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Get ready for winter with these 4 self-care tips

Consumers have specific preventative self-care goals in the colder months. This winter, find out how to meet their needs in four key ways.

Published On: 10/01/24

Winter activities, layered clothes, and cozy nights by the fireplace… Colder months bring plenty of joy, but also environmental stressors such as temperature drops and lower humidity both indoors and out.

During this season, consumers turn to preventative self-care products to protect their skin and hair from the cold, wind, and UV rays of winter. Consumers also seek out products that fit their lifestyles and deliver three things: balance, peace of mind, and protection. The right preventative self-care products can help to tackle key issues and deliver on consumer expectations.

Vogue predicted the top skincare trends of 2024 would include skin barrier health, preventative self-care, and science-led formulas. As a personal care product formulator, you need the right tools to deliver skin barrier support, stellar sun protection, and hair and scalp moisturization during the cold, winter months and all year long.

Trend 1: Keeping hair hydrated and frizz-free

When you’re exposed to cold weather, any day can be a bad hair day. Cold temperatures, aggressive wind, and dry winter air can make hair dehydrated, flat, and brittle, resulting in issues like split ends and a dull appearance.

Hot showers and heated styling tools can also strip out moisture and make hair conditions worse. For those with curly or coily hair, all that dryness — not to mention static from wearing many layers of clothes — can make curls lose shape and become frizzy and limp.


Solutions for soft, healthy-looking locks

With Cetiol® SoftFeel, your formulations can seriously rescue dry hair. This soft-solid emollient improves wet and dry combability, helps manage frizz without making hair crunchy, and nourishes damaged coily hair.

For formulation ideas, check out the Natural Deep Conditioner. Made with naturally derived ingredients, it’s a hydrating rinse-off hair mask that softens hair and smooths cuticles to help manage curls.

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Trend 2: Sun protection for active lifestyles

Long stretches of time spent outdoors comes with prolonged exposure to the sun. Even in winter, UV rays can damage skin cells, which can cause sunburn or visible changes attributed to aging. Changes to the skin’s appearance can include spots, freckles, and hyperpigmentation.

This effect is compounded in snowy conditions — fresh snow actually reflects more UV radiation than water, and clouds can only reduce UV levels by about 50%, meaning skin is at risk of damage even on cold or cloudy days. Hiking and mountain sports such as skiing come with more risk, as UV levels increase at higher elevations.

As consumers recognize the need for continuous UV protection throughout the year, in any climate or temperature, they look for products that hold up to their level of activity.


Flexible ways to formulate sun care products

To help you deliver year-round sun protection, BASF chemists created a naturally derived liquid dispersion of zinc oxide called Z-COTE® Sheer. With its versatility and low-whitening effect, it enables you to create highly effective formulations that protect diverse skin tones.

To get you inspired, we created a formulation called Light and Airy SPF. It lives up to its name by offering effective, lightweight protection for daily wear anytime of year.

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Trend 3: Supporting the skin’s natural barrier

It’s no secret that colder weather can cause skin dryness, and dehydrated skin can lead to so many other common skincare complaints. These cold-weather issues can include cracked skin, roughness, and irritation.

69% of Americans say dryness is the skin discomfort that bothers them most in colder months, followed by itchiness (51%) and redness (24%)
Learn more.

Part of the dehydration factor is attributed to decreased levels of ceramides in the stratum corneum, a part of the uppermost layer of skin that contributes to its barrier function. A healthy skin barrier helps prevent moisture loss, keeps skin hydrated, and protects the body from external aggressors. That means softer, smoother skin that looks and feels healthy.

Just as it’s important for our bodies to bundle up against the cold, our skin needs the right products to shield it from moisture loss.


Ceramide supporting solutions

For more effective preventative care, that process should start with rebalancing the skin’s microbiome. That’s where your formulation can benefit from BASF’s Relipidium, a technology derived from bacterial fermentation. It supports the body’s ability to stimulate the synthesis of epidermal lipids and the skin’s “microbial shields.”

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Year-round skin moisturization

The secret to healthy-looking skin is to keep it moisturized in all environmental conditions. To achieve that, consumers need hydrating ingredients that also strengthen the skin’s barrier by preventing water loss.


Formulation versatility for hydrating solutions

Skin hydration is another benefit of Cetiol® SoftFeel, which has the versatility to work in a variety of applications. With its natural origin and 100% renewable ingredients, it moisturizes the skin and leaves it feeling soft.

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Lead the way this winter

To stay ahead of preventative self-care trends, elevate your formulations with science-backed ingredients.

+ Speak to a BASF Care Creations representative to request a sample or learn more.

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