Top beauty tips for winter

You might be tempted to toss your leftover sunscreen as you won’t be hitting the beach anytime soon but don’t be fooled by the winter sun. Though it is true that most of your skin will be covered in warm woolly layers, people often mistakenly think that they don’t need sunscreen in winter. A sunny afternoon spent on the open-air ice rink will expose your skin to many harmful rays from the sun. 

Avoid water-based products

For this tip you’ll want to go through your stash and check the ingredients list for the culprit of the season: water. This might sound strange because surely you’ll need to up your moisturising game to battle the cold winds? But trust us, your face will thank you when temperatures drop below zero. Using water-based products creates the risk of freezing on your face, which can dry out your skin to a painful extent.

Oil-based products

Instead of using water-based products, swap to products with natural oils such as avocado and almond oil. Not only are oils great for hydrating your skin, they will also form a protective layer to keep those cold winds at bay.

Avoid hot water

This next tip will probably not sit well with many of you but that hot bath you’ve been looking forward to all day might not be the best choice for your skin. Hot water, especially in combination with soap, strips away your skin’s natural protective layer of oil which leads to moisture escaping. Lukewarm water is a better choice to prevent dehydration. Not only does it protect your skin, it’s also better for your hair. If you suffer from frizzy and static hair you can prevent this by washing with lukewarm water. If you still find yourself with static hair, spritz some hairspray on your brush and comb your hair through. You’ll notice that the static is nearly if not completely gone.

Olive oil hair mask

The dry air can also really affect your scalp which, in turn, can cause dandruff. To prevent your head from becoming its own little winter wonderland, treat it with an olive oil. Heat about two teaspoons of oil and massage it into your scalp. Not only will it hydrate your skin it will give your hair a healthy glow and protect it from breakage.

Sally Wijers