Winters have come, bringing a pleasant atmosphere, but they also come with a challenge for us - to keep our skin happy and healthy! We are all familiar with the skin problems which are specifically associated with winter like dryness, itchy skin, redness or flakiness. While summer goes easy on our skin, winter doesn't go the same, they ask for a more precise skincare routine to combat these harsh weather conditions. Are you ready to upgrade your skincare with active ingredients, better known as winter skincare ingredients?
Here is a quick list of some amazing winter skincare ingredients to fight back winters!
1. Hyaluronic acid
Whether it's summer or winter, doesn't matter much, hydration is something to be top on your skincare list to get glowing skin for winter or summer. It has a tendency to attract and hold water molecules owing to its unique molecular structure, and can also hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Hyaluronic acid intensely moisturizes your skin by making a moisture-lock barrier on your skin's surface. It works wonders to keep your skin plump and hydrated. Apart from preventing rough, dry and flaky skin, hyaluronic acid is packed with plenty of benefits from anti-ageing effects to boost skin elasticity, anti-wrinkle, wound healing and more. Plus, incorporating hyaluronic acid is a must not only to get glowing skin in winter at home but also to enhance the efficiency of other skincare products.
2. AHAs
While AHAs are something which must be used with lots of care in summer as they can increase the sensitivity of the skin to UV damage, Winter is the best time to enjoy AHA benefits for the skin without any worry. AHAs are a group of water-soluble acids which work exceptionally well to exfoliate your skin. These are generally found in most skincare products such as toners, cleaners, moisturizers and serums too. There are many AHAs available in the market to add to your winter skincare ingredients, but your choice plays a crucial role over here. If you are concerned about fine lines, wrinkles or hyperpigmentation, go for glycolic acid which is derived from sugarcane but if you are one with sensitive skin going for lactic acid would be a better idea as it is milder to your skin than other AHAs. Undeniably, this is one of the best active ingredients skincare can have, just make sure you start with a low concentration (5 to 10%) and slowly increase it as your skin tolerates it.
3. Ceramides
Are you wondering about winter skincare with active ingredients? Ceramides are no less than a superhero for your purpose. These are a type of lipids that make up the top of your skin layer and play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Plus, they also prevent water loss, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and act as a shield to your skin from external factors like pollution and UV rays. Whether it's summer or winter, ceramides come at the top of the list of best winter skincare ingredients. Furthermore, there are various ways to incorporate ceramides to get glowing skin for winter at home, go for serums, moisturizers or cleansers which primarily mention ceramides in their ingredient lists. Make sure to choose products that complement best to your skin best, richer creams with ceramides are great if you have dry skin but if you are the one with oily skin, balance your oil production with ceramides gels or light lotions.
4. Niacinamide
If you want to get stronger, brighter and smoother skin, there is better than Niacinamide. One of the popular active ingredients skincare can have is niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3. It helps you to have a stronger skin barrier which makes it an important ingredient to get glowing skin for winter. While boosting overall skin health, it also accelerates the production of keratin, a protein that strengthens skin. Plus it may also regulate oil production, reduce acne and also reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
Just keep in mind that niacinamide takes time to work its magic, so be consistent and patient with your skincare product.
5. Retinol
It's completely unlikely that anyone is unaware of the amazing benefits of retinol. It's one of the most popular active ingredients skincare has, from serums to lotions, all are packed with the power of retinol, a form of vitamin A. It helps to get younger-looking and healthier skin by boosting collagen as well as gives you smoother skin by exfoliating dead skin cells, by promoting cell turnover. Retinol and the sun don't like each other much, so using retinol in summer requires more precautions to be taken, like, always remembering to use sunscreen with higher SPF following retinol skincare. But, as winters have come and the intensity of sunlight is comparatively less, this is the best time to add retinol to your winter skincare ingredients list, but don't even think to avoid sunscreen, as UV can easily penetrate through clouds, sunscreen is a must whether it's summer or winter to protect your skin from sun damage.