Your guide to improve Skin Hydration + Quality during Winter Months
Is your Skin seasonally dry ?
I have been proudly compounding medical grade skin care since 2016.
I compound in small batches to ensure the freshness of local and mostly organic ingredients.
Skincare needs to nurture and nourish your living organ.
The aim is never to do harm but to improve the quality of your delicate acid mantle and the intricate biome within the skin layers.
Ethical skincare should be made with a conscience, be simple, affordable and effective.
“Skin is not just a protective barrier, it is your outward presentation to the world…. a dynamic organ that plays multiple crucial roles in both your physical and emotional health.”
Healthy moist skin supports self-confidence and emotional wellbeing.
“ This may sound shallow but I don’t believe so, persistent rashes, breakouts, hair loss and skin disfigurement can play absolute havoc with self esteem.”
Functional Medicine practitioners are well positioned to support skin and hair health by taking the time to consider each individual patient’s complete health story, including any clinical imbalances associated with their skin condition or hair loss. Reflecting on many years in Regenerative aesthetics, it is the combination of personalized plans that combine lifestyle changes with easy home care and targeted in clinic interventions that provide the most impressive and sustainable results.
“ when meeting a new patient, their skin colour, tone texture and hydration can tell me so much about their unique life’s journey ”
Excess stress and illness has the potential to visably shift skin colour and texture almost overnight as the vascular effects of the sympathetic nervous system take their toll.
Let’s review some evidence based considerations and provide the most appropriate treatment strategies from the VP compounded range.
Skin Barrier Support
The outer most layer, the Stratum corneum prevents water loss and protects against irritants. In WINTER, lipid and protein degradation impairs this barrier.
Pictured: A typical winter skin under close, non microscopic exam.
My Recommendations:
Liposomal, fat based or ceremide containing moisturisers shine here. Their fat content reduces the transdermal water loss. Studies demonstrate that a fat dominant cream can improve hydration and texture within 2-4 weeks.
( More details to follow on my recently conducted skin trial )
Consider: Heal, Restore, Revive 20% and Organic treatment oil.Humectants eg Hyaluronic acid, attract and retain moisture in the Strata Corneum.
Consider : Hydrate with Niacinamide.
Build your daily ritual using topicals with performance ingredients that feed your skin and are delivered in elegant vacuum sealed and BPA free packaging.
Product Highlights from VP Cosmeceuticals:
Nourish is a premium compounded cleanser suitable to drier skin of all ages. Featuring MCT oil, Alfalfa leaf and Copper chlorophyl. A beautifully refreshing cleanse with a calming residual moisture boost.
Restore Bakuchiol Retinol with Vitamin E is a non comedogenic oil-based RETINOL. Suitable for seasoned Retinol users and new starters alike. A gentle renewal with radiant results and safe for baby. Many use this product as their day time under makeup moisturiser all year round.
Restore is NOT photosensitive and is suitable for day or night use.
An easy to use and concentrated Hyaluronic acid gel moisturiser created to freshen, plump and hydrate the skin.
Hydrate with performance Niacinamide, is suitable for all skin types and at any time of the day.
Velvet was created to provide a light and natural tint with a highly nourishing base. Consider a day time skin treatment as well as sun protection featuring a mineral sunscreen SPF 30+. Peptide rich, red algae, shea butter MCT, Vitamin E, Lecithin.
2. Cleanse + Exfoliate using Australian Fruits
I recommend you choose a non foaming, ph balanced cleanser to avoid disrupting the most delicate acid mantle. This helps your skin’s protective membrane protect you.
You now have 4 from the VP range to select from, all individually compounded with quality performance Australian ingredients created uniquely for individual skin types. Harnessing specific plants for their potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. No artificial fragrances are used, only the natural scents of the essentials within the plants.
Invigorating for both your skin and your senses.
Nourish : for sensitive normal or dry skin featuring MCT Coconut Oil, Alfalfa leaf and anti-inflammatory Chlorophyl.
Gentle is a creamy non fragrant cleanser for the most sensitive skin and features Green tea, Red Algea, MCT and Niacinamide
Fresh is a luxurious non foaming and probiotic rich cleanse, suitable for all skin types, featuring fruit acids + pomegranate for an invigorating yet gentle clean.
Bright is suitable for more oily or combination skin and features naturally fragrant Fruit acids, Citrus, Lemon, Ginger, Maple leaf, Probiotics, Glycolic + Lactic acid for a pure fresh and beautiful clean.
I recommend avoiding aggressive scrubs that can worsen dryness or irritation. An appropriate fruit acid cleanse is preferred.
3. Environmental Modifications
Humidify, maintaining indoor humidity (40-60%) significantly reduces transdermal water loss and improves hydration.
Avoid long hot showers, as tempting as they are in the cold weather, the heat strips the natural oils, brief warm showers are preferred and suggest applying any body products while the body is warm to enhance penetration.
Protective clothing and Lip Care, consider gloves, scarves and lip balms with occlusives to shield your skin from the wind and cold.
4. Diet and Systemic support
Omega 3 fatty acids, these are rich in fish, algae and flaxseeds (ALA). They target inflammation and support skin barrier function.
Hydration, all year around as adequate water intake supports systemic hydration and will reduce the effect on dehydrated skin.
Antioxidant richness in your diet, Vitamin A, C, D and E support collagen synthesis and barrier integrity.
5. Sun protection in Winter
UV exposure persists in winter and contributes to photo ageing and barrier dysfunction. Daily ample application of SPF 30+ is recommended all year round for your face, neck and back of hands.
Optimal winter skincare involves a multi faceted approach targeting hydration, barrier repair and environmental adaptation.
Highlighting my favourite minimally invasive “in clinic” treatments for increasing Moisture and Skin conditioning.
All require consultation unique to your skin type and concerns.
Bio-remodelling supports tissue quality, your fibroblasts and skin layer restructuring
The following treatments involve no change to your facial shape as we address your skin QUALITY and it’s ability to hold moisture.
Collagen induction with micro-needling + an infusion of ampoules of highly active ingredients, individualised specific to your skin.
Collagen induction with micro-needling using your own Platelet rich plasma (PRP), not suitable for all, we can discuss.
Exosome micro-needling with home exosome care.
Hyaluronic acid and nutrient (including peptides micronutrients and glutathione) stamping, known as the HA Beauty Booster.
Bio-remodelling with Profhilo, one of my most requested in clinic skin hydration treatments suitable for face and neck.
Bio-remodelling with Reduran (Korean) using denatured Salmon DNA fragments. Well suited for many for the vulnerable under eye area.
My additional tips to help improve skin moisture elasticity and barrier function…….. all year round.
Always drink from glass, not plastic, educate your family.
Develop a twice daily simple skin routine at 5 mins max.
Learn to mix it up, skin gets used to the same products all the time. Like flexing a muscle, lightly stressing the skin is good for it.
Over consumption of alcohol has dehydrating properties.
Over exercise, for some it can become a skin stressor and fat pads that cushion and provide structural and contour support may start to shift with lasting consequences.
Coffee, enjoy 1-2 cups max per day.
Hyaluronic concentrated gel, apply often especially under eyes and on lips is a super moisture boost for all ages.
Learn how to stimulate your Vagus Nerve and improve parasympathetic tone. This is a subject I will happily discuss with you as this “takes the stress out” of your nervous system, tissues and improves healthy blood flow to skin and hair.
Cortisol skin and hair is just as pervasive as “cortisol belly”.
Understand your unique microbiome and work towards a healthy and less inflammatory bacterial population supportive of skin, hair and whole body vitality.
Regular application of a mineral based, NOT chemical sunscreen all year round.
Excess sugar and alcohol can leave “AGE” spots on your skin, “Advanced Glycation End” products that is literally tissue RUST.
Recommended treatments are minimally invasive and supported by International training and independent research.
We can discuss all details and suitability during your consultation.
The cost of this consultation includes a full sized sample of appropriate VP skin care and a $100 credit towards any first treatment if booked within 14 days of consultation.
Should you have difficulty finding availability, simply email me @ victoria@vphealth.com
