As if your winter months weren’t busy enough with Seasonal Affective Disorder and partying, you’ve got to factor in a brand new grooming ritual to keep you looking as “comely” as possible. In the same way your wardrobe adapts with the seasons, so should your skincare routine. Mankind answers the season’s most common problems:  
         
 

Q. I’m wearing a moisturiser everyday but my skin is still really dry and tight.
What am I doing wrong?

A. The drop in humidity means there’s less moisture in the air so dry, tight skin is completely normal at this time of year. A light daily moisturiser was enough to see you through the summer but you’ll need a premium emollient to see you through the cold weather. Dermalogica’s Skin Hydrating Booster £40.60, is an intensive fluid-based moisturiser that contains Hyaluronic Acid, which holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. Oil and water emulsions make the most effective facial moisturisers because they form a protective barrier and prevent dehydration.

TIP: Long, hot showers can be very tempting come wintertime but they’re actually stripping your skin of its natural moisturising lipids.

 
 

Q. What about my body?

A. Don’t use an ointment-based moisturiser on your body because you’re more prone to get hot and sweaty in certain places. Go for a body lotion with a thick consistency like Eyre BioBotanics Fusion Hand and Body Moisturiser £24.00, to help heal and hydrate cracked and raw skin.

TIP: As nerdy as they are, humidifiers are a great way of putting moisture back in the air. Just be sure to hide it behind the sofa to avoid ridicule.

 
 

Q. What can I do about chapped and flaky skin?

A. Exfoliating will slough off flaky skin and even out your complexion but, come wintertime, it should be exercised with moderation. If you overdo it, you’ll end up removing moisturising fats from the skin and the problem isn’t going to get any better. Invest in a delicate exfoliant like Ole Henriksen New Beginning Scrub for sensitive skin £22.00, and use it gently with lukewarm water twice a week..

  
  Q. Which products should I avoid using during the winter?

A. Anything with alcohol is going to going to make your skin drier and more difficult to deal with. Start using alcohol-free products like Anthony Alcohol-Free Toner £16.00, in place of your usual astringent. Alkaline soaps should be ditched in favour of an extremely mild cleanser such as Aesop Amazing Face Cleanser £23.50, to keep the skin’s acid mantle at the right pH level (fyi, that’s the protective film on the outermost layer of the skin). Petroleum-based products may seem like a good idea in the winter but they’ll block your pores and stop them from excreting toxins. And trapped toxins will eventually make your skin scalier than a herring’s arse.
TIP: Stay hydrated! Drink as much water as you can hold and cut back on diuretics (coffee, booze), which release fluids from your body.
 
 
Q. My skin always looks duller in winter.
What can I do to get my “Ibiza” glow back?

A. Whatever you do, don’t hit the sunbed unless you’re on a mission to gain ten years and / or contract skin cancer. If you desperately need colour, go for a self-tanning product like Phytomer Creamy Self Tanning Gel £25.50, instead. Products like Task Skin Feed Moisturising Agent £22.00, and Biotherm Anti-Dullness Oxygenating Moisturizer £26.00, are both designed to detoxify and brighten greying skin. A mask like REN Jiaogulan Cell Energising Facial Mask £19.50, or Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque £25.80, used once a week wouldn’t go amiss either.		  
  Q. Can I stop using an SPF now?

A. No, you can’t. Granted, you’d think that the overcast skies and lack of daylight mean there’s little risk of sunburn but, since light reflects off everything, you should always wear a SPF throughout the year. Brave Soldier Solar Shield SPF 28 £14.50, should be sufficient for both the city and the slopes.
TIP: Go easy with the central heating. Whacking it on full blast 24 / 7 is just as dehydrating as the freezing cold outside.