You don’t have to be a skincare expert to know that in winter you need that extra layer of moisturiser or oil to protect yourself from the dry and cold weather.

Prachi Bhandari, Co-Founder & Head of Research, AMINU explains why is it that your skin needs that extra nourishment, during these cold winter months and shares skincare ingredients to keep your skin naturally hydrated, glowing and young.

During winter, as the temperature drops, so does the humidity and the air becomes drier. This, in turn, leads to trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) as water evaporates through our skin much more quickly in the external environment. Simply put, the air around you sucks the moisture out of your skin. Dryness is not only discomforting in the short run but also leads to premature ageing, and increased sensitivity and thus it is very important that you take care of your skin a little more during winter.

Here is my simple list of 3 must-have skincare ingredients to keep your skin naturally hydrated, glowing and young during winter –

Humectants such as hyaluronic acid (in different molecular forms), glycerine or sugar complexes, help attract and store water in the upper layers of your skin. However, if your skin type is extremely dry or you live in areas where the temperature can drop to low single digits or below then hyaluronic acid is not enough. In my research, I found this amazing ferment extract that originates from a microorganism found in Antarctica and is proven for its ability to preserve water in liquid form even in sub-zero temperatures. You can find it in Aminu’s Hydrating cream which is designed to keep your skin naturally hydrated even in extremely cold & dry weather.

Occlusives in the form of oils help lock in the moisture and not let it evaporate easily in the air around you. While the skin has a natural lipid (oil) barrier to lock in moisture, it may not be sufficient, especially in dry skin types. That said, you need to make sure that your moisturiser or face oil is non-comedogenic and not clogging your pores. I have designed Aminu’s Radiance Face Oil in such a way that it doesn’t stay much on the surface but seeps into your skin and protects it from dry cold air from within.

During dry weather, skin also tends to slow its natural rate of shedding dead dry cells on the surface. Hence, it is important to exfoliate as the buildup of dead skin cells on the surface of your skin prevents it from absorbing humectants, occlusives & other skincare ingredients. I highly recommend adding oil-based physical exfoliators such as salt, sugar, and ground coffee (not for people with active acne or hypersensitive skin) so that as you exfoliate, the oils in the scrub will make sure the lipid barrier is not damaged and moisture in the newly revealed younger more hydrated cells is preserved. Check out the Aminu Face Scrub for reference.

While you bring out your favourite winter pullovers, shrugs and soft cosy scarfs to protect yourself from the cold, make sure you are also giving your skin that extra TLC it needs to stay naturally hydrated, glowing and young.