What happens to our skin in Winter?

At this time of year our skin really bears the brunt of the cold winter weather. We tend to stay indoors more, which for many of us means we are regularly within an artificially heated environment. Outside our skin is exposed to UV rays, harsh winds and pollution. Your skin is not loving this and may be affected more than you realise.

This is why natural soaps are very important in maintaining the health of our skin. A good natural soap will have essential oils added. These oils are small enough to penetrate the hard to reach layers of our skin. When they are absorbed, the properties of the essential oils mix with the natural oils in our skin to balance, regulate and improve the skin.

Harsh winds and dry air remove natural oils from the epidermis, the first layer of protection on the skin. This can sometimes make it dry and itchy. If you suffer from skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, chances are your conditions will be worse in the Winter months.

What can I do to help protect my skin this Winter?

The main aim is to help protect our dry winter skin but also replenishing the lost natural oils.

The best protection nature has given us against dry itchy skin is fatty acids. Fatty Acids are found in foods high in Omega 3 and Omega 6. Foods such as fish, seeds, nuts and plants oils.

Nuts are a really good source of whole food. You don’t need to do anything to them to prepare them for consumption. Keep a small jar or your favourite nuts in the car. Not only do they have good fatty acids, they stop a hunger dead in its tracks.  The Organic Shea Butter that is used in our soap bar has the same qualities and can act as an anti-inflammatory and moisterise dry skin.

Avoid hot lengthy showers or baths. We often want to just “thaw out” under a long hot shower, but unfortunately, this can be one of the worst things for our skin. It dries and irritates the area.

Try wearing more breathable fabrics such as cotton, rayon, linen and silk. Although these materials don’t scream warmth to us, remember – it is only the material we need to put next to our skin that needs to be breathable. We can add layers and finish off with fabrics like wool and polyester.

Hand cream can be a girl’s (or guys) best friend in the colder months. Keep a tube in the insert of the door of your car. It’s a quick little job you can get done waiting for the lights to go green. It is a great way to help prevent our skin from drying out.

Try exfoliating at least once a week. Our dead skin cells increase at this time of year so it is important to keep up the exfoliation practice to remove the dead cells, giving the healthier cells a chance to emerge. By leaving the dead skin cells, they will clog the pores creating further skin irritation.

Wear gloves. If you are the person in the home whose hands see the most hot water, pop a set of gloves in all the usual places. The kitchen, the laundry, the bathrooms. Think of how many times a week our hands are in water. I find if I have to go for the one set all the time in the kitchen, I can’t be bothered so having them strategically placed leaves us with no excuses.

Look for products with natural moisture. Read the backs of labels so you can be fully informed. You may have found products that are natural however they may add other ingredients that are moisture robbing, such as parabens and sulphate. Often it is just as important as what is put in a product as what is left out.

Avoid having indoor heating on at night in cold weather. We don’t really need artificial dry heat on at night once we are in bed and it is a good way of reducing our skin’s exposure to this dry heat.

It is ideal to choose a soap with quality natural ingredients that work for your skin in Winter. Not all soaps are made the same or do the same job.
Australian Botanical Soaps are pure plant oil soap bars made in Australia from the finest ingredients and they do not dry out the skin. There are many types to choose from and all bars are infused with a light yet long lasting fragrance.

For Winter time you may like to consider

Coconut with Lime Oil – Made with ingredients to enhance your mood and works great as an exfoliating bar with finely crushed naturally sourced coconut shell.

Goats Milk with Soya Bean Oil – Perfect for those with sensitive skin needing a gentle cleanse. Good for keeping your skin moisturised.

Our skin is the largest organ we have, so it makes sense to protect it with the right clothing and good natural moisturising products.