Winter is well and truly on its way, and whilst we swap our sandals for boots and Aperol in the park for mulled wine by the fire, we also need to adjust our skincare routines to keep us glowing! Team UpCircle are here to make sure the strong bitter winds, long dark nights and abundance of central heating don’t cause havoc for you and your skin.
What happens in Winter?
Winter weather can create some of the most beautiful scenes in the great outdoors- frosty spider webs and rolling hills covered in snow make the world look like a fairy-tale but it can make our skin look and feel more like a horror story. Tightness, dryness, flaking, chapping, itchiness the list is endless! During the winter months humidity is low both outdoors and indoors, the water content of the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) tends to reflect the level of humidity around it, dry air = dry skin! Dry skin can be especially painful and often comes with a whole host of other skin problems such as: tightness; skin that feels and looks rough; itchy skin; flaking, scaling or peeling; fine lines or cracks; and grey or ashy skin!
If your skin tends to be on the oily side, you may think you are about to come into your element- the drying effects of winter will surely balance your skin? Unfortunately, often the opposite happens. Constantly switching between the cold outdoors and heated indoors can cause skin to go into overdrive, the more it thinks it’s being dried out the more it’ll try to compensate by producing extra sebum and oil! Whilst this is likely to be less painful than cracked, dry skin, oily skin can lead to clogged pores, blackheads and an increase in acne.
By now you may be thinking can anyone win in Winter? Luckily the answer is YES, we all can! Making sure you have a great routine that you stick to is the first step! We’ve compiled a list of must haves for different skin types as well as some extra tips and tricks to keep you looking and feeling your best!
First things first
If you already have a good routine in place you will just need to make some minor tweaks to keep your glow. If you are starting from scratch have no fear! You can check out our blog post ‘The step by step guide to clearer brighter skin’ or try our skincare quiz to get some personalised recommendations!
Once you’ve got the basics down, every change in season will be a walk in the park for you with no nasty surprises!
How to keep skin hydrated and moisturised
The difference between hydration and moisturisation is subtle but essential!
Hydration increases the water content to cells and moisturisation helps to prevent this water from being lost through evaporation. They have a symbiotic relationship so making sure you have both is a skincare must.
Hydration helps skin look fresh and bright by keeping the cells plump and bouncy! Products that will hydrate skin are essential to any good routine all year round but especially important in winter. Our top products to include in your routine are:
- Our Cleansing Face Balm contains Sea buckthorn oil, which is high in vitamin E, C and Omega 7 fatty acids to help skin retain its elasticity. It is naturally hydrating to keep skin moisturised and avoid dryness and irritation.
- Our Face Scrubs all contain shea butter which is great at hydrating and nourishing skin. They are 100% natural face exfoliators that buff away dead, dry skin to leave your skin feeling clear, soft and smooth.
For dry and dehydrated skin, we recommend our Coffee Face Scrub: Citrus Blend. The jojoba oil in it is rich in important vitamins E and B, and has a similar composition to sebum, helping the skin to maintain balance and prevent excess build-up. Deeply moisturising, it helps dry, dehydrated skin retain hydration.
- Our Face Toner is formulated with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to lock in hydration. With the residual water of green mandarin, all the nourishing vitamins and minerals from the fruit are spritzed straight onto your skin in a light mist of fruity freshness!
Once skin is hydrated it is important to moisturise it! As well as locking in the hydration, moisturising will help to repair and build the skins protective barrier.
The UpCircle essentials for moisturising are:
- Our Moisturiser with Argan Shell Powder is packed with nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E. The sage oil in it is great for conditioning and hydrating skin! It contains Linseed oil which is great at helping chronic skin conditions, the fatty acids act to balance out the skin’s own oils and reduce inflammation, helping the skin to repair.
- Our Organic Face Oil with Coffee Extract is a 100% natural and organic face oil rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, which will help to nourish the skin and repair skin damage. It contains Sea buckthorn oil, which is high in vitamin E, C and Omega 7 fatty acids, to help skin retain its elasticity. Naturally hydrating, this oil keeps skin moisturised, avoiding dryness and irritation. Used after Moisturiser it will work through occlusion to lock in the goodness provided by the previous steps of your routine!
How to balance oily skin
If your skin is on the oily side, you need to be using products to balance the
skin’s oil production and clear away any excess build-up that may have occurred. It’s still important to hydrate and moisturise your skin- this can help to prevent your skin going into overdrive and over producing oil. Giving pores a deep clean will help to keep acne at bay and leave skin feeling fresh and revived! Our must haves for oily skin include:
- Our Fennel + Cardamom Chai Soap Bar contains green clay to draw impurities and residue build up from the skin and minimise the appearance of pores.
- Our Face Toner will provide hydration to your skin to help stop it from going into overdrive! Salicylic acid clears pores and keep blackheads at bay.
- Our Organic Face Oil with Coffee Extract is 100% oil based which may sound counterintuitive to use if you have oily skin, however, it can help to manage the skin’s oil production and balances out the skin too.
- Our Clarifying Face Mask is great for a pamper night! It is formulated with kaolin clay to help bind to dirt, toxins and excess oils in the skin. It helps regulate oil production and keeps skin balanced.
What about the rest of your body?
forget we have a whole body whose skin needs looking after too! With less skin
on show you may pay less attention to it, but it’s important that you continue to
keep it in good condition!
Exfoliating 2-3 times per week will help to remove any dirt and impurities that
build up under your clothing! Try our Coffee Body Scrub: Peppermint for a fresh festive smell that’s also great at clearing sinuses to keep winter sniffles at bay!
Our Body Cream is great for soothing and nourishing skin post shower!
Containing date seed extract, a natural anti-inflammatory, to calm redness and
soften skin. Rich in antioxidants too, they not only soothe but protect the skin.
Shea butter, linseed and olive oil deeply nourish skin and give this Body Cream a rich creamy texture, that’s lightweight and fast absorbing, with a non-greasy
finish.
And finally...
Now your routine has been fine-tuned we wanted to share with you some
other top tips for lending skin a helping hand!
- Apply your Toner and Moisturiser within 60 seconds of cleansing. Applying them to slightly damp skin will help to lock in the hydration.
- Whilst tempting on cold winter days, try not to take long hot showers which can dry your skin out more.
- Whether rain or shine, apply your SPF 365 days a year! We would recommend using ones specifically made for the face and that are reef-friendly. Rumour has it that we're releasing some UpCircle SPF products in 2021...
- Stay hydrated! In Winter we tend to drink less water and may sometimes even forget but making sure you get your daily dose is essential. If you are looking for a warmer alternative opt for hot water with lemon in it or try a delicious herbal tea.
- Massage your Moisturiser and Oil into your skin for 30 seconds. A facial massage will help to relax tension, improve blood flow and can help to make skin glow! It will also allow all the product to properly sink in for maximum benefits. If you want to go the extra mile try a face roller or Gua Sha stone.
- Don’t forget about your lips - they are often the first part to become dry and cracked. Try rubbing them with a Scrub and applying a drop of Oil to them afterwards to keep them super soft ready for kisses under the mistletoe!
- Don’t forget to wash your hats and scarves. As these are constantly being placed near your face it’s important to keep them washed and fresh to stop the spread of bacteria. If you’re finding you’re getting acne along your jawline and neck, your scarf could well be the culprit!
- Choose your fabrics wisely! Lots of synthetic fabrics can irritate skin and cause dryness- sticking to natural soft fabrics, especially on layers that touch your skin, is the best plan!
If you have any other tips or tricks let us know in the comments!