Written by Brigid Farrell.
Winter can be seriously damaging to our skin with a combination of wind, cold and central heating all contributing to a dry and lifeless appearance. It’s time to layer up the products and lock in the moisture.
Cleansing:
Come winter, balm and oil cleansers are your best friends. They work by breaking down the dirt and grime on your skin whilst adding a good dose of hydration. You simply apply, massage in and wipe off with a face cloth. It’s worth spending your buck on a decent cleanser but the drugstore now has some really great options.
If you’re willing to pay a little extra Clarins, Nude and Emma Hardie are the products to look too but if you are on a bit more of a budget both the No7 Melting Gel Cleanser and Body Shop’s Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter are excellent substitutes.
Moisturisers and lip care:
This is a step that goes without saying, make sure you’re moisturising morning and night in order to maintain that lit from within look we all lust after. Just layer that moisturiser.
Personally I find that my lips really do suffer in winter and feel that a decent lip balm is essential. You want something that will sink into the lips while providing a barrier not something that just sits on the lips. Some lip balms worth looking into include Carmex, Blistex, Nuxe or Lanolips. Lip scrubs are also a great way to get rid of nasty dry bits of skin.
The “bolt on’s”:
Facial Oils really are your best friend in winter. They can be used as an extra treatment as well as for cleansing. They can help replenish the skin cells and leave the skin look radiant and glowing. You can buy ones to use throughout the day, overnight or as a pre-cleanse treatment – there really is an oil for everyone. Worried about using oils with oily skin? You needn’t be, the oil works to counteract the amount of oil your skin produces naturally.
Masks are both a relaxing treat and a great way to recover winter skin, use hydrating masks and those which unclog the pores and deep clean the skin.
I find using natural ingredients to be much more effective for my skin, I use raw honey as a moisturising facial cleanser and the results after a couple weeks are amazing. My acne has cleared and my skin has never been so soft and moisturised. Who needs sketchy chemical filled products when the best stuff comes straight from nature!