The weather has started to change, the heating is on – winter has arrived, which means changes to your skin. Winter can play havoc with the balance of our skin, leading to dry, dehydrated, flaky skin, which can be some of the common signs you may see when the colder temperature arises. Advanced Nutrition Programme™’s philosophy is feeding the skin from within for overall skin health. Their skin researchers reveal the winter skin essentials you need to keep your skin hydrated during the winter and all year round.
Why does our skin change during the winter?
In the colder weather, humidity drops, and central heating is on which means homes are drier. As a result of this, your skin may appear drier, cracked and more sensitive. Reactive and redness can occur due to a disrupted skin barrier and epidermis (outer layer of the skin) due to the seasonal changes.
Changing temperatures have also been shown to strip skin of its protective barrier and Natural Moisturising Factors (NMFs)[4], which results in skin feeling tight and looking red, flaky and dull.
To ensure your skin stays hydrated and youthful looking, the skin researchers at Advanced Nutrition Programme™ recommend the key ingredients and supplements below to add to your skincare regime.
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
Omegas 3 and 6 can support hydration, soothing red, dry, itchy skin. In addition, omegas 3 and 6 help to support the skin barrier function, sealing in moisture and keeping unwanted irritants out. This is key for skin health especially in the colder months when our skin is lacking in moisture.
Their researchers recommend Skin Omegas+, which is the key to radiant, hydrated skin with a synergy of nourishing omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, plus vitamin A. It works like an internal moisturiser, targeting dry skin from head to toe delivering a luminous glow.
Ceramides & hyaluronic acid
Ceramides are a type of lipid, or fat, that are a major component of the top layer of skin.
One of their main benefits is the waterproof, protective barrier they make up on the surface of the skin. This essentially keeps all the good things in and all the bad things out: maintaining skin hydration within the skin while also blocking bacteria and pollutants – very handy for those living in urban areas. If the skin barrier becomes compromised, it can lead to irritation and dryness.
Hyaluronic acid, the other key hydration hero is a substance found naturally in the skin. It maintains collagen and elastin by helping them to retain moisture. Each molecule has the capacity to hold an astonishing 1000 times its own weight in water, making it a powerful hydrator: plumping skin from within to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Ceramides and hyaluronic acid are miraculous moisturising companions – working in harmony to hydrate and protect skin, especially in the colder season.
The skin researchers at Advanced Nutrition Programme™ recommend Skin Moisture IQ for those with dry, dehydrated skin and disturbed skin barriers. The 28-day supplement system contains an expertly curated combination of five intelligent capsules including:
- Skin Moisture Lock
- x2 Skin Omegas+
- Skin Vit A+
- Skin Vitality the modern multivitamin
Each daily dose features key moisturising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins A and D.
Vitamin A plays an important role in supporting the skin barrier [1] and maintaining your body’s natural defences, so it’s key you’re consuming vitamin A in your diet to keep your immune system at its best.
The brand’s researchers recommend Skin Vit A+, which is described as the first step in your skin supplement regime as it supports new skin cells and cell rejuvenation for overall skin health*.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has an array of skin benefits, supporting collagen in the dermis as well as the formation of the skin barrier. Additionally, it acts as a natural antihistamine helping decrease redness or symptoms of itchiness [2] which may be more common during the colder seasons. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant so can help protect your skin from oxidative stress** caused by environmental changes.
Skin Illuminator, one of our dedicated skintellectuals sets features both Skin Omegas+ 180 and Skin Vit C 60 which works in synergy together to brighten, illuminate, and hydrate dull lifeless skin by the ravages of winter. This set is recommended for all skin types and for those seeking a hydrated winter glow.
Skin-friendly bacteria
There is increasing research that shows our overall gut health is very closely linked to skin health, also known as the ‘gut-skin axis’ which refers to the connections between our gut and our skin [3]. The gut and skin both interact with our internal and external environments. This communication is done thorough our body’s microbiomes.
When the gut microbiome is imbalanced either too much bad bacteria, too little diversity or variety, this causes dysbiosis in our skin microbiome, which can result in the skin becoming excessively dry, itchy, and sensitive.
Advanced Nutrition Programme™ recommend™ Skin Youth Biome which features six strains of skin-friendly bacteria to target the seven visible signs of ageing: fine lines, wrinkles, elasticity, uneven skin tone, dullness, dryness & thinning skin.
As the colder months set in, it’s key to feed your body and skin with the right nutrients for overall skin health. Omega fatty acids, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, skin-friendly bacteria, vitamins C and A should be your best friends when it comes to supporting your skin during the winter and achieving a hydrated glow from head to toe.
*Vitamin A contributes to the normal maintenance of skin
**Vitamin C protects the skin from oxidative stress
