Winter can be a difficult time for our skin and hair. Cold harsh wind, central heating, air conditioned offices – all these factors contribute to dryness and decreased vitality. Amanda Elias, the founder of Bravura London, is sharing her advices and insights into the secrets of beautiful and healthy looking skin.
1. If normally oily or combination skin is getting a little dry, don’t use products designed for dry skin, this will only cause breakouts. Instead try using a more nourishing moisturiser that is suitable for your skin type and try changing from a cleansing wash to a cream cleanser.
2. Central heating takes moisture out from the air; try leaving a dish of water near your radiators which will act as a humidifier to help replace the moisture that’s lost- you can also add a few drops of aromatherapy oils to fragrance your room.
3. Don’t forget your SPF! Even in the winter UVA is present in the atmosphere and it’s this UVA that causes premature ageing. Just because the sun isn’t shining brightly, that’s not to say your skin doesn’t need protection.
4. Use AHAs such as glycolic acid or lactic acid to exfoliate your skin rather than a scrub. Using a scrub on the face can dry out the skin. AHAs help to exfoliate by dissolving the glue that holds on the dead skin cells, leaving the skin instantly fresher and healthier without you having to scrub at your skin.
5. Don’t forget the children; their skin can also become dry this time of year, especially if they suffer with eczema, so use an appropriate moisturiser for their skin or a gentle, non comedogenic oil such as jojoba or avocado oil.
6. Humectants bind moisture to the skin; look out for ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerine, Lactic Acid, Aloe Vera and Urea in your moisturiser.
7. In the cold weather, our bodies crave hot baths and showers, unfortunately the hot water can dry out your skin leaving it itchy. Opt for a warm but not hot shower or bath then wrap up in a nice, fluffy bathrobe to warm up.
8. If your skin is dry, try adding a cupful or oats to your bath to sooth the skin, for less mess, put the oats in to the foot of an old pair of clean tights, tie and cut the rest of the tights, you can save them to make more oatmeal bags for the bath.
9. Omega oils containing EPA are wonderful for helping to keep the skin and hair in peak condition. DHA keeps the brain functioning properly while the EPA in the oil helps by regulating oil production and acting as an anti-inflammatory. However, there are concerns that Omega 6 can actually make conditions such as acne worse so it’s best to buy a product that contains only Omega 3.
10. Don’t forget the skin on your body and feet, because we’re covered up we tend to stop looking after the bits that aren’t shown, we then panic when the sun comes out, scrubbing and moisturising to make our legs and feet look healthy enough to show off. Treat yourself to some gorgeous smelling products, then choose a day to exfoliate and moisturise from head to toe, snuggle up in your bathrobe and go to bed early with a good book.
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