Three things you can do to protect your skin during a cold snap

A drop in temperature often wreaks havoc, making our skin feel dry, tight, flaky, red or uncomfortable, as our skin barrier is weakened – triggering eczema, psoriasis, dryness or acne. Strategically chosen skincare can protect our skin from these changes, writes dermal therapist Diane Lehto.

Here are some simple strategies to keep skin healthy during the transition into cooler months:

Protecting our skin from weather extremes boils down to three things; how we treat our skin while doing everyday things like showering or cleansing, what we put in our bodies and the preventative products we use.

Most of my patients who suffer from flaky, dry skin have one thing in common; they love hot showers. During the colder months, avoid very hot showers and too much heated air: they strip your natural pH and impact your skin’s elasticity. They can also cause skin to overproduce oil, leading to dehydration and redness.

Hydrate and nourish from within: eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (warm vegetable soup is a great way to get your daily requirement of antioxidant rich vegetables). Drink 8 glasses of water each day and keep caffeinated drinks and alcohol to a minimum. I also include the following supplements:

As the seasons change, so does our skin – and so must our skincare!

If your skin is reactive, Synergie BioCleanse is a soothing, creamy cleanser specifically designed to help dry, sensitive skin without stripping the acid mantle. And for with combination skin, UltraCleanse addresses both oil and dehydration. Using the right cleanser is very important and can make all the difference.

Dermiotic is a powerful pre and probiotic that strengthens and balances the skin, while Vitamin B  is a multi-tasking product addresses stressed skin, acne, fine lines, wrinkles, hydration and pigmentation. It’s pretty much the kung fu master of ingredients to defend your skin throughout winter!

DeStress oil is great for both the symptomatic relief of flaky, red, delicate or irritated skins – as well as building long term hydration. A small amount is used over Mega B, on areas of concern during the day – or all over at night on the face, neck and décolletage (before moisturiser).

Finally, Dermacalm is packed full of calming peptides; this beautiful moisturiser will soothe and seal in the Vitamin B, Dermiotic and DeStress oil, actively decreasing redness.

Winter is short-lived in Queensland, and because our skin isn’t subjected to the lengthy weather extremes of other climates, it’s possible to use our mild winter to emerge with glowing, luminous skin if you have a well-chosen skincare routine that’s adjusted to suit the climate.

But having great skin – especially during winter – doesn’t just come down to good skincare or facials, nor is the progress of good skin linear, so we have to do everything possible to do what we can to nourish from the inside out. You may have times where you feel like watching movies and binging on junk food and that’s okay, but just remember to balance it out with good nutrient-rich foods and supplements that give your body, and skin cells goodness!