Looking after your skin in winter
The winter months really feel like they’re never going to end, don’t they? A relentless onslaught of bad weather combined with short days, long nights and a distinct lack of sunshine (not to mention having to prepare to leave the house with never ending layers of jumpers, coats, gloves, hats and scarves) is enough to make us want to hibernate. But, assuming we’re not a hedgehog or a dormouse, we have to carry on going about our daily lives, willing for the first signs of spring.
Waiting for the train in the rain or standing on the side lines of a chilly Sunday league football pitch is bad enough for struggling with sore throats and numb toes, but what do cold, wet, windy weather and central heating do to our skin?
Cause havoc, it turns out.
What does winter do to our skin?
Low temperatures, cold, harsh winds, rain, snow, dry air, low humidity and everything else winter throws at our faces can damage the natural barrier function of the skin. Not only that, warming up with a long bath, starting the day with a hot shower and spending the day in central heating strips our skin of even more moisture.
The result? Dryness, tightness, flaking, redness and irritation.
Top tips for winter skin
But all is not lost. With a few tweaks to your skincare during the colder months, you can still have hydrated, calm, happy skin. Here’s our top tips…
- Unless you have very oily skin, your skin is probably crying out for extra moisture, so a slightly heavier moisturiser may help. But you don’t have to buy a new one at the beginning of October (if you have sensitive skin, it won’t act favourably to a vast change anyway). Instead, add a few drops of a hyaluronic acid based serum to your usual moisturiser. Hyaluronic acid attracts water molecules from the atmosphere into the skin, helping to keep it plump and hydrated.
- At night, you can afford to go even heavier still. Again, stick to your usual night time moisturiser, and add a few drops of a plant based oil designed for the face, such as virgin marula oil or Moroccan argan oil. These oils help to soothe weather beaten skin overnight, without overloading it.
- Staying hydrated on the inside is just as important when it’s cold as it is during the warmer months. Aim to drink eight glasses of water each day. Start your day as you mean to carry on with a cup of warm (not hot) water and honey with a squeeze of lemon. Necta & Hive Jarrah Honey 10+ TA is perfect!
- As tempting as it is to soak in a hot bath and turn the thermostat up on the shower, try to avoid anything other than warm water to bathe and shower. If it turns your skin red or darker, it’s too hot.
- Invest in a humidifier to keep by your bed to help add moisture to the air, and therefore your skin, as you sleep. Portable humidifiers are also great for keeping on your desk during the day.
- Treat yourself to a soothing mask each week, to help hydrate and moisturise your skin. Our honey facemask recipe is easy to apply and feels amazing on tight, dry, winter skin.
- Don’t be afraid to exfoliate. Dead skin cells build up on the skin, especially if it’s dry and flaky, leading to dull, lacklustre skin and potential pore blockages and spots. Did you know that honey is a gentle, natural exfoliant as it’s packed with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) that gently but effectively clear the pores? You do now!
