Winter is a magical season but it also brings dryness and dullness to our skin. The cold temperature outside and heating inside, can cause a lot of dryness, sensitivity and flakiness in my clients’ skin. We need to reassess our routine and habits to keep our skin glowing in this cold season.
Here are some of my skincare tips to keep your skin healthy and glowing:
How to prevent winter skin dryness

It is very tempting to have a hot bath or shower every night but this can dry your skin out. Use lukewarm water to cleanse your face, and for your showers and baths. Use a few drops of baobab oil in your bath. It's packed with vitamins and fatty acids to deeply nourish your skin.

I have a humidifier in my bedroom that can put moisture into the air, which is great to keep your skin barrier hydrated. Try a humidifier at night. Your skin will thank you for it. For skin hydration to top up during the day, I recommend using a spritz.

Use a richer moisturiser to protect your cells and deeply nourish them during the day. I use skin veneer to help strengthen the skin barrier, which prevents irritation, and deeply nourishes my skin. It retains moisture by acting as a barrier to the skin. I also recommend vitamin rich repair is a powerhouse of antioxidants that protects and deeply hydrates your skin.

Try to reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake; these can dehydrate the skin. Stick to herbal teas, especially in the winter months, because you don't always feel like drinking water and we feel less thirsty in the winter. Herbal teas are a flavourful alternative to water. More importantly, these infusions are full of antioxidants and even vitamins that are good for you.

Mask up at home! You can use an overnight Nimue anti ageing leave on mask which deeply nourishes your skin overnight. Hyla active 3d sculptured mask is a sheet mask that drenches the skin with hyaluronic acid, leaving your skin glowing, intensely hydrated, and soft. Having a nourishing facial once a month can also boost your skin.

Introducing face oil can replenish your skin's moisture barrier. A few drops of Nimue hyaluronic oil or one of my Bespoke oils applied on top of your moisturiser before you apply your makeup will give you a dewy look. If you don't want to introduce an extra step to your skincare regimen you can use an oil overnight. You will wake up with glowing beautiful skin. If you have oily skin, applying a face oil like Kats balancing organic face oil can actually lessen the production of sebum by giving it the moisture that it needs.

Hyaluronic Acid supports dry, dehydrated, and mature skins and keeps our barrier intact. Hyaluronic acid is especially useful during the winter months due to the harsh weather conditions that dry out your skin. Read the chapter in my journal on Why should I use Hyaluronic Acid in the colder months of the year?

Taking an Omega 3 supplement can improve skin dryness, reduce inflammation, and boost your immune system. It even helps to improve your mood!

Exfoliation is key in the winter

Do you suffer from flaky skin? The constant rubbing of all the layers that we wear in the winter can cause dryness and flakiness. I recommend dry skin brushing. It not only exfoliates but also improves your lymphatic system, moving toxins out of the connective tissue. After dry skin brushing use a nourishing body oil and drink warm water with lemon to hydrate the lymphatic system and eliminate toxins.

I found with my clients in the winter that they have more buildup of dead skin cells. My client’s skin starts to look dull due to the skin being dry and outermost skin cells not being shed appropriately. By using an AHA exfoliant on a daily basis like Nimue conditioner you are gently removing dead skin cells, promoting cell turnover, and your skin can absorb active ingredients. Your skin will look brighter! Skin is more sensitive in the winter from my experience so using a daily exfoliant to gently remove dead skin cells is much better than a harsh weekly exfoliant. Chemical exfoliants are better than a granular exfoliant because they cause less irritation and inflammation.

Don't forget your SPF

Even in the winter months you will be exposed to harmful rays that will cause ageing in the skin. I like to use the Nimue spf 40 sunscreen which is hydrating and protects my skin from premature ageing.

Use Infrared Sauna during the winter

Saunas promote detoxification. You get cleansing sweat through an infrared sauna because the infrared wavelength mobilises toxins stored deep within the cells and helps your body release them through your sweat. Infrared sauna increases the circulation throughout the body, increasing the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the skin, giving your skin that glow!

Double cleanse

I recommend using a cleansing oil or a balm cleanser in the colder months to break down all the pollution and makeup. By Massaging the cleanser into the skin, you are improving the microcirculation in the skin giving your skin a boost.

What works for some months does not work for another month. Strengthen your skin by having a good winter skincare routine to protect it.

I hope this chapter gives you some support. Do book an appointment if you need further guidance.