Why EXFOLIATING is the first step in your best winter skin care routine!
Have you noticed that your skin gets dry and starts to flake in the late fall and winter?
If you’re anything like me, you have certain areas that become super dry and wrinkly on your face. The skin on your whole body seems to dry out, no matter how much water you drink. Your skin feels more sensitive, more patchy and red, and it wants soothing!
If you have Rosacea, like I do, you may find that the summer months are when you experience the majority of your flares. If you have acne, you may find that the winter months are more challenging for your your skin.
When the seasons change, the humidity in the cooler air drops significantly. Cold air reduces blood circulation and tightens your pores. Your skin starts to produce less sebum. You find yourself in areas with central heating. All of these factors contribute to your skin being more prone to dry skin conditions.
Even people with “normal” skin will experience red cheeks, tight skin, and cracked lips from these things. If you have acne or rosacea, be especially mindful about any changes in your diet during the holiday season. We all love to indulge, but this is one more important contributor that will increase flares and inflammation in your skin.
There are two things that have saved my skin, and that’s what this article is about. Exfoliating and using a rich, calming moisturizer.
Exfoliating in Winter Saved my Skin
While exfoliation is a key part of my skincare routine all year, in winter it’s even more essential.
Organic Radiance Skincare founder Candice Betty explains “Using a gentle cream exfoliator improves the texture and appearance of your skin, removing dead skin cells and leaving your skin softer and better able to absorb your moisturizer.”
She recommends exfoliating a bit more often in winter with a gentle exfoliator, like Lavender Cream Exfoliator. The reason that she exfoliates a bit more often in winter is that our skin cells become dehydrated and die out more quickly in winter. Exfoliation helps to remove the dead skin cells sitting on the surface of the skin.
I took her advice and gave Lavender Cream Exfoliator a try. After using it just once, my skin felt smooth and refreshed. After exfoliating and moisturizing, my skin felt exquisitely soft and I kept wanting to feel the skin on my face!
I felt that my serum and moisturizer soaked into my skin more deeply, without the older cells getting in the way. Several hours later, I could tell that my moisturizer actually got to the layers of my skin that actually need it because my skin still felt soft and hydrated.
When I have used makeup – like foundation – on my skin after exfoliating, I’ve found that it goes on much smoother and does not get caught in any of my dry areas. I LOVE how this looks, and I make sure to use Lavender Cream Exfoliator on mornings when I want to wear makeup.
I’m a big believer in exfoliation now because it allows me to get the most out of my investment in my skin care and makeup!
How Often to Exfoliate
How often you should exfoliate depends on your skin type. Candice recommends using a gentle cream exfoliator two to three times a week in wintertime. If your skin show signs of over-exfoliation, you may be giving it too much of a good thing.
The key is to make sure you’re not over-exfoliating. If you notice irritation, redness, tightness, increased dryness, or flaking of your skin, you may want to consider a gentler alternative.
Lavender Cream Exfoliator is gentle enough to use every other day.
With naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids and enzymes to help loosen dead skin cells, it reveals smoother, healthier looking skin after just one use.
You don’t need to use pressure when applying it to your skin, just a gentle circular motion. The assortment of alpha hydroxy acids, fruit enzymes, and Jojoba beads loosen and release sticky dead skin cells from the surface of your skin.
Lavender Cream Exfoliator is the ultimate gentle exfoliator because it combines physical, chemical, and herbal exfoliating ingredients in a formula that doesn’t irritate your skin!
Start with using it twice a week, and increase it to three times a week if you like.
Switching to a Rich Moisturizer Saved my Skin
Switching to a richer moisturizer during wintertime keeps my skin hydrated. My favorite is this moisturizer with shea butter, called Herbe Sois Calming Moisturizer. It’s the best moisturizer I’ve tried to soothe the redness, dryness, and flakyness of my skin in winter.
Herbe Sois Calming Moisturizer soothes my rosacea symptoms and helps prevent any acne breakouts I would have because it has anti-microbial properties. While it is considered a night cream, I use it in the morning as well because it’s made with aloe, shea butter, and essential oils. I use it on my face and neck (or décolleté) to keep my skin hydrated all day and to combat aging. Bonus points for those essential oils!
While winter can pose challenges for your skin, now you’re equipped with the knowledge and tools to have smooth and hydrated skin all season. Your best winter skin care routine starts with exfoliating and switching to a rich moisturizer. These two things broke me out of the dry skin cycle and helped my skin immensely. The same advice applies to dry skin on your body and cracked skin on your hands.
Now, when I wear makeup, I make sure to exfoliate and moisturize beforehand so that my makeup goes on smoothly and doesn’t cake around the dry areas on my face. If you’d like to try the new Lavender Cream Exfolaitor or Herbe Sois Calming Moisturizer, you can order them directly from the Organic Radiance Skincare website here.
References:
1. The Impact of Winter on the Skin BY SYLVIA CHRZANOWSKA / 28 FEB 2017 https://aestheticsjournal.com/feature/the-impact-of-winter-on-the-skin
2. Alpha hydroxy acids modulate stratum corneum barrier function. E. BERARDESCA F. DISTANTE G.P. VIGNOLI C. ORESAJO B. GREEN. First published: 28 June 2008 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.1997.19882069.x
3. Dry Skin: Environmental Aspects. Rawlings A.V., Exogenous Dermatology 2004;3:57–71 https://doi.org/10.1159/000086156
4. Skin Care with Herbal Exfoliants. N. Packianathan, R. Kandasamy. Functional Plant Science and Biotechnology. http://www.globalsciencebooks.info/Online/GSBOnline/images/2011/FPSB_5(SI1)/FPSB_5(SI1)94-97o.pdf
I didn’t know that exfoliating could help with dryness. We’re having really dry weather right now and my skin is acting up, breaking out and flaky underneath any makeup I put on. I’m going to try this – exfoliating and using your night cream that I already have. Looking forward to trying the new exfoliator too. Love your products!