Winter can cause havoc with our skin.
A mix of frigid temperatures and central heating acts to weaken the skin barrier, leaving the skin dry, dull, taut and irritated.
As ever with skin, half the battle of bringing it back to life is giving it proper hydration.
However, waking up your tired pores means not just giving them the moisture they crave, but using products that allow you to lock in the liquid so your skin remains radiant all day long.
And while hydration is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all – revitalised skin needs help from products that work to reduce fine lines, flakiness and puffiness.
Let’s find out more.
Caffeine Serum
A shot of caffeine isn’t just a pick-me-up for a tired body and mind – it also has useful skin revitalising properties.
Caffeine constricts blood vessels and improves circulation, helping the skin look less tired and more alive.
A caffeine-infused serum is especially good for the skin under the eye, which is very thin and prone to puffiness.
Just a dab of serum can work wonders at reducing even the puffiest under-eye bags.
Vitamin C
Caffeine is great for puffiness, but you will also want to make your skin more radiant and glowing if winter has caused it to lose its lustre.
Vitamin C has a job to do here.
A vitamin-rich serum will give skin a glow that lasts all day long, especially if you follow up the serum application with a moisturiser to lock in the vitamin goodness.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the best ‘wake-up’ ingredients on the market.
HA is a powerful humectant, which means it attracts water and makes skin look plumper, smoother and reduces fine lines.
The acid can hold up to a thousand times its own weight in water, so when you apply it, it draws moisture to the top layer of your skin, giving it plumpness and volume.
This will smooth out fine lines and give your skin a healthy glow that will make it look more alive.
Exfoliant
The temperature extremes that you submit your skin to in winter – that is, moving from the chilly outdoors to warm indoors – can have a really damaging effect on the skin barrier, often causing it to flake.
A gentle exfoliant – ideally featuring lactic acid or mandelic acid – will help to slough the unsightly flakes and remove dead cells.
Facial exfoliation can be done 1-3 times per week during winter, it’s best not to go too heavy or frequent, as this could lead to you removing the natural barrier too.
Sun Screen
And finally, don’t forget that just because the sun goes into hiding during the long winter months, it doesn’t mean its rays aren’t silently damaging your skin.
Nothing ages the skin beyond its years like UV rays, causing dark spots, uneven tone, and lustrelessness.
And for all its benefits, Vitamin C makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, so be sure to apply a good sunscreen before you venture outside.
A lightweight hydrating SPF 30+ (like the ones available at Our Concept Beauty) will keep your skin both hydrated and UV-protected all day long.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.