Top 5 winter skincare tips to help banish dry skin for good

We all know winter can wreak havoc on our skin. Just a few minutes of watching Dr Zhivago over the Christmas period shows us how harsh a cold snap can be. If you’re struggling to keep dry, chapped skin at bay and have some Christmas money or vouchers to spend, what should you invest in to help keep your skin looking its best? Here are our top five tips for keeping dry, winter skin at bay:

1. Buy a moisturiser with SPF

This is the number one anti-ageing product we should all be using. While there’s less UVB during the winter months, don’t think that you can skip this skin essential during the winter months as UVA rays can still significantly damage skin. Bear in mind that lower UVB will also mean you have less vitamin D, so it’s a good time of year to also invest in Vitamin D supplements. Another great tip is to swap your moisturising lotion for a cream and make sure to massage it into your skin for a few minutes at the end of each day, to maximise its effects.

2. Invest in a facial

Over time, toxins and dead skin cells accumulate on our skin, clogging pores and dulling the complexion. That’s why it’s important to get a facial. Salon facials can unclog pores and slough off dead skin cells, brightening up the complexion and preventing skin issues such as acne. These treatments will also improve absorption of your own skincare products, maximising the impact of your everyday skincare routine. So, if you’ve got money or a beauty voucher for Christmas, now’s the time to invest in a luxurious facial. Not only will it make you look better, but there’s nothing better than taking some time for yourself and a bit of pampering is definitely good for the soul, especially after the excess and stress of the yuletide season!

3. Don’t neglect your hands

During the winter months, your hands can become extremely dry, red and sore. To help prevent this happening, wash your hands with unperfumed soap or substitute handwash for a moisturising soap substitute such as E45 Emollient Wash Cream. Also, wear gloves when you’re out, to keep your hands warm and protected. You should also invest some of that Christmas money in a good, unperfumed hand cream. You’ll need a thinner lotion such as Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion for during the day but those with extremely chapped skin may require a richer, ointment-style moisturiser at night. If you can, wear cotton gloves overnight, over your hand cream. This will seal in the moisture-providing properties and help heal the skin barrier, so you can wake up to lovely, smooth skin.

4. Prevent chapped lips

When our lips get dry, we tend to lick them. Try to resist this, as you’ll actually make the condition worse, excessively drying out your lips and making them chapped, red and sore. To combat the dryness, make sure to regularly slathe on an effective petroleum or beeswax-based lipbalm. More severely chapped lips will require more intense treatments such as Dr Dan’s CortiBalm, which contains a mild hydrocortisone to heal any cracks that may have formed. If you’re lucky enough to be going skiing, it’s really important to buy a chap stick that contains zinc oxide. This is a fantastic sunscreen and will prevent your lips from getting flaky and sore and ruining that apres ski look!

5. Relax in a luxurious bath

Not only is a luxurious bath amazing for de-stressing after a hectic Christmas, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to rehydrate your skin. Maybe you received some nice bath oils for Christmas? If so, now’s a marvellous time to start indulging your senses and using your gift, before it gets stashed away in a cupboard and forgotten about! If you have sensitive skin, then use an emollient such as Oilatum Bath Formula. Using bath oils and emollients regularly will also help preserve that precious décolletage that we at Elle Courbee want to help you maximise with our fantastic range of shapewear.