By Ewelina Szybinska
Tight skin and chapped lips, welcome winter! Taking care of your skin becomes that little bit more awkward and difficult during the winter months. Many of us can experience constant skin irritation including redness. Acne may also seem to be worse during this cold season. Why does our skin look worse in winter? There are many reasons for this. The dramatic temperature difference as we leave the indoors. It’s no secret that our skin protective barrier will come across harsh winds. Furthermore, we can’t exclude other factors such as our diet and lack of sleep. Although, the environmental factors cannot be fully avoided, there are solutions waiting!
Acne appears worse
If your skin breaks out from time to time during the warmer seasons and you suddenly find yourself breaking out more during winter, do not panic. It is quite common. Our skin tries to protect itself from the cold winds and low temperatures. In doing so, it makes a lot of sense, that oil production increases. More oil? Yes, and that can be a small challenge to those with oily skin to begin with. It is all about good exfoliation, however cleaning your face too often can strip the protective barrier and cause more damage than good. You may wonder what is the recommended routine? This is where things become a little unclear. Every dermatologist will agree that routines will vary from person to person. There is no one solution that will work for all. Now, after reading many reviews and trying out products myself, I may have found a hidden gem regarding cleansing. You may have heard of the brand The Inkey List. It quickly became a competitor to The Ordinary, which I have been using for over a year now. I decided to see whether The Inkey List would live up to my expectations that I usually have from my The Ordinary skincare products. To my surprise, I have swapped my routine and it may be for the better.
The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser
The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser helps to manage oil production and can be safely used in the both the morning and the evening, the product carefully penetrates through the skin to remove any dirt and successfully unclogs pores. If you are more prone to congestion, salicylic acid will become your best friend. I then follow up with The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum. The serum is bottled in a 30ml pump bottle which makes the application effortless. The formula once applied, immediately tightens the skin pores. It is recommended to leave the product to soak in for ten minutes before continuing with other products. Within one week of daily use in the a.m. and in the p.m., any dark blemishes begin to fade into your skin.
Irritation and redness
Winter will put your skin through a difficult battle against harsh winds. Often resulting in increasing redness and irritation. Cold temperatures easily dehydrate your skin, leaving the skin unprotected. Those who are prone to redness, might experience further flaring up. It is important to keep in mind that our favourite spicy food choices as well as alcohol can further contribute. Vitamin C is the magic healer. 
The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum further helps to minimize redness during wintertime. It can also combat hyperpigmentation. Ensure you choose a Vitamin C product that will be safe to use alongside other preferred serums. Although it is easy to assume that sunlight rays only affect our skin during the summertime, it is important to note that levels of UVA are affecting us all year round. Yes, you still need to use SPF. In order to protect your skin from aging, darkening of blemishes as well as irritation and redness, include at least an SPF 30 in your routine.
Chapped Lips
We are all guilty of licking our lips in the cold! To provide a simple explanation, saliva contains digestive enzymes. Once those meet the lipid barrier, it will begin to encourage dryness which can worsen and, in many cases, lead to eczema. Always carry around an effective lip treatment balm with you. 
Choices become endless; however, your favourite lip balm might be causing more harm than good. Avoid balms that contain hyaluronic acid and glycerin. According to dermatologists, those ingredients can promote irritation and lip sensitivity. What should you look for in a lip balm? Petrolatum as well as beeswax and shea butter are excellent for preventing dehydration. The ingredients ideally succeed in lip protection and repairment. Extra moisture will come from ingredients such as coconut or jojoba oil.
Bioderma atoderm lip moisturizing stick is a balm created by a French pharmaceutical company Bioderma. Not only does it nourish the lips, but it further provides strengthening benefits. It works for me due to its hypoallergenic advantage. This balm contains shea butter and golden seaweed extract, which further promotes hydration. There is a natural raspberry flavouring to it, which may not suit some.
