As we transition into the colder months, our skin and body’s needs change, as does our environment. More heating, less daylight hours and changes in diet all create a stress on our bodies that can take its toll if not addressed. As you experience these changes, you may find your existing skincare isn’t quite meeting your needs at this point in time, The trouble with changing your skincare products is that it’s almost impossible to choose the right product unless you know exactly what you’re looking for. The same product might yield completely different results on two different skin types, or it might not work at all. The ingredients used in skincare products, and the amount, makes all the difference. Even after extensive researching, you may find conflicting advice or not know where to begin interpreting the information on the label.
As a Regenerative Skin Therapist, I understand the mechanisms of your skin’s adaptation mode and know that cell nutrition becomes increasingly important as the starting point for assisting this adjustment and maintaining the health of all the integrated systems that contribute to overall skin wellness.
This type of skincare may sound intimidating, but I strive to make it easy for you as I guide you. Let’s explore the main difference between regular skincare and cellular focused skincare:
Regular skincare refers to the topical nutrients applied which provide skin with barrier support and temporary comfort. These products, readily available in self selection outlets such as pharmacy or department store and will certainly help the skin feel more moisturised and protected, but for long term health of the skin, more is required. These over-the-counter skincare products are designed for customers who self-diagnose skin issues, so they have lower concentrations of active ingredients to minimise the chances of incorrect diagnosis and any ensuing negative reactions.
Cellular focused skincare, on the other hand, refers to nutrients that are specifically targeted at a cellular level to support and optimise the function of individual cells within the body, supplying the cells with specific nutrients they require to function at their best, providing cells with the energy and building blocks necessary to function properly. These products are designed for maximum penetration with higher levels of active ingredients.
Because the skin features a protective barrier that prevents large molecules from penetrating the skin, many over-the-counter products can’t penetrate the skin barrier – they may superficially relieve surface skin concerns, but professional products have the correct molecular weighting to ensure correct delivery of ingredients without irritation. Professional, Cosmedical products contain more potent concentrations and more efficient ingredients. Certain skin concerns may require a higher concentration of the active ingredient than you can find in over-the-counter remedies. As active ingredient levels increase, it becomes even more important to ensure you receive professional guidance. I always customise recommendations to your skin concern. The key to effective skincare is choosing products appropriate for your skin concerns. Using the wrong moisturiser or exfoliant could make skin issues worse. Many over-the-counter products are not formulated with a changing skin type in mind. When I am looking at your skin and discussing your concerns, I will be considering causal factors within the skin, including cellular health, turnover and mitochondria (widely thought of as the engines of your cells) and how the ingredients they have in their skincare will be able to have the best impact.
When putting together a plan that supports the winter needs of your skin, for example: less sunlight hours will impede cellular repair mechanisms and so I may add in a peptide based serum, which has many clinical studies showing its ability to up-regulate repair mechanisms. Addressing changing needs within a cell and ensuring cells repair and thrive, even in adverse circumstances. Surprisingly, I may also emphasise the use of SPF, even indoors and this is often because quality SPFs will contain blue light blockers to minimise deleterious effects of extended indoor living.
An increased emphasis may also be placed on EFAs
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are termed “Essential” because we do not synthesise them in the human body, so it is essential to get them through diet/supplementation or topical application. If you’re anything like us, when you hear “omega fatty acids” you probably immediately think of a fish oil supplement, not necessarily a skincare product. But omega fatty acids are one of those unique ingredients that straddle the line between both the health and beauty worlds, with benefits for your skin that can come both from ingesting them orally and applying them topically.
They are important regulators of mitochondrial structure and function and help regulate the expression of mitochondrial proteins, and structural components in mitochondria. They also up-regulate your own natural anti-inflammatory processes by orchestrating the recruitment of inflammatory cells and regulating gene expression through your own innate antioxidant response element.
We learn a lot about what these essential fatty acids do for us when we look at people who have essential fatty acid deficiency, or EFAD, which significantly affects skin function, people with EFAD experience both increased trans-epidermal water loss which means their skin will likely feel dehydrated, dry, itchy and be sensitive, and have a poorly functioning skin barrier, but topical application of these fatty acids helps improve both hydration and barrier function. In other words, fatty acids help keep the outermost layer of our skin strong and healthy, and subsequently prevent moisture from escaping, while also helping to smooth the surface of the skin and ensuring your skin can function at its healthiest. If I determine that your cells (and skin) will benefit from extra EFAs as the colder, dryer air wreaks its havoc on your skin, I may recommend an internal supplement rich in phospholipids.
Visiting Curated Skin and Wellness to implement a cellular health focused skin plan which can be adjusted and monitored will yield many winter skin benefits, including:
- Improved Energy: Cellular energy production (also referred to as mitochondrial energy production) allowing your cells to break the bonds of nutrient molecules to unleash energy.
- Enhanced Protection: Assisting your skin’s natural antioxidants processes will help maintain cellular health by neutralising free radicals from the metabolic process as well as environmental elements.
- Supporting Biological Reactions: Your skin relies on vitamins and minerals for key processes and reactions, such as protein (Think Collagen and Elastin) and lipid synthesis.
- Optimised Structure (growth and repair): Proteins, lipids and some peptides used by cells to build and/or repair cellular structures.
Contact us here or use our Online Booking tool if you would like a consultation addressing your winter skin concerns, helping you feel more comfortable in your skin, with advantages that will reach much further than the surface and set you well on your way to skin confidence.
