Winter, with its icy weather and moisture-sapping indoor heating, often leaves our skin feeling dry and flaky, and our lips chapped. But there’s no need to get our panties in a bunch. With a few simple at-home hacks, we can replenish what’s been lost and provide the care our skin needs.
Sabashni Naidoo, managing director at Amani Spa Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, shares her tips for nurturing your skin during winter to keep it healthy and radiant.
Wash your face twice a day
Naidoo says skincare has fundamental regimens that we all need to incorporate into our day and night routines. These include making sure to wash with a good face or body wash every morning and evening.
There are many good-quality, affordable products on the market to care for your skin, but be on the lookout for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that soothes winter skin sensitivity and reduces the redness caused by dry air.
Niacinamide is another winter-friendly ingredient, as it strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier, helping it to hold onto moisture and making it less likely to dry out.
Next, apply a good moisturiser, using one containing sunscreen for your daytime routine.
“Sun protection is vital every day of the year, even during the winter months, to assist in preventing skin cancer, ageing and sunspots,” Naidoo says.
Moisture up
Make sure you're drinking enough water to stay hydrated from the inside out, even if you moisturise your skin every day. Maintaining a daily water intake of at least 2 litres is essential, even in winter.
Warm beverages also count. But keep in mind that consuming two or more beverages that contain caffeine or sugar every day may cause your skin to become dry.
Opt for antioxidant-rich warm drinks like rooibos and white or flower tea. Green tea and matcha are low-caffeine substitutes for coffee and Ceylon tea.
Hydrating and nutrient-rich foods like bananas, spinach, lettuce and citrus fruits, and dishes like soups and stews are great to incorporate into your winter diet.
Look to home ingredients
Oats, avocado, honey, turmeric, mangoes, eggs, flax meal and olive oil are wonderful pantry staples that can be used for easy at-home spa treatments.
“For a winning DIY pampering session, begin with mixing one avocado, a tablespoon of pure honey, a quarter cup of oats and a little water. Place this in a blender then and scoop out into a bowl. Cut two round slices of cucumber and set them aside.”
Next, pour boiled water into a bowl with a gentle essential oil or some sprigs of lavender. Place a towel over your head and breathe deeply in and out through nose and mouth for five minutes.
This works at opening the pores of your skin and steaming and cleaning the face, preparing it for receiving nourishment.
Wipe your face gently with the towel and apply your face mask. Find a comfortable place to lie down for 10 minutes and place the cucumbers over your eyes. Wash and remove the face mask and apply your normal serum or moisturiser.
Cucumber has hydrating properties and helps to reduce puffiness around the eyes, and the mixture of avocado, honey and oats works to add moisture and nutrients to the skin. Rinse and repeat when necessary to combat dryness.
What you eat
You are what you eat, as the saying goes. And this is true for what you consume in winter. Too much sugar can be dehydrating and cause blemishes.
Keep your sugar intake as low as possible, and perhaps replace sugar in dessert recipes with healthier alternatives such as apple purée, or mashed banana in breakfast dishes like warm oats.
Look out for seasonal winter ingredients like butternut and pumpkin. Fruits and veggies that are in season generally contain more nutrients and are more affordable.
Ask the professionals
There are some treatments such as blackhead extractions that cannot be done at home. Some skin ailments are caused not only because of a change in season, so make sure to consult a skin care specialist at least twice a year.
Although treatments at home are both fun and beneficial, it is also always more of a treat to be cared for by someone who knows just what to do to best nurture your skin.