Surviving Winter Skin

Winter is the hardest season for skin. Cold air holds almost no moisture, wind strips the surface, and central heating pulls what little water is left out of the room — and out of your skin. The result is that tight, rough, flaky feeling you don't get at any other time of year.

Most winter skin complaints are really barrier complaints. Your outer layer is held together by oils and lipids; cold and heat both break that seal down, so water escapes and irritants get in. This is why skin can look oily and feel dry at the same time — it is dehydrated, not necessarily dry by type.

Start with your cleanser. Swap a foaming or gel formula for a cream or milky one, and wash with lukewarm water, never hot. If your skin feels tight for more than a minute after washing, your cleanser is too strong for the season.

Then change how you layer. Apply a hydrating serum to damp skin so it holds water rather than sitting on top of it, follow with a richer moisturiser than you would use in summer, and press a little extra over the cheeks, temples and lips — the places that go first.

Keep your actives, but ease the frequency. If you use retinol or acids, drop to every second or third night through winter and always follow with moisturiser. Over-exfoliating is the fastest way to turn simple dehydration into real irritation.

Don't skip SPF. Low winter sun and snow reflect light straight into your face, and UV still drives marks and ageing on grey days. A moisturiser with SPF built in makes it easy to keep up.

If your skin is already red, stinging or flaking despite these changes, that is the point to be seen rather than to buy more products. A skin consultation tells you whether the problem is dehydration, a damaged barrier, or something that needs a different approach.

In the salon, a facial lifts away the dead, flaky layer so your home products can absorb properly, and LED light therapy calms redness with no downtime. Book one before the party season and your skin will look better for it.