Have you ever wondered why your fine lines and wrinkles look more prominent during winter? Well, it's not your imagination, because there’s a real reason for this. You see, winter is probably the least helpful of all the seasons when it comes to the look and feel of your skin.

Read on to find out why and what steps you can take to put your fine lines and wrinkles firmly back in their place during the unhelpful winter months!

Your Quick Winter Workshop

Winter brings with it low humidity (air with low water vapour) thanks to the colder temperatures which make it harder for the air around us to retain moisture. This is why the air "feels drier" in winter.

Why does this matter? Well, dry, cold weather and low humidity literally makes your skin’s vital natural moisture content evaporate into the air more easily. Leaving your skin dehydrated. And dehydrated skin, as you know, makes your complexion appear less plump, rough and uneven-looking. In fact, more ‘dried prune’ than ‘fresh plum’ if you will! We exaggerate, but you see where we’re coming from…

And what’s worrying is that if you leave your skin in a continued state of winter dehydration, these lines will become more and more creased, turning into permanent wrinkles rather than seasonal folds. Far from ideal.

The good news is there are some very simple ways to combat dehydrated skin and help keep your wrinkles from looking worse during the winter months. We’ve rounded up five of the best!

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1. Be Extra Kind When You Cleanse

Cleansing is often looked over as nothing more than a way to keep your skin clean. But this is a big mistake. In fact, cleansing is the very foundation of healthy, hydrated skin. Get it wrong with harsh ingredients and an over-zealous technique and you will never be rewarded with the fabulous skin you deserve. Start as you mean to go on, however, and your skin will have its best chance at retaining moisture and staying plump, soft, supple and strong.

Our delicate Crystal Cleanser is ideal during winter as it not only removes any dirt and debris that’s built up on your skin, but it’s also formulated with apricot, sunflower and avocado oils to hydrate and soften your skin. Use it twice daily for the best results.

Pro Tip: Exfoliating your face and neck with Natural Luminosity Scrub is a very important step for dehydrated skin as it loosens dead skin cells to help the rest of your moisturising routine penetrate your skin more effectively. Just remember: go carefully – no excess scrubbing is needed here, thanks very much!

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2. The Heat Is Not On

Hot water may feel lovely when it’s brass monkeys outdoors, but it’s a devil where your skin is concerned.

How so? Well, hot water compromises the important barrier protection that sits on the uppermost layer of your skin, stripping it of vital moisture and essential oils. And skin that’s lacking in moisture is a fast track to dehydration, tightness, fine lines and irritation.

As luxurious as it might feel, avoid washing your face in scorching water or lounging in long, hot showers and baths.

Stick to lukewarm, room temperature water and limit yourself to 15 minute baths and five minute showers.

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3. Strengthen Your Barrier Function

The uppermost layer of your skin consists of around 20 layers of cells which act like a brick wall to safe-guard your skin, keeping moisture in, toxins out and basically helping to keep you alive. This super important layer is called the stratum corneum, or your skin’s barrier function and it’s vital for keeping your skin soft, hydrated and less vulnerable to damage from environmental aggressors.

When it becomes compromised, however, your skin is unable to retain lipids and water, resulting in dryness and dehydration.

Word to the wise: look after our skin’s barrier function by avoiding harsh detergents and soaps, protecting your skin from the sun no matter the weather (hello Organic Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 25!) and keeping your skin well moisturised at all times with Imperial Moisturiser and our deeply nourishing Night Elixir.

Need To Know: If you think you're safe from the sun's damaging rays in the winter months you need to read on. Partly cloudy skies are said to block around only 10% of UV radiation whereas some dense but scattered clouds have proven to reflect even more intensely! Do not be fooled by overcast skies.

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4. Layer Up Your Products

Moisturising your skin is the most obvious way to keep your skin hydrated, but it’s also the most effective. So, what are some of the best ingredients to look out for in your moisturiser? Well, you must look out for formulations that add both hydration and moisturisation – because they’re two quite different things.

FACT: Hydration is all about pumping your skin with moisture, while moisturisation is more about sealing moisture into your skin.

Our Imperial Moisturiser, contains vegetable glycerin, hyaluronic acid, shea butter and plenty of botanical oils, making it an all-round powerhouse of a moisturiser. But oftentimes, one moisturiser isn’t enough, so to really hit dehydration where it hurts try layering different formulations. Apply Pre-Eminent Serum first, followed by Imperial Moisturiser, then Organic Age-Defying Facial Oil. Honestly, it doesn’t get better!

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5. Mind Your Ps and Ss

Finally, to give your skin a fighting chance against winter hydration, it’s prudent to avoid parabens and sulphates across all your skincare products.

Parabens are a group of preservatives often used to prolong the shelf-life of cosmetics and help prevent mould and bacteria. However, they can cause major irritation and sensitivities in certain skin types by compromising your important barrier function.

Sulphates, meanwhile, are chemical surfactants that remove dirt, sebum and other debris from the surface of your skin. They’re a little TOO effective if truth be told, also having the potential to irritate and dry out the skin.

If you want to keep your skin super hydrated during the winter months and beyond then give these two a miss.

And great news: all of our HIGHBORNS are completely free from both parabens and sulphates so you’ve no worries there!