As we near the season filled with snow and hot chocolates, we must also prepare for the pesky thing that is dry skin! Dry skin is caused by numerous factors such as certain diseases as well as the use of harsh chemicals. Recently I began my role as a customer consultant at Clinique and many international students have come to me telling me that their skin has become drier due to the drop in temperature. However, the drop in humidity levels (as we switch seasons) means that autumn and winter welcome drier skin for everyone. I suffer from eczema as well as angular cheilitis (extreme dryness around the mouth) and so I have collated some top tips and must do’s on how
I prepare my skin for later autumn/winter to prevent the pain and discomfort that can come from dry skin.
Firstly, and most importantly, you must moisturise! Moisturiser will become your best friend since it ensures your skin locks in moisture and will slow down the drying out process which will happen during the day. If you have extreme dry skin, like me, I highly recommend Doublebase Gel. Whilst initially quite greasy on the skin, it holds similar ingredients to thick eczema creams such as Zerobase without sitting heavy on the skin. Even if you just dry out around the eye area, take a small dot and gently pat it around the eye and it will make the world of a difference. On the other hand, if you have oiler skin, use a tamer moisturiser such as Simple’s light moisturiser. Moisturiser’s come in many forms: gels, lotions, jellies – find which one sits on your skin the best and will last the longest for your skin type.
When people talk about exfoliation they are mostly referring to a sugar scrub. Whilst this does an amazing job at removing dead skin, it can heavily damage the skin’s surface making it more sensitive and prone to eczema. Clinique’s clarifying lotions provide the perfect alternative! Not only are there five in the range (for different skin types/needs) but they also combine a toner with an exfoliator. It will remove all dirt from your skin whilst ensuring the skin has an even complexion and keeps in moisture. One of the tell-tale signs of dry skin is redness and so, by evening out your skin tone, it is going to make it easier to hide the dryness – even without makeup. When it comes to lips however, I highly recommend the Lush lip scrubs (they do the job and taste amazing)!
Makeup is our best friend when it comes to covering things up. However, dry patches underneath foundation/powders can actually bring more focus to those areas instead of trying to conceal them. If I know my eyes or lips are getting extremely dry and flaky I will make sure to wear a subtler eye and lip shade to bring attention to my hair and cheeks/highlight. Your aim is to draw the focus away from these areas so make people focus on something else instead! In terms of foundation recommendations, stay away from matte as much as possible! Despite this rule, I do enjoy Estee Lauder Double Wear as well as Maybelline 24hr Super Stay if I want something full coverage. If I am feeling confident enough to wear a more sheer foundation, Urban Decay’s Naked Skin and Maybelline’s Dream Satin Liquid is a good combination. Also, even if you have to powder your foundations in summer, you may not have to when your skin is drier in winter. Think about how dry your skin is and the finish of the foundation – the more matte it is, the dryer it will be and so will need less/no powder.
Remember – hydration is key! Even if it isn’t as hot outside as it was a few months ago, your body still needs to be hydrated. If your body hasn’t got enough fluid…your skin will dry out! Lip balm needs to be carried around all the time to keep your lips moisturised – Palmer’s mint-choc-chip is my personal favourite! Go to makeup counters and ask them for samples of moisturiser so you can decide which will be best early on before you will hit your peak dryness.
Dry skin can be a pain but it is manageable! As long as you understand your skin type, and how to alter your routine to match the season change, you will still look and feel as fabulous!
As we near the season filled with snow and hot chocolates, we must also prepare for the pesky thing that is dry skin! Dry skin is caused by numerous factors such as certain diseases as well as the use of harsh chemicals. Recently I began my role as a customer consultant at Clinique and many international students have come to me telling me that their skin has become drier due to the drop in temperature. However, the drop in humidity levels (as we switch seasons) means that autumn and winter welcome drier skin for everyone. I suffer from eczema as well as angular cheilitis (extreme dryness around the mouth) and so I have collated some top tips and must do’s on how I prepare my skin for later autumn/winter to prevent the pain and discomfort that can come from dry skin.
Firstly, and most importantly, you must moisturise! Moisturiser will become your best friend since it ensures your skin locks in moisture and will slow down the drying out process which will happen during the day. If you have extreme dry skin, like me, I highly recommend Doublebase Gel. Whilst initially quite greasy on the skin, it holds similar ingredients to thick eczema creams such as Zerobase without sitting heavy on the skin. Even if you just dry out around the eye area, take a small dot and gently pat it around the eye and it will make the world of a difference. On the other hand, if you have oiler skin, use a tamer moisturiser such as Simple’s light moisturiser. Moisturiser’s come in many forms: gels, lotions, jellies – find which one sits on your skin the best and will last the longest for your skin type.
When people talk about exfoliation they are mostly referring to a sugar scrub. Whilst this does an amazing job at removing dead skin, it can heavily damage the skin’s surface making it more sensitive and prone to eczema. Clinique’s clarifying lotions provide the perfect alternative! Not only are there five in the range (for different skin types/needs) but they also combine a toner with an exfoliator. It will remove all dirt from your skin whilst ensuring the skin has an even complexion and keeps in moisture. One of the tell-tale signs of dry skin is redness and so, by evening out your skin tone, it is going to make it easier to hide the dryness – even without makeup. When it comes to lips however, I highly recommend the Lush lip scrubs (they do the job and taste amazing)!
Makeup is our best friend when it comes to covering things up. However, dry patches underneath foundation/powders can actually bring more focus to those areas instead of trying to conceal them. If I know my eyes or lips are getting extremely dry and flaky I will make sure to wear a subtler eye and lip shade to bring attention to my hair and cheeks/highlight. Your aim is to draw the focus away from these areas so make people focus on something else instead! In terms of foundation recommendations, stay away from matte as much as possible! Despite this rule, I do enjoy Estee Lauder Double Wear as well as Maybelline 24hr Super Stay if I want something full coverage. If I am feeling confident enough to wear a more sheer foundation, Urban Decay’s Naked Skin and Maybelline’s Dream Satin Liquid is a good combination. Also, even if you have to powder your foundations in summer, you may not have to when your skin is drier in winter. Think about how dry your skin is and the finish of the foundation – the more matte it is, the dryer it will be and so will need less/no powder.
Remember – hydration is key! Even if it isn’t as hot outside as it was a few months ago, your body still needs to be hydrated. If your body hasn’t got enough fluid…your skin will dry out! Lip balm needs to be carried around all the time to keep your lips moisturised – Palmer’s mint-choc-chip is my personal favourite! Go to makeup counters and ask them for samples of moisturiser so you can decide which will be best early on before you will hit your peak dryness.
Dry skin can be a pain but it is manageable! As long as you understand your skin type, and how to alter your routine to match the season change, you will still look and feel as fabulous!
