Winter Skincare Guide

How can facial oils and moisturisers help your skin this winter?

A facial oil nourishes, helping replenish and balance our skin with pure plant oils – there’s a facial oil for everyone. Those with dryer skin usually love a morning and evening application, whilst oilier skin types tend to prefer it as part of their nighttime routine. Massage is key to applying a facial oil, stimulating the circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the skin – perfect as we exercise less during our winter hibernation.

Facial moisturiser is the final layer of our skincare routine and a vital part of your skincare for cold weather and winter months, it contains nourishing plant oils and protective plant butters, literally like an overcoat for our skin. Of course, we can change our regular moisturiser for a more buttery, richer version but we can also layer our products. Firstly a hydration boosting serum and/or elixir, then a nourishing facial oil and finally a moisturiser.

Those of us spending a lot of time outside may find we’re more prone to redness, as the contrast between outside cold and indoors heat causes capillaries to expand and contract, potentially making them more fragile.

My favourite winter skin essential for outdoors protection is a fine layer of Wild Rose Beauty Balm, it also makes a super-rich balm mask – perfect to pamper your skin whilst enjoying a relaxing bath.

Nourish your skin with body salves and lotions

Whilst long, hot showers are tempting in winter, the heat strips our skin of precious oils, often leaving our skin feeling itchy. Try turning the temperature down or soaking in a warm (not hot) bath with lashings of your favourite bath oil or salts. Afterwards, why not try an ultra-nourishing body oil like Ginger & Juniper Warming Oil or my favourite Geranium & Orange Body Lotion.

Over winter we may neglect the skin on our body, but similarly to our face, we can buff our whole body, helping our body products do their job better. Dry skin brushing is a great way to gently buff the skin, whilst boosting your circulation and lymph drainage through massage.

What to eat this winter

The final element is what we eat, in the heat of summer it’s much easier to choose fresh, vibrant foods, but as the cold closes in we’re more likely to reach for comfort foods, loaded with sugar, salt, hydrogenated fat, and enjoy more alcoholic tipples – the polar opposite of what our winter skin needs.

When it comes to our diet, it might be unrealistic to ditch the comfort foods but we can carbon offset by ramping up our fresh fruit, vegetables, nutritious pulses and legumes, nuts, seeds and of course staying hydrated. If drinking water is unappealing in the colder months, try making a pot of hot water with a couple of slices of ginger, turmeric and lemon – I even add a bit of chilli to my mix.

Omega oils are key for naturally healthy skin, I love our Organic Beauty Oil, thinking of it as my internal moisturiser. It’s so easy to use, simply drizzle on meals, pop in a smoothie or make it into a delicious dressing. Vitamin C is a useful supplement when eating fewer fresh fruits and vegetables, it contributes to the normal production of collagen, useful to those of us worried about skin being damaged by the elements.

To sum up, winter skin survival targets two things. Firstly, keeping our skin hydrated makes it feel comfortable, supple and look dewy. We can add moisture by looking out for the ingredient hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate. Plus, using skincare with natural plant oils and butters helps our skin to preserve moisture but also tops up vital protection when it’s needed most.

Secondly, targeting the foods we eat – swapping out comfort foods for nutritious, omega-3 rich meals and snacks – saving comfort foods for a well-deserved treat.

With a little bit of TLC and the right skincare products, our skin can over-winter without a hitch and before we know it Spring will be in the air. To help develop your winter skincare routine, browse our range of natural skincare products for dry skin.