It’s time to think about winter skin!
The seasons are on the turn again – it’s time to dust off the central heating thermostat and dig out the scarves and gloves! And while you prepare your home and wardrobe, don’t forget to prepare your skin for winter too. The change of seasons can be tough on the skin: harsh, drying central heating and cold winds can leave your skin parched and sensitive. Here are my top tips for gorgeous winter skin: get ready for party season with healthy, glowing skin – rather than dry cheeks and chapped-lips!
Don’t ditch the sunscreen
Okay, the sun may be harder to find in the colder months, but its damaging rays can penetrate cloud cover, so it’s still important to protect your skin. We should all wear an SPF every day to help prevent the damaging and ageing effects of the sun: yes, even in winter. Make a resolution to find one that works well with your skin! A combined moisturiser and SPF is a great idea; the moisturiser will help to counteract the drying effects of harsh central heating and cold winds, while the SPF defends the skin from further damage by UV rays. We have a number of different SPF products available at The Clinic, and are happy to offer advice on what would suit your skin and lifestyle. Just call us or pop in to find out more.
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!
Exfoliation is really important in the cold months, as it helps to remove dry, dead skin cells, and prevent their build-up. This in turn helps to prevent break-outs, leaving your skin feeling softer and looker fresh.
There are two ways to exfoliate your skin: mechanical exfoliation, where a product like a cleansing cloth or scrub is used to remove dead skin cells, and chemical exfoliation, where a product containing alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) is used to remove the surface of the skin.
The Jane Iredale Magic Mitt cleansing cloth is a fantastic product for mechanical exfoliation. This clever microfibre cloth sloughs off dirt, oil and dead skin cells using only water. And it isn’t just for your face – you can use it all over your body, and for a host of other things too! You can find out more about it on the Jane Iredale website here. And Jane Iredale is donating all profits from Magic Mitts purchased before the end of 2017 to Living Beyond Breast Cancer: what a fantastic excuse to buy a really useful product!
A chemical peel is a form of chemical exfoliation, and could be just what your skin needs to refresh and revive. We have a variety available at The Clinic, with something for all skin types. Take a look at our Facial Peels page to find out more.
Eat healthily – and consider a supplement
What we eat is vital to our skin’s health. It can be easy to drift into unhealthy habits when the winter closes in. Suddenly stodge and comfort food become so much more appealing – and salads so much less so! Try to keep eating at least five fruit and veg a day – and ten if you can possibly manage it. The nutrients are really important for the healthy function of your skin.
It may be wise to consider a supplement too, as there are some nutrients that are tricky to get enough of however hard we try. Vitamin D is a case in point. Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet, keeping our bones, teeth and muscles healthy. We can make Vitamin D by being out in the sun for short periods – but in the UK between October and March there simply isn’t enough UVB light for our skin to do this. During winter our bodies rely entirely on our diet to get enough Vitamin D. Oily fish is a good source of Vitamin D, as are some vegetables, but you may want to consider adding a supplement. We offer the Advanced Nutrition Programme (ANP) range at The Clinic, which is specifically formulated with skin health in mind. With more than 10 different formulation, the ANP range can be tailored exactly to your needs. Paying attention to your nutrition really pays dividends when it comes to both beauty AND wellbeing!
Keep drinking plenty of water
When the weather cools down we sometimes forget to drink enough, and it’s easy to slip into bad habits. But a well hydrated body really is the key to well hydrated skin, so try to make sure you keep up your intake! Water plays a vital role in blood circulation, digestion and the absorption of nutrients, all of which impact on your skin’s health. And if you’re looking for something more warming than plain water, remember that herbal teas count too.
With a bit of care and protection, your winter skin can be as glowing and healthy as it is in summer.
