5 Ways to Prep Now for Perfect Winter Skin Later

Let's face it, the days will be getting colder, bringing with them an entirely different set of skin problems. If summer is the time for rashes, oiliness, breakouts, and burns, then winter is the season for dryness, split ends, and chapped lips. Fret not, pets, because I chatted with Dermalogica's Education Manager Heather Hickman about how to prep your skin for winter hibernation. So what does she recommend?

1. Start from the inside.

I have to admit, this is one area I often neglect, but as your grandma would say, "You are what you eat!" Following the same old school of thought, Heather advises, "Great skin starts from the inside out. To boost your skin's ability to naturally defend itself from cold, dry environmental conditions, make sure that you are supplementing your diet with lots of essential fatty acids such as evening primrose oil or flaxseed oils."

"It’s a great idea to start to get your skin prepped before fall arrives by incorporating a layer of barrier fortifying ingredients into your skincare program at least one week before that cold weather comes knocking," says Heather. The Dermalogica Barrier Repair is the all-time barrier fortifying formula packed with powerhouse ingredients like Evening Primrose oil and Borage Seed oil which mimic you skin's own natural barrier lipids, naturally shielding you from the drier environmental conditions.

To increase the hydrating capacity of your moisturizer, Heather recommends "adding a dose of Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycosaminoglycan to the mix!" Sounds a little like a chemistry experiment, no? But just a few drops of the Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster is a perfect way to help you avoid any dreaded seasonal dehydration.

The sun still shines in winter, even on days that are overcast, so don’t forget to continue with your usual SPF! Ninety percent of aging comes from the sun which is also one of the main trigger factors for hyperpigmentation on the skin. Try the Solar Defense Booster SPF 50 from the new Daylight Defense Transition line — add to moisturizer and go.

Broken capillaries forming can be a common problem, but to combat those red spiderwebs, Heather says, "It’s a great idea to use any ingredient that can stimulate collagen and elastin content in the skin as this will indirectly help strengthen capillary walls at the same time. Fluctuating temperatures that come from transitioning between indoor outdoor environments can put a strain on those delicate capillaries." Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 in Dermalogica Power Rich is a great all-around product that can also help support your skin's delicate capillary network while simultaneously targeting the signs of aging.

image: Getty