Winter, what does it do to your skin?

Belgium turned into a winter wonderland last week. It did cause some problems on the roads, but that’s not all of it: our skin suffers as well. It’s completely natural to turn up the heating, but the difference with the freezing temperatures outside can cause a dry and flaky skin. But how do you care for your skin in times like these? Today I’ll be sharing my five tips to counter the dry winter skin.

The layers of your skin

First and foremost, to treat your winter skin you have to understand how the skin is build. Our skin consists of three layers, the outer layer, the lower skin and the inner layer or tissue. The outer layer, or stratum corneum, is in direct contact with the external world and acts as a protective barrier. This layer is made up out of water and fats (lipids), that protect the skin against all harmful influences. A dry skin is unable to hold enough fats causing it to become sensitive.

How to treat dry skin?

A dry skin, itchy feelings, flaking and cracked lips: it’s all so annoying. But what can you do against them? There’s a few simple things you can do in the comfort of your own home to restore your skin.

1. Choose moisturising creams

A dry skin is a skin that can’t keep on to enough fats. When you use a rich cream these fats are resupplied, meaning the moisture will remain in the skin and restoring the skin’s barrier. The moisture loss will be kept to a minimum. Most creams leave a layer on top of the skin, but this will just seal it off. So choose a product that absorbs well. our All Day Dreamer daycream and Fine Delicate Body Butter can help you out.

The message: apply, apply and apply some more. Feeling your skin getting dried out? Grab your day cream and body butter, your skin will thank you for it. You won’t do yourself any harm by applying your cream several times per day.

2. Avoid aggressive soaps and cleansing products

Leave the aggressive and foaming soaps out of your life. Do you believe they cleanse better? Well unfortunately that’s a misconception. Foaming soaps contain SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulphate).  These substances, when combined with water, remove fats or oils. And you may be thinking this is good as it cleanses the skin. But the big issue is it removes the fats that keep your skin moisturized, so aggressive soaps are not recommended.

Yet it is recommended to cleanse the skin in the mornings and the evenings. So use a mild cleanser, the Boost of Freshness Facial Lotion is mild and suitable for the sensitive skin around the eyes.

3. Choose ingredients that nourish, hydrate and protect the skin

A dry skin is caused by using the wrong skin care products and cosmetics. Certain products are aggressive and contain ingredients known for their dehydrating effects. Avoid synthetic alcohols or perfumes and other chemical additives. SELF does contain a low percentage of alcohol but it is naturally derived from coconuts, it’s a fatty alcohol. As opposed to other sorts of alcohol, this is a healthy form of alcohol that doesn’t dehydrate the skin but provides intense nutrition and allows other substances to be easily absorbed.

4.  Scrub the skin at least twice a week

It’s important to scrub your skin every week, to remove the dead skin cells and allowing other products to do their jobs. But most scrubs can be aggressive because they contain oversized grains. Dead skin cells and fats are a natural component of the skin’s barrier, so they can be important. Scrubbing to much can damage the barrier. So choose a mild cleansing scrub, like the Boost of Oxygen Facial scrub by SELF. It contains pure oils that provide intense nourishment. So it’s important to nourish the skin after scrubbing!

5. Avoid hot baths and showers

I know, it’s lovely taking a hot bath on a cold day. But it’s actually not that good for your skin! It causes the skin to dry out… obviously you’ll have to wash yourself, but try not to stay in the tub to long. Also try to avoid foam as it can dry out the skin as well. But what can you use? Simply add a spoonful of our Fine Deluxe Bodyscrub to your bath: the pure oils nourish your skin and leave you feeling silky soft.

Check your water quality as well. If you’re suffering from a dry skin all year round the problem could lie in the quality of your water. Harsh water can dehydrate and a water softener can help you out. Still plan on taking a nice long bath? Don’t forget to treat your skin with a rich body butter, our Fine Delicate Body Butter nourishes the skin’s barrier. Making sure your skin can keep on to moisture.

Treating your dry skin with SELF

One of the questions I get all the time is ‘is SELF suitable for a dry skin?’. Absolutely, SELF is great for the dry skin, the products are suitable for any skin type as they’re stuffed with healthy ingredients. Every type of skin needs healthy nourishment, the same goes for a dry skin. These products contain ingredients that nourish the skin and have an antibacterial effect, they’ll also restore the skin and counter the aging effects.

Natural ingredients for a dry skin

Watch out: it’s not because a product is natural that it’s good for you. Certain natural ingredients can still damage the skin. The success of a product lies in the combination of ingredients. The ingredients have to complement and reinforce each other. So learn what you can from the list of ingredients, because the composition is so important. SELF contains macadamia, aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil and mandarin and geranium oil. These are the main ingredients, but they’re supplemented with other 100% natural ingredients. These substances nourish the skin, are antibacterial, restore the skin and counter aging effects. They form the perfect team, and that’s why we choose these ingredients.

Would you like more information? Or have you got a question about a specific product? Don’t hesitate and feel free to send an email to team@nauralself.eu