Winter Proofing Your Skin

For most, winter is probably the most frustrating time for skincare. Why? Skin concerns like wrinkles, dullness, enlarged pores and inflammation tend to flare up in the winter months due to skin dehydration.

The solution to rehydrating your skin in the dry winter months will vary due to three major factors when you rejig your skin care.

1. The Season’s Characteristics:

Winter is cold, and in many latitudes (like Toronto, Canada) is humid with lots of precipitation, i.e. snow. Winter's cold, damp energy causes a slowdown in our vitality and our circulation. Constant switching from the outside cold to a heated, drying environment indoors is an extra challenge our skin must face.

2. Whose Skin It Is:

Each one of us knows we have different skin types. This differentiation is determined by the moisture and oil content of our skin. Causes of the moisture level of our skin range from genetic characteristics and our age, to our lifestyle and daily habits.

3. Skin’s Harmonious Structure:

Beautiful, healthy skin is all about maintaining skin hydration levels - as evident in the structure of our skin. The top layer of our skin, which we are focusing on, is the epidermis. Its main components are skin cells, intercellular lipids and the much maligned sebum. They work together to slow down skin dehydration. Healthy skin cells, plump with saline and proteins are encapsulated by a protective film of intercellular lipids to slow the loss of hydration. Sebaceous oils seal the skin surface to protect the skin from environmental assaults and to impede further transdermal water loss.

Therefore, if you want uncompromising beautiful skin naturally, your daily skincare routine needs to be as unique as you are.

To create a customized winter skincare routine, after taking into consideration the above factors, we focus on ensuring your skin is optimally hydrated all day in any environment.

Pure + Simple created an easy to follow 4-step system. This system is designed to support the above three major components that influence your skin’s health.

Beautiful, healthy skin starts with these 4 simple skin care steps that can be customized to maintain hydration levels for each unique skin type.

Cleansing

The goal is to cleanse gently to maintain the skin’s balance while eliminating unwanted, grime, grease and pollution.

For most skin types the best option is a cleansing milk. Our most popular product is the Pure + Simple Sensitive Skin Cleansing Milk.

Increasing Hydration

A serum that is light enough to hydrate deep into the skin layers, but also be potent enough with active ingredients to improve and encourage better function.

Pure + Simple offers many types and brands of serum to cater to your skin’s needs. But, our best seller is the Pure + Simple Collagen + Elastin Plus. This highly effective serum has a large following and a high re-buy due to its effective combination of algae extract (saline, sea water) and high percentage of the proteins, collagen and elastin.

Plumper Skin

Face oils are recommended, more frequently and more so in winter, to supplement the intracellular lipids. Face oils are created for different skin types with selected carrier oils like rich argan oil for dry skin and cooling babassu oil for sensitive, combination skin types. A popular choice among clients is Pure + Simple’s Sensitive Skin Face Oil, that helps reduce skin sensitivity and rosacea.

Protect Skin

The main job of moisturizers is to protect the skin from the environment and maintain skin hydration. Each skin type, with the other mitigating factors of lifestyle and climate, will determine the right moisturizer.

A popular moisturizer brand for all skin types in winter is Martina Gebhardt's Sheabutter Cream. Its high organic oil and butter content make it ideal to protect skin from both the outdoor elements and the drastic changes in climate from indoors to outdoors.

Since winter and cold can slow down our circulation, it’s advisable to exfoliate your skin at least once a week. For older skin types, the exfoliation will prevent skin dullness. For younger skin types and those that tend to blemish, exfoliation prevents blemishes by keeping pores unblocked and maintaining skin circulation so that spring does not bring a rush of acne.

Need some help crafting your perfect 4-step routine? Visit any of our 8 spa locations across the GTA, and one of our dedicated esthetician’s will help guide you through the process.