Hydration
Science of Skin
Stratum Corneum

Skincare for Cold Weather: Protecting Your Skin in Winter

By Ifeoma Okoronkwo MD / 25 October 2024

When winter arrives, it brings more than just cozy sweaters and hot cocoa. It also delivers harsh, cold air that can leave your skin feeling dry, flaky, and irritated. But fear not! With the right skin care strategies, you can keep your skin soft, hydrated, and glowing all winter long.
Skincare for Cold Weather: Protecting Your Skin in Winter

When winter arrives, it brings more than just cozy sweaters and hot cocoa. It also delivers harsh, cold air that can leave your skin feeling dry, flaky, and irritated. But fear not! With the right skin care strategies, you can keep your skin soft, hydrated, and glowing all winter long. In this post, we'll explore why winter weather is so tough on your skin and share tips on how to build a healthy cold-weather skincare routine that not only protects but also nourishes your skin.

1. Frosty Foes: Understanding Winter’s Impact on Your Skin

When winter rolls in, it’s not just the cold you need to worry about—it’s the dry air too. Cold weather sucks moisture from the atmosphere, leading to lower humidity, and this combo hits your skin hard. The stratum corneum—your skin’s natural barrier—is like a brick wall that keeps moisture in and irritants out. But in winter, this wall takes a beating! The dry, cold air pulls water from your skin, leaving it dry and flaky (Herrero-Fernandez et al., 2022). Add freezing winds to the mix, and suddenly your skin starts to feel rough, parched, and even cracked (Knox & O’Boyle, 2021).

And here’s where things go from bad to worse: when your skin loses moisture, fewer lipids—the “mortar” that holds your skin cells, or “bricks,” together—are produced. Without enough lipids, cracks form in your skin’s protective barrier, your stratum corneum. This means moisture can escape, and irritants can sneak in, which means skin dryness, tightness, and irritation. Studies show that this increased water loss, called transepidermal water loss (TEWL), is a key indicator that your skin barrier is struggling to function (Engebretsen et al., 2016).

But the bad news doesn’t stop there. A compromised skin barrier also opens the door to oxidative stress. This occurs when harmful molecules called free radicals are formed in response to environmental stressors. In cold, dry weather, your weakened skin barrier allows pollutants, allergens, and other stressors to sneak into the skin more easily. Once they get in, they trigger oxidation—a chemical reaction similar to how metal rusts when exposed to air. And just like rust weakens metal, oxidation damages your skin cells, proteins, lipids - your skin’s barrier function.

Thankfully, your body’s natural antioxidants—like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, glutathione, and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)—step in to neutralize these free radicals and stop the oxidative process. However, when too many environmental stressor invade the skin, free radicals start piling up, and even your natural antioxidant defenders get overwhelmed, leading to oxidative stress. This process wreaks havoc on your skin, accelerating aging by causing wrinkles, sagging, and dryness (Herrero-Fernandez et al., 2022). So, while the winter air may feel crisp and refreshing, it’s quietly weakening your skin’s defenses and speeding up the aging process.

2. Bundle Up: Why Your Skin Needs Extra Layers…of Moisture

Just like bundling up in cozy layers protects you from winter’s chill, layering the right skincare ingredients shields your skin from the harsh effects of the cold. Think of your skin’s barrier like a winter coat—it needs help to keep the moisture in and the cold out! In the colder months, it’s all about picking the right “ingredients and formulations” to strengthen and maintain the stratum corneum, your skin’s natural armor.

Look for moisturizers that include occlusives like squalane and shea butter. These heavy hitters create a barrier on your skin’s surface, acting like a warm, protective blanket that seals in moisture and prevents water loss (Harwood et al., 2024). On top of that, humectants such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin are your skin’s moisture magnets. They pull water from the air and the deeper layers of your skin to keep it plump and hydrated, even when the weather is at its coldest (Danby et al., 2022).

But wait, there’s more! Ceramides are like the glue that holds everything together. They’re natural fats found in your skin’s barrier, the “mortar in the brick wall”,  that help lock in moisture and keep irritants out. Cold, dry air can deplete your skin’s ceramide levels, making your stratum corneum more vulnerable. A ceramide-rich moisturizer is like reapplying the glue that holds your skin barrier cells together, reinforcing the skin’s protective wall so it can keep moisture inside where it belongs, protecting your skin from winter's bite (Kahraman et al., 2019). It’s the perfect way to restore what your skin loses in the cold, and keep it strong, hydrated, and protected.

3. Hydration Hacks: Tips for Moisture-Rich Skin

Winter doesn’t have to mean dry, uncomfortable skin. Here are some hydration hacks to keep your complexion glowing:

  • Hydrate from Within: Drinking water is essential during winter. When you’re well-hydrated, your skin cells are better equipped to maintain moisture levels, making them more resilient against the cold.
  • Avoid Long, Hot Showers: While they may feel comforting, hot showers strip your skin of natural oils. Opt for lukewarm water and limit your showers to 10 minutes to prevent dehydration (Danby et al., 2022).
  • Seal in Moisture Post-Shower: The best time to apply skin care regime is right after you shower, while your skin is still damp. This helps to seal in the water and maintain hydration throughout the day.

4. Flaky No More: Fighting Winter Dryness

Cold weather often leads to dry, flaky skin because the stratum corneum loses moisture. This flaky appearance worsens as dead skin cells build up on the surface as part of your skin’s natural regeneration cycle. During the night, your skin undergoes desquamation—a process where it sheds dead skin cells to reveal a fresh, flawless layer of skin cells beneath. This is part of your skin’s nightly repair process.

To combat dead skin cell dullness and achieve a bright and smooth complexion, gentle exfoliation is key. And since we don’t want to interfere with the natural night time renewal process of desquamation, it’s best to avoid exfoliating at night (Stamatas, 2024). Instead, exfoliate in the morning to sweep away the dead cells that accumulated overnight, and unveil a bright, beautiful complexion each morning. Also, by exfoliating in the morning and removing the buildup of dead cells that accumulated overnight, you’re setting the stage for your day creams and anti-aging skincare products to better penetrate the skin and work more effectively to help you achieve a natural, clear, smooth complexion (Stamatas, 2024).

For the best results, opt for a mild enzyme-based or chemical exfoliant. These types of exfoliants gently dissolve the bonds between dead cells without causing irritation, making them ideal for sensitive winter skin (Harwood et al., 2024).

5. Shielding Your Skin: Protect Against Environmental Aggressors

Winter isn't just about braving the cold, your skin faces a barrage of environmental stressors too. While we've talked about cold winds and fluctuating temperatures stripping away moisture and weakening the stratum corneum, there’s another sneaky stressor: ultraviolet rays (UV). Even on chilly, cloudy days, UV rays penetrate the atmosphere. And snow reflects up to 80% of these rays, bouncing harmful sunlight back onto your skin like a mirror. This means that when you’re out in the snow, you're not only getting UV exposure from above but also from below (Torres et al., 2023).

UV rays cause oxidative stress, which leads to the formation of free radicals—those pesky molecules that can break down collagen and accelerate skin aging by causing wrinkles, sagging, and hyperpigmentation, otherwise known as dark spots. Free radicals also trigger inflammation, which further damages the skin (Torres et al., 2023).

That’s why wearing SPF 30 or higher in the winter is non-negotiable. Protecting your skin from UV rays in winter is just as important as during the summer months to keep your complexion healthy,  clear, and youthful looking. And make sure to reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes when outdoors, especially if you’re surrounded by snow. 

6. Winter Wonderland: Adapting Your Routine to Thrive in the Cold

When it comes to protecting your skin in winter, Pour Moi Skincare offers a groundbreaking approach with its Climate-Smart® day creams, specifically designed to adapt to cold weather conditions. These patented creams, including the Polar Day Cream, Mountain Day Cream, and Frosty Summit Day Cream, are formulated to provide targeted protection and hydration based on the severity of the cold and dryness in your environment.

These creams utilize patented technologies like the Polar Shield, Mountain Shield, and Frosty Summit Shield, which form a barrier to lock in moisture and protect the stratum corneum from the dehydrating effects of cold winds and fluctuating temperatures. These Day Creams are crafted with scientifically proven ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, squalane, and specialized plant extracts to maintain hydration and support the skin’s natural barrier function.

What sets Pour Moi apart is its innovative Climate-Smart® system, which has been recognized by the National Library of Medicine for its scientific and biomedical relevance. And the system allows users to rotate creams based on daily weather, promoting an environment where the skin can become clearer as it naturally renews itself, revealing fresh, healthy skin every day.

Your Cold Weather Skin Routine: The Ultimate Climate Shield

  1. Cleanse: Start with a gentle, hydrating cleanser to remove impurities without stripping moisture.
  2. Exfoliate: Use a gentle exfoliating sponge, like Pour Moi’s Spongy, in the morning. For deeper exfoliation, use a mild enzyme or chemical exfoliant like Pour Moi’s Clarifying Polish 2-3 times per week 
  3. Rebalance your pH: Apply a pH-balancer after cleansing to restore your skin's natural acidity, which helps maintain the skin barrier and boosts moisture retention.
  4. Apply Serum: Use a hyaluronic acid-based serum to draw moisture into the skin and prep it for the day cream.
  5. Antioxidants: Layer products rich in antioxidants, like vitamin E, green tea extract, or niacinamide, to fight oxidative stress from environmental stressors (Knox & O’Boyle, 2021).
  6. Choose the Right Day Cream: Depending on the weather, apply:
  7. Sunscreen: Finish with a broad-spectrum SPF and reapply every 90 minutes when outdoors to protect against UV damage especially when reflected by snow!

Conclusion: Embrace the Cold with Confidence!

Winter may be tough on your skin, especially your stratum corneum. But with the right know-how and perfectly picked skincare products, you can keep your skin soft, smooth, and protected all season long. So embrace the winter chill like a pro, confident that your skincare routine is as protective from the cold as your winter wardrobe. After all, your skin deserves to be runway-ready - shielded from the elements, keeping you cozy and protected all winter long!

References

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