The holidays may be fun, but battling hard-hitting winter weather sure isn't.
This season can be particularly hard on skin, as cold weather and indoor heating work together to strip skin of its moisture. Here's your winter skin care checklist to make sure you're ready to give client skin the TLC they need.
1. Some sweet, sweet barrier lovin'.
It's important to use gentle products to mitigate the risk of accidentally damaging or "overtreating" the barrier.Image by LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock
While the barrier is never something to neglect, nourishing treatments will especially come in handy now to fortify the skin barrier and bolster skin health. Compromised barriers can contribute to and exacerbate skin dryness, irritation and inflammation.
Make sure you have pro-barrier products that your clients can purchase conveniently from you, so that they don't risk re- or further damaging their barrier once they leave your treatment room.
2. Check on your clients with specific conditions.
Winter can further exacerbate eczema since cold air can't hold onto moisture as well.Image by Voyagerix / Adobe Stock.
While we all know that winter can dry skin out, clients with conditions like eczema and psoriasis are extra prone to flare ups in the cold months. Don't be afraid to reach out to your clients with these conditions to give them a gentle nudge if it's been a while since you've seen them. A friendly text can go a long way, and if they do need to re-book, they'll be grateful for the reminder.
Additionally, ensuring you offer products specifically suited to their condition and skin type can be a welcome port in a storm of department store products that may not be able to soothe them, or may risk irritating them further.
3. Spotty conditions—and we don't just mean the weather.
Winter can compromise the skin barrier, meaning more inflammation and increased melanin production.Image by anna.stasiia / Adobe Stock.
Your clients with hyperpigmentation will probably feel spottier than usual, too, and will notice that existing spots are darker. Peels and exfoliation can be great in the winter to get that dry, crusty feeling out of the way, and because clients are probably hunkering down in the immediate aftermath of a treatment anyway, so there are fewer reasons to worry about heightened sun exposure or sweating/swimming off their SPF.
Bring your exfoliating treatments and peels to the top of your menu to unearth a fresh, glowy layer of skin, and be sure to equip clients with everything they need for a responsible and speedy "recovery" to maintain results.
4. Get stingy with hydration.
The Pro Youth -10 Spiced Pumpkin Cream also helps slow the aging process and smells great!Image courtesy of Rhonda Allison.
Moisturizer is a given even in the best of conditions. However, in the winter time, make sure to keep products on hand that don't just renew hydration, but help keep skin hydrated, and mitigate TEWL.
Formulas with humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are a good place to start. Products like Rhonda Allison's Pro Youth -10 Spiced Pumpkin Cream are a great choice, as it deeply hydrates, boosts antioxidant protection and stimulates collagen.
5. We all have a thin skin where irritants are concerned...
Even staying indoors can't protect skin from the winter blues; staying cozy means more exposure to indoor allergens like dander.Image by Asier / Adobe Stock.
Make sure you educate clients on what to avoid, and make sure you leave no stone unturned: ingredients; environmental factors; lifestyle choices like soaps, fragrances, detergents, etc.
If they're interested in what can flare them up in their diet, referring them to a trusted dietician in your network can be valuable, as nutrition professionals can then give them an education on what might be causing adverse reactions, and then help them formulate a plan to replace what they might be cutting out, as needed.
Retailing products that protect, and are proactive will also be a worthy investment that they'll be thankful they had the opportunity to buy safely and accessibly from you.
