Does your skin have an unfortunate tendency to get dry and flaky in winter? Read on for some top tips for keeping your skin nourished, moisturised and glowing all through the darkest months of the year.
The Perils of Central Heating
Most people assume it’s simply the cold weather that has caused their skin to be dry in winter, but it may actually be your central heating. In fact, it is often going from the cold outdoors to the warm indoors that can play havoc with your skin. Keep your central heating a bit lower. It doesn’t need to be baking in your home, so put a jumper on instead. You may feel chilly at first, but your skin and hair will thank you for it.
Keep Drinking Water
During the summer months, we are trained to stay hydrated. In fact, the hot weather naturally encourages us to drink plenty of the good stuff. In the winter, we simply forget or shun it because it makes us even colder. However, it’s always important to stay hydrated, even in the coolest months. If you don’t fancy drinking a couple of litres of cold water every day, ensure you have plenty of cups of herbal or green tea throughout the day.
Lukewarm Water
In the same way that it’s not good to go from hot to cold rooms, it’s best to use lukewarm water on your face rather than hot or cold water when cleansing. In fact, cleansing balms remove the need to use water and can therefore help prevent your skin from getting stripped of its natural oils.
Don’t Overdo the Makeup
When your skin becomes flaky and dry, it’s natural to head to the foundation bottle for comfort, but this can strip your skin further. If you are going to wear foundation, use a really good primer first to add a protective layer between your skin and the makeup.
Change your Moisturiser
Just like you change your coat and duvet in winter and maybe even your car tyres, you also need to upgrade your moisturiser to something a little more heavy duty. In summer, it’s important to have a lightweight moisturiser with plenty of UV protection. In winter, UV protection is less pressing but still wise. You’ll want a thicker cream instead of a lotion. Buy a specific moisturiser for dry skin, even if you only suffer from drier skin in winter. A really great option for skin that needs nourishment is facial oil, as oils can reach deeper levels of your epidermis than standard cream can. Gels are also becoming a popular option for extra hydration as they can be used as facial masks. Look out for products that contain plants with active ingredients such as aloe.
There’s nothing worse when the weather changes than your skin feeling tight and starting to get flaky and dry. Follow these simple tips and keep your heating temperature low, stay hydrated and invest in a good moisturiser for dry skin to help in the fight against winter skin.
