Written by Kirsty Chenery
If your skin is anything like mine, winter and dry skin go hand in hand!
This is the time to pull out the big guns! My go to are hydrating serums, nourishing creams, and nurturing facials.
Coming into winter, skin may start to feel itchy, rough and a little uncomfortable.
The truth is, if you have healthy and hydrated skin you should not be able to feel any of those symptoms at all.
Dry skin occurs by the skin not retaining sufficient moisture. Frequent showers (more than two a day) or having the water too hot (I’m guilty of loving a steaming hot shower!) the use of harsh soaps and ageing all contribute to a lack of moisture in the skin.
During the winter months humidity is low both indoors and outdoors and the water level of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin) tends to reflect the level of humidity around it.
Skin moisturisers, which rehydrate the epidermis and seal in the moisture, are the first step in combating dry skin. Your moisturiser should contain moisture attracting ingredients like Humectants. These include ceramides, glycerine, hyaluronic acid and lecithin.
One of our favourite products in the spa is Medik8’s Hydr8 B5 Intense. It is a hyaluronic acid serum and gives the skin the power to withstand dehydrating changes in temperature and humidity. Once people use this serum, they can’t live without it!
Another favourite of ours is Payot’s Hydra24 + cream and also from Payot, for extremely dry skin Nutricia Crème Confort. Both have high levels of active ingredients and act not only on signs of skin dryness but also on the cause.
Overnight treatments and night creams are also an excellent way to rehydrate and revitalise dry skin. A common question I am asked is why should I wear a night cream? Night creams are thicker in consistency, usually contain some type of Retinol (if they are worth calling themselves a night cream!) and have a higher concentration of ingredients that boost skin cell turnover, hydration, and circulation.
Just remember, day creams for protection against the elements, pollution, dryness, cold, heat and UV rays. Night creams are more focussed on the reconstruction process of the skin. We have a great introduction to Winter this month with our Facial package. This includes a hot stone massage, hydration facial and a skin care pack to start you on your winter skin care journey. We look forward to seeing you soon!