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You know that (mildly annoying) saying “summer bodies are made in winter”? Some personal trainer somewhere has likely reeled that off as part of an I CAN CHANGE YOU sales pitch. Well, apologies in advance. I’m about to rehash it – but this time in relation to skincare.
Your body skin needs to be taken good care of during the colder winter months in order for it to be in peak condition when the time for holidays and bikinis and lounging by pools rolls around again. It might seem a little early to be putting thought into your 2019 summer gallivanting, but when it comes to your body skincare, consistency year-round is key.
With that in mind, here are five things you can start today and do throughout winter to keep your skin healthy, glowing and hydrated during the coldest days.
Showering in super hot water in winter might seem like a dreamy idea – going from your cold bedroom into a roasting shower. But in fact, that’s bad for your skin. Stick to warm water instead.
Some of the salicylic acids you might be absolutely fine to use during the summer will feel harsher in the winter months, so monitor your skin after you use your skincare and if anything feels tight, flaky or uncomfortable, swap it out for something else or cease using it until the temperature picks back up.
Just because it’s overcast and there hasn’t been so much as a single ray of sunshine for weeks doesn’t mean SPF can be forgotten about. UVA rays penetrate through clouds (and even glass!) and while they won’t turn you red or make you burn, they do contribute to ageing and they damage the skin cells in the dermal layer where skin cancer is most likely to occur. So keep on with the factor 50 on any bared skin.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Sun Cream, €19.99
Using a great skin moisturiser that has hyaluronic acid will really help to plump and protect your body skin in winter. Given that you’re slathering on a full body worth pretty much every day, it’s good to find a body cream that is good value as well as effective. The one I’ve been loving this winter so far is this giant tub from CeraVe.
CeraVe Moisturising Cream 454g Tub, €18.99
As Jennifer Rock aka The Skin Nerd calls it, keep up Spritz O’Clock. Buy a water spray and if during the day your skin feels parched, give it a good mist. Oh, and it goes without saying that as well as trying to hydrate from the outside in, make sure you hydrate from the inside out by drinking more water. Your skin will thank you!
Kiehl’s Cactus Flower & Tibetan Ginseng Hydrating Mist, €22.50