While winter weddings are certainly romantic, winter is not the best time for your skin to be front and center. Chilly temperatures and dry indoor heating can do a number on the smooth, supple complexion you’ve been perfecting in the months leading up to your wedding.
Luckily, dry winter skin is preventable – if you know what you’re doing. That’s why we put together these winter skin care tips! Keep reading to find out how to prep skin for a winter wedding.
Winter Skin Tips for Brides
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
When the temperature drops, so do humidity levels, and the resulting dry air can zap the moisture right out of your skin. Thus, your summer moisturizer isn’t going to cut it during the winter months.
Replace your usual moisturizer with a thicker formula that includes ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help skin hold onto moisture. Further amp up the hydration factor by using a moisturizing mask once or twice per week.
The result? Your skin maintains its beautiful dewy glow – even in the dead of winter.
Stock Up on Blueberries
Eating more antioxidants can preserve your complexion by neutralizing glow-stealing free radicals from pollution, UV radiation, and stress. Antioxidant-rich superfoods like blueberries, cranberries, squash, and pumpkins are all in season, so make sure you add them to your grocery list.
…Or Apply Antioxidants Topically
Antioxidants don’t just benefit your skin when you eat them. Some antioxidants are actually more effective when applied directly to the skin.
Ask your dermatologist for creams that include ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, or resveratrol. These can create a barrier on your skin, protecting it from environmental stressors.
Play with Climate Control
Indoor heating can spell disaster for a luminous bridal complexion, so avoid cranking the heat at home. You might be a bit more chilly than you like, but you’ll save on your energy bills!
Invest those savings in a humidifier, which adds water back into the dry air. Aim for 45-55% humidity, which is the optimal level for skin hydration.
Say Goodbye to Hot Showers
Long hot showers feel great (especially when the weather is cold!), but they strip skin of its natural moisturizing oils. Take quick, lukewarm showers instead. When you step out of the shower, apply moisturizer while skin is still damp to lock in hydration.
Perfect Your Pout
When planning your winter skincare strategy, don’t forget about your lips! If your bridal makeup look includes a bold lipstick shade, then a dry, flaky pout is the last thing you want.
It’s easier to prevent chapped lips than to treat them, so wear a lip balm with SPF 30 every day and reapply frequently. We also recommend using a sugar scrub on your lips weekly to gently exfoliate them, keeping them smooth and flake-free.
Protect Your Skin
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear sunscreen. Wear a daily moisturizer with SPF to protect skin against photoaging and sunburn. SPF protection is especially critical if you’ve been undergoing treatments to fade hyperpigmentation and scarring. Otherwise, you might undo all your hard work!
If you’re planning on being outdoors for long periods of time (like if you’re going skiing), layer exposed skin with a protective ointment to keep it from getting chapped and inflamed.
Discuss with Your Dermatologist
Any bride’s first step in her bridal beauty timeline should be talking to a board-certified dermatologist. Make sure your dermatologist knows that your wedding will take place in winter. This will help them to design a custom beauty plan that will fit your needs. Need some advice or interested in learning more about our advanced treatments? Contact us at: info@saddickprod1.wpengine.com
Overall, the best way to avoid dry winter skin is to stay ahead of it. Start following these winter skin care tips now and your skin will be healthy, hydrated, and luminous on your big day.
Want to learn more about ways to maintain a glowing look, even in winter? Sadick Dermatology has some of the best dermatologists in NYC. Call us at 212-772-7242 and one of our highly-experienced staff will be pleased to assist you.
