other than just drinking water, herbal teas and other non-caffeinated beverages are great hydrators that often sneak additional phytonutrients into your diet. Interestingly, about one fifth of the water you ingest is actually comes through the foods you eat. To up your water intake load up on juicy fruits and veg like citrus, cucumber, tomatoes, melon, and broccoli. With every cell in your body requiring water to carry out its daily processes, it’s no wonder fluid intake can so drastically impact the health of your skin! Get that glow with H2O.
 
No matter your skin type, seasonal changes have the power to impact the look and function of skin. Keeping the skin hydrated, moisturized, and protected means glowing skin all year long!