How to Dress your skin for the weather
Its Getting cold out!!!
Its December 1st and the temperature is dropping. Officially into the -20 this week and I’m happily snuggled up with a morning coffee and my fuzzy bunny slippers. The air is drying out and so will your skin if you don’t properly dress for the weather. We are loving this new expression, but its so true. We put on gloves to protect our hands from the cold, a jacket to keep warm, boots to trudge through big piles of snow. Why aren’t we intentionally protecting our skin? Its time we made it a habit to protect our skin from jack frost.
How to dress for the Weather? We need to strengthening your skin. We don’t want anything “wet” on our skin before going outside, this would be counter productive. So we are going to strengthen our skin in advance of heading into the elements to prevent damage.
3 Ways to dress for the weather
Improve cell turnover
The younger and healthier our skin the easier it is to keep that winter chill from getting under your skin. Healthier and younger skin is more resilient. Double down on your exfoliant, or if you’re not using one its time to get one. We recommend using it 3-4 times per week. Make sure your exfoliant is gentle and not overly abrasive. We don’t want to damage the skin, we just want to encourage the skin to “turn-over” which basically means get rid of the old (dryer) cells and bring new softer cells to the surface. You also want to protect your skin barrier so make sure your using Skin Swiffer. (Ill talk more on this below)
This is more of a preparation and its important to follow up with your skincare system after your exfoliate. If you have active Acne DONT EXFOLIATE, it can spread bacteria to other parts of your face and no one wants that. The system you use is personal preference, but we love the Top layer programs. The program you use is based on your individual skin needs, so check out the different Top Layer systems. Here’s a quick link to the more popular systems we carry.
Anti-Aging System – Acne Recovery System – Intense Hydration System
Increase Collagen Production
Healthy skin is resilient skin, so lets talk about retinol. I’m sure you are already using a retinoid but we want to increase the use of that retinol. This can be tricky for some people as they might have sensitive skin or be prone to retinization. We have a solution!! Pick a day you wont be leaving the house, maybe a Sunday. You’re done your weekly grocery shop and now its time to spend some time relaxing around the house or getting some chores done, this is when its time to dress your skin.
Use retinol twice on this day (morning and night) and if you are sensitive or concerned about retinization we want you to apply Skin Swiffer to your skin before bed. Skin Swiffer will repair your Skin Barrier and prevent any retinization.
YES!!! We have found a way to avoid retinization.
USe an spf!!!
UV rays cause a lot of damage to the skin and compromise the skin barrier function. Which is very counter productive when you’re trying to trap all that moisture in your skin!! So use an SPF. UV reflects off of surfaces and that includes snow. Which means your skin is taking a beating during the winter months, with UV coming from above and below.
Check our this Blog Post to discover the unexpected times your skin is susceptible to UV damage.
Deep Dive
Repair and strengthen the Skin barrier
The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the epidermis and its job is to be the protective layer from the elements!! Its other super important job is to lock in all the healthy natural oils and hydration. (Think moisture) Our skin barrier is made of natural fat (lipids) and it can breakdown due to age, environment, our sleeping habits and our skincare routine.
So many things can damage the skin barrier function, including the increased use of exfoliation and retinoids. This is why its so important that you start using Skin Swiffer at night as a treatment. You want to apply Skin Swiffer to freshly cleansed skin, this product is to be left on your skin overnight. We recommend using as a treatment once a week or more frequently if you are noticing any dry or tightness. It smells amazing and it will give your skin barrier the boost it needs to repair any damage caused by the increase in exfoliation and retinol. Best of all, Skin Swiffer will fortify your skin barrier protecting your skin from the elements.
If you’re not ready to increase your retinol and exfoliation, that’s ok! Just use the Skin Swiffer at night to ensure your barrier function is functioning at its best.