3 Key Ingredients To Jumpstart Winter Skincare

Though we are still reveling in autumn, it won't be long til winter is upon us again. I must say that I am excited for it, but no matter how much I personally relish the chilly winds and the hopes for beautiful snow that winter brings, the harsh weather reeks havoc on my, and virtually everyone's skin. The drying heaters and the extra, heavy, and often itchy layers of clothing don't help our skin's woes much either. But over my years of living with chronically dry, flaky, itchy, and sensitive skin on both my face and body I have curated a list of the ingredients that have helped my skin the most to heal, soothe, and keep my skin feeling comfortable, and nourished all winter long.

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring molecule found within our bodies that helps us retain water needed for healthy joints, healthy muscle function, and supple skin. Using products with this ingredient in our face and body care not only help to trap water inside our skin that our body produces, but it also helps to attract any moisture from the outside air or from any other product we may use to sink deeper into our skin. For this reason, I really like to look for this ingredient in a toner or serum product in particular because those go on before oils and moisturizers and will help the moisture from those products work even more effectively.

Oats and Oat Kernel Extract: Not only do products containing oats often feel smooth and luscious upon the skin. oats are also wonderful anti-inflammatories, soothing itching and redness and peeling in some cases even upon contact. This ingredient is particularly great to look for in shower products and body lotion to help with really flaky patches, and I also like this ingredient on hand creams because all the extra handwashing I do in the winter to keep cold and flu germs at bay, leaves my hands really sensitized and prone to peeling.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is essential to a strong skin barrier to help us fight off the effects of free radicals, irritants, and excess moisture loss, all of which are especially important in the winter when conditions are harsher and our immunity is often down. Vitamin E another naturally-occuring element within our bodies, and while it can be found in certain oil-rich foods it is often in such trace amounts that the doses we take in from our food often doesn't get to our skin because the body priorities skin health last in terms of overall functioning. To enrich our skin with Vitamin E, it is often best applied topically. The form of Vitamin E most commonly found in topical skincare products is frequently labled tocopherol or tocopheryl acetate. Alternatively many nourishing base oils are also great sources of Vitamin E such as the lightweight, skin0like jojoba oil, the great fine line preventer and dry skin miracle argan oil, and the super reparative marula oil, just to name three. It should, however, be noted that some people with peanut allergies or those with excessively acne-prone skin have been shown to have hypersensitivity to Vitamin E oil when applied topically.

Whether winter skin means for you peeling, dryness, redness, itchiness, or just plain discomfort, being on the lookout for products with Vitamin E, oats, and hyaluronic acid, can definitely provide solutions, and keep you comfortable in the coming season.