Harsh winds, cold temperatures, snow fall, what do all these have in common?
Dry and damaged skin of course.
Over the past 22 years of my life, living in Canada, I have come to realize that winter calls for a complete skin care over haul, because the products you consistently used in the summer time can suddenly seem counterproductive in the winter.
Just last week I went to the wash room to cleanse my face and realized multiple patches of dry skin on my forehead. Can you say disgusting! That night I hopped online researching and looking at products to fix my problem, after coming to somewhat of a conclusion, the following day I went to Sephora and asked them what they thought and if they had any recommendations. Through my days of "investigative" work I have FINALLY perfected my winter skin care routine and DUHHH I'm going to share it with you.
So without further or due here is my winter skin care routine. And as a disclaimer, remember I am not a dermatologist and I can't say all these products will work for you, this is simply what has worked for me!
Let’s start with the cleanser which hasn't changed from my normal skin care routine because it is a moisturizing face wash. The Fresh Soy Cleanser , is a gentle cleanser that doesn't strip the natural moisture from your skin, aside from toning and softening you skin this cleanser also works gentle enough to strip off any eye makeup including mascara! It also works on all skin types (oily, combination, and dry!), I honestly don't know how I survived this long without it. If you're new to skin care or trying to stray away from your usual cleanser I would recommend this in a heartbeat, it's a miracle in a tube.
After I cleanse my face I use an exfoliator. An exfoliator is a must in the winter to get rid of any flaky skin or dead dry skin that has built up throughout the day. I usually suggest exfoliating a couple times a week, but with the product I am about to show you, you can exfoliate every day!
The exfoliator I have for the winter is the Boscia Tsubaki Oil-Infused Exfoliating Powder. And before I get into it I would just like to say that they no longer sell this at Sephora, and when I first found out, I swear to you, I almost cried. Seriously, I was devastated. Until I figured out YOU CAN BUY IT ON AMAZONNNN, yeah don’t you worry, I researched the heck out of this product because I can’t exist without it. This exfoliator is like nothing I have ever tried before. First off it isn't even a liquid or scrub like consistency, it’s a powder that turns into a creamy texture and it is so delicate. This is how I use it: after washing my face with my wet hands I dab a little bit onto my hand and then rub my hands together which creates this creamy, clay like product. This exfoliator will make your skin feel softer than it ever has, not only that but while it takes away all the dead skin cells on your face it replenishes it with moisture so you aren't left with this drying feeling but instead a very soft, clean and refreshed canvas. If that’s not what you’re looking for in an exfoliator THAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR.
After exfoliating I move onto moisturizer.
Sometimes I will spritz on a toner if I feel like it but usually, if I am being honest with my lovely audience, I jump straight to my moisturizer. The moisturizer I am currently using for the winter time is called Nurture Me by Ole Henriksen. If you know me or have read my previous skin care post, you know how in love I am with Ole Henriksen products and how I wish I could just own everything they have ever made (the Truth Serum is amazing by the way). The Nurture Me cream in particular, is an oil based moisturizer that is made for sensitive to dry skin. I normally have combination skin, but with the winter my skin always acts up and can get really try and patchy. This product really brought my skin back to life. In comparison to the Sheer Transformation moisturizer I owned before this one (as seen in my previous post), it is defiantly a thicker consistency and is heavier on the face and this is because of the oils in it and the density of other products used in it. No word of a lie, you can really see the improvement of your skins texture within the first few weeks, removing redness and creating a soft and even toned canvas. Again, highly recommend this product for the winter, it’ll protect your skin from environmental aggressors while making it look FAB-u-lous.
In addition to this skin care regime, I usually throw in a couple masks. The mask I use depends on how my skin is feeling, for example: if I'm breaking out I will jump towards a raw clay mask to draw out any impurities, such as Origins Clay Mask, and if I am feeling like my skin is still in need of moisture I’ll grab a sheet mask or a deep hydrating mask which ever I prefer that night. Masks are a great way to add a boost of moisture to your skin or to get a good deep clean.
After all of that skin cleansing and perfecting, I’ll go grab some tea, head on over to my bedroom with my fresh face and get ready for bed time! In addition to taking care of your face on the surface to keep it healthy, glow-ey and moisturized it is also important to take care of your skin by taking care of your body. This means drinking lots of water (thus the tea DUH), incorporating healthy foods and getting a good night’s sleep. Healthy skin starts by taking care of yourself, so don’t forget that!
With all that said, that’s the end of my post, I hope you enjoyed learning about my winter skin care routine and until next time, I’ll talk to you in my next post.
Lots of Loveeeee
Nicole J