As temperatures begin to plummet, our skin takes a battering. The cold weather can lead to dryness, flaky skin, and irritation, which is only exasperated by the drying effects of central heating systems.

The light, gel-like moisturizer that kept your skin in check throughout the summer probably won’t cut it when your skin is being exposed to winter air. Therefore, during the winter months, we tend to find ourselves reaching for skincare products with a little extra oomph. To help you lockdown your skincare routine for the coldest season, we’ve put together a guide to the products you’ll want to include:

    •    A rich moisturizer: A thick, rich moisturizer will go that extra mile to keep your skin looking plumped and hydrated throughout winter. Not only will it add extra moisture, but it’ll also help to lock it in. Look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, as they’re known to help plump and hydrate the skin.

    •    A moisturizing serum: As winter makes dry skin more likely, you’ll want to pull out all the stops to counteract flakiness. Adding a heavy-duty serum to your skincare routine, just before you apply moisturizer, will help to achieve this.

    •    Fast absorbing body lotion: While you might be able to get through the summer months without moisturizing your body, the arrival of winter may tell a different story.

Hot showers and central heating can lead to scaly, flaky skin on the arms and legs. The best way to combat this is with a hydrating body moisturizer. However, try to find one that absorbs quickly, so that you can avoid standing around in the cold waiting for your moisturizer to sink in before popping your pajamas on.

    •    Overnight face mask: Adding an intense overnight moisturizing mask to your winter skincare routine is one way to up the ante when it comes to hydration. Consider using a jelly overnight face mask, as the cooling effect can help soothe dry and irritated skin.

    •    Lip balm: Don’t forget to look after your pout during winter. Sore, cracked lips are all too common when temperatures drop, but it’s a problem that’s easily addressed by investing in a decent lip balm. Look for ingredients which lock in moisture such as lanolin, shea butter, beeswax or ceramides. Avoid any lip balm that contains menthol, camphor, or any sort of alcohol, as these ingredients will dry your lips out further.