Winterizing Your Skin & Mind

In Minnesota, it feels like we spend most of our year hunkered down under our cozy weighted blankets, burning candles, and trying to shake the winter blues. I, for one, find myself suffering in the winter: the lack of light, the frigid air that assaults my skin every time I step outside, clearing off the ice and snow from my car… it’s not always my favorite time of year.

I’m like a plant. I like fresh air, sunlight, and COLOR! Boy, do I love color. Now, I don’t know for sure that plants also enjoy color but I am just going to assume here. You can either assume with me or think im a bit cookey and to be honest, either is fine with me.

In the winter, our skin struggles to stay hydrated as it fights off the elements. Our homes get quite dry, too, making your skin more prone to dehydration. Dry skin is a lack of oils in the skin whereas dehydration is the lack of water. Fun fact: You can be both! Any skin type can suffer from dehydration so you oily gals, keep reading along with everyone else!

Our skin has a protective barrier of oils, sweat, and healthy bacterial flora called the acid mantle. The acid mantle serves a VERY important function for our skin: it maintains our skins optimum pH level at 5.5 (yes, our skin is a little acidic!) and it protects our skin from external toxins such as viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, allergens, pollutants, pathogens and foreign bodies.

Obviously this thin layer does a lot and it’s pretty easy to disrupt it if you live in extreme climates and aren’t quite sure how to properly care for you skin. I’m only going to say this once and it’s insanely important… 

*most skin sensitivities are caused by a disruption of the acid mantle*

Symptoms to look out for include irritations, sensitivities, dermatitis, rashes, acne, and even yeast infections. These symptoms are most commonly caused by choosing the wrong products for your skin (put down the bar of soap immediately!!), extreme climates, excessive sweating, food sensitivities, and hormonal imbalances.

So… how do we keep this vital part of our skin happy and healthy when we not only have to deal with the cold, but all those other factors listed above as well? Good thing we are friends, because I am going to spill ALL of the tea.

Tip 1: Use a gentle facial cleanser that works with your skin type. 

It’s best to work with an esthetician, like me, to make sure your cleanser is still fitting your skin’s needs, no matter the season. I typically change my clients cleansers for summer and winter and I love having 2 different cleansers to choose from at home. You want to stay away from bar soap (even dove), anything with detergents, and most foaming cleansers. These types of products are too alkaline for the skin and will throw off your pH, especially with repeated use. Remember, our skin likes to be a bit acidic! My favorite cleansers that anyone can use are as follows:

Eminence Organics Mangosteen Resurfacing Cleanser - low foaming gel based cleanser that contains lactic acid to resurface skin texture and to help increase hydration. The tropical smell is a gift during the winter months. Beach anyone?

Eminence Organics Stone Crop Cleansing Oil - I will forever love this cleansing oil. I typically use this at night to break down all of my makeup. It is suitable for even the oiliest of skins since oil attracts oil. It will wash away excess oils and impurities, detoxify environmental pollutants that collect in your makeup, and leave your skin feeling perfectly clean and refreshed- sans tight feeling or leaving a nasty barrier.

Eminence Organics Coconut Milk Cleanser - this hydrating cleanser soothes dry skin types with rich coconut milk and calendula.

Tip 2: Don’t over exfoliate!

Over exfoliating or exfoliating with the wrong product can cause more damage than good! As we age, our skin cells don’t turn over as quickly, leading to dull, textured skin and more visible fine lines are wrinkles. To combat this, we need to exfoliate to encourage old cells to shed and new cells to form. Avoid rough, jagged exfoliants that may tear and rip at the skin and try these out instead:

Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant - this is my #1 go to exfoliant for daily or weekly use. It is so powder fine and gentle, yet will still satisfy those that like to feel a good scrub. The trick is not to apply extra pressure and let the powder do it’s work. It also contains lactic acid to brighten and increase hydration. This stuff lasts forever so one of my pro tips is to use it for a body scrub, especially combined with their yam and pumpkin enzyme for hands, feet, and rough patches!

Eminence Exfoliating Peel Pads - these can be used 2-3x per week in conjunction with Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant or on their own! I really like that they are dual purpose also helping to combat pigmentation, aging, redness, or acne and for those that down enjoy scrubs, they are granule free! Just swipe onto skin and go on with the rest of your regime. No waiting or washing!

Tip 3: Use a toner!

Remember pH? Toners are an essential step, bringing your skin back to its happy place and providing the first layer of hydration and nutrients for your skin type or concerns.

Circadia Skin Care has my absolute favorite mists. There are 4 different types, meaning there is one of everyone! In the winter time I would suggest switching up to something with a little more hydration like their Blueberry & White Tea hydrating mist or Aloe and Calendula Calming Mist. Winter is also a great time to tackle pigmentation. Switch up to the Licorice and Bearberry Brightening Mist.

If you want to go a stop further and channel those Korean skin care vibes OR if you are just insufferably dry.. Use an essence!

Eminence Organics Birch Water Purifying Essence will not only leave your skin more hydrated, but it will improve your barrier function and help you absorb and retain subsequent products even better than before. Since it contains collagen, it will help form a barrier on your skin to lock in moisture.

Tip 4: Use hyaluronic acid AND a facial oil! 

Hyaluronic acid holds 1000x its weight in water, combating dehydration. Our skin naturally produces it but as we get older, production declines. It will also help to plump and smooth fine lines, leaving skin bouncy and supple. 

Eminence Organics Firm Skin Acai Booster Serum - Botanical hyaluronic acid relieves dehydration and signs of aging while super antioxidant, acai berry, protects skin from oxidative stress.

Eminence Organics Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Serum - I. Can’t. Live. Without. This. Serum. It is always the first serum I apply and is perfect for layering due to its fast absorbing nature. It helps to erase discolorations, protects skin from premature aging, and contains hyaluronic acid for hydration and bounce.

Using oils directly on the skin is not just for dry skin types. It may seem a bit terrifying for us oily skinned gals but I PROMISE, it will change your life.

Eminence Organics Rosehip Triple C + E Firming Oil - This luxurious oil smells as good as it sounds while packing and antioxidant punch that helps with collagen production and protects from environmental stressors. Created as a partner to the Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Serum, it delivers deep hydration while smoothing lines and wrinkles.

Eminence Organics Facial Recovery Oil - This oil is suitable for all skin types and will even help to balance oil production, thanks to Clay Sage. It evens the complexion and helps the healing of acne or other legions.

Tip 5: Wear SPF.

Sun protection is not just for summer time or when you are going to be outside for extended periods of time. Day to day activities such as driving in the car and walking the dog are still exposing your to harmful ultraviolet radiation. EVEN IF IT’S CLOUDY OUT! In the winter, you are actually getting more exposure to UV rays since snow is reflective. My go to SPF’s are:

Coola Sun Silk Drops - These are all you will ever need. Mix with your favorite moisturizer or foundation or use alone to protect skin with an SPF 30. It also protects from blue light, which is emitted from your favorite electronic devices and penetrates even deeper than UVA and UVB rays. To win you over even more, they contain hyaluronic acid and neroli oil to hydrate and soothe. SPF in a serum form.

Coola Sun Silk Crème - All the amazing properties of the drops in an airy-light, oil free, cream form + plant derived stem cells and niacinamide to perfect the surface of the skin.

Tip 6: Use a protective balm!

This is for my winter go-doers. The people that the soul crushing cold doesn’t keep down. The people who embrace the it and go running, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, regular skiing… you get the jist… while I stay wrapped like a burrito in my blankies.

Apply Eminence Organics Rosehip and Lemongrass Repair Balm to your cheeks, lips, nose, or anywhere else that tends to get chapped. It provides a protective barrier against the elements and speeds up skin healing by double!

Tip 7: Masque, Masque, Masque.

You guys. Masques are true mini-treatments that you can do from the comfort of your own home. They don’t replace a good treatment but they contain higher amounts of active ingredients to target specific concerns and when dryness is one of those... 

Eminence Organics Coconut Cream Masque delivers intense hydration leaving it firm, soft, and youthful. Use this masque 1-2x per week to boost your skin's hydration and bask in the soft coconutty scent.

Patchology’s Get Dewy With It is a quick fix sheet mask loaded with the goods: Hyaluronic Acid, Rose of Jericho, Hijiki Algae, Honey, and Prickly Pear. I can not recommend this mask more for dry, acneic skin.

Diving into my self care in the winter has helped me overcome some of my seasonal depression. It’s the perfect time to masque and take a little extra time to pamper yourself. You deserve all the love and good things!

Feeling inspired? Tag me on Instagram at @sprucedbrowskin and @beautby_jaclynd and show me how you pamper yourself with Eminence Skin Care or share your favorite winter product with me!

Peace & Love,

Jaclyn - Owner and Creator