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As the days shorten, the nights lengthen and the air chills, our skin has a lot to contend with! Whether we’re battling the elements in warm layers of clothing or cosying up indoors by the heater or the fire (or just pumping the air-con!), the cooler weather means one thing for many of us: dry, sensitive and dull skin that’s crying out for some extra love and support.
Here are our top tips for nourishing and strengthening the skin to keep it supple and soft through the winter months and beyond:
Try dry skin brushing: this simple exfoliation technique can be incorporated into your routine before your daily shower or bath, helping to remove rough, dry skin and stimulate your circulation and lymphatic system.
Starting at the soles of your feet, take a firm-bristled body brush and sweep your skin upwards – towards your heart – using gentle but firm strokes. When you reach your belly and armpits, switch to circular motions, and then continue the longer strokes from your hands and upwards along your arms.
Dry body brushing only takes a few minutes each day, with the bonus of helping your body lotion, moisturiser, or body butter to absorb better and nourish your skin more effectively.
Switch up your skincare: dry, dehydrated winter skin needs more emollient and hydrating products. Your favourite body lotion or butter from the summer months may not be rich enough to truly soothe and soften your skin. Look for extra-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, macadamia oil and avocado oil for quenching cool-weather skin.
Fatten up: dry, scaly skin is a good indication that we need some extra nutritious fats in our diets. This is the time to ramp up skin-supporting fats like olive oil, flaxseed oil and grass-fed ghee and butter: yum!
Stay hydrated: keeping your fluids up can be more of a challenge through the cold season, so get strategic. Now is the time to introduce steaming pots of herbal tea, hot mugs of bone broth or miso soup and warm lemon water into the equation.
A supplement that supports skin, hair and nails: support and nourish your skin from within with a quality formulation. The most important skin, hair and nails vitamins to look out for include:
Vitamin A
We can’t do without vitamin A for skin health. This essential fat-soluble vitamin plays important roles in wound healing,1 healthy skin cell production and turnover,2 making it one of the best vitamins for skin health.
Vitamin C
One of the main roles of vitamin C for skin health lies in its critical involvement in the production of collagen3 which keeps the skin plump, hydrated and supple. This key nutrient is also an important antioxidant, helping to prevent tissue damage.4
Vitamin B3
Inadequate intake of vitamin B3 can contribute to acne, dermatitis and other skin conditions.5 With regular intake of vitamin B3 for skin, the function of healthy fats and carbohydrates from your diet is optimised,6 helping you to create that nourished glow from within.
Vitamin B5
Another key nutrient for supporting the production of collagen,7 it’s important to include adequate Vitamin B5 for skin health.
A quality multivitamin that supports skin, hair & nails will contain all of these nutrients, ideally in combination with nourishing, skin-supporting wholefoods and antioxidant-rich botanicals, like rooibos, horsetail and green tea. wholeearthsea.com.au
*Reference available on request
