Snow alert! The UK is well and truly frosty right now, and we can’t seem to put on enough layers. The same goes for our skin — when it comes to extreme cold and wind, you can’t just get away with the same old moisturiser. First things first, you have to exfoliate away the dead skin. Next, think layers: start with a face oil or hyaluronic acid, then add your best moisturiser, and finish with SPF. At night, apply a rich face oil or night cream so that your skin can heal while you sleep. And don’t forget your extremities – your lips need a thick layer of protection too. Look for a rich balm with shea butter like our handbag must-have Balmi lip balm – apply it under your lipgloss or lipstick to keep any flakes at bay. If all else fails, you can always do what I do: wrap your warmest scarf around your mouth and nose so that only your eyes peek out. Brr! Read on for more tips…
Eesthetician Victoria Mastrogiovanni has been in the spa business for 11 years and gave us some cold weather and high altitude skincare secrets.
Brush, don’t scrub: Instead of sloughing away dry skin, Mastrogiovanni uses a Clarisonic face brush to cleanse every other evening. She says it’s much better at removing makeup and keeps skin fresh.
Layer on the moisture: Don’t just slather on the thickest cream you can find. Mastrogiovanni says it’s more effective to apply layers of hydration, even though “it’s annoying because it’s more steps.”
Invest in a superhero gel: Hyaluronic gels boost your skincare products and helps the moisture bind with cells instead of sitting right on top of the skin.
Mastrogiovanni’s routine: Cleanse skin with a Clarisonic brush every other night. Use a hydrating toner like Taaj Himalaya Micellar Water, followed by a nutritive serum like WEI Jujube Age Control Serum and Hydrating B5 Gel. Finish with moisturiser with SPF.
Bundling up like Cara Delevingne in this cold weather? Here’s the low-down on how to get rid of hat hair…