The winter season can be cruel to your skin. Cold weather and low humidity result in dry air which strips skin of moisture, causing tightness, dryness and irritation. Therefore, it is essential to learn what your skin needs so you can switch up your skincare accordingly. 

In this post, we focus on how the winter months can affect your skin and share our tips on how you can keep your skin looking and feeling great. 

We know just how tempting it can be to turn the heating right up, especially when you come inside after being out in the cold. While it might feel comforting to warm yourself up, the dramatic change in temperature can wreak havoc on your skin. Central heating blows out dry, hot air which strips your skin of moisture and natural oils, resulting in redness and irritation. 

Top tip:

To keep your skin hydrated, keep your heating on a medium level and wrap up warm in plenty of layers instead. Having a humidifier in your home can significantly help by forcing moisture back into the air, preventing skin from becoming dry or irritated. If you don't have a humidifier,  putting a bowl of water above your radiator is a great alternative. 

Products to try:

 Choose skincare products with hydrating ingredients to give your skin a generous boost of moisture.

ARK Skincare’s intensively refreshing Hydrating Beauty Mist will restore skin in  just a few spritz. Hyaluronic Acid relieves dryness and irritation, while Wild Water mint, Aloe Vera and Allantoin helps to soothe and calm. The perfect product to replenish your skin throughout the day.

You may also like to take a look at our skin perfecting Hydrating Serum. Cucumber extract cocoons parched skin in hydration, while Laminaria Algae helps to trap in water molecules and prevent against water loss. Apply directly to dry areas or mix 2-3 drops into your moisturiser before application. 

Omega Fatty Acids are essential for happy, healthy skin. They act as the building blocks in your skin cells and help to strengthen the skin’s surface layer (also known as the Stratum Corneum), which protects against environmental factors such as cold weather and harsh winds. Although the skin requires these fatty acids for good health, your body is unable to produce them on its own. 

Top tip:

To give your skin the fatty acids it needs, make sure to include omega-rich foods in your diet. Examples include:

Omega-3 – Fish, vegetable oils, plant oils and leafy vegetables

Omega-6 – Nuts, seeds, sunflower, soybean and sesame oils

Omega-9 – Olive, sunflower and flaxseed oils, hazelnuts

Another highly effective way of getting omega-fatty acids to your skin is by applying them   directly through your skincare products. 

Products to try:

Try ARK Skincare’s Pre-Cleanse and Make-Up Remover and you’ll never look back. This multi-fruit lipid blend contains Avocado, Grape Seed and Kiwi Oil which are rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9, helping to deeply nourish and strengthen your skin, for a smoother, healthier complexion.

Use before your Age Intelligent cleanser to dissolve any last trace of dirt, grime and excess sebum to leave your skin clean and refreshed. 

You may also like to try our Conditioning Body Oil, a luxurious body serum with a beautiful scent made from a blend of natural essential oils rich in Omega 3, 6 & 9 to nourish the skin. Bisabolol, extracted from the Brazilian Tree, provides a natural remedy for sensitive or irritated skin, while Vitamin E helps protect the skin from the damaging effects of environmental pollution.

Ever suffered from dry lips? Your lips are very different to any other part of your body. Unlike the rest of your skin, your lips don’t have any oil or sweat glands meaning they lack protective oils.  They also have a much thinner protective layer of skin, meaning they are a lot more exposed to environmental factors like harsh winds and colder weather. 

Diagram of a lip skin cell in comparison to a regular skin cell.

Top Tip:

Try to avoid licking your lips. It may feel relieving, but saliva evaporates quickly, meaning your lips may be left even be drier than before.  As your lips can’t naturally produce moisture, it is important to use a lip cream to help protect them. Make applying a lip treatment a part of your daily routine to give your skin the protection it needs. 

Products to try:

ARK Skincare’s Advanced Action Plumping Lip Cream is an intensive treatment designed to hydrate, repair and repair cracked lips. Ingredients such as macadamia oils contain high levels of linoleic acid which help to restore the skin's barrier function and prevent water loss, helping to keep your lips soft and supple. It also contains clinically proven plumping peptides to increase lip volume, hydration and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Now the days are shorter and the weather is a lot colder, you may be tempted to put your SPF away. Please don’t! - Sun protection is important all year round, even in the winter months.

There are two types of light rays. UVA and UVB. Typically, we are more aware of the need for SPF in the summer because UVB rays which cause sunburn are very strong. In the colder months, UVB rays tend to weaken, but we are still at risk of UVA. 

While UVA rays are less intense than UVB rays, up to 80% can still be absorbed by your skin meaning you still need SPF protection on cloudy days. UVA rays also penetrate the skin more deeply and are responsible for skin ageing and cause indirect damage to DNA so it is important to keep protected!

Incorporate products which contain SPF into your daily routine. This way they will easily become habit and you can rest assured your skin is taken care of. Make sure to apply a generous amount for ultimate protection. Experts recommend SPF 30 is a good level to use to keep skin protected. 

ARK Skincare's Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer is one of our popular hero products which can be used as a sun protector, make-up primer and daily moisturiser all in one. With a blend of UVA and UVB filters, this formulation offers broad-spectrum protection, while nourishing ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid can help boost hydration. Vitamin E and Shea butter helps to soften and smooth. 

Are you planning to switch up your winter skincare? We've got you covered. To learn more about the ARK Skincare range, visit arkskincare.com today. 

References: 

Radiance by WEBMD - Natural Skincare - The Skinny on Fats

 NHS - Sunscreen and Sun Safety

NetDoctor - Winter Proof Your Skin

Paula's Choice - The Essential Role Of Omega Fatty Acids  

Does the winter weather cause you to struggle with dry skin, chapped lips, sore hands? In this post, we share our top tips on how to protect your skin in winter and give it everything it needs to thrive in colder weather.

Adapting Your Skincare Routine For Winter

1. SPF is still (very) Important!

Just because we have less sun doesn’t mean you should put away your sunscreen. While UVB rays tend to be a lot weaker, UVA rays can still penetrate through clouds and reach our skin meaning we’re still at risk of damage. Therefore, it’s extremely important to remember to apply SPF to ensure you’re protected.

ARK’s SPF 30 Primer is the perfect daily moisturiser, make-up primer and skin protector all in one. It is also a broad spectrum SPF meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays so you can rest assured that you're taking care of your skin.

You can read more about the importance of SPF here. 

2. Keep Hydrated 

“Healthy skin starts from within…”

We lose a significant amount of water every day so it’s important to replenish your body to allow it to function at its best. If your skin is not getting a sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration can present itself by turning your skin dry, tight and flaky, so make sure to keep your fluids up! The NHS recommends between 6-8 glasses a day. 

3. Say no to hot water...

A hot bath or shower can often sound tempting when it’s so cold outside, but hot water can actually strip the skin of its moisture, leaving it sore, red and irritated. Instead, turn the temperature down a little. Lukewarm water is always best. Moisturise straight after bathing or showering to lock in moisture. Pat skin dry instead of rubbing to avoid irritation.

4. Use moisturising skincare products 

 Choose a moisturiser with high quality ingredients to give your skin the treat it deserves. ARK Skincare offers three Age Intelligent Moisturisers, specifically designed with hardworking ingredients to treat each age range. 

• AgeProtect Skin Vitality Moisturiser for teens & twenties
• AgeDefend Replenishing Moisturiser for 30’s and 40’s 
• AgeDefy Nourishing Moisturiser for 50s and onwards

You may also like to take a look at our Skin Perfector Hydrating Serum which is targeted specifically to dryness. Laminara Algae cocoons skin in hydration by trapping in water molecules, while Cucumber Extract improves elasticity and plumps fine lines.  

5. Keep up your weekly treatments 

Give your skin the extra boost it needs by adding in weekly treatments to your skincare routine.

ARK Skincare’s popular Triple Action Exfoliator gently scrubs away dead skin and debris from the surface, helping to leave skin feeling smoother and looking more refreshed. 

Then our Hydration Injection Masque contains a multivitamin blend of Vitamin A to keep skin supple, Vitamin B5 to hydrate and soothe, Vitamin C to brighten and Vitamin E which offers antioxidant protection. Hyaluronic Acid drenches the skin in moisture and prevents any moisture loss. The perfect treat for thirsty skin!

You can view both of our Skin Perfector treatments by clicking here. 

6. Protect your lips

Suffering from chapped lips? 

The colder, dryer  weather can often dry out your lips too so it’s important to remember to keep some lip balm at the ready. ARK Skincare’s hardworking Advanced Action Lip Plumping Cream helps to hydrate and soothe the whole of the mouth area. Plumping peptides help to plump the skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while Macadamia Lipids help to restore the skin's hydrolipidic film, maintain softness and prevent dryness.

7. Look after your hands!

While washing your hands so often (especially this year!) it’s important to remember to pat your hands dry properly too. Otherwise, as water evaporates it can draw moisture out of the skin. 

Keep your hands soft and supple with ARK Skincare’s Intensive Hand & Nail Cream. Raspberry Seed Oil and Cocoa Butter Intensely hydrates and helps to prevent moisture loss while Amino Acids encourages strong healthy nails.