3 tips for great skin this winter

Winter….I know very few people who enjoy the winter months. During the winter months my skin becomes incredibly dry and I tend to neglect looking after my entire body’s skin. I have incorporated 3 steps into my daily bath time routine to help keep my skin happy and looking good.

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1.      Exfoliate
During the summer months we are more aware of the overall condition of our skin because we don’t cover ourselves up in layers of clothing. It is so important that we don’t forget to exfoliate our skin. Exfoliation is such an important step in any skincare routine (When I say skincare routine, I mean ALL of your skin. Skincare is not only limited to your face). The main purpose of exfoliation is to remove the upper layer of dead skin cells so that your skin is better able to absorb the masks, serums and creams you apply on a daily basis. When you don’t exfoliate, the layer of dead skin prevents your skin from absorbing all the nutrients from the products you apply. The majority of the products just sit on the top layer of your skin and doesn’t get absorbed to the lower layers where it is needed. Get yourself a good loofah sponge or exfoliating scrub and gently exfoliate your skin while in the bath or shower.

2.       Focus on Hydration
In the winter months my skin gets very dry and it is largely due to me not drinking enough water. When it’s cold the last thing I want is a tall, cold glass of water. We all know how important water is to our overall health and wellbeing so it’s important to continue drinking the recommended 2 litres of water a day. Furthermore, I also incorporate richer and thicker moisturisers into my routine, replacing my lotions with creams and body butters. Look out for products with hydrating and moisture attracting ingredients like hyaluronic acid and Glycolic acid in facial care products and plant oils (olive oils, jojoba seed oil, and avocado oil) in body care products. Products that use Shea butter as the base are a firm favourite of mine because Shea Butter helps improve the overall condition of your skin.

3.       Sunblock
The importance of all year round use of sunblock is widely underestimated. So many people think sunblock is a summer time purchase and should only be worn during the hotter months.  Although it is cold and the sun doesn’t feel like it is beating down on us, we are still exposed to a lot of UV rays and it is these rays that damage our skin.  Even the office lights and monitors that we sit behind all day emit UV rays so it is an absolute necessity to ensure we apply a good sunblock to all areas of our skin that are exposed – including our hands!

Big Hugs,
Charlene XXX