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Dehydration, pink acne, wrinkles… And that’s not all that can happen to the skin of the face after severe frosts, wind or icy dampness. What to do?
Thin and delicate facial skin sensitively reacts to all external factors. Cold gusty winds, snow with rain and snowstorms, sub-zero temperatures – all this leads to redness and irritation, increased sensitivity and even cracks. But the house cannot be called a safe place for our face either. The heat from the batteries dries out the skin in a matter of hours, leaving it dehydrated. As a result, a network of fine wrinkles and peeling, which is not so easy to get rid of.
Pass the tests
- How You Eat: What Your Diet Says About You
- Will you keep your summer uniform?
What will help you survive the long winter without damage to your appearance?
1. Let’s look inside
Any self-care begins not with creams and serums, but with nutrition. So it’s time to think about what we eat. So what foods should you include in your diet?
- Rich in antioxidants. As well as vitamins A, E and C, lycopene, carotenoids, flavonoids and lutein. These foods include fruits and vegetables that are red, yellow, and orange. Mangoes, grapefruits, oranges, grapes, quinces, pumpkins, carrots, red cabbage, beets, sweet potatoes … “Greens” are also useful: spinach, watercress, lettuce, turnips are rich in lutein. Such products will protect the skin from the harmful effects of the environment and help moisturize it. Nutritionist Serge Hercberg warns that antioxidants in the form of vitamin complexes are much less effective than those we can get from food. Therefore, it is better to lean on carrots than on pills.
- Oily fish. You need mackerel, herring, sardines, eel, salmon, anchovies and halibut. Try to eat fish two to three times a week. Then your skin will receive the necessary hydration and nutrition.
- Spirulina. Having made a lot of noise in the last couple of years, this seaweed continues to be a superfood. In a hundred grams, it contains as much calcium as is contained in three glasses of milk, iron as in three bowls of spinach, and beta-carotene, which would be enough for eight large carrots. And in addition to beneficial effects on the immune system, liver, cholesterol levels, spirulina is also known for its ability to strengthen nails and smooth wrinkles. In a word, it is absolutely necessary!
Read more:
- What Antioxidants Can Do
2. Night watchman
In winter, the batteries operate at full capacity, drying up the air in the room. The first and most important tip is to get a good humidifier. Otherwise, save your usual night cream until spring, replacing it with a moisturizing mask. Just apply it before bed like you would with a regular cream and go to bed. The mask will not only nourish the skin all night, but also protect it from drying out. What masks are worth paying attention to? Hydra-Quench at Clarins, Hydra Sparkling at Givenchy, Black Rose at Sisley.
3. Water proof
You know the feeling when, after getting out of the shower, the skin tightens strongly? In winter, this effect is enhanced – in an attempt to keep warm, we make the water hotter, and hot water dehydrates our skin even more. The solution is simple – apply the same moisturizing mask with a thin layer on your face before entering under the jets of water.
Read more:
- How to feel good in winter
4. Piece by piece
If you notice that some areas of your face dry out more than others (flaky wings of the nose or chin, cheeks or forehead), try applying a moisturizing balm after your usual day cream only to these places. For example, Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm, which was released this winter by Kiehl’s, will soften and moisturize problem areas, and thanks to edelweiss extract, it will retain moisture in the skin.
5. Basic knowledge
Mattifying primers are best postponed until spring. But moisturizing can not only prolong the life of your makeup, but also prevent dehydration of the skin. Smashbox has one – with the telling name Photo Finish Hydrating. “I always put it on before I fly,” says makeup artist Will Malherbe, “it doesn’t feel like it’s on my skin, but it kind of seals in moisture.” Another tip: try applying primer to your hands as well, right after the moisturizer has been absorbed.
Read more:
- Why do you want to sleep all the time?
6. Tricky mix
Want to turn your foundation into a moisturizer? Dior international makeup artist Norman Pohl advises: “Dab foundation on the back of your hand and add a few drops of your favorite moisturizing serum or facial oil. Impeccable tone and a sense of comfort will last until the evening.
7. Oil does not spoil
The winter period is ideal for using all kinds of oils. Beauticians advise washing off makeup with hydrophilic (like Shiseido) or micellar (like Vichy) oil so as not to overdry the skin. And of course, apply oil on the face, body and ends of the hair. However, oil is different for oil. “Only oil with very small molecules can penetrate the top layer of the skin or adequately moisturize the hair,” warns cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. The most versatile is coconut oil, which is why it is so often used in the creation of creams and masks. A jar of such a thick, fragrant oil will last you more than one winter. As for other wonderful oils – argan, jojoba, rose hips – their task is to play the role of not so much a moisturizer as a protector from cold, wind and other bad weather. But avoid mineral oils and be careful with essential oils – they can provoke severe allergies.