In spite of all of winter’s seasonal highs (think cozying up by the fire, drinking mulled wine, retrieving your favourite coat from the back of your wardrobe) there are a handful of not-so-pleasant skin side effects that accompany the chillier months.
Enter the onslaught of dry, sensitive or irritated skin that comes with a drop in temperature and humidity, exacerbated even further by harsh weather, and ducking in and out of air conditioning.
Not to mention the slew of skin conditions which like to rear their unwelcome heads when winter rolls around – like dry patches, eczema, dermatitis and windburn.
If the goal remains a dewy, hydrated complexion all year round, thankfully there are a few things you can do to help.
Cue CeraVe, the skincare range which aims to simplify skincare routines with its selection of efficacious products which prioritise skin barrier health. Each product in the range is brimming with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which offer skin the lipids needed to support and maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
Ready for radiance? Below, our expert-approved tips on how to best combat dry skin during winter.
- Nosh on good fats
The link between gut and skin health is well-documented, which lends weight to the argument that adding more good fats into your diet can help nourish dry skin from the inside out. Chow down on a diet rich in walnuts, olive oil, avocados and oily fish. Try to limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine which have a diuretic effect – they can only serve to dehydrate dry skin further.
- Try an air humidifier
It may sound counterintuitive to want to reintroduce water into the air during such a soggy time, but using a humidifier can help encourage the moisture in your skin to stay put. Experts recommend putting a humidifier in the room where you spend the most time – which tends to be the bedroom. Some air humidifiers boast the added benefit of filtering the air while maintaining steady levels of humidity throughout the day and overnight.
- Choose ceramides
While lightweight gels have their place in summertime beauty routines, switching out your regular moisturiser for ceramide-rich lotions or creams will support a healthy skin moisture barrier during the cooler months. Consider the CeraVe Moisturising Lotion For Dry Skin, $18, which is geared towards dry to very dry skin, and is formulated with three essential ceramides alongside hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin and bolster its moisture barrier without clogging pores. These three ceramides work overtime to support the skin's lipidic layer, help improve long-term moisturisation, and provide natural moisturising factors to skin. It's a good idea to commence the rest of your skincare regime within a minute or two of cleansing, to help lock in hydration and prevent transepidermal water loss.
- Side-step harsher cleansing products
While foaming cleansers may put on a good show, many of them are formulated with ingredients that can strip the water from dry skin types. When too much moisture is removed from skin, the skin's protective barrier can be compromised – which can lead to skin conditions like eczema or dermatitis. Instead, look for gentle cleansing options formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, like the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $16, which won't strip skin of its natural oils, protecting the skin's moisture barrier and leaving it happily hydrated. More than this, the barrier-boosting formula harnesses CeraVe's Moisturising Multivesicular Technology (MVE) to maintain hydration levels in the skin for up to 24 hours.
- Re-think your nighttime skincare routine
Is there anything more luxurious than smoothing on your skincare after a long day? We think not – and experts agree that moisturisers do their best work at night, when skin is in peak repair mode. Throughout the day, skin remains in protection mode to defend off environmental aggressors like UV rays and pollution, but nighttime is when skin's defences drop and permeability is at its highest, meaning you'll get the most from your skincare products. Famed for its luxuriously rich consistency and soothing properties, the CeraVe Moisturising Cream, $28, absorbs quickly into sensitive, dry or very dry skin, and promises 24-hour hydration. It does so with MVE technology – a delivery system which continues to release moisturising ingredients to skin throughout a 24-hour period.
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Advertise with NZME.Discover CeraVe’s complete range of winter skin saviours at Chemist Warehouse, or online at Chemistwarehouse.co.nz/shop-online/3469/cerave
