MOST of us don’t wear the same clothes in the winter as we do in summer or fall — so why would our skincare routines stay the same across seasons?
Skincare expert and licensed esthetician Jennifer Adell says adjusting for the colder weather is important and shared her top anti-aging tips for winter with The U.S. Sun.
Adell is the senior esthetician at New Beauty and Wellness in Westport, Connecticut.
She has over two decades of experience behind her when she says: “As seasons change, so should your skincare regimen.”
Winter, in particular, poses some unique skin challenges that must be met with different products and routines.
“In the winter months, our skin is more dry and dehydrated and more compromised, so we need all the hydration that we can get,” she explains.
First, she says, it’s important not to be lulled into a false sense of security that the sun can’t hurt you when it’s not hot out.
“One constant that should remain no matter what the season is your sun protection,” she insists.
“People often underestimate the power of the sun in the winter, but some of the worst burns that I have seen are on skiers.”
Next, she advises upping your moisturizing game.
“What you want to think about adding into your regimen are things like oils, emollients, creams, concentrates, balms. All those help strengthen the skin’s barrier,” she says.
“They are loaded with things like hyaluronic acid — which holds a thousand times its weight in water — ceramides, squalane, all the top-notch hydrating properties.”
This is a great time to take up slugging, the viral skincare trend that involves coating your face with a moisturizer or petroleum jelly to keep moisture in your skin.
“All those oils, ceramides, concentrates, you can use at the end of your skincare regimen to lock in and seal all of the products that you used underneath — perfect in the winter time,” says Adell.
Finally, one helpful addition to your winter skin lineup isn’t a cream or serum at all, but a piece of technology.
“Though a humidifier is not a skincare product, that is a great way to get added moisture levels into your skin while you sleep, and that is when our skin does the majority of its work,” she says.
Previously, one dermatologist shared her tips for hydrating skin throughout the winter while another told The U.S. Sun which skincare swaps to make in the colder months.
