There are so many things that are oh-so great about winter in the beauty and style stakes… From cosy coats to cool-weather layers, dark lip shades and matching nails. Pair with cosying up next to open fires, Netflix binges and eating all of the food and you’re basically set for the season. But winter, in all of its icy glory, is not the greatest thing for your skin. Enter whipping winds, frigid temperatures and throw in your heater or air-conditioning working overtime all day every and you’re left with chapped lips, flaky, temperamental complexions and dry scaly limbs.
Yvonne Culhane, the advanced dermal therapist at Face Plus Medispa tells us that “fluctuation in temperatures can wreak absolute havoc on the skin barrier, stripping natural oils and water from your skin. Temperature fluctuations from going between a heated home or office to braving the outside world can also disturb your skins PH levels.” The result? Dry, flaky winter-induced skin (not cute). We get it, maintaining glowing skin as the humidity drops is no easy task, which is exactly why we’ve rounded up six tips to SOS (save our skin) this winter… Get ready to say hello to much needed moisture and impeccable complexions.
#1 Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise
It sounds simple, we know. But so, so hard when we’re covering our limbs in layers upon layers. Opt for a heavier, thicker, more nourishing moisturiser for the colder season ahead and look for ingredients such as lanolin, shea butter, ceramides, jojoba and hyaluronic acid.
- For your face, try: Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream layered with a booster such as Dermalogica’s Skin Hydrating Booster.
- For your body, try: Ella Bache Water Source Crème that is rich in lanolin and keeps your limbs as soft as soft can be while providing a protective barrier from the elements. Or to smell as good as you are soft-skinned, try the new Cookies and Cream body cream from frank body (couple it with the Cacao Coffee Scrub and you’re set!). The newly released Mesoestetic Stem Cell Body Serum is light in weight but is also wonderfully hydrating and anti-aging (and smells good too!).
#2 Try New Ingredients
New seasons and new temperatures call for new ingredients. Try adding these ingredients to your winter skincare regime to keep flakiness and redness at bay.
- Sunflower Oil: Sunflower Oil locks in moisture and prevents water loss while also reducing inflammation (hello glowy skin!) We love Danne Montague King’s Hydroloc Crème—it keeps even the driest of skin hydrated and healthy.
- Vitamin A: The skin experts at Faceplus Medispa say that winter is the perfect time to improve skin clarity and hyperpigmentation (AKA all those ‘new’ freckles you acquired over summer…) Try Ultraceuticals MD Vitamin A Refining Serum.
- Hyaluronic Acid: For hydration and luminosity on demand, try a serum enriched with hyaluronic acid (it’s a miracle ingredient that can hold up to 1000x its weight in water!) We love DermaQuest Skin Rehydrating Serum.
- Ferulic: Never heard of ferulic? Neither had we. Ferulic replenishes moisture while promoting collagen production and is found in the seeds of fruits. But you can find it in Dr. Dennis Gross’ Overnight Serum.
#3 Make Friends With Oil
Lock in moisture (and lock OUT flaky skin) by introducing all things oil to your winter beauty arsenal. Try swapping your gel or cream cleanser for an oil cleanser and lock in your body lotion by quickly applying a super nourishing body oil on top. If your complexion gets a little drier in winter as the temperature drops, try adding a facial oil to your skincare regime before you pop on your moisturiser for added glow. We can’t go past Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate that's enriched with oils including lavender, evening primrose and squalane.
#4 Embrace A Mask
Give your skin a little more love and introduce a weekly face mask to your skincare regime this winter. Pop on a mask just before bed or hunt down an overnight mask to protect your skin while you sleep (with the heater on tropical temperature)… We are obsessed with Verso Skincare’s Deep Hydration Mask (that locks in moisture that lasts up to 120 hours!), MagicStripes Hyaluronic Facial Treatment Mask and Clairns Hydroquench Cream Mask.
#5 Oxygenate Your Skin With A Fancy Facial
They say your skin is a product of your environment… Which means in the midst of winter, your skin is going to require a little extra TLC to keep it luminous. Try a facial that oxygenates your skin, which will repair and strengthen your skin, allowing it to function better and absorb products more effectively.
Try Face Plus Medispa’s Oxygen Facial or Danne Montague King’s cult-status Enzyme Therapy Facial (available at salons and clinics nationwide).
#6 Don’t Be Afraid To Exfoliate
If you find that your skin is dry, tight and starting to flake—it means you have a build-up of dry skin cells. Instead of over-moisturising (which can actually do more harm than good) use a gentle exfoliator to buff away the old skin cells and reveal shiny new ones, try exfoliating at least once a week and follow with your favourite face mask or facial oil. Try ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment to reveal wonderfully smooth and bright skin. For the body, the Handsome Devils Co. Coconut Body Scrub is a winner.
Image Credit: Lumina