Winter Skincare Tips for Melanin-Rich Skin

It's never been more important to take a little extra care of your skin as we enter into cooler months.  Climate changes can cause irritation to your skin due to temperature and humidity variations.  Adapting your routine to the weather change will assist with healthy looking skin.

Learning your skin and understanding what makes it tick allows you to build a regimen of  what your skin needs.  Keep reading to learn how to maintain your skin hydrated and glowing. 

First: Understanding Your Skin

One of the most helpful ways to caring for your skin is understanding it.  The outer barrier of the skin is called the epidermis, made up of cells and lipids (fatty substances) to form a protective barrier to trap moisture and stop it from escaping, all while blocking unwanted irritants and microorganisms.

Cooler weather is dry and lacks humidity, resulting in the loss of moisture (known as transepidermal water loss).  Studies have shown transepidermal water loss with melanin-rich skin tends to me greater, leaving you with dull looking skin and dry skin.

When there is lack of moisture, the skin's barrier weakens and prevents the normal functions of the skin from occurring. With a weakened skin barrier you discover sensitive, dry, flaky, tight, congested, dull, blemished and breakout-prone skin.  All of which stunts glowing skin.

It's all about adopting a regimen to preserve moisture levels, so your skin can function at it's optimal level serving a healthy and supple skin.

Exfoliate

The skin has it's own developed mechanism for ensuring skin cell turnover.  However, sometimes a little help is needed to shed dead skin cells and encourage healing and hydration.

Exfoliating is monumental to combating dull, dry skin with the use of masks.  Avoid products and techniques that are aggressive in nature as they promote irritation and stripping of the skin.  Instead, use clays that encourage cell turnover and normalize moisture balance by gently removing dead skin cells, hydration and boost the absorption of other products.

Some of our favorite ingredients to nourishing skin:

• Willow Bark Extract: A source of natural salicylic acid that enhances skin cell turnover to improve the appearance with a smoothing effect.
• Papaya Seed Oil: Rich in vitamin A and E and a natural exfoliating enzyme.
• Vegetable Glycerin: A humectant that allows skin to retain moisture and possess antifungal properties.

Quick Tip: Apply a layer of one of these nourishing masks 2-3 times a week.  

Hydrate

Using serums and moisturizers aids in building a barrier of moisture.  Follow these steps after cleansing to rid skin of dryness:

1. Start with a lightly spritzing the skin with a skin-specific toner, this helps to boost absorption for any additional products.
2. Apply your skin-specific serum immediately while still damp to allow hydration to soak in deeply.
3. Once dry, seal everything in with a moisturizing cream to nourish.

Stimulate

The skin thrives best with frequent stimulation to help with hydration below the surface.  Activate the flow of lymphatic fluid and simulating blood circulation helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the skin.  Using a jade roller or gua sha tool is useful.  All else, the use of your fingertips with applying light pressure to invigorate the skin.

To slough away dry, flaky skin, a dry brush combined with light strokes helps to gently exfoliate.  Daily dry brushing helps improve the skin's texture and allows for better absorption of moisture.

Quick Tip: Dry brush full-body daily before showering.  After shower, apply body oil while the skin is still damp to increase hydration.

Protect

If you spend all day inside your home or if it's a cloudy day, sun protection is needed.  Dullness and pigmentation is can be lessened by using a SPF broad-spectrum of 30.

Quick Tip: Apply daily after your moisturizer for daily protection.  

Bonus

Ditch hot water.  Although hot water feels amazing, especially during colder month, it wrecks havoc on the skin.  Resulting in drier skin.  Instead, use warmer water temperatures for cleansing.

Additionally, applying moisturizers on damp skin does wonders in nourishing and maintaining a natural glow.

And there you have it!  A simple way to adapt your skin regimen to keep your skin bright, hydrated and glowing during winter.

Pin this blog post below: