Protect your skin from premature ageing and stop the formation of new wrinkles by following these simple tips.
Save your skin from premature ageing this winter
When it is cold outside your skin needs special care
In the wintertime, nothing quite beats a mug of hot cocoa or a cup of tea, getting all snuggled up in front of the heater. However, habits like long hot showers and turning up the heating when it is freezing, raining or snowing outside, can have disastrous consequences for your skin. The dry indoor air removes the moisture from the skin, causing wrinkles and dry patches. In the absence of an appropriate skin care routine, the lines that form during the cold season can linger on even after the winter and then deepen with time. But that need not be.
Protect your skin from premature ageing and stop the formation of new wrinkles by following these simple tips.
Make sure to drink enough water!
Your skin needs to stay hydrated
In winter, our body needs just as much water as in summer, but we usually feel less thirsty. We are more likely to drink coffee, black tea, green tea, hot cocoa or even mulled wine. However, those drinks further deplete our body’s water storage and do not help the dry skin situation. Caffeine has a strong diuretic effect, meaning they may cause the need to urinate, and can therefore be partly responsible if our skin becomes tense, dry and scaly. Hence, it is important that you remember to drink enough pure and still (not fizzy!) water, even when you do not feel like it. You should drink at least 2 litres of water throughout the day. When you do sports, go to the sauna, or engage in activities that cause you to sweat more, your body may need even more water than that. Some sources even recommend as much as 3-4 litres. Fizzy or otherwise sugary drinks, as well as the hot drinks mentioned above, do not replace any of the fluids you are losing while you sweat, therefore they do not count towards the 2 (or more) litres of liquid you should drink daily.
Since most of our body is water, it is not surprising that the quality of the skin is largely dependent on fluid intake. Dr. Michael Boschmann of the Charité in Berlin, Germany, found that within a few minutes after drinking water, the blood flow to the skin was increased. In addition, the oxygen supply increased and the skin’s metabolism was stimulated. Only still water can help achieve this kind of result.
No need to worry though. You can still add some flavour to your life. Winter time is also the time where fresh oranges are available everywhere, from which you can prepare your very own anti-ageing cocktail. Not only oranges but all citrus fruits, including grapefruits and tangerines, are naturally high in vitamin C and antioxidants that do not only strengthen your immune system, but also provide optimal care for your skin. Vitamin C in particular provides effective protection against harmful environmental influences, whilst it also helps repair the skin. There is nothing better than a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice to get you started in the morning and plenty of water throughout the day. You will see just how quickly your skin will feel more silky and smooth.
Of course, this does not mean that you should no longer drink coffee, or even enjoy a glass of mulled wine or any other beverage of your choice. Simply make sure that, besides drinking your favourite soda or hot drink, you also drink enough still water.
By the way, fresh fruits and vegetables naturally contain a lot of water, too. Hence, in order to combat wrinkles and dry skin, try to make sure to not only eat hot dishes but also eat plenty of salad, fruits and raw vegetables.
Less is more!
Protect, strengthen and repair the skin’s natural protective layer
Besides drinking enough water, you should also be mindful about what you put on your skin. The colder it gets, the less sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands. Sebum leaves a greasy residue, ensuring that moisture does not evaporate so quickly on the skin’s surface. Since the natural protective barrier of the skin is weakened, you should be sure to not over-clean your skin during the colder months of the year. Try and use mild cleansing products that are not too aggressive and do not strip your skin of it’s natural moisture.
Furthermore, you can help keep a youthful appearance by slightly changing your make-up routine. Conventional make-up can make your skin look flakier than it already is anyway. A light face powder, however, can help even out slight imbalances in the skin’s complexion whilst still retaining the skin’s moisture reserves. Also pay attention to resort to sulphate-free make-up. Sulphates can accelerate the ageing process, as they have a strong defatting effect and deprive the skin of the much needed moisture that keeps it looking fresh and healthy.
In order to protect your skin from premature ageing, anti-wrinkle creams containing hyaluronic acid are ideal. Hyaluronan is a gel-like fluid that our body produces itself and it is important for many functions in our body. It is able to bind large amounts of water, a capacity that our skin naturally loses with age. The elasticity of the skin can only be preserved (and thus the formation of new wrinkles prevented) if the moisture levels are in balance. Hyaluronan protects the skin’s moisture barrier and, because it is an endogenous substance, allergic reactions are virtually unknown. In addition, it is not necessary to have hyaluronic acid injected under the skin. Creams and serums containing the substance help replenish the skin’s moisture reserves just as effectively. With regular use, especially in the cold season, already existing wrinkles can be softened and the formation of new wrinkles reduced significantly.
Get your skin through the winter
With the right skin care you need not worry about wrinkles or dry skin
You see, it is not difficult to do something for yourself and your skin even in winter. With the right care, your facial skin can easily handle the temperature differences between heated indoor areas and the cold weather outside.
Try it out and pay more attention as to how much still water you drink and eat fresh fruits and vegetables, even if it may not be easy for you in the beginning to choose a glass of water over a second or third cup of warm coffee. It’s not about giving up that beloved latte macchiato or a nice cup of tea. You can enjoy them equally and without feeling guilty. Just do not count those type of drinks towards the 2 litres of liquid you should drink daily.
In combination with a sulphate-free nourishing anti-ageing cream, preferably with hyaluronic acid, which replenishes the moisture reserves of your skin, you can effectively protect your skin from premature ageing this winter.
