The freezing winter months call for necessary skincare adjustments as dirt, dry weather, and other irritants threaten to give the skin a beating. The question is: how do you recalibrate your routine to achieve glass skin?
You don’t need fancy procedures. All it takes is a skincare regimen that locks in moisture and keeps you feeling fresh and free, even in the cold.
What Is Glass Skin?
Throwback to the year 2017, when the rest of the world got up to speed with the Korean beauty aspiration: glass skin. Today, it remains a beauty goal for men and women alike.
In Korea, it is often called “chokchok,” which literally translates to “moist.” Chokchok is the term for lustrous, glass-like skin that looks fresh and dewy whatever the weather.
The focus is not in achieving the look with makeup. Glass skin emphasizes a good skin care routine as the perfect canvas for that radiant glow.
What Gets in the Way of Glass Skin in Winter?
Some of the biggest problems your skin faces during winter are skin dryness, redness, and acne.
Because the coldness of winter results in lower humidity in the air, many suffer from dry and flaky skin during these months. This can also be aggravated by drying skincare products. This makes your face look dull.
Drastic changes in weather can also irritate the skin, causing it to turn red. Taking hot showers after exposure to cold winter temperatures can also cause redness.
Another pesky winter problem is acne. Often, breakouts happen as a result of the skin producing too much sebum, which is an oil that keeps your skin moist. Dry skin in winter may cause your skin to overcompensate and clog pores, thus producing pimples.
Four Essential Skincare Products for Winter
How, then, do you respond to the glass skin hindrances brought on by winter?
Well, it will vary for every skin type. But there are products that are absolute musts to achieve luminous, honey-like skin during this dry season.
- Serum
If you have never used serum, now is the time to start. Serums are lighter than moisturizers, and a great way to add nourishment to your face. Use it before putting on eye cream and moisturizer.
Cold weather accelerates signs of aging, so a good way to address this in winter is by using an anti-aging retinol serum. Take note, however, that using these on their own may aggravate dryness for some.
The best use for these kinds of serums is partnering them with moisturizer. This practice will retain moisture on your skin while simultaneously making it brighter and firmer.
- Moisturizer
Your winter instinct may be to shift to a heavier moisturizer to compensate for how drying the weather is. Be careful about this, because heavier creams can clog pores and result in unwanted breakouts.
If you have oily skin, it may be best to stick to a light, oil-free moisturizer so as not to overwhelm your skin. Dry skin, on the other hand, may fare better with heavy moisturizers. But whatever your skin type, don’t skip out and always moisturize.
Pro tip: Look for humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and urea in your moisturizers. These retain water in the upper layer of the skin.
- Eye Cream
Like previously mentioned, cold weather makes your skin age faster. The skin around the eye area is delicate so it needs its share of tender loving care, especially during winter.
Find an eye cream that is not only hydrating, but also has anti-aging properties. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid for hydration. Collagen and elastin will also help restore your skin’s youthful glow.
- Sunscreen
Winter means spending more time indoors, and spending more time indoors means not having to use sunscreen, right? Wrong. Sunscreen is a need for every season.
Not seeing the sun doesn’t equate to not experiencing its effects. Indoor lighting and your computer screen can harm your skin, still. People with lighter complexion are also more at risk for irritation from UV rays, as they have less melanin that acts as a natural protection.
Remedy this issue by choosing a sunscreen that you can layer over your skincare. There are various kinds that are lighter or heavier, depending on your skin type and existing routine.
Achieving Glass Skin
Keep in mind that adjusting your skincare regimen for winter won’t produce overnight results. Address your skin’s problem areas during the season and give it time to heal and clear up. Slow and steady wins the race.
Build a solid routine, stick to it, and celebrate your own skin! In the end, the pursuit of glass skin is about the pursuit of healthy skin, and not a trend you have to keep up with.
Meta Title: Keeping Your Skin Fresh and Hydrated During the Winter Season
Meta Description: The frigid winter cold is one of the skin’s biggest enemies, but this doesn’t mean that glass skin isn’t possible. It just takes a good skincare routine.
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