SHOW YOUR BODY SOME LOVE WITH HEAD-TO-TOE CARE FOR THE COLDER SEASONS
IS YOUR SKIN CRAVING HYDRATION?
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
It’s hard to avoid overindulging in winter, especially over the festive period. And quite frankly, why should we? It’s the best thing about this time of year! But all that mulled wine, those cocktails, those mince pies and chocolates can lead to very unwelcome breakouts due to the increased processed food, alcohol intake and sugar consumption. So, if you want your skin to be nice instead of naughty, start by using clarifying formulas to intensely cleanse and remove impurities before they amount to anything. Look for products with low levels of exfoliants as you want to be able to use them daily without over-exfoliating and aggravating your skin.
HAS YOUR GLOW GONE AWOL?
Once again, due to increased dryness, your skin can look a little dull at the time of year. Try a face mask
CHAPPED LIPS RUINING YOUR POUT
That same dreaded coupling of cold air outside and heated air inside is what makes chapped lips so common in winter. But with all that under-the-mistletoe action waiting for you, sore, cracked and scaly lips are the last thing you need.
Rule number one? Stop licking your lips – you’ll only make things worse. Then use an exfoliating lip scrub to slough away any flaking cells before applying a conditioning lip balm, oil or butter. Adding an overnight lip mask works wonders for keeping your pout plump and chap free too.
BE EXTRA KIND TO YOUR MITTS
Cold weather – is there anything it doesn’t impact? Your hands are yet another part of your body likely to suffer the consequences of winter, becoming dry, red, sore and scaly. And that’s only intensified by the need to scrub and sanitise to avoid catching any dreaded lurgy.
Invest in a non-stripping hand wash and hand sanitiser to prevent your mitts from drying out. Carry a hand cream in your bag at all times and remember to reapply post-wash. Sleeping in a pair of moisturising gloves with your hands drenched in your favourite hand treatment will help keep them silky and smooth throughout the winter months, too.
QUENCH THIRSY TRESSES
Locks can look limp and lacklustre due to loss of moisture in the air. To avoid losing hydration and disrupting the natural oil balance in your hair, try cutting down on wash days in the winter months. Instead, reach for a dry shampoo in-between washes that will keep your hair looking, feeling and smelling fresh. It's also important to replenish moisture. How? A hair oil or hair mask should do the trick! They not only deliver intense hydration (something we all need through winter), but it also helps to repair any existing damage by helping to strengthen your mane and seal cuticles.
DON’T FORGET TO LOVE YOUR LIMBS
With a change-up in your winter skin care routine, your winter skin woes will soon be a thing of the past.
Alice is one of Cult Beauty’s Senior Copywriters. An avid charity shop hunter, gig goer and theatre enthusiast (seriously, she’s seen everything in the West End at least twice), Alice is never without a nourishing lip balm or her handbag-sized hairbrush. Complete with an unwavering obsession with hair masks and SPF – which must be at least factor 50 – she swears by daily application of Thank You Farmer’s Water Sun Cream SPF 50. When she’s not playing defence for the Cult Beauty Netball Team, she’s probably dog-watching with friends in East London’s Victoria Park.