We all know it: The temperatures are getting colder and our skin appears to be reddened and feels dry more frequently. But what actually happens to our skin when it's cold outside and what do we have to pay attention to when it comes to facial care and the like in winter?
What do cold temperatures do to our skin?
During the cold months, our skin is not only exposed to the cold, but more importantly, temperatures that fluctuate wildly: Freezing outside, chubby 20C° inside. Stuffy subway followed by a cold winter walk. Our bodies (and skin) are exposed to this change several times a day.
As soon as the temperature drops below 8-9 degrees, our sebaceous glands start to function in a limited way and no longer produce enough lipids (fatty substances) to maintain the natural oil film of the skin barrier.
One result of impaired barrier function can be dryness of the skin as well as irritation and redness.
Cold temperatures generally reduce our blood flow (vice versa, our skin gets better blood flow when it is warm outside or when we are sweating) as much of our blood is sent to the internal organs. Sufferer is our skin which is not preferentially supplied with blood, whereby important nutrients and oxygen are no longer transported. One effect is that skin renewal occurs less frequently. Normally our skin renews itself regularly and is then characterized by a fresh appearance and a strong skin barrier. When it's cold, this still happens, but less frequently.
Another "irritant factor" for our skin is dry radiator air (warm air is significantly drier than cold air). Even though a warm environment often seems comfortable to us in winter, dry air deprives our skin of important moisture (the technical term here is transepidermal water loss). Symptoms include wrinkles, fine lines and a tired appearance.
It remains to be said that winter is not necessarily the ideal environment for our skin. But fortunately there are one or two easy measures with which our skin can survive the cold months well.
What should we pay special attention to when caring for our skin in winter?
Just like the winter jacket protects you from frost, face cream and body lotion can give your skin protection and care.
We have listed a few tips for you here on how to best get your skin through the winter and which ingredients particularly support your skin:
Skin care products with panthenol and hyaluron protect and repair your dry skin especially effectively in winter. Our face cream and body lotion are ideal for this.
Oils also help to protect the skin in winter. A layer of oil supports the weakened skin barrier against the cold. Olive oil, soybean oil, jojoba oil, rosemary oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil are part of many of our care products. Of course, all vegan and sustainable.
Finally, vitamins should be mentioned as an important ingredient for proper skincare. By this we mean not only the active ingredients found in skin care products (such as vitamin E in Kluuf's face cream) but also a diet rich in vitamins.
For those who suffer particularly from dry skin can also try increasing the humidity indoors with the help of a humidifier.
By the way, in the cold months we recommend to apply a protective and nourishing cream or lotion to the skin in the morning and in the evening.
If your skin seems particularly irritated, you should consider using a cleanser only once a day, because even gentle cleansers often irritate the skin. In such cases, we recommend washing your skin with warm water in the morning and cleansing thoroughly with a gentle cleanser in the evening.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, cold temperatures reduce the body's blood circulation, which means that the skin renews itself less frequently. This can be counteracted by increasing the body temperature - for example through sports - and thus stimulating the blood circulation. The skin barrier is strengthened and skin renewal is stimulated.
After the workout, take a cold shower, as this closes the pores and tightens the skin. Although we understand that this is not a popular alternative in the cold winter ;)
Also, do not neglect other parts of the body apart the face:
Even though our face and hands are often defenceless against cold temperatures (and thus require special care), body parts protected by clothing, such as arms and both, should not be neglected either. Therefore we recommend to use a sustainable body lotion to care for these regions specifically.
Finally, it is extremely important not to forget the sunscreen in winter! The skin is already irritated by the cold temperatures which makes it particularly sensitive to sun rays! Excessive and unprotected sunlight is the main reason for premature aging of the skin and thus leads, among other things, to wrinkles. But dry skin can also be a result of sunburn.
What are the no-gos to avoid?
In addition to the special care instructions for your skin in winter, there are of course also some tips on what your skin does not like in the cold months:
Very frequent and long warm or hot showers or baths. This reduces the natural protective layer of the skin and makes you more vulnerable to external stressors.
Forgetting sun protection. Sun in winter is often underestimated and even in mild temperatures the skin can suffer considerable damage.
Just throwing a warm coat over after exercising, but keep your sports clothes on. Check out our article on sports and skin care.
Not giving the skin enough or the right care. As a reminder, oils, vitamins, panthenol and hyaluron are the ideal partners for your skin.
With the right care every skin comes well through the winter
Skin care is no witchcraft and should be uncomplicated and take little time, even in winter. Taking care of yourself and listening to the signals of your skin are a good starting point.
The right skin care products provide you with vitamins, oils, hyaluron and best of all with panthenol. Thus, exactly strengthening the aspects that are particularly challenged by cold weather.
In addition, it is of course important to provide the body with the right nutrients through diets and to take care of yourself.
With Kluuf you care for your skin all year round. So your bathroom cabinet is not clogged with unnecessary additional products, your wallet is relieved and you can rather use your time for the real important things in life.
