Winter skin sometimes suffers from the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy, but even though it’s not on show as much as in summer, your skin needs even more attention.
The sudden contrasts from heating and harsh weather conditions during winter are the biggest challenges.
“Caring for skin in winter has a lot to do with containing moisture within the skin before exposure,” says Kati Kasza, founder of botanical skincare company Evolu, who suggests layering your skincare during winter, but not necessarily wearing sunscreen every day.
“If you’re going from your car to an office, and then only out in the sun to get lunch, you’ll be fine without a sunscreen,” says Kasza. “Sunscreen blocks Vitamin D from getting into the skin.”
And even though you’re covered up in tights and layers of knitwear, it’s still worth the effort to keep moisturising.
“For older skin, you also need to exfoliate more. You could almost do it daily with a fine exfoliator,” says Kasza.
“And a toner balances the skin’s pH so you get a much better result from your moisturiser: it’s like preparing a canvas.”
At the end of the day, Kasza recommends an exfoliating body polish on your tired feet, followed by hand cream.
“Dry heat, especially from air conditioning and electric heaters, is the worst for skin,” says skin care specialist Corinne Morley.
“A great trick is to hang a damp towel in the bedroom. The moisture that evaporates from the towel helps prevent your skin drying out while you sleep.”
When it gets colder, a hotter shower or bath is not good for the skin, says Kasza.
“That’s how you get parched, itchy skin, in need of more hydration.”
Using oils on your skin when in the bath or shower is also a great way of trapping hydration in the skin – the extra humidity is captured by oil.
For lips, put a treatment on before bed.
Of course, it’s not all about what you put on your skin, what you put into your body is important, too. There are supplements tailored to help maintain healthy skin and hair.
And you can’t beat old-fashioned common sense – eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in a balanced diet with lots of water, and get the recommended amounts of sleep and exercise.
All in all, it seems moderation, balance and a bit of extra effort with your skincare routines will keep you glowing through the duller winter months.
And remember screen legend Sophia Loren’s advice for any season: “Beauty is how you feel inside.” – New Zealand Herald