The ESK blog

How The Change Of Weather Will Affect Your Skin

21 July 2021

After a long hot summer, it’s almost a relief to feel that chill in the air as winter begins. When the weather changes, you might start to notice some changes in your skin.

You’re not dreaming! A 2018 Danish study published in The British Journal of Dermatology found that “the skin barrier is affected by climatic and seasonal changes.” Winter skin was drier and rougher, and the skin cells actually shrunk, the study found with reduced skin barrier function. (1) This means that not only does eczema get worse in winter, but other skin conditions like rosacea, too.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

1. AVOID SOAP

Soap disrupts the “tight junctions” between your cells and allows water loss. It also disrupts the chemistry of the skin increasing the pH (removing what we call the “acid mantle” that protects your skin from unwanted bacteria and other microbes. Go for a soap free or gentle cleanser instead.

2. MOISTURISE!

Dry skin needs moisture but it also needs improved skin barrier function. Standard moisturisers will help for most skin types but if you have a skin disease like eczema or dermatitis, you might need some extra help. They include:

The natural fats that exist in healthy skin such as ceramides and cholesterol which actually can penetrate the skin and reduce skin permeability.
Emollients like sorbolene and glycerine that help soften the skin.
Natural humectants like glycerol and urea. These seem to help prevent excessive water loss and keep the outer skin layers- the stratum corneum, moisturised and intact.
Occlusives such as petroleum jelly, lanolin, cocoa butter, mineral oil and jojoba oil help prevent excess reduce water evaporation.

3. COSMECEUTICALS FOR WINTER SKIN.

Niacinamide / Vitamin B3

Niacinamide helps prevent Trans epidermal water loss or TEWL which helps retain moisture in the skin. It also helps with improving your skins ability to make ceramides and improves skin cell turnover so you get less rough skin patches. It is also anti inflammatory. (2)

B Calm

B Calm is formulated to support irritable and blemish prone skin while maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Ceramides strengthen resilience, Salicylic Acid exfoliates and calms the skin, and Niacinamide helps regulate oil and reduce the appearance of blemished skin.

Featuring:

- Ingredients to support an improved skin barrier

- Helps manage excess oil production

- Supports a clearer-looking skin

B Quenched

Meet B Quenched, a gentle hydrator designed for irritable skin. Powered by niacinamide and hemp seed oil, it helps support the appearance of a calm, hydrated skin barrier, while helping reduce visible redness. Free from scents, parabens, and sulphates, this pH-balanced formula locks in moisture and keeps irritants at bay. B Quenched leaves skin feeling soft, balanced, and refreshed, perfect for daily use.

Key Benefits

- Helps improve the appearance of hydration and softness

- Supports calm-looking, less inflamed skin

- Evidence-backed ingredients to maintain a resilient skin barrier

Enlighten

Enlighten is specifically designed to help reduce the appearance of pigmentation. This lightweight cream helps to gently create a more even skin tone and hydrate and improve the barrier function of the skin.

While rarely used, 4-n-butylresorcinol (4nB) has some of the best evidence in this arena. Enlighten combines 4nB and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to create a rare combination of gentle yet effective ingredients. Enlighten helps tackle a mottled or uneven skin tone and is suitable for long term daily use

Featuring:

Formulated to help skin look brighter and more even
Gentle, nourishing ingredients suitable for daily use
Supports the appearance of an even skin texture and tone

Vitamin C

In the right formulation vitamin C enhances the skin barrier function as well as helping with skin turnover. Plus it is anti inflammatory. But formulation is critical here! The skin barrier repels vitamin C. It is only when pH levels of your vitamin C preparation are below 3.5 (that’s very acidic!) PLUS the vitamin C is in the form of ascorbic acid, that it can penetrate the skin. (3)(4)

C Serum Lite

C Serum Lite offers the same evidence-backed benefits of Vitamin C in a lighter, non-greasy formula. Packaged in an airless, opaque bottle to maintain stability for maximum effect, this anti-oxidant serum is perfect for use every morning. Designed for a lightly hydrated, brighter and smoother looking skin.

Key Benefits

- Helps create a more even skin tone

- Supports smoother-looking skin and reduces the visible signs of skin aging

- Evidence-based ingredients for hydration and firmness

Sun protection every day

We all think of SPF and sun protection in summer, but it matters in winter, too. While UVB ( think B for burning) peaks in summer, especially between the hours of 10 am and 3pm, UVA (think A for aging) is there 365 days a year, from sunrise to sunset. You mightn’t burn in winter but if you don’t want age related skin damage, a day cream with broad spectrum sun protection (covering both UVA and UVB rays) is essential every day.

Zinc Shade

Zinc Shade is a lightweight matte day cream and primer. Its non-greasy, matte finish allows for smooth application and works well under makeup.

We spent countless iterations perfecting this lightweight, non-greasy formula to avoid the typical white cast and thick feel of zinc products. The results? A matte finish that works beautifully under makeup. With well tolerated matte finish, it's also well suited to irritable and blemish and bump prone skin. With SPF 15 it also provides broad-spectrum sun protection against UVA and UVB rays.

Key features: