Winter is a season of cold air which is totally considered to be one of the most harsh weather for the skin. It is due to the fact that they bring in chilly air with freezing winds. The low humid air during winters can make the skin more damaged. All these factors could strip the moisture barrier and cause excessive dryness on the face.
That is why your skin might feel flaky during the winters. Your skin requires gentle cleansing action in order to fight winter dryness which could not be achieved using your traditional cleansers. For maintaining the skin barrier your skin requires nourishing ingredients in cleansers meant for daily purposes.
A gentle cleanser meant for winters would help a lot if formulated with skin supportive ingredients and help reduce the dryness from the skin. Such a face wash would not strip the moisture barrier instead it would help in maintaining and repairing the damaged barrier.
You simply need to look for cream, lotion or oil based cleansers in winters rather than focusing on harsh foaming cleansers. This kind of cleanser would help in gently lifting the impurities gently from the skin without disrupting the barrier layer.
Effect of winters on the skin
The air outside is frosty and cold during the winters with low humidity levels now combining this with the artificial hot indoors could affect the moisture barrier seriously. It would strip off the moisture from the skin.
This is why the skin appears flaky and excessively dry because the moisture barrier gets damaged. Due to low humidity in the environment, transepidermal water loss might also be increased.
Also the blood vessels shrink and the nerve ending gets sensitive. Sebum production might also decrease during winters causing more skin dryness. The texture gets flaky and the skin lacks essential lipids to maintain moisture. Chilly air during winters affect this more and skin might also appear red due to harsh weathers.
Why are traditional cleansers not effective?
Traditional cleansers are not so ideal for winters because they are formulated with harsh surfactants. These surfactants act quite harshly on the skin making it even more compromised and vulnerable.
It has a harsh cleansing action which is not helpful during winters. These cleansers not only clear the impurities from the skin but also strip the essential lipid from the skin, making the barrier even more weak. It makes the skin feel tight and more dry post cleansing which is why it might not be so ideal for winters.
Formulation to opt for
You need to look for the most suitable formulation for winters which works to provide gentle cleansing like a glycolic acid face wash.
Foaming cleansers are not advised to be used in winters as they are formulated with harsh surfactants which can easily strip the moisture barrier of the skin making it even more dry and compromised. They don’t have a gentle and skin soothing cleansing effect.
Oil, cream or lotion cleansers are formulated with mild surfactants which do not have a harsh cleansing effect. These cleansers are formulated using emollients or gentle moisturizing agents along with cleansing agents which help in repairing the damaged skin barrier.
They help in gently lifting off the impurities from the skin without stripping the moisture barrier at all. Also these cleansers are mostly formulated with moisturizing agents that help in providing a thin protective shield and prevent skin dryness. Some formulas also help in repairing the damaged skin barrier.
Also milk cleansers could be used for cleansing as they are very gentle on the skin and help in clearing light impurities from the skin.
Ingredients suitable for winters
Some ingredients when formulated in your cream or lotion cleansers help more for fighting off winter dryness and help in soothing the skin.
| Ingredients | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Shea butter | It is a skin moisturizing natural butter which helps in fighting winter dryness and smoothens the skin, reducing flaky texture. It helps in protecting the barrier layer of the skin greatly |
| Glycerin | A natural humectant that helps in pulling the moisture into the skin by attracting it from the air. It seals the moisture well into the skin providing support to the moisture barrier of the skin |
| Jojoba oil | A natural oil that might resemble the texture of natural sebum and helps in providing moisture to the skin. It helps in conditioning and supporting the skin along with replenishing the natural oil |
| Ceramides | These are the barrier supporting agents which help in repairing the skin barrier. Ceramides help hold the skin moisture barrier and keep it intact. It replenishes lost ceramides in the skin which makes the skin moisturized |
| Oatmeal | It widely helps in repairing the skin dryness and calms the skin down. It helps in gentle cleansing while reducing the skin redness, itching or inflammation during winters |
| Hyaluronic acid | It is also a humectant that can hold a great amount of water and pulls water to hydrate the skin which reduces skin dryness |
Common skincare tips for winters
For keeping your skin calm and protected during winters you need to be extra careful and follow some skincare essentials during winters.
- Do not wash your face with extremely hot water as it strips the skin barrier
- Avoid using harsh soaps and cleansers
- Always moisturize your face properly
- Do not skip sunscreen even in winters
Summing up
Winters are considered to be very frosty and chilly which makes the skin dry and flaky. It is difficult to keep the skin protected using regular cleansers during winters. You need to switch to gentle milk, cream or lotion cleansers which help in lifting off the impurities gently from the skin while maintaining the moisture. It would keep the barrier layer protected and help in fighting skin dryness.