Winter Skin Care

When it comes to skincare, it’s easy to be seduced by the latest trend and overbuy. The end result is a bathroom cabinet that looks more like a graveyard for half-empty pots of cream.

As the days get colder and your skin starts looking parched from the lack of moisture in the air, consider decluttering and organizing your skincare regime for the season ahead. This article will get you started and answer key questions, like how to look after chapped hands and whether Vaseline is bad for skin?

Pick A Moisturizer

You just need one moisturizer for the daytime in winter, and it should be different to the one you use during the summer, as the cold winter air dehydrates your skin much more than warm, balmy days. Your best bet is to pick an occlusive: a moisturizer that will combat the dehydrating winter air. They form a protective barrier that prevents water evaporating from your skin, keeping it soft and crack-free. There’s no need to invest in different products for the face, neck and chest: just one will cover all three areas.

Although it’s a great occlusive, you may be concerned that Vaseline is bad for skin. Thankfully, it’s non-irritating and hypoallergenic, so you can even use it on sensitive spots like under eye circles and lips. It’s also unlikely to cause breakouts, as the molecules are too big to clog pores. Far from being bad for skin, Vaseline is thought to actually help you recover from breakouts and you can find more answers to whether Vaseline is bad for skin here.

Hitting the slopes or just staying with family this winter? Declutter your travel bag by using moisturizer as a makeup remover. Simply apply a pea-sized amount to cotton wool, and use as you normally would to remove eye makeup. Another handy multipurpose trick is to apply some Vaseline to your pulse points, making perfume last longer.

Pamper Your Hands

Winter can be particularly hard on your hands, being exposed to the cold air as well as lots of handwashing, especially as the skin there is thinner in the first place. Protect them by wearing gloves outside and stocking your bathroom with soap-free cleansers and alcohol-free hand sanitizers.

Another good idea is to keep a tube of moisturizer in your purse so you can look after your hands on the go. Pick a cream that’s cluttering up your bathroom and just slip it in your purse. It doesn’t matter too much what it’s been designed for, as long as it’s hypoallergenic and a moisturizer.

Finally, before climbing into bed at night, treat your hands to the equivalent of a facial. Just gently massage moisturizer into your hands before slipping on some soft cotton gloves. Use the same treatment for your feet if they’re looking dry after a long day of walking. Slip on some old cotton socks over your moisturizer and go to sleep. You’ll wake up the next morning with smooth, plump-looking skin.

You needn’t invest in separate moisturizers for this, and can use the same one on your hands and feet. If you have dry skin on your hands and feet then something like Vaseline might also work well. As you now know the answer to whether Vaseline is bad for skin (no), you don’t have to worry about using it in this way. Brilliant.