Beat the winter cold with these easy skincare tips

I LOVE this time of year… Who doesn’t enjoy comfort food, countryside walks and Christmas films under a blanket?! That being said, Winter does come with its fair share of challenges including the havoc it wreaks on our body’s - Tight skin, dry hands and chapped lips are just some of struggles we all face.

Have no fear though as I’m going to share my top 5 tips for beautiful, glowing skin this season.

#1. Keep applying this one product!

Whilst there is less UVB around in winter, levels of UVA are still significant enough to age our skin...and nobody wants that! If you want to protect your skin from ageing, keep applying BASE Protection - SPF 50. It’s specifically formulated with a high UVA rating all year round and sits effortlessly under makeup.

As UVB is the wavelength that stimulates vitamin D production, levels can drop in the winter months and if necessary we can supplement with oral vitamin D3. The liquid vitamin D sprays work best in my opinion.

#2. Take care of dry, chapped hands

Hands are very high risk for becoming chapped and sore in the winter months...Particularly with all the extra hand washing we’ve done this year! My advice is to apply a rich layer of hand cream under cotton gloves at night. After a few nights, the skin barrier will start to heal and the difference is amazing! If you don’t have a separate hand cream, you can use your face moisturiser instead.

#3. Protect your lips

Your lips are also at risk of becoming dry and broken in the winter months. Licking your lips to try and hydrate them is also a common problem. Although it’s difficult to avoid, licking your lips when sore will only exacerbate dryness and can cause what is referred to as ‘lick eczema’.

Make sure your lips are sealed with an effective ointment at all times, particularly before eating and drinking acidic foods like tomatoes. If you are skiing, remember your lips are vulnerable to sunburn. BASE Protection – SPF 50 is a physical sunscreen and will help to reflect the UV away from the skin and lips.

#4. Keep exfoliating

Dry skin is caused by a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of your face. You need to exfoliate to buff the dead skin cells away. This will allow your serums and moisturisers to fully absorb into the deeper layers of your skin to deliver maximum results.

Exfoliating in the winter also helps to undo potential damage caused to the skin in summer. Use it as a time to repair and strengthen the skin. On a nightly basis, I apply a few drops of the Exfoliating Cell Renewal Serum and it effortlessly removes dead skin cells without the need for a harsh scrub. It leaves me with tighter, brighter skin and reduces the appearance of pores and pigmentation.

#5 Consider professional skin treatments

Winter is a great time of year for skin treatments. We are more cautious about peels and advanced treatments in the summer months, as sun exposure increases the risk of unwanted post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Autumn and winter therefore present a great opportunity.

I would however suggest planning ahead, to make sure your skin has time to settle and be at its peak for the festive season.

#BONUS TIP

Try not to stand under a hot shower to warm yourself up as it can damage your skin barrier causing excessive dryness. Keep it warm-hot, but never boiling.

And that’s it. A few little tips to help take of yourself this Winter. Here’s wishing you merry and bright skin for the festive season.

Amy x