We all suffer with dry skin all year round but it is always worse in winter! Here are 6 top tips for keeping it looking its best in the worst of the winter weather!
Remember to exfoliate on a weekly basis.
A good moisturiser is so much more effective if applied to well exfoliated skin. Try using a scrub in the shower/bath and exfoliate your face with a mild scrub specially formulated for your face. Try to apply to dry skin before you turn on the water, massage the scrub gently into skin for a few minutes for the best results.
Always Moisturise after Showering/Bathing & Handwashing
A good moisturiser is the key to soft supple skin. Best applied when skin is still damp to maintain as much moisture as possible and always pat skin dry and not rub frantically with your towel.
For really irritating dry skin why not try an oil rather than a lotion. A good one is organic extra virgin coconut oil available online which can be massaged all over. Excellent for getting rid of itchy skin.
Give the Drying Soaps a Miss!
Soaps are the worst thing for drying out the skin. Try to stick to creamy moisturisers and cleansers that contain glycerine ie Vaseline Intensive Care products. If, like me, you are addicted to a good deep bath then trymissing out on the bubbles! They are just too harsh for drying out the skin. Use bath oils instead.
Stay Hydrated!
I’m a big believer in keeping your insides topped up with water! It is recommended that just 2 litres of water daily can help keep skin stay hydrated and looking clearer. It won’t necessarily improve your skin if you are already a big water drinker though!
Protect Your Face
If you have really sensitive skin try avoiding tap water and use luke warm water as hot water robs the skin of moisture and has some fairly harsh minerals in it. If you are out and about in the fresh air use a really good moisturiser and try and cover up as much as possible. The wind is extremely drying on the skin.
Last but not Least ….. Look after those Lips!
I know I’ve been focusing on looking after my skin recently but what about our lips! We all look after our skin condition and complexion and yet, we never seem to concentrate so much on our lips.
We all have different lip shapes, some thick, some thin but this delicate area is so sensitive that the appearance of lines and dull texture around the lip and lip area are definite signs of ageing without properly looking after them. As we get older your lips become even more sensitive and prone to dryness, chapped & flaky and ultimately cracking. Apart from anything else it is painful and uncomfortable when eating (let alone snogging!).
For me, my lips really suffer in the cold winter and the really hot sun! But many people have different factors, seasonal changes like me, allergic reactions to lipstick/balm, using lipsticks/balms that don’t suit your skin and insufficient moisturizing.
Try using a moisturizing lip balm to repair the delicate lip area from time to time. If you use a lipstick regularly, try to use a moisturizing lip stick, and add a thin layer of lip balm preferably with a sun protection factor underneath.
There are loads of lip balms available to choose from to protect your lips according to your lip condition – from a cream type for very dry and severe conditions, 2-in-1 lipstick and balm formula, moisturizing gels for daily use and stick lip repairers. One of the best ones I have come across is Vaseline for lips. It comes in a small round tin and is great. If you don’t have a lip balm to hand try a natural product based face moisturizer and if possible something with Vitamin E. Its great for rejuvenating skin. And always try and remember to balm up at night. It has the most amount of time to work properly!
A good soothing lip balm contains gentle and mild ingredients which anyone can use from kids to pensioners who suffer from sensitive lip problems. For babies, a Vaseline (petroleum jelly) based product is recommended to soothe and repair.
If you really want to slow down the signs of ageing and vertical lip line appearance try cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing every week (once a week only mind) when you do your facial routine!
Todays Beauty Blog: Make Up Tips:
Ok, so the old saying goes “ Beauty is only skin deep” but that doesn’t mean that we cant make the most of what we’ve got. A little while ago I did some colour analysis training and learnt a lot about makeup, what suits, what you shouldn’t wear etc. I also learnt that if you look and feel beautiful then you give off a radiance of happiness.
If you want to create a fantastic look then consider these tips when applying your makeup and it may help!
Face Shapes:
Ok, so most people say that Oval is the ideal face shape. So, logically everyone wants to try and create the look of an oval face. Oval shapes themselves tend to need darker foundation on the chin and upper face to make it look less oval.
Diamond shape faces need you to refine the lower part of the face with a darker shade of foundation but at the same time keeping it light on the forehead. It has the desired effect of making the face look longer and more narrow.
Rectangular faces (also square), need the four ‘corners’ of your face to be defined with a darker shade to take the edges away.
Eye Makeup: I tend to use only mascara in my makeup but if you want more defined eyes then lining your lower lashes will have the desired effect. Always buy a mascara that suits your lashes. Mine happen to be extremely long so I don’t really need an enhancer mascara. I end up in a right mess! With eye shadow, always put a light neutral colour over the eye lid before starting. Then, with a darker colour work from the orbital bone and blend in.
Lipstick: Try to always wear a colour that compliments the rest of your look. Never wear Red with pink clothing and vice versa! Frosted pale lipsticks are always good when you’re not sure! I’m not personally a big fan of lip lining but if you want the really professional look then lip line with a pencil and fill in with and good lipstick brush.
Hope this helps!
Today’s Beauty Blog – Tattoo’s
Ok, so some people might not think that Tattoo’s are a thing of beauty. I on the other hand think that they can be very beautiful if done right and put in the right place! (I am totally addicted to watching Miami Ink – not sure if thats for the tattoos or the artists though)
I recently treated myself to a tattoo for my 40th Birthday! Maybe I am going through some sort of crisis but I am absolutley chuffed to bits with it!
Although I have to say, my mother was not impressed – she still wont mention it and if it shows when we are out together she tells me to cover it up!!
There are some fantastic web sites around for getting some really good ideas if you are thinking about a tattoo and having something in mind is great when you actually get to the tattoo shop – other wise you could be there for ever!