esthetician approved winter skincare tips

Winter is one of the most magical times of the year - but changing weather often means there will changes in what your skin's needs are too. Here are our esthetician's top 5 skincare tips to live by this winter: 

1. Use a cleanser that keeps your skin’s protective barrier intact

Dry air and cold weather can deplete your skin of moisture, and cause inflammation. Make sure your cleanser is giving you a deep clean without that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling (which is a tell-tale sign that your skin’s protective barrier has been compromised).

Try: high priority CANNABIS CLEANSING FOAM

Why: high priority gives your skin a deep clean while also hydrating, calming inflammation and replenishing your skin’s lipid barrier thanks to cannabis sativa seed oil, grape seed, broccoli seed and aloe juice. Plus, no irritating surfactants (foaming ingredients) here! The foaming action is thanks to organic sugar and the bottle’s foaming component.

How: Apply several pumps to damp skin. Gently massage in a circular motion removing makeup and impurities. Rinse thoroughly. 

2. Exfoliate away dry, dead skin weekly

It’s no secret that our skin becomes drier in winter months, which gets in the way of our healthy, beautiful glow. Applying products to dry, dead skin is also a waste of product because you’re applying them to skin cells that can no longer benefit.

Why: It’s made with 3 types of exfoliants that pack a punch. Plus, you’ll get the instant satisfaction of wiping away dry, dead skin within minutes of massaging this peel onto your face.

How: After cleansing, apply a generous amount to damp skin. Gently massage with a circular motion for several minutes to remove impurities and dull skin. Rinse thoroughly with a cloth for a smooth finish. Start with this step once a week and increase as needed.

Tip: If you find your skin needs a bit more frequent exfoliation, try using a sonic cleansing brush like the one in High's high vibes CLEANSING KIT. It will help to gently work your facial cleanser into your skin to deep clean your pores while gradually exfoliating away dead skin cells (and most importantly keeping your skin barrier intact).

You’ll also want to make sure to apply a reparative product afterwards, since newly exfoliated skin is especially susceptible to irritation and transepidermal water loss, or TEWL (aka evaporation of water from your skin into the environment).

3. Switch to a moisturizer that multitasks

Skin needs to be replenished and hydrated year-round, but in the winter months you’ll need to step it up! Give your skin everything it’s craving with a multitasking product that’s free from common harsh ingredients (these cause unnecessary inflammation) too. You’ll want to look for something that will balance AND replenish AND hydrate AND protect AND calm your skin. This can be difficult to find in one single product, and it may also mean you’re be reaching for a thicker moisturizer. Not to worry!

Why: This moisturizer is a serious multitasker that has all of the qualities listed above, but it’s also formulated to absorb into the deeper layers of your skin instantly. This means it won’t feel like a greasy layer sitting on top of your skin, plus, the ingredients will be delivered to the cells that can actually benefit from them. High five calms inflammation, balances, protects, hydrates and replenishes your skin barrier with 20% cannabis sativa seed oil and a unique blend of potent plant oils like cranberry, pomegranate seed and argan which are rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants. You’ll also get intense hydration thanks to an organic aloe juice (instead of water, like many other moisturizers) and ingredients like sodium hyaluronate and glycerin.

How: Apply daily after cleansing, by generously smoothing over face and neck.

4. Intensive repair and replenishment overnight

Keeping a healthy skin barrier function may be one of the most important considerations you can make if you want to achieve healthy, beautiful skin. It not only helps protect your skin’s cells from damage and inflammation, it also decreases amount of hydration lost to the environment ( TEWL).

Why: This serum-like facial oil is formulated to provide intensive repair and replenishment to your skin’s protective barrier overnight. It’s packed with essential fatty acids, all 20 amino acids and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, E and arginine thanks to 32% cannabis sativa seed oil and potent plant oils like cranberry, rosehip and evening primrose. It’s also rich in bioflavonoids like grapeseed, troxerutin and broccoli seed.

How: Apply nightly after cleansing, by warming several drops in your palms and smooth over face and neck. 

5. Nourish and hydrate your skin from inside

While this rule applies to every month of the year, it's extra important during winter months to drink enough water (you’re familiar with the age-old recommendation of 8 cups per day, right?) and avoid dehydrating drinks like coffee if you can.

Eat colorful fruits and veggies to make sure you’re getting enough antioxidants too!

Finally, take quality supplements as needed to support everything else you're doing for healthy, beautiful skin. (Please consult with a healthcare professional.)