Looking After Your Skin In Winter

The winter weather has a lot to answer for. Our central heating bills rise, we say goodbye to our lovely summer wardrobe, and most of us end up catching the dreaded flu. If that wasn’t bad enough, the cold weather is also responsible for making our skin dry, flaky and itchy. The harsh temperatures and blustering winds certainly like to do their damage on our complexion.  If this sounds familiar, use the following tips to ensure your skin looks radiant come rain, snow or sleet!

How do you look after your skin during winter?

•    Hydrating serum – A lot of beauticians recommend using a hydrating serum. You should apply this prior to your daily moisturiser. It provides an extra layer of moisture, which you need during the winter because of the dry air. As a general rule, during the winter months, you are looking to add more moisture to your skincare regime. After all, if you think about it, during the summer we all sweat a lot. However, in the winter, our skin dries out, leaving it in much need of some hydration.

•    Lip balm – This leads on from the former point about hydrating your skin. Make sure you don’t forget your lips too! It is highly recommended that you carry a lip balm with you during the winter months. A lot of people forget about their lips as they are so concerned with their skin. However, many of us experience chapped lips during the winter period. If you carry a lip balm you can apply it whenever you feel your lips getting dry or you notice the temperature dropping.

•      Try treatments - Winter is the perfect time of the year to try treatments on your skin because you are going to be covered up. A lot of people treat varicose veins and spider veins during the winter. What are spider veins? A lot of people assume this is another word for varicose veins but this is not the case. They are essentially small dilated blood vessels, on the outer of your skin. There are numerous approaches you can use to try and reduce the appearance of them.

•    Drink water – You have probably picked up on the recurring theme here… hydration! We are always told that it is important to drink water. Yet we tend to forget about the beneficial drink during the winter because hot beverages become the number one choice. If you don’t consume a decent amount of water you will become dehydrated and your skin will become drier as a result.

•    Facial – Regular winter facials are recommended. They restore moisture and hydration, deeply cleanse the skin and improve circulation. You can buy face masks from beauty stores and supermarkets today, and there are some that are specifically designed for winter use. If you can afford it, why not treat yourself to a trip to the spa? Professional facials will ensure your skin gets all of the nutrients it needs. Plus, they are catered to suit your skin.

•    Cream cleanser – If you currently use a gel cleanser you should switch to a cream cleanser during the winter period. Why? Well, gel cleansers are often more astringent and during the winter period our skin is more sensitive. Therefore, it is not uncommon to experience further irritation and dryness.

•    Sunscreen – Using sunscreen in winter may seem absurd. However, just because you cannot feel the heat does not mean the sun has disappeared. You still have to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. It is worth applying sunscreen before you leave your home.

•    Try oils – Last but not least, experiment with an array of different bath oils. This is a great way to feed more moisture to your skin. You will feel instant results as your skin will feel soft and silky as soon as you step out of the bathtub.

So there you have it; seven excellent tips for looking after your face during the winter. Don’t forget to take regular trips to the spa as well. After all, you are going to benefit from nutrients that your typical products cannot provide.