How to protect your skin from the worst the weather can throw at it
Winter can wreak as much damage on your skin as summer. We examine the dangers
The problem: air conditioning and central heating
As the radiators warm up, the levels of humidity in the air go down and skin cells lose water by osmosis. “When skin cells are ‘born’ deep within the skin, they are packed full of moisture,” says Sally Penford, education manager for the International Dermal Institute. “As they move up to the surface of the skin, the water within the cells is pushed to the outside of the cell where it is exposed to the environment and can evaporate into the atmosphere.”
The solution: “Using a humidifier, or even putting bowls of water by the radiators, is of great benefit to the skin,” says Penford. “Open windows at night, too, to allow moist air into the room.” Wearing a moisturiser acts as a barrier to evaporation, as well as supplying skin with water.
Try a product to enhance skin’s barrier function and a product to provide extra hydration. B vitamins are important for strong skin tissue.
The problem: Long hot baths
“Make sure that your bathtime routine doesn’t remove the natural protective coating that exists on your face and body,” says Steve Barton, Boots scientific skincare adviser. “Long hot baths and aggressive treatment products can all contribute to loss of protection resulting in dried, chapped skin.”
The solution: Try using a heavier or thicker moisturiser, says Barton. It is still worth exfoliating the skin every week, he adds, as getting rid of dead skin increases the water-holding capacity of the skin. Keep the body moisturised with Vaseline Intensive Care’s DermaCare lotion. Unpretentious and effective, slather this lotion on after a bath or shower (preferably before your skin has dried out entirely, so it can trap moisture in the skin).
The problem: Partying
It still seems to be the party season – and that means an assault for your skin from alcohol, smoke and lack of sleep. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and that includes the skin, which will appear duller and greyer as a result. Nina Goad of the British Skin Foundation warns: “Cigarette smoke at parties can have a detrimental effect on your skin, undoing much of the hard work you may be putting in to keep it looking soft and young. Smoke is one of the main external factors that lead to the visible deterioration of skin.”
The solution: “If you are drinking more than you should, one herbal supplement to try is milk thistle,” says Kate Cook of The Nutrition Coach partnership. “This helps the liver do its job of detoxifying the body.”
The problem: Cold air and wind
“If it’s cold and dry, the air around you can suck the moisture out of your skin,” says Debbie D’Aquino, Clinique’s vice-president for product development. “Wind can cause it to chafe and crack. Whenever the temperature changes, the skin’s balance is thrown off, and cells don’t generate fast enough, leading to flakiness and dullness.”
The solution: At least one in three women suffers from dry skin in winter, according to research by Boots. But men’s skin needs looking after just as much, if not more; shaving amounts to a severe daily exfoliation, which leaves the skin extra-vulnerable to the moisture stripping effects of the weather. A light, unfragranced moisturiser such as Simple for Men’s Hydrating Moisturiser is the best remedy.
The problem: Ultraviolet light
UV light doesn’t just burn the skin in summer; the longer-wavelength UVA rays which contribute to skin ageing are present in daylight in winter, albeit less strongly than in summer. Wendy Lewis, author of Beauty Secrets (Quadrille, £9.99), says: “Dry skin needs protection from the environment; the fact that it is dry means that its defences are compromised and UV rays can penetrate even more easily.”
The solution: It’s worth wearing sunscreen in winter, too. Lewis says: “A daily moisturiser with SPF15 is ideal for day, and for night time, switch to something that has a heavier texture to really soak in.”
The problem: stodgy food
When it is cold, we crave warm, filling food and plenty of carbohydrates. But the urge to fill up on comforting, stodgy food, washed down with warming beverages, has a knock-on effect on your skin. “Most people drink far less water in the winter, which certainly affects the skin,” says nutritionist Kate Cook of The Nutrition Coach partnership. “Water hydrates the skin from within.”
It’s also less easy to eat salads full of fresh vegetables in winter and eating fewer antioxidants can lead to skin becoming duller.
The solution: “Foods which contain B vitamins, such as porridge, are good for the skin because they help support the liver and anything that does that will help keep skin clear,” Kate Cook says. “Fruits such as berries are great for supplying antioxidants to support cell function in the skin, while vitamin E (found in avocados and eggs) and oils such as blackcurrant seed oil and omega-3 oils help lubricate skin cells.”
