Taking care of your skin in the lead up to and during winter will mean a slightly different routine than the warmer months, especially in parts of New Zealand! While the north of the North Island maintains a little humidity and moisture in the air, the South Island especially tends to get cold and dry, and this can wreak havoc on your skin.

New Zealand has a bit of a reputation for harsher winters with blustery winds, cold temperatures, snow, and freezing dry air that leaches your skin of natural oils and moisture. Winter skin is at risk of becoming dry, stressed, and this can cause breakouts, dry patches, and other minor, or major in some cases, skin concerns.

Unfortunately, it’s not only the weather that can challenge your winter skin care. Changes in routine, shorter days, colder nights, comfort eating more sugar and fat than usual (which can happen in response to a lack of sunlight) can cause an occasional breakout, tightness, and dullness.

You, with some expert help from our team at your local The Cosmetic Clinic, can help reduce the winter skin blues by taking some precautions in your skin care routine.

 

1.     Change it up

Your summer skin care routine is most likely not going to cut it in the winter months. Your skin will probably need more moisture more often. We recommend adding a serum to your daily routine, such as our Balense Rapid C Concentrate or Balense Intensive Retinol Serum to replenish lost moisture. To really take care of your skin during winter, our Balense Quench Pack for dry or sensitive skin includes a Microdermal gentle cleanser, great for soothing dry winter skin, an anti-ageing serum, Balense moisturiser for dry skin, and the UV Defiance SPF 50+ as New Zealand winters often include bright sunshine with cold temperatures – think skiing!

 

2.     Choose a gentle cleanser

Cleansers can strip your skin of natural oils, dry it out, and over time, lead to more visible lines and wrinkles. Our Balense Microdermal Gentle Cleanser is the perfect choice for a gentle cleanse that doesn’t dry you out. The microdermal active ingredients also give you superior hydration while also removing dirt, debris, dry skin, and makeup without stripping your skin of the oils and moisture it needs to protect itself during the winter months.

 

3.     Exfoliate!

How many times have you heard it? Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Yes, removing the debris, leftover makeup, dry and dead skin cells, and pollutants from your skin will give you that youthful glow we all crave and is often lost during the winter months. The Balense Microdermal Cleansing Scrub is a purifying micro-exfoliant that is paraben, sulphate, and fragrance-free. Rich in marine-friendly Jojoba spheres and encapsulated Salicylic Acid, this gentle scrub polishes, refreshes, hydrates, and deeply cleanses your skin without drying it. Or book a Microdermabrasion treatment at your local The Cosmetic Clinic for the ultimate exfoliation and rejuvenation for tired, dry winter skin! This can leave your skin feeling fresh and smooth and, because of the cooler temperatures, winter is a great time to reap the benefits of this amazing treatment.

 

4.     Protect and rejuvenate

Even though you may think winter is less sunny, we all know those cold, crisp, sunshiny days throughout winter that leave skin feeling tight and tender. UV rays are still out and about, even on cloudy days, so it’s still just as vital to protect your skin with our Balense UV Defiance SPF 50+. Non-greasy and gentle on the skin, the UV Defiance is perfect for wearing as part of your everyday skincare regime. Also, the winter months are a great time to give your skin a wee nutrient boost to really give winter skin stress its marching orders. Try our Balense Rapid C Concentrate after cleansing at night. The Rapid C Concentrate is amazing for protecting against environmental pollutants and UV damage as well as being a high-potency antioxidant with vitamin C and E for brighter, firmer, and younger looking skin.

 

5.     Shorten your showers

Yes, a bit of an odd suggestion, especially in winter when those long, hot showers feel oh-so-good! BUT, even though hot water feels great, it can deplete skin of its natural oils. Try to limit those long, hot showers and baths to once or twice a week, and enjoy a refreshing tepid or lukewarm shower for your everyday. Apply your favourite body moisturiser immediately after patting skin dry.

 

For those of you who really want to give your winter skin a boost, we have three amazing 90-day winter skin care packages available during June that give you three months worth of amazing skin treatments!

Make sure you contact or pop into your nearest The Cosmetic Clinic and talk to the team about our 90-day skin care packages, and other exceptional skin treatments to help combat the effects of winter on your skin such as a Microdermabrasion treatment, or Micro-Needling.