Skincare highlights for winter

Freezing cold outside, cozy and warm inside

Snowfall – even in times of global warming, a sure sign that winter has finally arrived. While we mentally prepare for this festive season with warm drinks and appropriate decorations, our skin also adapts. Or rather, it has to adapt, and it's even harder for it than it was in autumn. At first glance, the difference to the previous season doesn't seem that great. It's still cold, dry, and windy outside, while inside it's pleasantly warm, even cozy, because it's still heating season. Nevertheless, winter represents an even greater challenge for our skin than autumn. The temperatures are even colder, the air even drier, and the wind even more biting. The weather overall is less changeable. It no longer fluctuates so much between cold days and mild temperatures. Instead, it's simply consistently cold. This leads to even more dryness on the skin. Besides, you only need to glance at the thermometer to understand that the cold is stressful for our skin. The typical room temperature is around 23°C. In autumn, we still had average double-digit temperatures outdoors. While the change from indoors to outdoors and vice versa meant a difference of more than 10°C at that time, human skin can still cope with this relatively well. However, in winter, even slightly below-freezing temperatures can make a difference of 25°C. Even if the room temperature feels comfortable after being outside, such fluctuations pose a challenge for the body and, consequently, our skin.

Winter weather and the skin

How exactly does winter weather affect our skin? Just as the weather is similar to autumn, but even more extreme, so too are its effects on our skin. The temperature fluctuations take their toll. Above all, the skin dries out. But dehydration is just one of many possible symptoms. In addition, the skin often becomes flaky, cracked, and sensitive. Redness and itching appear, and the skin generally feels stressed and strained. The reason for the increased dryness lies in the reduced sebum production. In contrast to summer, the opposite effect occurs; the skin produces very little sebum. As a result, it loses moisture more easily, and the skin is generally less supplied with nutrients, and the functionality of its own protective mechanisms decreases. But it's not just our facial skin that suffers in winter. The body automatically focuses blood flow to the organs to keep them warm. While this is a clever mechanism, the reduced blood flow also affects the skin on the extremities. Therefore, we shouldn't limit our efforts to pamper our skin to just our face. Since the skin's natural protective barrier is particularly vulnerable in winter, a healthy mix of skincare and self-care is more important than ever.

 

Adjustments to the skincare routine

Now, let's address the question of what adjustments you can make to your autumn routine to prepare yourself and your skin for the colder months. One thing to keep in mind right away: such changes shouldn't happen overnight. That would only increase the stress on your skin. Instead, all adjustments should be introduced gradually.

Due to increased flaking caused by dehydrated skin, exfoliation is a must in winter; even more so than in autumn, because, as described earlier, the skin is even drier and flakier now. Our tip forexfoliation : Especially in winter, we prefer chemical peels to mechanical ones. Of course, scrubs also have their place and benefits, but in the winter months, the skin already struggles to protect itself. Mechanical peels can cause microscopic skin injuries and remove the skin's protective barrier. In a phase when the skin is more sensitive, this is rather counterproductive. Therefore, we advise taking a break from scrubs for the time being and opting instead for gentle acid peels. These also have the advantages of strengthening the skin's acid mantle with their acidic formula, rather than damaging it, and of moisturizing the outermost layer of skin.

Moisturizers and lipids are essential during the winter months. Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are particularly noteworthy active ingredients. A combination of moisturizing serums and replenishing creams or natural oils is ideal. The replenishing effect is especially important due to the high levels of dryness. The lipids in creams form a protective film on the skin, counteracting the evaporation of moisture. It doesn't necessarily have to be hot for water to escape from the skin. In low humidity, the surrounding environment also draws moisture from the skin. To prevent this, even more lipids can be used in winter than in autumn, ideally in the form of natural oils such as argan or jojoba oil . With natural oils, just a few drops are often enough for a noticeable result. People with oily skin can also adjust their routine to include more lipids; they should simply use them more sparingly and in smaller quantities than other skin types.

Our tips for switching to a richer skincare routine: Although fats are a completely natural component of our skin barrier, you should still approach the transition to more lipids in your skincare gradually. Otherwise, you can quickly experience breakouts and irritation. This transition can be done in two ways. Either you use creamier products and/or oils daily, but in small amounts, or you add more lipids to your usual routine only two to three days a week. In both cases, your skin has the opportunity to adjust, and you can gradually increase the amount or frequency of use. Additionally, it's often easier to integrate richer products into your evening routine. Many people find this more comfortable, and the skincare products have time to be absorbed undisturbed overnight.

Face masks are also perfect for winter. They pamper and relax us and our skin, while simultaneously delivering active ingredients intensively into the skin.

 

Side note: Showers

Including a section on showering in an article about skincare during the colder months might seem odd. What could possibly go wrong while showering? Actually, there are a few pitfalls, especially in winter, that one can fall into while showering or bathing, which can do more harm than good to the skin.

It's cold outside, so it's tempting to warm up with a hot shower or a bath full of steaming water. However, hot water strips the skin of both moisture and oils – precisely the two components that are absolutely essential and already scarce in winter. It's better for your skin to set the tap to lukewarm. Alternating between hot and cold showers or finishing with a quick cold rinse are also good options. These also stimulate circulation. Showers and baths that are too long are also rather stressful for the skin. When choosing shower gels and bath additives, make sure they aren't drying to protect your skin, which is dehydrated in winter. After showering or bathing, a lotion with sufficient moisturizers and lipids is ideal to nourish your skin with what it needs most.

 

Morning routine for winter

You can start your morning routine with cleansing using the Hydrating Cream Cleanser . In winter, cleansers that are mild and soothing are especially beneficial, as they don't dry out the skin but instead moisturize it during cleansing. The Hydrating Cream Cleanser, with its creamy to milky consistency, is perfect for this.

Next up is the Revival Toner . Toners are a great intermediate step between cleansing and skincare. They provide initial hydration and supply the skin with further nourishing ingredients before the highly concentrated serums and boosters are applied.

The first booster after the toner should be the Hyaluron Booster, as it moisturizes the skin from the inside out like no other product.

Similar to autumn, we recommend using the Barrier Booster or the Calming Serum afterward – or both, if you like. The Barrier Booster is even more important in winter, as the skin barrier is under considerable strain from the cold temperatures and can use all the support it can get. If you have very sensitive skin that reacts easily to irritation, the Calming Serum can be a useful addition.

The skin around the eyes is already quite sensitive because it is particularly thin and therefore suffers more in winter. It should therefore receive special attention and be cared for with the Refining Eye Cream .

You can then complete your routine with either the Calming Moisturizer or the Rich Care Moisturizer ; the former if you prefer a lighter moisturizer, the latter if you like it really rich. If you like, you can also add one or two drops of jojoba oil to either. This will optimally supply your skin with both moisture and oils.

Evening routine for winter

You can also start your evening routine with the Hydrating Cream Cleanser .

Afterwards, the Revival Toner is recommended again. Generally, toner can be used in both routines. While applying toner once a day is sufficient at other times of the year, it is highly recommended to use it twice a day in winter because the skin simply needs much more attention and care.

The same applies to the Hyaluron Booster . Most of the time, applying it once a day should be sufficient. However, since skin lacks a lot of moisture in winter, the booster is also an essential step in your evening routine.

If you feel that your skin barrier has suffered a lot throughout the day and could use an extra boost, you can also use the Barrier Booster again as a next step.

The Brightening Booster helps combat redness, which is more common in winter. Its creamy texture makes it ideal for evening use, as most people find the feeling of a rich cream on their skin more pleasant overnight than during the day.

Finally, either the Night Cream or theRich Night Moisturizer is used as a moisturizing and replenishing night care product.

As an optional final step, you can also apply an additional thin layer of jojoba oil after your night cream. If that sounds like too much oil on your skin, you can also mix one or two drops of the oil into your night cream. You won't notice any difference in the consistency of the night cream, but you will definitely notice the difference in how nourished your skin feels thanks to the oil.

Extra care in between

In winter, skin can benefit from a little extra care, so there is a wide range of products that we can recommend outside of your daily morning and evening routine.

With our lip balm, you can pamper your lips all year round. However, lips are particularly vulnerable in very cold temperatures and dry conditions. When it comes to small cracks and dryness, winter is probably the time of year that puts the most strain on lips. Besides lip balm, jojoba oil is also incredibly helpful for chapped lips. Just a single drop applied to the lips can be extremely soothing.

In general, jojoba oil is a true all-rounder in winter. Besides lip care, as already mentioned, it can also be mixed into a moisturizer or applied as a separate layer after your day/night cream and gently massaged into the skin. Such a small facial massage benefits the skin in several ways: the oil provides valuable nutrients, and the massage also stimulates blood circulation, which is typically reduced during the colder months. Our natural oil is also perfect for relaxing massages on the rest of the body. Furthermore, you can create wonderful face or hair masks using simple DIY recipes.

We've already established that other parts of the body besides the face can also benefit from extra care. What toner is for the face, aloe vera spray can be for the rest of the body. Especially on legs and arms, for example, the skin quickly becomes dry in winter. You can moisturize it quickly and easily with just a few sprays of aloe vera spray. To seal in the moisture, you can apply a thin layer of oil, a lipid-rich lotion, or a mixture of both. The combination of moisture from the spray and lipids from the oil or lotion corresponds to the mixture of water and fats in the hydrolipid film, thus preserving the skin's protective barrier.

No matter which moisturizer from our range is your favorite, you can also use it as a lotion for stressed areas like elbows, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Hands, in particular, are often exposed to harsh cold when outdoors, which can make them dry and chapped. To remedy this, you don't even need a dedicated hand cream; a dab of regular moisturizer will do the trick. Even small amounts of your favorite product will make a big difference. If you're using your moisturizer on other parts of your body besides your face, you can also add a little oil.

As mentioned earlier in the article, exfoliation is essential in winter. You can use both the Exfoliate Booster and the 2% BHA peel to exfoliate and moisturize your skin. The only two things to keep in mind are that exfoliants should be used in the evening and ideally separately from the rest of your routine to avoid interactions with other active ingredients. Also, chemical peels are very effective and therefore don't need to be used more than two to three times a week.

For exfoliation, you can also use our BHA Mask. Thanks to the argan oil it contains, it also nourishes your skin. But our other masks are also true treasures in winter. You can use the Calming Mask if your skin is prone to redness and irritation due to the weather, or is generally stressed. Our Rich Hydration Mask is the ultimate hydration booster. It's packed with moisturizers, continues to work long after washing, and leaves your skin feeling incomparably velvety. It can even be used as an overnight mask. Face masks give us a feeling of relaxation. While many animal species retreat for hibernation or winter dormancy, humans are still stuck with the stresses of everyday life. But in this wonderfully festive season, we should take a moment to focus on what's essential and consciously slow down. And what could be better for de-stressing than a lovely, pampering face mask combined with a few other relaxing elements? Read this article to find out more about why we love our masks so much.

Last but not least: Sunscreen – a must-have all year round. Admittedly, in winter you hardly notice the sun's effects on your skin, which is why sunscreen tends to get overlooked. However, good sun protection is especially important when it's snowing or in ski resorts. Snow creates a highly reflective surface for the sun's rays. So, to protect yourself against UV radiation on your ski holiday, be sure to pack our Daily SPF 50+ Moisturizer in your travel bag.