The bitter, cold weather can be harsh on your skin barrier. Ensure that you have these 5 skincare ingredients in your arsenal to keep your skin healthy, happy, and hydrated.

When the winter months and colder weather roll around once again, we anticipate the change in our skin's barrier as the dry air, colder temperatures, and indoor heat can wreak havoc on our complexion. Dry skin, skin sensitivity, skin tightness, irritation, and everything in between can lead to more serious problems such as inflammation, rough texture, redness, cracked skin, and in severe cases, it can even turn into skin disorders such as eczema or dermatitis.

So, what can you do about it to stop this from happening? If this sounds like you, you need to keep reading as these 5 skincare ingredients are essential for your winter skincare routine to keep your complexion happy all season long.

5 Ingredients To Transform Winter Skin Overnight

Changing to a winter skincare routine can quite literally, transform your skin overnight. The increased moisture and hydration can replenish thirsty skin very quickly. Think beyond just layering a thick layer of rich cream onto your skin and instead consider introducing weekly face masks, a luxurious face oil, or a relaxing face mist into your evening routine for an instant boost.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is an emollient. Emollients tend to be thicker and richer than a traditional moisturiser making them ideal for strengthening the vulnerable skin barrier and repairing dry, rough, and flaky skin textures. While many people find products with shea butter too rich throughout the rest of the year, it's perfect for a winter skin routine.

Which Products Contain Shea Butter?

ZENMED Omegaceramide+ Recovery Moisturizer: Formulated with shea butter plus omega 3 fatty acids and hyaluronic acid, this moisturiser offers extreme hydration for all skin types, even sensitive skin.

Dermaceutic K Ceutic SPF 50: First created to be used after clinical treatments such as laser and peels, this post-treatment cream successfully helps to repair, nourish, and soothe dry skin with additional high-protection sunscreen.

Eminence Organic Firm Skin Acai Moisturiser: Love organic products? This skin-plumping moisturiser includes shea butter and botanical hyaluronic acid to leave the skin barrier plump and rejuvenated.

HydroPeptide Solar Defense Hand Guard SPF 15: Don't neglect your hands! This hand cream protects against extreme climates as well as hydration levels. Wrap your hands up in this luxurious hand cream and apply cotton gloves before going to bed for your softest skin yet.

Hyaluronic Acid

One of the more well-known skincare ingredients, hyaluronic acid is a gooey, slippery fluid that lightly layers onto the skin easily while holding up to 1000 times its weight in water to aid in drawing moisture to the skin's surface. We naturally create our own supply of hyaluronic acid but as with everything when it comes to ageing, our own supply of hyaluronic acid starts to deplete and diminish with age and we need to replace it topically with a hyaluronic acid serum or product(s) containing hyaluronic acid.

Which Products Contain Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid products are generally easy to find as they are usually listed in the product name title. However, these are our favourites:

Rejuvenated H3O Hydration: Hydrate your skin from within with this delicious daily drink. H30 Hydration is designed to optimise hydration throughout the day and supply an array of antioxidants to tackle the stresses you place on your body daily.

PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask: Wake up with perfectly plump skin after sleeping in this mega moisture mask. This potent leave-on hydrating mask works overnight to deliver intense hydration and reverse the signs of ageing during your sleep.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Cloud Cream Cleanser: Drench your skin in hydration with this creamy cleanser. A non-stripping, fragrance-free gentle cleanser that effectively removes make up, excess oil, and impurities all in one application.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is arguably the most well-known and popular antioxidant on the market. Antioxidants are outstanding multi-taskers and are revered for their skin-supporting properties; from brightening dull skin types, protecting your skin against free facials, reducing pigmentation, and decreasing facial inflammation amongst many other benefits to reveal bright and smooth skin. Amazing, right? Vitamin C is an essential step in everybody's skincare routine and, if you aren't currently using one, you need to immediately.

Emerging research showcases depleted levels of vitamin C in ageing and photodamaged skin. As well as skin benefits, vitamin C is celebrated for the immune system and offers over-arching well-being benefits. This super skincare ingredient is particularly useful this time of year as its anti-inflammatory properties actively help to repair a damaged skin barrier.

Which Products Contain Vitamin C?

Vitamin C products are generally easy to find too as they are usually listed in the product name title. However, these are our favourites:

iS CLINICAL Pro-Heal Serum Advance+: A powerful anti-inflammatory to reduce redness and inflammation on the skin. This serum actively encourages skin healing while soothing and protecting delicate skin.

Neostrata Enlighten 15% Vitamin C + PHA Serum: A potent brightening pure Vitamin C serum, formulated with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, clinically proven to target the look of dark spots, skin discoloration and texture. Plus, Polyhydroxy Acid gently exfoliate the skin's surface to remove dead skin cells and keep skin hydrated.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Vit C: Protect from within! Skin Vit C offers an array of benefits and is a recommended vitamin supplement for anyone looking to enliven dull skin and those concerned with premature ageing, uneven skin tone, and environmental aggressors.

Squalane

Squalane is also a powerful antioxidant. Squalane is a highly effective emollient that mimics the skin's natural sebum production and locks in moisture. Due to this ability, it can help to slow down the ageing process to reduce skin wrinkles, general skin ageing, and most importantly, add moisture to dry skin. As your body produces less and less squalene, dry skin and dry hair can become a normal occurrence.

Which Products Contain Squalane?

PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm: Infused with hydrolyzed silk, antioxidants, and jojoba seed oil; this non-greasy rich cream is ideal for skin susceptible to harsh or cold climates.

ENEOMEY Repair Cream: A skin repair cream to calm and nourish sensitive skin, reduce redness, and aid in regeneration.

Jan Marini Transformation Cream: A superb moisturising base also containing growth factors, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and beta-glucan.

CLINICCARE Refresh Serum: Containing a cocktail of essential skincare ingredients for the colder months; this potent serum restores health to damaged tissue and strengthens the skin to achieve a fresher, healthier-looking complexion. It also helps to soothe sensitive skin and minimise inflammation.

Ceramides

Ceramides are naturally found in our skin and they make up a minimum of half of all the lipids within the skin barrier. Our skin barrier keeps moisture in; but also keeps unwanted things out. So, ceramides are pretty important. When our skin feels dry, vulnerable, and compromised it means that our ceramide count is low and needs topping up topically via skincare products ASAP.

Which Products Contain Ceramides?

PRIORI Barrier Restore Complex: Strengthen and calm all skin types with this water-based effective moisturiser to prevent moisture loss and irritation. Packed with nutrients and restorative Ceramides, this cream leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and soothed every single time.

ZENMED Omegaceramide+ Elixir In Oil: Love a facial oil? This luxe, herbal oil elixir combines sources of antioxidants with essential fatty acids to replenish the skin barrier. When combined, it gives any moisturiser an instant charge of bioactivity, combining organic oils and herbal extracts that amplify skin health and appearance.

Medik8 Advanced Night Restore: Deeply nourish and visibly firm the look of your complexion with Medik8’s cult-favourite, multi-ceramide night cream. Works overtime to improve the visible signs of ageing, leaving skin with a smoothed, restored, and plumped appearance.

SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2: A unique anti-ageing lipid correction cream containing lipids to help restore the skin's external barrier. Significantly decreases dryness in just 24 hours!

And Which Skincare Ingredients Should I Avoid?

Of course, there are ingredients that you should try to limit; not only during your winter skin routine but, all year round too.

• Harsh cleansers and soap bars: Cleansers that strip the natural oils from your skin can leave the complexion feeling tight and irritated. Switch to hydrating textures instead like oils, milks, and creams.

• Mineral oil: Mineral oil is controversial as it can clog pores. It is best to avoid it where possible.

• Oil-free skincare: While oil-free products may be ideal in the summer months, oil is an essential component for healthy skin during the winter.

• Benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, and active ingredients: If your skin is irritated and cracked then exfoliating skin care products like salicylic acid should be avoided as it will increase skin sensitivity. If you have a healthy complexion, feel free to use them!