Written by: Giulia Simolo
When the season becomes colder, your skin care needs to step up a notch. Ensure you stock up on some eco-friendly beauty and skin care products so that you pamper your skin with the extra nourishment it needs. Here’s how to look after your skin so that it’s healthy and gorgeous.
Why you should change your skin care routine
Winter can have a drying effect on skin, even though you’re slathering on your favourite moisturisers daily. The reason they’re not helping to keep your skin smooth and nourished is probably because they’re not effective enough for the harsher elements. Besides for an extra-duty moisturiser, it’s also a good idea to top up on some vitamins that will keep your skin in tip-top condition, and take note of some practical tips you can do to prevent your skin from losing its lustre during the winter months.
Buy a new moisturiser
You need a more intensive moisturiser that provides resistance to the wind and cold. A good product to try is the Ultra Moisturiser by Esse, which is an organic skin care moisturiser. It’s a rich treatment especially suitable for very dry skin. Another great moisturiser is Earthsap’s Day Cream, a light formula that is packed with many nutrients and botanical oils. Enjoy some TLC with ingredients such as beeswax, orange oil and rosemary.
Nourish your body
As you know, eating healthily and ensuring you get enough vitamins is important when it comes to looking after your skin. If you’re not getting enough of Vitamin A and B specifically this can be a contributing factor to dry skin. How to top up on Vitamin A: eat foods such as spinach, tomato, broccoli and carrots. Get more Vitamin B by eating cauliflower, cabbage and high protein foods such as egg yolk, meat or peanuts.
Brush it up
A great way to tackle the drying effects of winter is to exfoliate your skin. This removes dead skin cells and allows new cells to grow. Avoid exfoliating with chemicals found in many products and soaps as these will further dry out your skin. Rather choose a product that’s friendlier to your skin, such as Africology´s Exfoliating Cream which is packed with skin-protecting Jojoba, shea butter to make skin super soft and nourishing grape seed.
Buy a humidifier
A humidifier in your home is a great way to prevent the air from becoming too dry, thus protecting your skin. It also alleviates other problems you might encounter during the dry season, such as colds, dry throats, sinusitis and allergies.
Avoid excess heat
When you’re battling the bitter cold, your idea of heaven probably includes a long, sizzling hot bath. But avoid the impulse because washing your skin with hot water can lead to drying it out. Rather use lukewarm water, also when washing your face, and keep your showers or bath time to a minimum of ten minutes. This also has the added benefit of not leading to water wastage! After showering it’s always a good idea to pamper your skin with a bit of nourishment. A great product to try is Beaucience’s moisturising body milk that contains ingredients such as Vitamin E, evening primrose and Marula Oil to keep skin soft and moisturised.
Apply face masks
Face masks are a must during the cold, dry months because they help to nourish your skin and give it a chance to look radiant. All you have to do is head to your kitchen for ingredients! Mash the flesh of an avocado with a fork, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and apply the mixture onto your face. Avocado is great for your skin because it’s packed with antioxidants, minerals and softening properties. If you have combination skin, an even better idea is to mash up a banana with fresh cream and then apply it to your face. Leave both masks on for thirty minutes and try not to have a taste!
The liveeco team
