5 Cold Weather Skin Care Tips

Low temperatures and harsh winds can suck away the moisture from our bodies and leave our skin looking worse for wear. Marie Otty, founder of Essential Stuff age defying beauty, shares her tips on how to adapt your skincare regime for the cooler months.

1. Give your hands extra love
The skin on our hands are extremely thin, which means they already have a limited amount of moisture. Apply hand cream frequently, especially after washing your hands, and avoid cotton gloves, which absorb moisture and stay wet.

2. Hydrate skin while it's damp
Apply a rich body butter immediately after taking a shower to help lock-in moisture. Consider products with natural ingredients like macadamia, rosehip and pomegranate. These that will soften the skin, giving it refreshing and healthy glow.

3. Avoid very hot water
It may feel good, but never shower, bathe or wash your face with extremely hot water. It can not only break the capillaries in the face, but also break down the lipid barriers in the skin, which will lead to a loss of moisture. Cleanse the skin in warm water with a rich and gentle body wash enriched with Aloe Vera and pomegranate will hydrate the skin and protect against ageing.

4. Don’t neglect the feet
Dry cracked heels can be painful and unattractive – and only get worse in winter. Unfortunately regular creams won’t penetrate the dry, dead, thick skin on our heels so soak the feet first then apply a dedicated foot balm with strong antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to nourish the skin. Keep this routine for 2-3 days and the benefits will be noticed in no time.

5. Apply sunscreen
Just because it's cold out doesn't mean the sun isn't strong. Apply an SPF 15-30 to the face and hands about 30 minutes before going outside. Don’t forget to reapply if outside for long periods of time.

What's your favourite beauty product when it's cold out?