The Winter Skincare Routine You Need for Sensitive Skin
These top tips have more chill than your sensitive skin ever will
Sensitive skin has zero chill. Winter is coming. And all we want to know is: are you ready? Contrary to popular belief, there is more to sensitive skin than the negative side effects you may experience whenever you introduce a new product into your skincare routine. Depending on their ingredients, some skincare products may cause skin irritations that include burning, redness, inflammation, dryness, and flakiness. As annoying as they can be, these types of reactions are not limited to people with sensitive skin. Heck, my normal to combination skin broke out in fine pustules after I tried 100% pure witch hazel for the first time! Nonetheless, if your skin is easily irritated and you have allergic reactions often, there is a good chance that you do indeed have sensitive skin.
How winter affects your skin
When you have sensitive skin, you must be careful about the types of skin products you use and whatever else you expose your skin to. Environmental factors may also cause reactions for people with sensitive skin. Things like pollution (smoke), pollen, dust, and animal hair are all liable to cause allergic reactions to people who have sensitive skin.
According to Dr. Ariel Ostad, “the harsh winter season brings upon the appearance of dull, dry, and irritated skin”. Notice that he didn’t mention this as a problem that’s isolated to someone with dry skin, oily skin, or sensitive skin. The combination of dry air, low humidity, and indoor heating systems suck up moisture and natural oils that your skin produces. If you live in a city like Chicago, for example, this means that your skin could spend anywhere from 6-7 months losing its ability to stay hydrated! What does dehydrated skin look like? Well, it is less supple, firm, and plump.
4 of the best tips to prepare and protect your sensitive skin during winter
Because of its harsh conditions, the winter season wreaks havoc on people who have skin disorders. That is why it is not uncommon for people with eczema and rosacea to suffer from flare-ups during blistering cold months. Before we get into the chill of things, we rounded up a few tips to help you prepare for and protect your sensitive skin during winter’s coldest months.
1. Always drink water
Did you notice that staying hydrated - drinking water - is usually a piece of advice we give in every article? Well, that’s because water is the elixir of life! Our bodies are up to 70% water which tells us that it is important. Water will hydrate your skin in ways that moisturizing products cannot and that’s just a fact.
2. Apply a facial moisturizer often
During warmer months, some of us can get away without wearing moisturizers because our skin naturally produces oils. However, if you have dry or sensitive skin, you must apply a lightweight face moisturizer that won’t clog your pores or cause you to have an allergic reaction. Our rule of thumb is to use an oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or more any time that you go outdoors; even if the sun isn’t shining.
3. Go to the gym, workout
I know that no one likes to leave their house in the thick of winter, but I also know that summer bodies are made during the winter, too. There are many benefits to working out and using the sauna at your gym is one of them. Remember that dry air irritates sensitive skin, so using a dry heat sauna is out of the question! If #gymlife isn’t quite your thing, maybe hot yoga is? The humidity from working out, sitting in the sauna, and doing hot yoga will increase your blood circulation which helps to combat dry, red patches that are common with sensitive skin. These activities also help you to release toxins through increased perspiration which is a win for any skin type.
4. Focus on your nighttime skincare routine
Nighttime is when all the magic happens for your skin! A good nightly skincare routine can clear away all of your skin (and life’s) problems. When you take a shower or bath, try to stay away from scalding hot water no matter how cold it is! Just like indoor heating systems, very hot water dries out your skin and may cause it to become irritated. Finally, wintertime is when you will want to layer on all of your favorite hydrating, moisturizing skin products - serums, face creams, face oils, you name it!
If you’re dreading the cold months ahead, these four tips will certainly warm you up! Think about it, you get the opportunity to spend 4-5 months primarily indoors which is more than enough time for you to target some of the superficial skin imperfections you may have such as, acne scars, hyper-pigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles, etc. Now that you’re ready to get started, consider adding Masktini’s Woke Bae Whenever Moisture Spritz to your cart for days when you need to hydrate your dry, sensitive skin on-the-go. You’re welcome.