As much as I love the colder months because I can drink hot chocolate until my heart is content (my stomach never is) and wrap up until I look like a walking duvet; my skin, as I’m sure is the case with many others, is not so tolerant of the cold, dry and harsh weather. And whilst there are a billion and one YouTube tutorials and online blogs about this, I thought I would share some of my personal tips and tricks.
Skincare:
Tip 1- Find an exfoliator that is catered to your skin type (oily, dry or combo) and make it a routine to exfoliate every night before you go to bed, to ensure that any dirt and dry skin is thoroughly washed away. You can follow this up with a cleanser or facemask- I find those that contain Aloe Vera and green tea are great.
Tip 2- Moisturising. I like to take a grape sized amount of moisturizer- Nivea is great for this as its heavy duty, but body butters also work extremely well. As a generous amount of moisturizer is used, it will keep your skin feeling soft even after you’ve washed your face in the morning.
Makeup:
Tip 1- Moisturize well for the day! This is also ideal for those who don’t wear makeup but just want their skin to stand strong against cold and dry weather. But for makeup-wearers, you will find that your makeup sits much better on top of moisturized skin and will keep dry skin at bay.
Tip 2- Try not to layer too much.
Invest in a foundation/concealer which is full coverage (it may cost a little bit more but it’s worth it) and apply less of that so you get your coverage but your skin is also able to breathe and retain some of its moisture. You can also mix in some moisturizer with your makeup and then apply this combination for added moisture.
Set your base with some face powder/translucent powder to ensure it lasts all day.
Tip 3- Use your fingers to blend. I find that using my fingers to blend out my concealer is the best trick to getting the most coverage and looking fresh faced and awake. The warmth of your fingers means the concealer will melt into your skin and ensure you get maximum coverage. For me, this technique also prevents my makeup from accentuating the dry patches on my face.
Tip 4– Try to use moisturizing lipsticks/lip balms. This is so important since chapped and cracked lips are pretty much the bane of everyone’s existence during the colder months.
(image from lauritaonline.com)
Many lipsticks nowadays are hydrating/ moisturizing/infused with balms, so you get the pigment as well as the comfort. (NYX and No 7 are great for this) However, simply applying a lip balm before applying any lipstick is another option.
I always set my lipstick with a little bit of translucent powder in order to ensure it lasts all day and believe me, after a burger and chips or possibly some greasy noodles, my lipstick still looks decent!