Protect Dry Winter Skin by Layering Your Routine

by Jennifer Keel

In the winter months your skin is exposed to elements that can cause excessive drying and or irritation.

To protect and restore dry, dull, or flaky skin- try layering your skincare routine!

Layering skincare could be likened to layering clothes as the weather turns colder in winter. It allows allows you to address specific skin concerns with targeted products. If you need extra hydration, you can add a hydrating serum to your routine. If you’re experiencing acne prone skin you can target flareups with an acne targeting serum.

When it comes to a skin care routine for dry skin, keep the five tips listed below in mind:

  1. Cleanse with a hydrating cleanser that doesn’t disrupt the outer skin layer.
  2. Tone with an alcohol-free toner to restore skin pH.
  3. Target specific skin concerns with a serum.
  4. Moisturize with a nourishing cream to lock in hydration.
  5. Protect from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to prevent sun damage.

Let’s get into how you can get the best skincare routine with natural ingredients!

Layer 1:

A good layering routine all starts with how we cleanse our skin. Many commercial cleansers can be harsh and strip the skin of its natural protective barrier. This can cause a variety of reactions to the skin including over-drying out the skin, acne flareups, irritated skin, more sensitive skin, dermatitis, rashes, or it leads to an overproduction of oil in the skin as the skin tries to compensate.

To deeply cleanse the surface of the skin without stripping the skin barrier, try oil cleansing with natural gentle oils. Many oils such as organic jojoba oil can can protect the skin, balance oil production, moisturize and nourishing the skin while cleansing it. 

Many people are hesitant to try oil cleansing because they fear it will make their skin oily. However, when done correctly, oil cleansing can actually help to regulate oil production and balances the skin's natural pH levels. As oil attracts oil, oil cleansing can help to remove makeup, dirt, and excess oil without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. The resulting clean, soft, and glowing complexion has inspired many people to switch from traditional cleansers to oil cleansing.

Oil cleansing simply involves massaging pure oils into the skin and then rinsing with a clean damp washcloth or cotton round. 

Check out our natural cleansing oils here.

 

Layer 2:

After oil cleansing, gently mist the skin with a gentle alcohol free toner. Alcohol based toners can dry out and irritate the skin. One of my favorite ways to tone the face is using pure organic rose water. Rose water is balancing for all skin types and has been used for centuries. As an antioxidant with additional antibacterial properties, it can also improve the skin’s barrier and reduce transdermal water loss thus maintaining hydration for the skin.

Browse our gentle toners.

 

Layer 3:

Now that the base of the skin is prepared, next apply a lightweight, nutrient-rich serum. This extra layer maximizes skincare benefits and targets your specific concerns. For anti-aging benefits, try our blend of rosehip, carrot seed oil, and the tamanu oil in Rose Glow Serum. To fade discoloration and promote an even skin tone, try our Vitamin C serum, Brightening. To target acne spots, our Clarifying serum has black cumin seed oil, broccoli seed oil, and cajeput. Our other serums like Plum Glow, Blue Balance, and Emerald Glow all provide moisture while targeting age spots, mild acne flareups, and dry sensitive skin. 

Choose your natural + skin nourishing serum.

 

Layer 4:

A good cream not only adds moisture to the skin, but locks in hydration from escaping as well. Unlike synthetic ingredients, organic grass-fed tallow is bio-compatible with the skin. This means that tallow can prevent dryness at the cellular level without disrupting the skin's barrier and causing irritation. As it also contains high levels of linoleic acid, which helps to reduce inflammation and keep the skin barrier intact, it is an ideal choice for those with dry or sensitive skin. It also is rich in essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are essential for maintaining healthy, hydrated skin and can help reduce dryness and flaking. These fatty acids help to attract moisture while also locking it in for lasting hydration. 

We recommend trying a tallow based cream from our collection as follows:

 

Layer 5:

While the sun’s rays may not feel as strong in the winter, that doesn’t mean they aren’t working just as hard! The sun’s UV rays are a big factor in creating premature signs of aging such as discoloration, sunspots, fine lines, and wrinkles. To protect yourself from these UV rays, sun protection should be worn all year long. 

For natural solutions for sun proaction many turn to zinc oxide. Non-nanoparticle zinc oxide effectively and safely blocks and reflects the sun's rays. It can be mixed with natural plant oils that are shown to provide a range of protection for added benefits.

We have a range of natural zinc oxide creams and lotions that can be used at the end of your skincare routine. 

Check them out here.

Back to Wellness & Beauty Blog