7 easy Winter skincare tips to keep your skin glowing

Ahh winter, the season of bundling up cosy in fluffy jumpers, keeping warm under soft blankets, sipping hot chocolate while it’s cold outside…and dry, sensitive skin. Did you know you should change up your skincare routine a little bit in Winter to keep your skin happy? In this post I will give you some SIMPLE tips that you can fit into your everyday routine with EASE. I know there are many things out there you can do to keep your skin glowing through winter such as going for a facial at the beauty salon every week, steaming your face every night, but we all know no one is going to go to that much effort. So below are some fuss free ways you can take care of your skin this winter.

1. Drink lots of water

Let’s get started with the first Winter skincare tip – drinking lots of water which is the key to keeping your skin hydrated. It may be too cold to drink water straight out the tap, so why not boil the water first? A drink I love is warm water with a bit of lemon, lime, and ginger in it. Yummy! Or why not try warm water with honey? In fact, warm water with honey is amazing for the skin as honey clears out toxins in the body leaving your skin radiant.

2. Put sunscreen on every morning

Just because everywhere is dark and cold and the sun seems to have disappeared does it mean you can skip out on sunscreen! The sun can still have an effect on your skin so make sure to keep applying that sunscreen onto your face every day. I use Fenty Skin moisturiser which comes with SPF 30, I love that I can apply it onto my face everyday and know that it’s being protected from the sun’s rays. You can read more about this amazing moisturiser here.

3. Avoid skincare products with harsh ingredients (AHA, retinol)

As skin can be more sensitive and drier during Wintertime, I would recommend not to use any products with ingredients that might irritate the skin such as AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) and retinol. While these ingredients are perfectly fine at other times, during winter your skin needs a bit gentler loving. For a retinol alternative, I suggest bakuchiol, which is a plant-based ingredient from the leaves and seeds of the babchi plant. In studies it has been found to have the same effectiveness as retinol in treating skin concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation; however, bakuchiol is much gentler on the skin.

4. Use a moisturising cleanser

Another easy Winter skincare tip, switch to a more moisturising cleanser when washing your face. In winter, the air has less humidity thus is drier, and our skin loses moisture to this dry air. Using a moisturising cleaner during Winter will help keep the skin hydrated. A top tip, don’t use foaming facial cleansers as these are too harsh for your skin in Winter.

5. Exfoliate once a week

You might have heard that for luminous skin you should exfoliate your face 2-3 times a week. Well, that changes during winter! We want to be careful with our skin and not go overboard as it is already a bit more sensitive due to the cold weather. Exfoliating once a week is enough to get rid of dead cell skins and keep you glowing, while not irritating your skin either.

6. Do not use too hot water when taking a shower

I know it’s freezing out there and jumping into a hot, steaming shower seems like the ultimate treat. Just be careful not to make the water temperature too hot, during Winter this isn’t the best for the skin as it will leave skin dehydrated and strip oils from the skin. As a further note, don’t use too hot water when washing hands either, especially if your skin is red and itchy after hand washing.

7. Use a sleeping mask

Sleeping masks are another holy grail product from South Korea. They are used in place of a night cream once or twice a week. Korean sleeping masks are applied like a moisturiser, and you leave it on the whole night and wash it off the next morning. While we sleep, the skin repairs and regenerates itself, that’s why sleeping masks work so well – the wonderful ingredients are absorbed into and work on the skin overnight, leaving you to wake up in the morning with radiant, glowing skin. Ahh, pampering your skin while you sleep, such an easy but effective Winter skincare tip.

A fan favourite is Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, here’s why it’s so good:

• Highly concentrated Hydro Ionised Mineral Water intensely moisturizes the skin
• Apricot and Evening Primrose extracts help brighten skin
• Calming scents of orange flower, rose, and sandalwood

Please note, Laneige has released a newer version of their Water Sleeping Mask formulated with probiotics and squalane too!