While winter’s nippy temperatures and darker evenings often bring a chorus of complaints, the arrival of the cooler season is one of the best times to target serious anti-ageing concerns. And although less time at the beach may not be ideal for Sydneysiders, it brings a myriad of benefits for the complexion, particularly when it comes to skincare that incorporates actives – the hero of the anti-ageing arena and a proven enemy of the UV ray.
Sun exposure is a key environmental aggravator when it comes to ageing skin, accelerating the process dramatically. It is also one of the leading factors in reducing the effectiveness of actives in skincare, as well as potentially creating complications for the complexion as a result of increased photosensitivity and inability to penetrate its layers. The antidote to this concern is to coincide winter’s arrival with anti-ageing skincare containing winter-friendly ingredients. BD highlights the three key anti-ageing tactics that are best to employ in winter’s depths below:
Retinol
The hero of the anti-ageing industry would have to be retinol. A form of vitamin A, the active is used to treat skin complaints that include ageing, sun damage, and even acne. Paula’s Choice explains: “It is an extremely effective cell-communicating ingredient that has the ability to connect to almost any skin cell receptor site and tell it to behave like a healthy, younger skin cell.” Benefits of this include the ability to reverse free-radical damage, increase collagen production, fade discolorations and build elastin.
Staying out of the sun is key to the success of retinol on the skin. ’s director of education Debbie Dickson recommends vitamin A treatments during winter – those like the brand’s Revive-A: “Although it’s okay to initiate vitamin A therapy at any time of the year, I always like to do mine during the cooler months, as photosensitivity is a known side effect with any type of vitamin A treatment or cream. So choosing to incorporate Revise-A into your skin revision regimen during winter, means that seasonally your are more inclined to spend less time outdoors and it is slightly easier to avoid sunny days.” It’s a mentality founder Michelle Doherty agrees with: “Because vitamin A increases your cell turnover very quickly it can make the skin more photosensitive, hence it’s ideal to begin incorporating retinol treatments in the winter.”
Doherty warns that retinol is particularly not suited to summer and its use in that time can actually produce negative effects on the skin. “A combination of prolonged periods outside, increased levels of UV, inadequate sun protection and photosensitive skin will affect the results obtained from using a retinol product. Areas of pigmentation may occur and skin will be prone to burning, dryness, [and] flaking.” But brands are beginning to take this inconvenience into account, developing new formulas that tackle this. Doherty continues: “Formulations and technologies have changed significantly and many options of vitamin A/retinol are less irritating and more stable than ever before.”
Vitamin C
Heralded for similar transformative powers to retinol is vitamin C, otherwise known as ascorbic acid. It’s an ingredient that’s booming – just look at ’ growing range of vitamin C-based products for proof. The brand’s love of ascorbic acid has shaped its growing range of active-based products thanks to the ingredient’s ability to help combat loss of firmness, promote collagen levels, prevent premature ageing and provide protection against environmental factors. Ultraceuticals comments: “It’s an essential element for collagen synthesis and a powerful antioxidant capable of protecting the skin from free radical damage.”
But its transformative powers, particularly in regards to collagen are dependant on its ability to penetrate. As Smart Skin Care comments: “An ideal vitamin C derivative should be able to easily penetrate into skin cells and release L-ascorbic acid in amounts sufficient to boost collagen synthesis.” Penetration of the skin’s layers is harder to do in summertime, thanks to rising temperatures and the production of sweat on the skin’s surface. Clarins head of training Charlotte Turner comments: “Skincare products are designed to work regardless of the season, but in summer the skin naturally sweats more profusely which can interfere with product application and absorption. This can lead to products being less effective due to lack of absorption.” The answer? Utilise the active when temperatures and sweat levels have dropped.
Hardcore heroes
For those after a more dramatic skin transformation, there is always the option of laser or peel treatments performed in-salon or by dermatologists. Brands such as have long been on the treatment bandwagon, with the brand’s head of education Jai Harvey-Yin explaining of in-salon benefits: “There is no question that the types of procedures dermatologists can perform can have remarkable benefits from firming skin, increasing collagen production, dramatically smoothing the surface of skin, reducing wrinkles, removing surfaced capillaries and reducing skin discolorations.”
But again, sun exposure can wreak havoc on results for peels and laser treatments alike. “Receiving any peel can increase a client’s photosensitivity, so with UV index from the sun lower in winter, it is a great time to complete a course of peels,” she says. “The use of chemical exfoliation can lead to increased photosensitivity, and then as a result, the increased risk of pigmentation and other UV-related age issues like wrinkles and dehydration. We find clients have the best results during the winter months, when they have to be less concerned with the UV index!”
Laser treatments – such as increasingly popular Fraxel – yield similar results. Founder of Clear Complexions Clinics Suzie Hoitink says of the treatment: “Fraxel is a fractionated laser perfect for repairing sun damaged skin. It helps to lighten pigmentation, stimulate collagen and resurface the skin, leaving the skin smoother, clearer and healthier. Winter is the perfect time to have a Fraxel treatment as the melanocytes (pigment cells in the skin) are less stimulated throughout the cooler months.” Sun exposure is far from recommended after treatment: “The resurfacing effect of Fraxel does mean that in the few weeks post-treatment the skin is more susceptible to sun damage, so obviously the cooler months are a better time for treatment,” Hoitink says.
founder Paula Begoun agrees skin is just too vulnerable in summer to handle hardcore treatment. Winter is the best time to begin tackling anti-ageing concerns with professional help: “There are dermatological procedures such as laser, pulsed light, ultra-sound, or other similar treatments as well as peels that should be avoided during summer as they all make skin far more vulnerable to the negative impact of the skin.” She goes so far as to say: “Reputable dermatologists will not do these types of procedures from November through to March.”
Other anti-ageing treatments for winter include:
La Prairie
Bioelements
Boots Laboratories
Paula’s Choice
The Jojoba Company
KORA Organics
Medik8
mesoesetetic resurfacing peel booster
