Lesley Reynolds, skincare expert and co-founder of the Harley Street Skin Clinic, explains how to protect your complexion from the cold
Wear SPF
It’s a commonly held belief that lower temperatures can prevent sun damage, but this isn’t true. Even on those colder days when the sun is shining, you can still experience sunburn and sun damage. On cloudy days, around 80% of the sun’s rays still break through the clouds. Wearing a daily SPF will help protect your skin from those harmful UV rays and help us maintain healthier skin.
Strengthen your skin barrier
Our skin barrier is very delicate and wintery conditions like harsh winds and rain can reduce the moisture in our skin. To strengthen the skin barrier, I recommend switching to a thicker moisturiser and incorporating hyaluronic acid into your routine to repair and heal the skin barrier. Applying these to lightly damp skin helps to lock in moisture, which will help enhance the barrier’s strength.
Choose gentle products
Be kind to your skin in the winter months, especially if it’s easily irritated by the cold weather conditions. I recommend switching to soaps and cleansers that assist in hydration as they’ll be less harsh on your skin and reduce the likelihood of irritation.
Increase vitamin D
The reduced exposure to the sun in the winter lowers our natural production of vitamin D, which plays a key role in protecting our skin barrier. With this in mind, taking a vitamin D supplement can help to regulate your levels. Talk with your doctor to see if taking a vitamin D supplement is right for you.