Get your best skin this winter with these key skincare ingredients

With every season should come a new skincare regime, but we can all admit we sometimes don't take as much care as we should with what we put on our skin.

If your skin has started to feel the effects of the cold weather, it isn't too late to do something about it.

We caught up with Dr Mervyn Patterson, Cosmetic Doctor at Woodford Medical, to find out the skincare routine and must-have skincare ingredients he recommends for winter skin.

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What changes might we see in our skin during winter?

"Dry, cold weather can lead to dehydration and fracturing of the stratum corne­um barrier. What is particularly harmful is the sudden contrast as we move from the cold outdoors to the warm heated environment in our homes and offices.

"Essentially, what happens is the surface barrier consisting of flattened epidermal cells and thin layers of lipids that lie between the cells becomes disrupted.

"This ‘external skin barrier’ is the roof of the skin and is essential to protect us from elements in the environment and also helps retain water in the deeper skin."

Characteristics of winter skin

With the science-y bit out of the way, how can you tell if your skin is suffering? Here are the signs and symptoms:

• Itching

• Dehydrated skin

• Visible scaling and flaky skin

• Dullness, redness and chapping

Which types of products should you introduce to combat these signs?

Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Hyaluronate)

A moisture-binding ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture.

Date fruit extract

This stimulates collagen, and has anti-inflammatory and barrier repairing properties.

Apple fruit extract

This gentle, anti-inflammatory ingredient calms irritation and improves signs of ageing.

Safflower extract

This works to repair the skin barrier; anti-inflammatory properties; provides skin firming benefits.

Avocado extract

This provides anti-inflammatory and barrier repair properties, while firming the skin.

Flax extract (linseed)

This provides anti-inflammatory properties, and also stimulates collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are important to help maintain and support collagen and elastin. GAGs also promote the ability of the collagen and elastin fibres to retain moisture.

Winter skincare regime

Dr Patterson recommends that you stick to a cleansing, toning and moisturising routine to keep your skin healthy during winter. He explains,

"A daily regime can be the asset to stay ahead of the colder temperatures so here are some suggestions for your daily winter skin care regime to maintain healthy, beautiful skin this winter."

I recommend this Epionce cleanser to gently remove makeup and impurities without disturbing healthy oils in the barrier that are essential to hydration.

Applying the Balancing Toner after cleansing gives the skin humectants that hold in moisture.

Then, use the Epionce Renewal Facial Lotion or the richer Intensive Nourishing Cream.

Here are some of our other winter skincare favourites:

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