I have noticed how much my skin changes during the winter months. I get more noticeable breakouts as the seasons change and the heating in the house comes on. My skin looks duller and feels tighter during the cold winter months.
At Rest, skin is always in our thoughts - whether it’s during a massage treatment, facial or waxing. Needs and conditions of skin change over time, so we often have to adjust to our 'winter skin' and adapt our skincare regime too.
Why does our skin dry-out in the winter?
There are many factors contributing to dry skin during winter months. Cold air, indoor heating and harsh winter winds can reduce moisture in skin, resulting in dry skin not just on our face, but our hands and other areas too.
The effects? Red, flaky, rough, itchy, raw, cracked skin and in some cases stinging or burning sensation. The medical term for the extreme conditions is Xerosis.
How can I prevent or ease dry skin?
Whether you have mild or extremely dry skin conditions, there are things you can do to improve this. Here are some suggestions:
Reduce the temperature of baths and showers, as lukewarm water is kinder to skin. Hot water will strip skin of natural oils quicker than lukewarm water, potentially causing damage.
Gently patting skin dry after washing helps reduce any abrasion to the moisture barrier and allows the moisture to penetrate and hydrate the top layer of skin.
Moisturise after washing your skin to lock in moisture.
Emollients such as sweet almond oil can soothe and soften red or irritated skin.
Occlusives like shea butter and jojoba oil provide a physical barrier to the skin.
Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin.
Eat foods high in antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids.
Don't over-exfoliate skin and avoid exfoliating if skin is cracked or raw.
Apply sunscreen (SPF30+), even when it's not sunny to protect against UV light, which breaks down the moisture barrier and can damage the top layer of your skin.
Use overnight masks that your skin has time to fully absorb.
Irritated skin might be more sensitive to fragrance or alcohol.
Reduce use of chemicals including detergents in washing powders and opt for more natural soaps and less biological washing powders.
Wear gloves to protect your hands when washing up.
While it’s not uncommon to experience dry skin during winter months, if problems persist or get worse it's always worth checking out with your doctor or dermatologist.
Treatments to aid skin health
Whether it’s at home or at a salon, there are many treatments that can help you to maintain healthy skin and minimise the impact of winter and other factors.
Moisturising on a regular basis, particularly in winter can make a big difference. Our handmade body moisturiser contains shea butter and jojoba to lock in moisture. The shea butter we use in our moisturiser and scrub is grown in Ghana in a project providing women with a secure income and making an impact on the local communities.
Body scrub exfoliates dry skin and our own scrub containing shea butter and grapeseed oil is very popular with our clients. We use Himalayan salt in our scrub which offers exceptional abrasion for rough dry skin and contains over 80 minerals to leave your skin glowing and silky soft.
Massage therapy can improve your circulation and skin condition. At Rest, we blend our own body oil for massage treatments. Our body oils are lightweight, moisturising and easily absorbed, leaving your skin silky soft and protected against drying out. We use jojoba in our body oil which acts as a barrier, locking moisture into the skin.
Facials are great for thoroughly cleansing and exfoliating your skin to increase the amount of moisture the skin can absorb. We always go through detailed consultation before treating you.
Dermaplaning removes facial hair to help increase moisture absorption.
Aesthetics such as Profhilo boosts your skin's hydration and vitamins.
Jelavel tightens loose skin and returns lost minerals.
We ensure that we use only natural ingredients, organic where possible and sourced from UK suppliers. Our ingredients are all paraben free, sulphate free, palm oil free, and phthalate free. All our products are vegetarian.
If you would like a free consultation or more information about treatments at Rest, check out our treatments website page or book online here.
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