Here are some of the best tips you can follow to keep your skin happy during the cold winter months – plus our favourite eco-friendly products for glowing winter skin.
During winter, our skin needs a lot more care than in any other season. It is our body’s largest organ, after all. So to help you protect and look after for your skin over the colder months, we asked dermatologist Dr Hiba Injibar from Dermasurge Clinic on Harley Street and skin specialist Dr Rekha Tailor, the medical founder and director of Health & Aesthetics in Surrey for their top tips.
In addition to this, we’ve also included some of our favourite new beauty products to consider adding to your skincare regime. All products featured come from new and independent brands, and since gentle is best for winter skin and the planet, all of the products are eco-friendly, sustainable and about as natural as they get.
1. Early nights work wonders
“It’s a known fact that exhaustion lowers the immune system and can make the skin worse,” explains Dr Rekha Tailor.
She adds: “Having one early night can do wonders for your skin, as can making sure you stay hydrated and drinking lots of water throughout the day.”
Improve your sleep with…
Yogandha Relax Body Oil, £26.99 (125ml)
Created by yogi Sinead Duffy, this dreamy lavender and vetiver scented oil help you soothe away the day and slip into a good night’s sleep. The ingredients – calming lavender and blue chamomile aroma – are proven to encourage deep sleep. This oil also contains Petitgrain to soothe the nervous system. Use it as a massage oil or, add a few drops to a bath and get ready for blissful sleep. It’s 100% natural and vegan, and the packaging is made sustainably too. For more information, visit www.yogandha.com.
Silk Pillowcase by This Is Silk, £47.99
Beauty editors rave about silk pillowcases, and if you want to invest more in skincare, you might want to consider buying one. This luxurious tempest grey silk pillowcase is not only eco-friendly but promises a bunch of beauty benefits, like delaying the signs of ageing and preventing frizzy hair. Silk is especially great for anyone with dry skin in the winter months as it helps lock in valuable moisture.
The founder of This Is Silk, Sonal Keay, suffers from a rare skin condition, and she claims silk is the only thing that soothes it. She left her career as a barrister to develop the finest 22 momme and sustainably produced silk to help others. For more information, visit www.thisissilk.com.
2. Wash with lukewarm water
Avoid hot showers and baths, suggests Dr Rekha Tailor: “If the water is too hot, it can strip the oils away from the skin.”
She adds: “These natural oils are essential for keeping skin hydrated and so whilst a hydrator can also help, by ensuring the water temperature isn’t too high we can also reduce the risk of these oils being stripped away. If your skin is red and itchy when you come out of the shower, this can be a sign that the temperature was too high.”
3. Upgrade your moisturiser
Dr Hiba Injibar advises: “The combination of cold weather and central heating often means an increase in sensitivity and dryness and, as a result, extra skin moisture is a must. Make sure you’re applying moisturiser to your skin directly after cleansing.”
Nourish your skin with…
Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream, £30.50 (30ml)
A decent moisturiser is a winter skincare staple, and this plant-based day cream from Dr Hauschka will leave your skin feeling nourished and cared for. Its rich, creamy texture makes the product ideal for winter when skin needs some extra TLC. It’ll leave you with dewy skin and has a lovely rose scent, thanks to the rose-based ingredients, including extracts of rose petals and nourishing wild rose hips. For more information, visit www.drhauschka.co.uk.
Slow Ageing Essential Face Balm, £56 (20ml)
This rich balm is packed with “skin-feeding” butters and pure essential oils. Pop some on before bedtime (one to three times a week), and it’ll work overnight to give your complexion a new lease of life. Fans of the Slow Ageing Essential Face Balm call it “magic in a bottle”. The brand is big on wellbeing and passionate about sustainability, and all their products are cruelty-free and contain zero chemicals.
They recommend boosting the balm’s effectiveness with a drop or two of its lightweight Essential Facial Essence, £56 (20ml) for an extra dose of nourishment. For more information, visit www.slowageing.co.uk.
4. Exfoliate your skin
Dr Hiba Injibar recommends a weekly exfoliation to remove dullness: “Use an exfoliator twice a week to slough off dulling and clogging dead skin cells and refreshing your complexion.”
Remove dead cells with…
BAO Luminosity Body Scrub, from £6
This divine-smelling scrub uses cane sugar to exfoliate your skin naturally, while – thanks to plant oils – brightens it too. Beth Coldrick, who founded BAO in 2017, is on a mission to create a 100% vegan and cruelty-free skin and body range, that contains only the necessary ingredients and is organic where possible.
Beth’s committed to creating simple, gentle, natural products that are safe for your skin and the environment. The BAO range is free from synthetic fragrances, artificial colourings, parabens, phthalates, sulphates, petrochemicals and mineral oils.
This wonderful body scrub is handmade in the UK in small batches and comes in fully recyclable aluminium pouches. Another winter skin saviour from BAO is the best-selling and deeply moisturising Nourish Urself Balm (from £17) which transforms dull and dry skin. For more information, visit www.baoskincare.co.uk.
Cleanzi Mitt, £15.95
The Cleanzi Mitt is a game-changing new beauty tool that has 5 in 1 uses. It removes all traces of make-up and the daily build-up of grime with no soap or cleanser needed, just add plain old tap water. It’s designed to be used 350 times and is machine washable too. What makes this mitt stand out is that it’s dual-sided, with the pale pink reverse side providing gentle exfoliation, to remove dead cells and tackle blackheads. For more information, visit www.shopskinbysam.com.
5. Switch the heating off at night
“Making sure the heating is off during the night is an excellent way of easing skin dryness (especially if you have any skin conditions such as eczema or other inflammatory issues) as well as saving you a bit of money,” suggests Dr Hiba Injibar.
6. Stock up on Kale
Dr Rekha Tailor advises eating more Kale: “Kale is packed with vitamin C; in fact, one cup has more than 50% of the recommended vitamin C you need in a day. This helps skin to grow new cells and heal. Just what you need to keep skin looking bright and fresh.”
Detox your skin with…
Farm Girl’s Detoxifying Green Clay Mask, £34
Give your skin a radiant glow with this sustainable, cruelty-free and vegan face mask. It’s created by talented facialist Sarah-Jane, who runs a popular salon from her rural retreat in Essex, which was also her late Grandfather’s apple farm. The Detoxifying Green Clay Mask restores balance and soaks up excess oils that clog pores and lead to spots and imperfections.
It’s especially good for those with oily skin. The mask has been lovingly handcrafted and is enriched with Hyaluronic acid, which will boost hydration and help to reduce wrinkles. For more information, visit www.farmgirlbysarahjane.co.uk.
7. Choose your knitwear carefully
“Itchy skin, also known as ‘pruritus’, can be accentuated by rough, irritating winter fabrics,” explains Dr Rekha Tailor. “To avoid suffering from irritated skin and scalp when wearing winter clothes, try to opt for items made from natural, breathable materials. This helps the air to circulate and reduces the build-up of heat in one place, which can add to the irritation.”
Calm irritation with…
Lyonsleaf Calendula & Marshmallow Balm, £10.95 (30ml)
If you’re prone to dry skin and scratchy fibres have left it feeling aggravated, balm moisturisers are an effective remedy. This Lyonsleaf balm is made from natural plant oils, organic beeswax and homegrown herbs. It does an excellent job of sealing moisture into your skin. Balms are often used by Arctic explorers as they’re able to protect in the harshest of environments. The Marshmellow Root in this balm takes nourishment one step further by hydrating, soothing and repairing the skin like no other herb.
Ideal for very dry skin, it can be used all over the body, from your elbows to your feet. Lyonsleaf’s founders Vicky and Ben grow their Soil Association organically certified Calendula on their family farm in Somerset. They create their products as sustainably as possible, by reducing plastic use, waste and carbon emissions. For more information, visit www.lyonsleaf.co.uk.
8. Be open to changing your skincare routine
Dr Hiba Injibar recommends being agile with your skin regime: “Some people’s skin type can change from oily to normal or normal to dry as the weather becomes cooler. It’s important to monitor this and adapt your usual regime if necessary.”
Add this to your routine…
Naya Everyday Face Oil, £52 (30ml)
This lightweight oil balances and brightens with a mix of all-natural and powerful oils that repair your skin’s protective barrier. NAYA creates cruelty-free and vegan products that contain intelligent and sustainability sourced ingredients. It’s fast-absorbing, intensely nourishing and subtly fragranced with a wonderful blend of patchouli, orange, lemon and juniper berry. Cacay Oil – the hero ingredient – stimulates cell renewal and slows collagen breakdown to reduce fine lines. For more information, visit www.nayaglow.com.
9. Exercise for glowing skin
“Even just a half an hour walk, three times a week, will help keep your skin looking radiant,” explains Dr Rekha Tailor.
But don’t forget to drink water, reminds Dr Hiba Injibar: “Cold weather means that we naturally take comfort in hot drinks, meaning caffeine consumption goes up, and water consumption goes down. Hydrated skin looks plumper, calmer and reflects light – in short, drinking water makes you glow.”
Relieve sore muscles with…
Cannaray Aloe & Arnica Skin Cream, £23 (250mg)
This lightweight, vegan body cream helps soothe achy muscles after exercise or after a long day of working from home. It’s thanks to a powerful mix of premium CBD and aloe, eucalyptus, shea butter and rosemary. The cream is non-greasy and absorbs fast so that it can be used as a face or skin cream. The addition of fiery methanol instantly relieves aches. What’s more, CBD has been proven to provide anti-inflammatory benefits, so the cream can also reduce facial redness and breakouts. For more information, visit www.cannaray.co.uk.
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