Durban - All-over supple, smooth skin is possible, even in winter, and while it may feel like you’re under siege, a few tweaks to your daily routines can help you stay on top of the weather.
Cleanse
On a cold winter’s day, the last thing you feel like doing is splashing cold water on your face. However, if you go to gym after work or simply arrive with make-up on, take it off before exercising. As a rule, in fact, no matter the season, never work out with make-up on, says Durban-based personal trainer Jane Kilian.
GI Jane, as she is known, says exercise causes you to sweat and opens the pores which need to breathe. Make-up and sweat will only lead to the retention of impurities and will cause breakouts.
At the very least, carry wet wipes in your gym bag and clean your skin before a workout.
Hydrate
A combination of the chillier weather, low humidity levels, hot showers and excessive indulgence in caffeine drinks and soap-based products pulls moisture from the skin, leaving it feeling dry, brittle and itchy. A lack of moisture and oil weakens the skin’s protective barrier.
It goes without saying that your moisturiser and mask are your best friends, says Melody Arunachallam of Harmony Skin Clinic, Spa and Hair Studio in Queensburgh.
For the rest of the body, this is also a good time to pamper yourself with natural oils, butters and emollients – especially on dry skin, lips, nipples, cracked heels, elbows and cuticles.
Also take advantage of razors which don’t require shaving gel. These have built in moisturisers.
If you’re into peels, the colder months – spent predominantly indoors – are ideal. Peels are said to lift dead skin cells, stimulate growth and promote the production of healthy cells and collagen – helping to bring a youthful appearance to the skin and addressing the early signs of ageing such as wrinkles, fine lines and a generally dull appearance to the skin.
Eat healthily
Protect your skin this winter by eating nuts (walnuts, Brazil, almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews) and seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin) rich in essential fatty acids, which according to a recent study in the Netherlands, may improve skin dryness and reduce skin degeneration
Mandy Read, a dietician at Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital, says olive oil, evening primrose oil and sunflower oil are equally beneficial.
Grapefruits, oranges and other rich sources of vitamin C also reduce skin dryness and are associated with less skin wrinkling. High intakes of vegetables, fish and legumes also protect the skin from damage, according to an Australian study.
Tepid bath
There is less humidity in the air in winter, which is what creates dryness, says Brendan Blackburn, strength trainer at Clubzero in Morningside.
After a hard session in the gym nothing feels better than a hot shower in winter to ease your aching muscles; however, this may strip your skin of essential oils, leaving it dry and itchy.
Also, if you are running in the outdoors in winter, it is important to use sunblock. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean there no UV rays.
Hands
Our hands have few oil glands and yet come into contact with various surfaces all day long.
For soft hands, slather on a rich hand cream (most body or face creams don’t cut it).
Model Grace Rheeders says the next time you have a manicure, treat your hands to a paraffin-wax dip, which enables hydrating ingredients to penetrate deeper.
Haircare
Cooler temperatures bring a new set of challenges to your hair, says Shirley Naidoo of Hair Sensations at Durban’s Hilton Hotel.
She says hair becomes dry and brittle, ends become split, and the scalp goes dry at this time of year. Regular scalp massages are the best remedy for dry hair. For best results, massage with jojoba or coconut and almond oil, which improves blood flow and stimulates the scalp.
Trim regularly to get rid of split ends and nourish your hair, with products aimed at “replenishing”. Leave-in conditioners also help to moisturise the hair and prevent it from becoming dull and dry.
Make-up
Aldytha Da Silva, at Make-up Your Mind in Windermere, says she sees a definite increase in dry, flaky, dehydrated skin during winter.
Along with the uncomfortable feel of a tight skin, this change in texture affects make-up applications. Armed with new-age advanced cosmetic formulations, it is possible to win this war.
Change your foundation from a long-wearing/powder formulation and opt instead for a silicone-based fluid or creamy option for silky, dewy comfort all day long.
Use a touch of loose shimmer bronzer with your face powder on the T-panel only to add an instant healthy glow. Also, be sure to use an eye cream and lip balm before going to sleep. This will boost hydration on these delicate areas overnight. - The Mercury