If you suffer from dry flaky skin in winter, you'll know how important it is to up your winter skincare regime. Chapped skin can be painful and unsightly – plus make you feel like you're constantly reapplying moisturiser.
“Colder weather can often be a shock to the skin and maintaining its protective barrier function can be more of a challenge,” explains Nivea skincare expert Dr Sven Untiedt.
“As we constantly drift between hot and cold temperatures, skin loses essential water, resulting in skin that feels tight and dry.
“Consuming plenty of water is just as important in the winter as it is in summer,” says Dr Sven. “Eight glasses of water a day is a good guide, but try eating foods with a high water content such as cucumber, watermelon and tomatoes.”
7 ways to naturally boost your winter skin
To avoid dry skin in winter there are some changes you can make to naturally make your skin healthier during winter.
1. Say goodbye to unnecessary chemicals
Certain fragrances and colours are skin irritants and have no actual benefits for the skin - they simply look and smell nice. Look out for more natural products with recognisable ingredients or swap your usual perfume for an essential oil.
2. Avoid low fat diets
You need healthy fats for healthy cell function – this can be added into your diet through foods such as avocado, fish, nuts and seeds and plant oils such as flax and hemp.
3. Try light exercise
Getting up and moving daily not only boosts circulation, getting your muscles moving will increase your levels of 'happy' hormones or endorphins and blood flow. This in turn will give your skin a lovely healthy glow.
4. Get an early night
Lack of sleep increases the visible appearance of ageing, such as dark circles caused by sluggish circulation.
5. Reduce sugar intake
A high intake of sugar can cause an inflammatory reaction within the skin resulting in a whole host of skin conditions, from acne and rosacea to premature ageing and dry skin.
6. Curb the caffeine
Too much coffee or caffeinated drinks can put extra stress on the liver and digestive system which impacts your body's natural detoxification process.
7. Skincare shouldn't stop at your face
Although we layer up in winter and it can be easy to forget the skin beyond our face exists, remember that your skin is the largest organ of your body – so we need to make sure we are giving it the care it deserves and are caring for all of it.
While simple lifestyle changes can help, adjusting your skincare routine is really important too. Continue reading for our pick of the best body lotions and products for dry skin in winter.
Dr Sam’s winter skincare tips
Your winter skin toolkit
1 of 9Use a gentle cleanser
Squeaky clean skin is never a good thing, especially during the winter. You want to opt for a mild, gentle cleanser, that won't strip the skin of its natural oils and leave it feeling tight and dry. This award-winning jelly cleanser from renowned dermatologist, Dr Sam, is suitable for all skin types and leaves your face feeling clean, but most importantly hydrated. It's brilliant at removing makeup and also particularly good if you struggle from adult acne too.
2 of 9Add oil to your beauty regime
It's easy to come to the conclusion that face oils should be used in place of your usual moisturiser, but actually oils work best applied alongside your moisturiser, not instead of. Oils tend to stay near the surface of the skin, which means they're great at helping the skin's natural barrier function, but won't give the same deep down and long-lasting hydration of richer face creams. That isn't to say they're not worth using. In fact, they'll help skin feel softer, smoother and when used before your night cream they'll help seal in hydration, too. Try the Botanics Nourishing Facial Oil. A blend of rosehip oil, which is rich in omegas and essential fatty acids to help regenerate the skin.
3 of 9Swap your humectant moisturiser to an occlusive
Occlusives use ingredients that create physical barriers on the skin to prevent transepidermal water loss and lock in hydration, whereas humectants bond with water molecules and hold them in the skin's surface. This moisturiser by Dr Sam contains the occlusive ingredient shea butter, as well as 5% niacinamide. It's like a hug for your skin and will keep it feeling hydrated and soft all day. If you suffer from particularly oily skin then there's also a lighter version of this too.
4 of 9Add niacinamide into your routine
Especially into your evening routine. This active ingredient is great at boosting collagen and strengthening your skin barrier and prevents transepidermal water loss. This serum version from The Ordinary is affordable and effective.
5 of 9Gently exfoliate
Exfoliating is important all year round, but even more at this time of year, when skin can easily look dull. However, if your skin is prone to sensitivity you'll need to use a gentle formula and stick to just once or twice a week. Try Urban Veda Soothing Exfoliating Facial Polish. Formulated for sensitive skin types, not only does it exfoliate, it also works to nourish and de-stress aggravated skin.
6 of 9Don't forget to take care of your body skin too
Banish flakes by using a body brush daily before showering, brushing towards your heart using long gentle strokes and after showering, apply a rich body cream. Try the Botanics Long Handled Body Brush.
7 of 9Body cream
Dry, flaky skin can be itchy and irritating but most of us don't apply body cream regularly. "The skin on the legs is often quite dry and skin dryness can often be seen here first," explains Dr Sven. Try the Nivea Rich Nourishing Body Lotion.
8 of 9Banish dry lips
Licking your lips causes them to dry and crack, so it's important to break the habit. Lips don't have oil glands and easily dry out so apply a hydrating lip balm regularly. We like Eucerin's Dry Skin Intensive Lip Balm with soothing liquorice extract and Evening Primrose Oil. It's Brilliant!
9 of 9Introduce a hydrating cream
Deeply hydrating for dry and tired skin without that heavy, oily feeling you can find in other creams, this Transformulas Marine Miracle Crème is the perfect winter skincare solution. Designed to rejuvenate and firm up your skin, plus it comes in a smart travel friendly packaging.
Review: "I was drawn to this product for the marine scent as I love these smells, and I certainly wasn't disappointed, the scent is beautiful. The creme consistency is lovely and lightweight, soaking into the skin well. A little goes a lot further than you'd think so although the price tag is a bit higher than I'd normally spend on a skin cream the results speak for themselves. My skin feels firmer, softer and hydrated immediately after using. Love this product."
Reveal your radiance: glowing winter skin in seconds
Going into winter after such a glorious summer can leave us all feeling a little dull – but there's no need to say goodbye to your summer skin glow.
While improving your diet, staying hydrated and cutting down if you’re a smoker, will all improve your skin’s natural radiance, using the right skincare ingredients can be a big help too.
These beauty must-haves promise to give you healthy, radiant-looking skin on even the greyest of days.
www.marksandspencer.com
When it comes to fighting the signs of ageing and reviving that natural glow, retinol should be your top choice. Research shows it can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots, as well as having skin-smoothing benefits. Retinol also encourages skin regeneration and collagen production for firmer and brighter results.
www.thebodyshop.com
For u2018lit from withinu2019 skin, Vitamin C in your skincare is a must. Great for brightening and evening out skin tone, like all antioxidants itu2019s also thought to help protect the skin from external aggressors such as the weather and pollution. Different forms of Vitamin C that youu2019ll find on your skincare ingredients list include ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid and ascorbyl phosphate.
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Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacinamide is one of the most useful anti-ageing ingredients youu2019ll find in your skincare pack and is suitable for all skin types. Great for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, it also works to improve your complexionu2019s tone and texture. Best of all, it helps boost your skinu2019s protective barrier function, helping skin retain its natural, healthy glow.