The Best Winter Skin of Your Life
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As the temperatures drop, it's the perfect time to elevate your skincare game and give your skin the TLC it deserves. Winter brings with it time to revamp your skincare routine for a radiant complexion despite the chilly weather. We’ve curated our top 10 skincare tips to ensure your skin stays hydrated, healthy, and glowing all winter long. Read on as our SELF therapists give their expert advice to achieve your best-ever winter skin.
Gentle Cleansing
Maintaining a healthy skin barrier through gentle cleansing is essential for retaining moisture. If your skin feels tight after washing, it indicates that your cleanser might be too harsh, potentially damaging your skin barrier. Especially during winter, the cleanser that works for you in summer may not be suitable. Ideally, your skin should feel calm and hydrated after cleansing. If you find yourself needing to apply moisturiser immediately after cleansing, consider switching to a milder or oil-based cleanser. If your skin feels particularly dry, reduce cleansing to once in the evening and the morning, simply rinse with warm water instead.
Some of our top cleansing recommendations include:
Balm Cleanser from O Cosmedics (Available in salon only)
2. Nourishing From Within
While we often concentrate on skincare products, it's crucial not to overlook the importance of our diet, especially during winter. Consuming essential fatty acids like omega-3s, staying hydrated with plenty of water, and incorporating electrolytes into your routine can significantly enhance your skin's hydration and overall health. You should aim to drink 2-3 litres of water a day.
Our Recommendations:
O Cosmedics EFAs (Available in salon)
For a DIY electrolyte drink, simply add a pinch of Celtic salt and a splash of organic coconut water to your daily water bottle.
3. Facial Every 4 weeks
Winter can leave your skin feeling dull and dry, so we recommend a professional facial about every four weeks. This aligns with your skin's natural cell renewal cycle.A skin peel is great to get as it helps resurface the skin, remove the buildup of dry, dead skin cells, reduce congestion, and leave your skin feeling balanced and hydrated.
Our Honey Enzyme Facial is also an excellent way to reset your skin and give it a significant hydration boost. This luxurious, exfoliating, and hydrating facial enhances your skin with a gentle massage and soothing hydration. Rich in antioxidants, honey is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and its powerful ability to cleanse, soothe, and remove impurities from the skin.
4. A Great Time to Start Skin Needling
Winter is the perfect season for skin needling, thanks to reduced sun exposure, which lowers the risk of hyperpigmentation and skin damage. The cooler temperatures help minimize inflammation and swelling post-treatment, making for a more comfortable recovery. Plus, the dry winter air encourages a focus on hydration, allowing your skin to soak up moisturisers and serums more effectively after the needling process.
The benefits don’t stop there. With less exposure to sweat and environmental pollutants in winter, your skin can better absorb the active ingredients used during and after treatments. Starting skin needling in the colder months means you’ll complete your sessions and see optimal results just in time for summer. Imagine stepping into the warmer season with rejuvenated, refreshed skin that’s ready to glow!
5. Introducing a Face Oil
Winter is a great time to introduce Face Oil into your regime. Choose a face oil that matches your skin type and concerns: argan, marula, or avocado oils for dry skin, and lighter oils like jojoba or rosehip for oily or acne-prone skin. Apply the oil as the last step in your nighttime routine or mix a few drops into your moisturiser for added hydration. In the morning, use it after your serum and before your moisturiser for extra protection. Warm a few drops of oil between your palms and gently press it into your skin, focusing on dry areas. Consistent daily use will help maintain hydration and strengthen your skin barrier throughout the winter.
Our favourites:
Dry skin - Biotyspa Face Oil
Oily skin - The IS Clinical Shield Recovery Balm is an alternative to oil if you have oiler skin. We would recommend using this 2-3 times a week.
6.Up Your Bath Game
Baths are a gift to dry winter skin. They not only offer essential relaxation to reduce skin-damaging stress hormones but also provide a wonderful opportunity to hydrate your skin by simply adding some oil to the bath. We recommend adding a cap full of the Biotyspa Body Oil to your next bath.
Diet aside, weekly saunas are also part of my self care routine. Regular sweating helps to eliminate toxins from the body and contributes to glowy skin whilst also keeping my stress levels in check. I also love to indulge in a good quality facial 2-3 times per year.
7.Face Masks
Face masks are a great way to increase hydration into the skin during the colder months. Regular use of face masks during winter can promote a glowing complexion and alleviate the effects of seasonal dryness and dehydration. Our favourite mask for winter is the O Cosmedics Hydra Sleep In Mask. Simply pop over your normal skincare routine, before bed, twice a week and wash off in the morning. Mask available to purchase in SELF.
8. Sauna
Embracing the chill of winter becomes a pleasure with a sauna session. Stepping into the heat, you're met with a sanctuary where pores open, sweat flows, and impurities melt away, leaving your skin feeling renewed, refreshed, and positively glowing. A sauna will not only purify your skin but also ignites a rush of circulation, delivering a nourishing surge of oxygen and vital nutrients to revitalise your complexion.
Book yourself into a sauna at SELF here.
9.SPF
Even though UVB levels diminish during winter, UVA rays, notorious for aging the skin, remain potent enough to cause damage. We strongly recommend incorporating a sunscreen with a high UVA rating into your daily skincare routine throughout the year to shield your skin from aging effects. Our top recommendations are: Airyday Clear as Day SPF50+
10.Winter Workouts
Winter workouts aren't just about keeping fit—they're a secret weapon for maintaining gorgeous skin even when it's chilly outside. When you exercise, your blood pumps faster, delivering a surge of nutrients and oxygen to your skin cells, leaving you with that enviable glow. And let's not forget about the magic of sweat! As you work up a sweat, your pores open up, flushing out toxins and impurities, keeping breakouts at bay and revealing clearer, healthier skin. Aim for at least three workouts a week to keep both your body and your skin in top shape all winter long.
