Like any kind of weather, the harsh winter elements can have a real impact on your skin, making it feel very dry, sore and red. As with other seasons, skincare professionals always recommend changing up the ingredients in products you choose to use, depending on the weather outside and winter is no exception! The winter brings with it very low temperatures, wind, and central heating- all external factors that have a direct impact on our skin, leaving it dehydrated and feeling dry.

If you feel your skin needs hydrating or want to learn more about the right kind of skincare ingredients to swap into your skincare routine, our blog covers the kinds of ingredients to look for to help hydrate your skin and keep that winter dryness at bay.

Hydrating skincare- what is it and how does it works

Hydrating skincare products are products with active ingredients that help restore hydration and help dehydrated skin that has been impacted by external factors such as weather change and central heating. 

These hydrating ingredients include;

  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Ceramides
  • AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) 
  • BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids)

These active ingredients work by restoring water into your skin and their thicker texture typically absorbs further into the skin barrier, helping restore the lost moisture from derma layers deeper down.

Tips to hydrate skin this winter

The first tip to hydrating skin during the winter is to review the products you’re currently using and swap them for more hydrating ones such as oil-based and anything with hyaluronic and salicylic acid. 

As part of your daily skincare routine, it’s very likely that you double cleanse in the evening using two kinds of cleanser. If your cleansers are foamy or too harsh, your skin will feel tight and redness can happen so it’s best to swap out anything foaming for an oil-based cleanser or a balm. Use these as your first cleanser followed by a cleanser with either hyaluronic or salicylic cleanser. Both of these ingredients help hydrate your skin and keep moisture locked in which is essential for the harsh winter weather. Unlike other cleansing products that can strip essential oils and moisture from the skin, using hydrating ingredients will help keep moisture levels higher until we get some warmer weather.

The second tip is to use a heavier moisturiser after cleansing and toning, helping again to promote hydration within your skin. Look for essential acids such as AHA’s and BHA’s within moisturizer products as these key ingredients will help rehydrate dull, dry feeling skin. You may also want something with ceramides that offers more barrier protection than a lighter moisturizer, helping your skin feel revived and plump once more.

A third tip is to consider an overnight mask to help keep skin hydrated whilst you rest, leaving your skin feeling soft and refreshed in the morning. Your skin repairs overnight, taking time to regenerate skin cells that have died during the day. If you use retinol products, make sure to put it on an hour or so before the mask to make the most out of the active ingredients in both products. Overnight masks tend to be much thicker and jammed-pack with thirst-quenching ingredients for your skin.