IT’S BEEN A long hot summer, the hottest on record in fact, but all good things must come to an end. Winter is not coming as winter has already arrived.
The dark months ahead can wreck havoc with people’s mental health, but the lack of sunshine can also affect your skin.
Why is this?
Well, the chilly and whipping winds can strip your skin of its natural surface lipids (fats), which usually act as a barrier to hold in moisture, whilst keeping dirt, fumes and other environmental toxins out. If you live in a city then your skin is especially going to suffer.
However, here’s 3 tips to keep you looking as smooth and hydrated as a grape, because no one wants skin like a raisin.
1. Avoid long hot baths and showers
This tip is free, but you probably aren’t loving it.
The truth hurts, but by God it will keep your skin glowing.
As much as you might be craving an extra minute or two or five in the shower during the colder months, this will dry out your skin and rob it of moisture. Hot water can inflame your skin, causing redness, itching and even peeling.
If your skin is red after a shower, then turn it down a notch or two next time.
2. Hydrate after a shower and just before bedtime
In an ideal scenario the best time to hydrate your skin is right after a shower, so your pores are open and ready to absorb the moisturiser.
If you can manage to have your shower just before bedtime, all the better, because then you can pile on the moisturiser and it can soak into you in a stable environment indoors.
Check the labels on your skincare products and try to choose ones that do not contain alcohol as this can also dry out your skin.
Try Eucerin Sensitive Skin Q10 Active Anti-Wrinkle Cream.
It’s alcohol and fragrance free, and costs €19.99 for 50ml in Boots. The best tip for moisturising your face is to massage your face upwards. It can feel like second nature to drag your skin down, but over time you’ll ruin the elasticity of your skin by pulling it down.
3. Wear Sunscreen
All year round we need sunscreen as UV rays are just as damaging in winter as they are in the summer months. Layer up on any skin that is exposed, meaning especially your face. There’s not much point using anything under factor 50, and turn the bottle around to check to see how many stars there are.
The stars indicate how protected you are from UVA light. Cost of sunscreen doesn’t really matter.
This 200ml Boot sunscreen gives 5 star UVA protection is and factor 50 for the price of €5.00.
