4 tips for keeping skin looking great in the winter - Healthy Life Essex

I cannot control the weather, but one of the perks of being a beauty therapist for the last eight years is the knowledge to control my skin’s reaction to the weather. This article focuses on keeping your skin looking great in the winter.

Our climate is seasonal, and these winter months are so harsh on our skin. Did you know you are meant to change your skin care routine throughout the year? What you do in the summer months just isn’t sufficient for your skin’s needs in the winter. During the bitter cold winter months, the minute you leave your house your skin faces the winter cold air and then, when we go back inside, the heat from the heating indoors: in and out we go without a thought that this is making our skin very dry and dull looking.

It’s not just the weather around the winter season. It’s also a time of festive cheer which leads, for many of us, to lots of alcohol, eating too much and too many rich foods we wouldn’t normally eat. We all know that can affect our weight and general fitness levels, but it isn’t that great for our skin either being suddenly assaulted with a barrage of nasty toxins. Many of us will try and address the error of our ways by ‘adjusting our diets’ in January, but that often leads to a reduction in the consumption of essential fatty acids which are important ingredients for keeping our skin naturally hydrated.

If you want your skin to be at it’s best all year round, here are 4 tips to keep your skin looking great and feeling good throughout the winter.

Winter Skin -Tip 1

Drink plenty of water, seems obvious right? Well I’m not talking just plain water. It is important to add some lemon or lime to your water. These have electrolytes in them which the body wants to absorb therefore making the body draw the water in more than it would normally boosting your water absorption creating more hydration within your body and skin. I would just stick to lemon and lime and not stray to other fruits as the lemon and lime keep your body a more alkaline PH.

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Winter Skin – Tip 2

Take an essential fatty acid supplement. If you are trying to cut down on your fat intake, including natural fats it is important to take an alternative supplement. Omega 3 & 6 is really good but if you don’t eat fish opt for flaxseed oil. I find a lot of vegan diets don’t include a lot of essential fatty acids and if you are turned off by supplements you can find these in avocado and nuts.

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Winter Skin – Tip 3

Gently exfoliate the dead skin cells. I don’t like to encourage too much granulated exfoliation on the skin. If you can find a granule free exfoliate that’s great, but if you cannot I like to use sugar mixed with olive oil so it is natural. It’s important to get off the dead skin cells as this is creating a dull look to your skin and can also be stopping your moisturiser getting through the skin which will be clogging up the skin as well as reducing the chance of hydration which could result in black heads.

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Winter Skin – Tip 4

Use a moisturiser suited to your skin type but that is nourishing. It is important to use the correct moisturiser to make sure your skin has a barrier from the climate and is hydrated, but isn’t over moisturised as this will leave the skin too greasy. It has to be able to soak into your skin. You may want to invest in a night cream if you find your skin is extra dry. I recommend Earthzest Organics as we use this in the salon.   

Love the skin you live in!

Courtney Smith is the owner and senior therapist at The Beauty Shop, a relaxing and tranquil beauty salon in Southend. She is passionate about self-care and helping people feel great in a natural, planet-friendly way. Courtney has worked hard to ensure that wherever possible, the products she uses and sells, such as Earthzest Organics, are cruelty-free and eco-friendly. She has recently launched a new Vegan Beauty Menu

The Beauty Shop
4 Plaza Way, Southchurch Road
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 2PU

Tel: 07468 425 977
Email: thebeautyshop@gmail.com