The air temperature is dropping, heaters are turned on, and humidity levels are changing by the minute. Every year, winter weather brings dehydrated skin – which quickly shows up as fine lines, itchy patches, cracked lips, and a dull complexion. Here’s what you can do to save your skin. 

Whether you have naturally dry, oily or combination skin, the seasonal changes outside will inevitably affect your skin’s hydration level. According to our expert skin therapist, the key to year-long radiant skin is balance and consistency.

Your skin needs both oil and water to stay hydrated and healthy. When your environment shifts, your body does too, and it might need a moisturising push to stay nourished this month.

A nutritious diet, plenty of water, and more sleep are a great place to start for healthy skin. But don’t underestimate the power of the ingredients you put on your face. Even in small quantities, they can either strip or boost your natural oils.

Here are our top three tips for keeping your skin happy and glowing all winter long.

Try an overnight mask

Nothing helps hydrate your skin like a hyaluronic mask. While you sleep, the mask’s nourishing ingredients penetrate into your skin to lock in hydration.

Studies show that skin cells replicate and reproduce as you sleep. The skin’s metabolism increases and the body’s hydration process rebalances. The more you can do to aid that natural process, the more benefits you’ll experience.

As you age, your body’s metabolism slows down and your skin will naturally stop producing as much oil. This means that people over the age of 40 may experience more significant skin dehydration than people in their 20s. Using a mask with peptides, ceramides or hyaluronic acid can help the hydration process and keep your face protected through the winter.

If you are looking for a way to replenish moisture during the day, try our ultra-hydrating Aleph Concealer/Foundation. To enhance collagen and promote younger-looking skin, we add Alaria Esculenta extract, a type of brown algae that has been shown to assist with cellular metabolism and boost elasticity and hydration.

Cut out skin-stripping products

Take a closer look at every product you put on your face – cleaners, toners, serums, and makeup. Harsh chemicals that strip your skin’s natural oils can be detrimental to your skin over the winter.

Even a world-class moisturiser won’t be able to compensate for a harsh cleanser. Instead of focusing on one great product to counteract nasty ones, use consistent, gentle, and hydrating products for every step of your skincare routine.

Look for properties that enhance your skin’s natural rhythms, rather than work against them. Our philosophy at Aleph is to create makeup that works towards long-term skin health alongside short-term results. For example, we chose to use a special combination of soy and rice extracts in our Prep/Finish Powder to create an invisible protective barrier against blue light and environmental stressors. While the powder helps set your makeup all day, it also works to protect your skin and help your face retain moisture.

Here are our favourite vitamins to look out for when deciding on your skincare range:

• Vitamin A - to help boost collagen production and repair the cell wall for younger-looking skin
• Vitamin B - to normalise your skin’s natural balance
• Vitamin C - to help regulate pigmentation and keep your skin looking radiant

It’s also important to make sure your products are created with natural ingredients and no microplastics. For a sustainable solution that has all the hydrating properties your skin needs year-round, check out Aleph Serum/Primer. This contains many skin-nourishing ingredients including milk thistle ester and Tsubaki oil to strengthen the skin barrier and helps to retain optimum moisture levels.

Use sunscreen

Yes, even in the winter! Colder air doesn’t mean less UV rays peeking through the clouds. It’s quite possibly the piece of skincare advice you’ve heard more than any other, but that’s because there’s simply no substitute for it: sunscreen is the best way to protect your skin.

If you take one piece of advice from this article;

Don’t underestimate the power of your products. They can help you maximise your skin’s natural rejuvenation process, or they can strip your skin leaving it dehydrated and potentially compromised.

With the change in seasons, it’s time to reconsider what you do every day to keep your skin happy and healthy.

It’s time to invest in skincare-infused makeup.

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