Winter skin, it’s a thing.

As winter approaches with its lower temperatures, the humidity in the air drops, especially in the cold Highveld regions of South Africa and as a result, our skin becomes drier. This is also a time when we all gravitate towards warm fires and heaters, which tend to further dry out our skins and lips.

This excessive dryness of the skin can also result in an eczema called eczema craquelé or asteatotic eczema (winter eczema) which often occurs on the lower legs.

Treatment tips that can help with Winter Skin

• Cleanse with a gentle creamy cleanser with a low or neutral pH for the face and body
• Use a richer facial and body moisturiser and apply it more frequently
• Shield your skin from cold winds by wearing protective clothing, scarves, and gloves
• Avoid using very hot hard water that can strip the skin of its natural oils, exacerbating dryness
• Use a humidifier indoors to add moisture to the air
• Incorporate gentle exfoliation into your routine to remove dead skin cells and promote a brighter complexion
• Consider using hydrating and soothing masks to provide extra nourishment
• If your face becomes less tolerant of active ingredients such as Retinol in winter, it may be necessary to reduce the usage to three nights per week or less according to your own skin’s tolerance levels and dryness
• For extra hydration add a serum with hyaluronic acid under your day and night creams

Skincare ingredients that can help with winter skin

• Cholesterol
• Ceramides
• Coconut Oil
• Sunflower Seed Oil
• Shea Butter
• Vitamin E
• Gluconolactone
• Lactobionic Acid
• Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA)
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Petrolatum
• Silicone

Skincare products that can help with Winter Skin

It’s important to choose a cleanser that provides gentle yet effective cleansing without stripping the skin’s natural oils. Dr Webster recommends:

• Lamelle Serra Cleansing Gel
• Huxley Cleansing Gel
• SkinCeuticals Soothing Cleanser

Targeted treatments formulated to combat dryness, such as hydrating serums intense hydration and nourishment to replenish the skin’s moisture levels. Dr Webster recommends:

• Huxley Grab Water Essence
• La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum

Exfoliation helps slough off dead skin cells, revealing smoother and more radiant skin underneath. By removing this build-up, moisturisers and other skincare products can penetrate better and be more effective. Dr Webster recommends:

• NeoStrata® PHA Renewal Pads
• Huxley Conditioning Pads

Masks formulated with hydrating ingredients can provide an intense surge of moisture, helping to replenish and hydrate the skin. Dr Webster recommends:

• PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask
• mesoestetic hydravital face mask

Cold temperatures and indoor heating can deplete moisture from the air, leading to dry and dehydrated lips. Proper lip care helps prevent moisture loss, keeping the lips hydrated and preventing dryness and chapping. Dr Webster recommends:

• PCA Skin Overnight Lip Mask
• Huxley Lip Balm; Moroccan Linen

Different types of ingredients in moisturisers include emollients, occlusives and humectants. Together, these help to restore the natural barrier function of your skin and reduce transepidermal water loss. Dr Webster recommends:

Emollients

Emollients mainly contain lipids and oils which keep the skin soft, smooth and supple.

• SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore
• NeoStrata® Bionic Face Cream
• Obagi Hydrate Luxe
• Dermaceutic Regen Ceutic

Occlusives

Occlusives reduce transepidermal water loss by creating a hydrophobic barrier over the skin but they are often greasy.

• SBR Repair Cream
• La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5

Humectants

Humectants work by attracting water from the external environments and the dermis.

• iS Clinical Reparative Moisture Emulsion
• Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream (50ml)