Fresh Snow,
Fresh Face!

When one thinks of winter, their mind usually goes to holiday paraphernalia, indulgent and overly-sweetened beverages (that may or may not be spiked), dry air that smells of pine and anticipation, which unnecessarily oversized puffer to purchase next...

While all of the above is correct, we also think of winter as the time for decadent mental repose. By decadent mental repose—a lofty term that we indeed invented moments ago—we mean a time to luxuriously take care of yourself and your mental health, of course! Google Search Trends didn't show a 250% increase in self-care related searches between 2019 and 2020 for us to just ignore the whole concept. While this time of year can elicit cheer, extravagance, and festivities, it can also bring up feelings of anxiety. That is why we want to make every moment of our daily practices intentional—starting with skincare. It’s hard to understand how one’s skin can affect mental health without having endured those obstacles yourself. Whether your skin is sensitive, acne-prone, combination, dry, oily, or otherwise, being intentional with your skincare, for us, begins with the notion that you are not trying to “fix” your skin. Rather, you are trying to nurture it.

As a skincare brand that sells products to alleviate breakouts of all kinds, it may sound counterintuitive to claim that we do not think of our products as “treatments” for skin “problems.” We are intentional with our messaging when we say that we want our products to nourish and support healthy skin. From applying our zit patches, to our sunscreen, to our body products, we want them to do so with the thought that they’re taking care of their skin, and not feeling self-conscious or shaming themselves. Performing a skincare regimen with the conviction that you’re strengthening your flesh suit and not fixing it completely changes the climate of your self-care routine. This, again, is what we mean by decadent mental repose. Your skincare routine should feel luxurious. It should make you feel invigorated—both mentally and physically.

Long winter evenings are a perfect time to pamper your skin and senses. I like to do it by layering skin care ingredients that I can trust, taking warm baths in Epsom salts, reading and listening to guided meditations.

I must admit I am a beauty maximalist and I tend to mix and match quite a few products, including our not-yet-on-the-market formulations. Together with our team, we came up with a great skincare recipe that works brilliantly for all skin types (including sensitive skin), relieves parched complexion, and adds a healthy glow to our winter skin. It is a combination of hyaluronic acid complexes like in our hydrating gel-serum Aquasphere, with 10 potent hydrating ingredients followed by a stable form of vitamin C available in The Future Is Bright oil.
It is important to know what types of vitamin C are good for your skin as not all of them are created equal–ideally look for Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate in the ingredients list. Combining hydrating and brightening ingredients gives beautiful results fast, yet the results intensify with regular use.
With time on your hands, perform a facial massage. We’re fans of celebrity aesthetician Joanna Czech’s technique of gently slapping your face to boost circulation. Joanna often performs the massage with our active-oil-serum 7 Moments with seven potent, innovatively extracted botanicals.
I also love the scent of forest and cardamon as they bring back beautiful memories and they’re great for your senses, too. If you easily turn red or experience a lot of daily stress, reach for our lightweight, yet powerful calming adaptogenic emulsion The Forest Retreat that smells like fir and holistically pampers your complexion. To help your skin with short nights and harsh weather conditions, you cannot go wrong with Algaemania: our multi-targeted protective facial oil supercharged with eco-certified algae complex, marine actives and natural aromatherapeutic cardamom scent.

As soon as the cooler days start to approach, my hands and face start to get very dry and tight. Sometimes it feels like it happens overnight.

I developed our EMBER 04 oil + water duo with a chemist specifically for this time of year, and for people with dry skin all year long. Right now I'm combining about 6 drops of our 04 facial oil and 3-4 sprays of our 04 hydrosol in the palm of my hand, emulsifying them together and spreading them into my face, neck, and decolletage. Sometimes I do two rounds of this depending on how my skin is feeling. I also love to spray our 04 (mandarin)) or 02 (rose otto) hydrosol on my face throughout the day for a little aromatherapy pick-me-up and to keep the hydration going.

If time permits, a round of facial cupping to help it penetrate the oil + water into my skin even further. In my opinion, facial cupping is the best kept secret, super simple and it gives me an instant glow, especially if I feel worn out but am heading out for the evening.

I use our LED Light Therapy mask on repeat this time of year, switching between the skin rejuvenation mode and mood boost mode.

I love warming teas with clove and cinnamon too and my favourite tea is Bengal Spice by Celestial Seasonings. I order two boxes at a time. The Susanne Kaufmann nourishing hand cream and a warm toque and scarf are also a must—I always cover up my neck in the cold!

I absolutely adore the festive end of the year with warm tones, family time, and a cozy atmosphere. It is also the time of year I relish taking a few moments to be intentional about my skin and health routines. Pampering myself with a bubble bath full of Epsom salts and a few drops of bath oils at the end of day is the perfect way to unwind, relax, and take a moment to breathe. The best part of the season is spending time with those I care about most—my family and friends, enjoying the simple pleasures of chatting, relaxing, and eating. During the winter it is important to change my skincare routine in order to help improve the skin barrier, as well as to protect, nourish and hydrate the skin. Gentle AHA cleansers and masks remove dry, dead skin. Enhancing the skin with ingredients to help lock in moisturize and hydrate the skin (ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and stem cells) while also encouraging collagen and elastin production (peptides, Vitamin C, retinol). Retinol is a powerhouse ingredient to use when the days are shorter. As always, beauty sleep is essential to reset the mind and skin. Minimize exposure to environmental hazards such as smoke and sun. Wear sunscreen even in the darker months and try to keep stress (cortisol levels) low. For me, exercising or meditating can help me feel more relaxed and have a better night's sleep.

Autumn/Winter is when skin care routines need to be tweaked as skin experiences environmental changes. I like to use my MZ Skin Hydra-Boost Ampoules particularly in these dryer months to plump and hydrate skin. Face masks are another excellent addition to boost hydration and deeply nourish skin. The ever-constant changes in temperature with harsh winter winds and indoor heating can have a drying effect on the skin. Specifically, hydrating masks containing hyaluronic acid are a great way to offer the skin a deep condition weekly or bi-weekly. Our Hydra-Lift Gold Facial Treatment Mask and Hydra-Bright Gold Eye Treatment Mask both contain hyaluronic acid and collagen that help restore hydration and brighten the complexion. And a personal favourite is my LED 2.0 to help bolster collagen and elastin production in skin and decrease inflammation for radiant, glowing skin.

My routine is consistent all year round. Skin Design London products are designed and formulated to protect, repair, and deliver healthy skin. Harsh cold weather can affect our skin's barrier, and a lack of exfoliation leads to congestion and dull skin.

Face Bath–protect, clean, and hydrate–the perfect morning cleansing glow. It’s so important to prep your skin before you use serums or creams. If I have time, I do an intense massage on my face with Face Bath to improve circulation and a mini face lift.

C Antioxidant Glow is a winter essential; this is the foundation of every skin routine. It brightens and protects your skin against environmental aggressors and premature ageing caused by winter weather and sun damage.

Volume Serum for eyes, lips, chest, neck and back of hands. This keeps skin plump and hydrated.

Face Tight, which hydrates and fills lines.

Alpine Rose protects that top layer, a super-hydrating daily antioxidant crème designed with plant stem cells. Flower acids, alpine rose, and PhytoCellTec™ Solar Vitis protect the most important skin cells by delaying skin aging, protecting the skin from chronological and light-induced aging, extending skin cells' vitality and keeping the skin's appearance young and beautiful longer.

Cleanse with Face Bath, wash the day away. Use a gentle face mitt to remove Face Bath and lightly exfoliate.

Retexturizing Serum–essential for healthy skin cells and brighter skin. This product has improved my sun damage and pigmentation.

Hydrating Serum–feed skin with cactus juice, roses, and hyaluronic acid for intense hydration.

Sleeping Beauty–the midnight collagen feast. Repair and indulge your skin cells for the ultimate radiance. Use while asleep as an intense hydrating mask. This indulgent cream is packed with skin-loving cosmeceutical for tightening and smoothing lines and wrinkles, and for a truly radiant awakening come morning.​

I use Designer Balm on clean skin and leave for 30 minutes. Designer Balm is a transformative mask when your tired skin is in need of an urgent lift, hydration, and glow. To use, warm the balm between your fingers and apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin, and relax for 15-30 minutes. Rinse well with a wet face towel or muslin cloth and rinse through. Once removed, follow with serums and creams for a complete glow and facelift.