The winter season requires intense hydration, as well as protection and comfort. Serums and comforting creams should take center stage in our daily skincare routine.
It’s important to reassess the specific needs of each client’s skin. Your esthetician should adjust your beauty ritual with the seasons. A good first step in your routine includes a cleanser—either a makeup remover/cleanser—and a treatment lotion, followed by a serum and a cream perfectly suited to your skin’s needs at the moment.
At this time of year, it’s very likely that we need to change our serum and/or skincare cream. The two go hand in hand! Both products must provide hydration and deliver essential lipids.
Hydration is achieved by using sterile water, AHAs, humectants, sorbitols, amino acids, urea, NMF components, and carbohydrates. This helps restore the skin’s natural hydration factor. By rebuilding the hydrolipidic film, we slow down water evaporation while restoring the intercellular cement. Lipids are also essential to restore comfort to the skin, providing enhanced protection and defense. Precious oils, often plant-based, are excellent for this purpose.
For effective and lasting results, cosmetology widely incorporates polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and esters. Butters and oils—such as shea butter or argan oil—are also frequently used. Plant waxes, phospholipids (a component of cell membranes), plant-derived squalene (a natural constituent of sebum), and sphingolipids (ceramides, which are part of the intercellular cement) are key ingredients in creating a reparative and protective emulsion.
Age, hormonal changes, and climate variations make our skin more vulnerable. To maintain overall skin health, it is essential to use the best products that provide all the necessary components for its protection and/or restoration.
Some laboratories offer product lines specifically designed for skin protection, making them ideal for winter. These products are particularly beneficial for dry and sensitive skin types.
Martine Bisaillon
Esthetician and Trainer
