Winter Skin Tips That Make All The Difference
Our summer holidays are well and truly behind us.
The clocks have gone back and we now look forward to darker mornings and evenings as well as the freezing cold temperatures and biting winds which seem to have come earlier this year. It’s a cue to fire up the central heating without feeling guilty and light the fires meaning that Winter is definitely on its way.
The downside to this is that the change in temperatures can take its toll on your skin. Whilst everyone probably benefits from that rosy glow and we look better, the chances are your skin feels tighter, drier and even sore.
With the party season approaching, you want your skin to look its best, so what can you do to prepare and make sure that your skin glows for the right reasons?
The answer is to start now by giving yourself a deep facial – it’s easier than you think! Of course if you want to pay for this in a spa, go ahead, but this simple facial is very effective – especially if you are short on time or money.
Choose a time when you know you are not going to be disturbed by the children or pets and turn off your phone. It’s your time so enjoy!
Face cleansing
A facial cleanser suitable for your skin type – facial wash, cream cleanser or some people like the muslin cloths
If you are wearing eye make-up, apply your chosen cleanser to two separate cotton pads (one for each eye to reduce the risk of cross infection), support your brows with your fingers and gently sweep the cleanser down over your eyelids and through your eyelashes. Repeat until the eye make-up is removed. Discard the pads and then gently cleanse the rest of your face and neck to remove any make-up, grime and dirt from your skin.
Toner or skin freshener
Now your skin is squeaky clean, applying a toner or skin freshener ensures those last traces of make-up are removed and they can also add hydration. Grab a clean cotton pad and spritz on some toner. Gently sweep the pad across your face and neck avoiding your eyes and discard.
Exfoliate
This step should only be done once or twice a week and the product you use must be gentle. You want your skin to look fresh and rejuvenated, not red and irritated. Exfoliation is a great way of removing dead skin cells and brightening up your complexion.
Apply a small amount to the palm of your hand and with your fingertips, apply onto damp skin in circular movements all over your face and neck. Avoid your eyes and lips. Rinse off with warm water thoroughly ensuring all product is removed.
Steam
This step is useful if you want a deep cleanse as it will help to unclog your pores and brighten up your skin but if you have very sensitive skin you may want to avoid this step.
Pour boiling water into a bowl and add a few drops of essential oil – lavender, rose geranium or eucalyptus. Lean over the steam and cover up your hair with a towel. Take a few deep breaths to inhale the steam. The steam will open the pores as well as relaxing you. When you’ve had enough, place a cold compress on your face to tone up your skin and importantly close the pores again.
Mask
If you still have time, masks can be very nourishing and beneficial to the skin as long as it’s suitable for your skin type.
On damp skin, apply your chosen mask to your face and neck avoiding your eyes and lips. Leave on for 15 minutes and the rinse off thoroughly until every trace has gone.
Moisturise
I think this is the most important step. After all the cleansing, toning, exfoliating and steaming your skin will be desperate for moisturiser. Use a moisturiser suitable for your skin type and apply all over your face and neck.
Don’t forget to stock up on your favourite Mellow Skincare facial products: cleansers, toners, facial oils, lip balms and of course, the always popular Mellow moisturisers!
If you get the chance to give yourself a perfect facial at home, why not tell us all about it? We’d love to know how your skin felt afterwards.
Hop on over to the Mellow Skincare Facebook page, and share your facials!
It’s going to be a very busy November for me in the Mellow kitchen! I’ll be cooking up lots of Mellow potions in time for Christmas shopping, and for those of you in the Chichester area, there’s my Annual Christmas Pop-Up Shop coming next month! That’s always popular. And I’ll be adding some fabulously fragrant seasonal items to the Mellow website. Keep your eyes peeled for posts on Facebook and Twitter!
Until next time,
Carole x