5 Tips To Fix Dry, Flaky Winter Skin

If the mere mention of a shower oil gives you visions of oily residue sticking around on your skin for hours, don’t panic. If added properly to your routine, an oil-like Aveda Beautifying Composition Oil will absorb deeply into the skin and leave you with zero lag time before you can throw on your cosy clothes. The secret is in how you apply. Pause your shower to massage into wet skin, followed by a quick rinse off. The oil won’t wash away but any oily residue will. Try a formula with a stress-relieving scent like Clarins Relax Body Treatment Oil or Aromatherapy Associates De-stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil for a bonus spa-like moment in your shower. 

While we may not be following our regular fake tan routine, or exfoliating for smooth beach-ready skin, winter is not the time to forgo exfoliation altogether. Gently sloughing off dead skin will allow rich creams and oils to penetrate more deeply, leaving smoother, glowing skin behind.  L’Occitane Almond Shower Scrub will leave a smooth skin surface and a sweet scent. Or try a formula like Butt Naked Bellini Sugar Scrub which will not only exfoliate but also hydrate. Another great option is dry body brushing, which will remove the build-up of dead skin cells, increase circulation (helpful in keeping you warm) and stimulate lymphatic drainage. Embrace this invigorating way to start your morning with Salt by Hendrix Dry Body Brush. Tread carefully, however, as it is possible to over-exfoliate. Keep it to twice a week at most and don’t be tempted to double up.

While we may be accustomed to applying actives to our face, we often settle for soapy body washes that strip our skin rather than nourishing it. Winter is the perfect time to splurge on a body wash with benefits. Try Biotyspa Organic Shower Gel, infused with hydrating oils and extracts. As well as a deliciously decadent scent, the Leif Desert Lime Body Cleanser is formulated with anti-inflammatory properties and natural vitamin C to keep skin radiant. Coco & Eve Glow Figure Smoothie Shower Gel will strengthen the skin’s barrier with prebiotics and unclog any blocked pores with coconut flower sugar.

While you may be tempted to slather on any old thick or buttery formula, the key is to choose ingredients that act as occluents to lock in moisture and improve the skin’s barrier protection. Hunter Lab Hydrating Hand & Body Lotion is a natural formula infused with olive, hemp seed and argan oils plus shea butter to deeply hydrate. Add while you’re still damp to get the highest hydration benefits. If your skin is on the edge and needs a super-hit, Weleda Skin Food’s blend of plant oils, lanolin and beeswax will do the trick. For any super-dry or cracked areas, like knees and elbows, massage in Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Original.

Our hands are not only one of the first areas to show signs of ageing but they are also exposed to the elements more than most other areas of the body. Add constant handwashing into the equation and this skin – which has fewer oil glands naturally than other areas of the body – can get seriously dry. Treat yourself with a luxe hand cream like Grown Alchemist Intensive Hand Cream or Palm Beach Collection Posy Hydrating Hand Cream and take a minute to massage it in for a moment of mindfulness during a busy day. Adding a hydrating foot cream into your evening routine can also work wonders for keeping your feet smooth. Apply Endota Organics Avocado & Mint Foot Cream and then seal it overnight with socks.