I want dry skin said no one ever!!! The BEST skincare for winter
with in-house Naturopath, Georga Holt
Winter Skin
How to support your SKIN in WINTER.
Naturally with a new season, our body prompts us to change our daily health rituals. We often forget the impact that winter has on our bodies such as changes to our skin. It’s important to support our bodies through the change in seasons.
During winter, it is quite common for your skin to become dry and dull.
This can be due to many reasons, such as harsher weather, less humidity, decreased vitamin D levels, more synthetic heating, reduced water intake and less time spent in nature. While many of these external factors can’t be avoided, we can nourish our bodies in other ways during winter to combat these environmental changes.
nutrition
Fat soluble vitamins:
Looking at you Vitamin A, D, E and K. These guys support the skin (and body’s) moisture and increase hydration, understandably your body needs more of these during winter.
These vitamins also collectively help drive down inflammation, support the immune defense, and play an important role in supporting the integrity of the skin cells.
Below are some examples of how you can increase consumption of your fat soluble vitamins in winter.
Vitamin A: kale, sweet potato & carrots
Vitamin D: sunshine (when it’s available), cod liver oil & salmon
Vitamin E: sunflower seeds, almonds & avocados
Vitamin K: all your green leafy vegetables
VITAMIN C:
Not only is Vitamin C a powerhouse for our Immune system; it’s also vital for your skin health. It’s also a precursor for collagen production, required for wound healing, and it’s strong antioxidant content will leave your skin feeling less dull. Try incorporating lemon into your daily routine - this can be as easy as lemon water in the morning (ticking two important winter essentials in one). It’s a beautiful ritual & beneficial for your skin due to the high Vitamin C content.
OMEGAS:
Naturally in winter our bodies crave more lipids; this includes our skin cells. Due to external factors, our skin cells require more lipids during winter to promote hydration and maintain moisture. The integrity of the skin barrier is dependent on the lipid component, therefore a lack of lipids (looking at you omegas) can interfere with the quality of the skin barrier. High sources of omega’s can be found in foods such as walnuts, chia seeds and fish (salmon, sardines).
HYDRATION:
This speaks for itself, but ensuring you keep adequate hydration is essential for all aspects of your health. Hydration is something you can lose track of during winter, but due to the harsher weather and synthetic heating it’s important you remain hydrated. Additionally, our skin cells are the last parts of the body to receive water - so making sure your daily requirements are met is an important factor for these cells. Water intake can be a little bit harder to keep up with in winter, so mix it up with herbal teas & elixirs. Aim for 2-3L of water each day.
PROTEIN:
Similarly to lipids, protein is a key component in the structure of our skin cells. There are three different types of protein that are found in our skin cells - collagen, elastin and keratin. Their main role is to promote elasticity and sustain the integrity of the skin, protecting you against external factors. A diet that lacks protein can have a direct impact on skin health and appearance. Ensure you can identify a source of protein in each meal, whether that's animal source, plant based like tofu or various nuts & seeds.
skin care:
With the harsher weather conditions and exposure to synthetic heating it is vital to include good quality skin care in your daily winter routine. Skin barrier protection can be supported by internal health, but supporting it externally takes it a step further. In winter longer, hotter showers can be a beautiful ritual, but can also dehydrate your skin. Hot showers draw out moisture and natural oils leaving your skin dry. However, instead of restricting yourself from showers, applying jojoba oil to your face before showering can protect your skin during the shower and prevent it from drying out.
During this winter, implement the above to support your skin and your glow.
Read more about Georga, behind the brand here.