Patrick Macaskill-Webb investigates the impact the incoming cold weather will have on our precious skin. To stop your skin from morphing into that of a lizard, read on.
As the weather turns colder, many of us will be experiencing chapped lips that get crusty, dry and pale. This is super common, even if you haven’t had skin troubles in the past. Being on the dry side of things tends to oppose being oily (and sorry – pimply). As the sun retreats and the rain sets in, we spend way less time exercising and more time snuggled with duvets (not to mention missing out on vitamin D). All of these seasonal changes affect our skin and so it’s okay to get some disappointing beauty changes right now.
On the upside, in this Health Bites you can skip to the end for some recommendations I selected with a novice preference for what are called “natural moisturising factors.” I stumbled across an article in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology which claimed these factors found in the skin are key to keeping things from drying out. Although water intake itself is not linked in a straightforward way to skin health, it’s the natural moisturising factors that can make or break our inbuilt body barrier.
Last week it was mentioned that depilatory cream (hair removal cream) could wreak havoc if the skin barrier was broken. Actually, anything in the outside world can cause problems if your first line physical defence is broken. So it’s been stressed to me – and I will stress to you – it’s not just for beauty reasons you want to keep your lips plump. Natural moisturising factors are a combination of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), urea, lactic acid, sugar isomers, and glycerol (glycerine). The other things to watch out for are fats that improve the skin barrier. These “factors” and fats, plus the shape of your skin cells, all measurably stop you from drying out. The products below have some of the things you want to look out for in your moisturising products.
Commonly, it’s thought that drinking more water will help stop flaky skin (I used to think this). It’s high time to invest a little bit more and get some decent moisturisers that include the kinds of chemicals that already should be protecting you, but may need supplementing with the weather changes. I am not being paid to recommend these products (#notspon). Although, I really think the presence of natural moisturising factors and fats/oils will bring a luscious shine to your smiling winter faces.
And switching to my beauty influencer persona (I’m no longer a procrastinating med student), I’ve highlighted the moisturizing ingredients you should be looking out for:
Sorbolene Cream – ($5.00) Water, glycerine, paraffin, petrolatum, cetostearyl alcohol, propylene glycol, ceteth-20, chlorocresol.
Retrieved from https://horo.co.nz/
Aveeno Dermexa Moisturising Cream ($20.00) Water, Glycerin, Panthenol, Distearyldimonium chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl palmitate Cetyl alcohol, dimethicone, Avena Sativa (Oat), Kernel Flour, Avena Sativa (Oat), Kernel oil, Steareth-20, Benzalkonium Chloride, Seramide, NP, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract.
https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/
Qv Intensive With Ceramides – Light Moisturising Cream ($26.99) Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Petrolatum, Niacinamide, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ceteareth-20, Sodium PCA, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Laureth-3, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP.
https://www.qvskincare.com.au/
And if you’re terrible at prioritising your expenses:
Thalgo – Deeply Nourishing Body Cream ($110.40) Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cocoglycerides, Cyclopentasiloxane, Beheneth-25, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Maris Aqua (Sea Water), Sodium Polyacrylate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Algae Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum (Fragrance), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Glycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tocopherol, Glucose, Sodium PCA, Urea, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Lactic Acid, Lysine, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Gluconate