The cold weather is here, what does that mean for your skin?

When the weather gets cold everything constricts in a protective response. Exposure to low temperatures stimulates cold receptors of the skin and puts the sympathetic nervous system into action. Sympathetic stimulation causes vascular constriction in your skin, arms and legs and all energy goes towards delivering blood where oxygen is most needed during this fight or flight response. Skin becomes of secondary importance when you are exposed to very cold temperatures. Thus always bundle up and keep your skin and body warm.

Many people experience skin dryness, dehydration and sensitivity during cold months. And as if cold weather was not enough, our body needs to constantly adjust between the exposure to the drying indoor heating and the outdoor cold temperatures often accompanied by equally cold winds.

As a result of this temperature roller-coster and cold constricted tissues, your skin produces less sebum, becomes tighter, dryer and has difficulty to retain moisture. It also has difficulty absorbing what you apply to it.
Even though your body as a whole adjusts to cold temperatures and with time can cope better, cold temperatures continue to present your skin with challenges throughout the season.

Applying heavier, more protective and deeply moisturizing products is definitely the way to go during the Canadian fall/winter. But when skin is tight and dry and has a hard time holding on to moisture it is important to know how to practice your skin care in the most effective way.

So what can you do to help the skin healing botanical formulas absorb as intended and have the greatest impact on the health of your skin during the cold season?

1.
Keeping the skin barrier healthy and intact is a no brainer. If your skin’s  protective layer is compromised how can your skin thrive? Oil cleansing offers a perfect support for healthy skin barrier. Do not use any harsh products which strip the skin and disturb its precious microflora: No harsh drying foaming cleansers, no sharp grainy exfoliants, no acid peals, no resurfacing treatments… . I know there are different opinions out there and this is mine based on the holistic approach to life and skin care.

2.
Warm purified water compressing, to increase blood flow, relax, soften, hydrate and open pores for better absorption of serums, oils and balms.

3.
Adding skin hydrating, softening and soothing herbal infusions to your facial compressing like: marshmallow, burdock, calendula and lavender.

4.
Adding heavier more protective face products to your skin care practice such as face balms.

5.
When needed adding a very gentle exfoliation to assist with dead skin cell shedding.

6.
Adding a weekly skin softening, soothing facial mask (WD facial mask coming soon)

7.
Dry skin brushing your body to stimulate lymph flow and sebaceous gland function. This way your body will produce more of its natural moisturizer - sebum. Use a natural bristle brush only. Choose soft bristles if you have sensitive skin.

8.
Taking relaxing warm baths in purified water enriched with herbal infusions and/or essential oils. Marshmallow, calendula, oats, lavender... made into a strong infusion and added to bath water are great. When your body feels warm and relaxed and skin pores are open you will benefit greatly from the healing properties of botanicals which you choose. You can add your favourite essential oils to the mix, first blending them into a bit of a lipid oil like almond, olive or camellia … and then dropping them into the bath water.

9.
Face and body massage (now is the time to visit a massage therapist who works with warm oils, long relaxing and warming strokes.
It is wonderful to know how to take care of ourselves but it is very important from time to time to simply lie down and receive care from an attentive therapist.

10.
And last but not least, skin health also starts from within! So strive to feed your body the best you can. Pay attention to your stress levels and mental health. Sometimes we get so busy, so wound up that we don’t even notice a downward spiral. Make time to meditate and stretch and breath and most of all know that you are worthy and the world needs you to shine the brightest you can.

Love and Light,

Magdalena xo

Your Winter Skin

Winter is here in full swing, and your skin may be feeling dry, dehydrated, dull or it may be itchy. I’ve prepared some holistic skin care info and a few tips to help you ride the wave.

Before we get to remedies though, it will be helpful to understand that the words ‘dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ are often used interchangeably to describe the state of our skin. However they shouldn’t be because they mean two different things.

DEHYDRATED SKIN refers to the skin which lacks the proper moisture/water level. Dehydration often presents itself through fine lines, lack of elasticity or roughness of the skin. Anyone of any skin type can experience dehydration, even people with oily skin. It may be caused by a disrupted skin barrier and trans-epidermal water loss and/or general dehydration throughout the body.

DRY SKIN refers to the skin which does not produce a sufficient amount of oil / sebum. Skin dryness often presents itself through tightness, itchiness, lack of lustre, and the skin may feel like it lacks volume and is thin …  People on the dry skin type spectrum are most prone to dryness and are most likely to experience the symptoms which come with underproduction of sebum. Dryness can be aggravated by the elements / weather, an improper skin care routine, harsh products, a diet which is insufficient in good fats and poor digestive function.

Dryness and dehydration are also symptoms of our overall health and often come as a pair. Insufficient sebum production and/or a disrupted skin barrier will certainly lead to water loss and dehydration will set in.

YOUR BODY
During the cold months, your skin will thank you for implementing a regular dry skin brushing routine, followed by a shower or bath and full body oiling. Some prefer a slightly different routine (an Ayurvedic way) of body oiling followed by a shower or bath. I personally like to start with dry skin brushing. I love that invigorating feeling that a natural bristle brush provides and the lymphatic fluid movement it initiates. It is amazing to observe how quickly skin turns to softness when cared for this way.

All you'll need is a natural bristle brush, water and oil.

When you are ready to purchase your natural bristle brush make sure to choose a softer one if your skin is more delicate and sensitive. I like a lot of stimulation and the skin on my body can take it, so my brush has a bit more oomph to it. Always go with what feels right to you.

For both dry skin brushing and body oiling start at your feet and work your way up.

The best time for the body routine is in the morning. It will make you feel awake, bright and shiny. And oiling your body will create a sense of protection before you step out into the world. It’s a simple and lovely practice to include in your daily self-care, and your skin will feel like a baby’s bottom as a result.

*Make sure to include good fats in your diet too. Eat avocados, olive oil, flax seed oil, sunflower oil… ,  or for ease add a well-balanced OMEGA 3, 6 & 9 supplement like Udo's Oil which can be found at your health food store.

YOUR FACE
The skin on your face can feel uncomfortable and dry, and it can look a little dull during the winter months. Yet for some it can feel irritated and more red. It’s the wind and sudden changes of temperature - going in and outdoors, the indoor heating… . Extreme climate conditions make it somewhat tricky now to care for your skin, especially when your skin is delicate and sensitive.

Naturally, skin will benefit from more oil during cold months. So upping your application of face oil, face serum or balm is a good idea. This adjustment plus improved dietary intake of healthy fats should take care of replenishing oil and creating a more effective protective layer to shield your skin from harsh winter elements or indoor heating; assuming that you are not using any harsh products which keep disrupting the natural and vital skin barrier and your skin’s microflora. A good  example are sand like textured exfoliants or skin care products containing acids.

*Sipping on warm purified water throughout the day will help to rehydrate your body at the deeper levels and eventually you will see the benefits in your skin too. But be patient. Rome was not built in one day. Your body will replenish water where it needs it most first. Because your skin is not a primary organ as far as your survival goes it is not the first one in line for rehydration. So keep on sipping patiently:)


LAYERING PRODUCTS
Sometimes, Face Mist followed by Face Oil or Face Balm does not feel like it’s enough. If you’ve never tried it before, you may want to experiment with a more complex layering of your products. What would that look like?

If you feel that dehydration is part of your concern, double misting with your Facial Mist is a great idea. How to double mist? Generously mist your cleansed face and press the mist with the palms of your hands into your skin. When it feels like your skin absorbed it, follow with another generous mist. Again press into the skin and follow with your Face Oil or Face Serum.

Warm up a few drops of Face Oil or Face Serum between the palms of your hands and press it gently into your skin.

Finish with applying a small amount of Face Balm. Now work your products into your skin and massage it gently as a final touch.

I can’t say it enough - oil cleansing is amazing, supports a healthy skin barrier and feeds beneficial micro-flora on your skin! You will find it very helpful especially during cold weather. If you are not doing it yet, please check it out. Here are the instructions to oil cleansing 


ADDITIONAL WINTER CARE

• Don’t forget about your lips and make sure to moisturize them regularly.

• If you don’t use eye care, now can be a good time to add it for extra softness and protection around your eyes.

• A fresh avocado mask is simple and can be applied on a weekly basis to improve winter skin health.

• You can exfoliate 1-2 times a week but with a very, very gentle non-invasive product only. Stripping of the skin = increased skin vulnerability, disruption of the natural skin barrier, increased trans-epidermal water loss and diminished skin health overall.

• Marshmallow root infusion is excellent for dry winter skin and can be used in skin compressing. If you don’t have access to a good quality marshmallow root but would like to make infusions for compressing, let us know. We have plenty in our apothecary and can make it available to you:)

I trust that this will be a good start to taking care and improving your winter skin. Please let us know if you have any questions.

If you are experiencing complex skin challenges, make a note that I do offer skin care consultations and will be happy to provide insight, support and personalized recommendations. To book an appointment contact us at hello@womandivine.ca

Wishing you a lovely week,

Magdalena xo

Why do you need both water and oil to moisturize your skin?

A client asked recently why it is important to always use rose hydrosol with facial oils, serums and balms. 

I will start by saying that it does not need to be specifically rose hydrosol. I like recommending rose because it is wonderful for the skin and it works well with most people. You can always opt for a different kind of hydrosol: Frankincense, chamomile, lavender, sandalwood … all depending on your skin needs.

In the context of holistic skin care practice, we love using hydrosols because of their healing properties and support, which they offer to encourage healthy skin function. They pair wonderfully with facial herbal oils, serums and balms and complement each other in the process of healing and moisturizing the skin. But if you ever run out of hydrosol you can use purified water or herbal infusion. Herbal infusion however is not a simple ‘mist and go’  and will require more work.

Why do you need both water and oil to moisturize your skin?

In simple terms your skin naturally produces sweat (the water component) and sebum (the oil component) and together with other components they create a protective layer on your skin which is called the Acid Mantle. This protective layer is part of the broader Skin Barrier which besides prevention of moisture loss, keeps out viruses, bacteria, foreign substances and modulates skin immune responses.  

When we work with a holistic approach to skin care, we like to observe and learn from natural skin behaviour. 

Rather than forcing the skin to behave in a specific way by treating it with harsh chemicals or invasive procedures, we choose to gently support natural skin function and we mimic what skin naturally does. 

Face oils, serums and balms are waterless formulas yet your skin needs both water and oil (sweat and sebum) to create the protective layer. This is one of the main reasons why we always need a water component (hydrosol) applied together with an oil component (face oil, serum, balm).

If only oil is applied to the skin it will most certainly dry the skin out over time. It will create an imbalance and have a ‘suffocating’ effect on the skin. 

The ratio of hydrosol to oil, serum or balm depends on your constitution, present skin condition and the particular season of the year. Your skin care professional can help you determine all of the above.

For most, summer and hot weather calls for a generous mist of hydrosol and a little less oil.  Why? Because in hot weather we sweat a lot (water loss) and we naturally produce more sebum.

As the weather gets colder, you will find that tissues contract, sweating has much diminished and applying more oil, serum or balm feels very good and helps your skin maintain its balance.