The ultimate winter skin care routine for healthy hydrated skin
By Victoria Ezenwa
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When the temperature significantly drops, you already know winter is near and a new skin routine is needed! I know nearly everyone must have some sort of skincare routine - this could be washing your face either in the morning,night or just moisturising your skin. The majority of us have some form of routine in place in order to take good care of our skin! Heading into the winter season which brings its very own harsh winds, I feel it’s so important to reiterate the importance of a good hydrating skincare routine. So let’s head back to 101 skincare basics. You may be asking what should an ideal skincare routine include or look like?
Well a basic skin routine should include 4 main steps & should be applied in this very order:
So I’m guessing you’re asking yourself, what is an oil cleanser and a water based cleanser?
An oil cleanser consists of natural hydrating oils which essentially breaks down excess sebum (an oily substance produced by sweat glands throughout the day). This particular cleanser targets to clean out blackheads and whiteheads within your pores. It also removes dead skin cells, pollutants and makeup if worn. If an oil cleanser is not used, sebum could eventually block your pores and you wouldn’t want that - I’m guessing you would want healthy hydrating skin!
A water-based cleanser can come in three main forms such as a foam cleanser, gel cleanser and cleansing water. All 3 of these are used to remove water-based impurities, including sweat and dirt. However for this particular season we’re approaching, a real gentle hydrating cleanser should be used because some cleansers can strip the skin of its moisture and this leads to damaged skin.
Recommendations: I would highly recommend the entire CeraVe cleansing RANGE: 4 water based cleansers that are specially formulated for all skin types (as seen below). The range is super affordable and the ingredients used effectively cleanse the skin whilst retaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
Well a basic skin routine should include 4 main steps & should be applied in this very order:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturiser
- Cleanser : Double Cleansing method- This is a two part cleansing process which involves - two cleansers: both an Oil & water based cleanser. So this basically involves washing your face with an oil and water based cleanser, both morning and night. This two part cleanse essentially removes all the dirt that has clung into your pores throughout the day. Not doing this promotes the growth of whiteheads and blackheads.
So I’m guessing you’re asking yourself, what is an oil cleanser and a water based cleanser?
An oil cleanser consists of natural hydrating oils which essentially breaks down excess sebum (an oily substance produced by sweat glands throughout the day). This particular cleanser targets to clean out blackheads and whiteheads within your pores. It also removes dead skin cells, pollutants and makeup if worn. If an oil cleanser is not used, sebum could eventually block your pores and you wouldn’t want that - I’m guessing you would want healthy hydrating skin!
A water-based cleanser can come in three main forms such as a foam cleanser, gel cleanser and cleansing water. All 3 of these are used to remove water-based impurities, including sweat and dirt. However for this particular season we’re approaching, a real gentle hydrating cleanser should be used because some cleansers can strip the skin of its moisture and this leads to damaged skin.
Recommendations: I would highly recommend the entire CeraVe cleansing RANGE: 4 water based cleansers that are specially formulated for all skin types (as seen below). The range is super affordable and the ingredients used effectively cleanse the skin whilst retaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
For oiI cleansers, I would recommend the Simple hydrating oil cleanser. This is affordable with simple hydrating ingredients that are very effective and yield maximum results.
2. Toner - Toning is a step in skincare that is always easily overlooked. However toners are exactly what our skin truly needs especially as winter is fast approaching & the chances of losing our natural skin moisture is very high. Toners gently refresh the skin & help the skin barrier retain its natural moisture. A good recommendation for a toner is: Rose water. It is a good hydrating & refreshing toner that should be incorporated into your skin routine this winter to prevent the possibility of the skin becoming dry or irritated. Rose water is tolerated by all skin types and gives the skin very good benefits.
3. Serum - This step is crucial in terms of some positive changes it can give your skin. A serum is made up of very small molecules making it super lightweight in consistency. This texture enables the product to penetrate deeply into the skin targeting specific skin concerns. There are different types of serums for different skin problems. However a good starting point is Hyaluronic acid. It is a hydrating serum which helps retain skin moisture thereby protecting the skin & also promoting more plumped & smooth skin.
4. Moisturiser - I’m hoping we all do incorporate moisturisers daily into our skin routine. Moisturising the skin involves using a thin layer of cream to seal all the products you’ve used on your skin. This helps to hydrate your skin and retain its elasticity for a longer period resulting in your skin becoming a lot softer.
Recommendations: Vaseline- A cheap moisturiser with simple ingredients that still provide your skin with long term moisture and hydration without clogging your pores.
So there you have it - my ultimate winter skin care routine for healthy hydrated skin!
Just to add, make sure you do a patch test before incorporating any of the recommended products into your skin care routine! All the products mentioned are beneficial for all skin types, especially sensitive skin - but patch tests are important because your skin may react/ become easily irritated to a certain ingredient in any of the products.
Recommendations: Vaseline- A cheap moisturiser with simple ingredients that still provide your skin with long term moisture and hydration without clogging your pores.
So there you have it - my ultimate winter skin care routine for healthy hydrated skin!
Just to add, make sure you do a patch test before incorporating any of the recommended products into your skin care routine! All the products mentioned are beneficial for all skin types, especially sensitive skin - but patch tests are important because your skin may react/ become easily irritated to a certain ingredient in any of the products.