8 Skin Essentials for winter

Hello! Winter is around the corner and this means cold temperatures, steaming hot showers, harsh winds, central heatings, dry indoor air, and subtle condition changes (from indoor to outdoor temperatures). All these factors do not help to a soft, radiant complexion. We've all suffered from tightness, dryness, flaking, ithcness, redness ... - we've all been there. This is why now it's the moment to invest in great products that will prevent your face and skin from winter conditions and that will make you glow in the winter darkness. Please, keep in mind that these routines and products are of best effectiveness if combined with good eating habits, drinking lots of water and training twice or three times a week (and I don't mean sweating until you die; it's enough by having a powerwalk everyday 20 min or going to the gym for one and a half hour twice a week).   1. HOT LEMON WATER Why is this a great thing? Gwytneth Paltrow, Beyoncé, Miranda Kerr, even Samatha in Sex & the City! all these women look great and all have one thing in common: drinking hot water with lemon first thing after waking up. Lemon is indeed a miracolous fruit; I love it everywhere but specially in the mornings; let's have a look how drinking hot water with lemon can help us look great:     - Hydration: while sleeping, our body consumes all the water from our metabolism, thus, it is very important to drink water the first thing we do when we wake up. After all, our skin is made up of 64% water. - PH regulator: Lemon is a great PH regulator; by drinking it with hot water every morning we will boost our skin and will help ourselves to regulate the PH that suffers so much during these months. - Vitamin boost: 2 spoons of pure lemon juice equals 23% of the Vitamin C daily-reccommended dose.  - Skin perfector: Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins to boost our skin to look glowy and youthful. Vitamin C is fundamental for the collagen production which ensures the elasticity and regeneration of skin. - Acne-free: Not only does Vitamin C help us with our natural collagen, but also it is a great barrier towards spots and acne. - Last, but not least, lemon juice mixed with the hot water will help us to flush and purify our body from the inside out, helping to eliminate toxins and reduce the chances of any future skin sensitivities.     2. FACE WASH Keep this in mind: avoid ALWAYS sleeping with make-up on and AT ALL TIMES avoid make-up removal wet wipes; yes, they're helpful, handy, cheap and easy to use, but they're also full of chemicals and incredibly drying. Instead, pick a kind face wash that will calm your skin, gently get rid of dirt and make-up and that won't leave you with that terrible feeling of "carton face". I personally have a very sensitive skin that gets red very easily. Last week I got the Centella Skin-Calming Face-Wash from Kielh's and I love it. It contains camomille and it's paraben-free. It smoothes my skin, it's gentle and I instantly feel hydrated and my redness is gone. If you have very, very dry skin use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser; it feels like a lotion and acts like one too. It's rich in glycerin and ceramides which will help your skin be moisty and glowy. For combined/oily skin, opt for La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel. Its gel complexion is tough on grease removing dead skin cells and targeting debris that may lead to spots and excess grease.      3. TONING Using a toner all over your face after washing it can help to balance its PH levels, resulting in a more even-looking complexion. Use an alcohol-free toner which will help you to prep your skin before make-up in the morning and that at night will help you to get rid of extra impurities. Use always a toner without alcohol, it is much nicer for your skin and not that strong, and it won't fee dry afterwards. However, if you do have oily skin, a toner containing alcohol will help you to tighten the skin and minimize pores and oil production. My selection: For dry/sensitive skin go for The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner; for oily/combination skin get the Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Toner    4. SERUM = EXTRA GLOW Yes, serum is important, especially for autumn and winter as it is a more concentrated moisturer that's lightweight. By leaving out lubricants and thickening agents typically found in face creams, the active ingredients are able to penetrate the skin much faster. It is important especially for these dark and cold months as the air is dryer and we spend longer hours at home; plus, dryness is one of the main reasons for the appearance of wrinkles. I can highly reccommend the new Kiehl's day serum "Daily Reviving Concentrate" based on an oily formula that boosts your skin and reduces the signs of tireness in the skin. I've been using it for weeks now and my skin is smoother and glowy; I love it :) For those with dry to combination skin use a serum that brings your glow back; one that contains Vitamin C is a great option, like Lumene's Vitamin C BB Serum, which will give you that glow boost so needed these days. If you have a more combination to oily skin, don't think that you do not need a serum; a serum is as well important for you 'cause it can be a great substitute for those who have problems with a heavier lotion. Your choice to be is the Estée Lauder Clear Difference that will help you reduce pore signs and stop the breakout cycle. Don't forget to use a serum for night after you've removed your make-up and applied your toner. Oil complexion-serums are great! Don't be afraid of getting a more oily skin, the real fact is that there is an oil-serum for each type of skin and that will give you anti-ageing, hydrating and rebalancing powers. Here are the serums that have got 10/10 reviews. Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil Aurelia Probiotic Skincare L'Oréal Nutrigold Face Oil   5. EYES MATTER! In Spain we say that eyes are the reflection of life and age, and it actually makes sense. Our eye are is the part of the face where first age/expression wrinkles appear and the part that may make us look older. Eye cream can, and often do, show results if they are used appropriately and for a long enough time. Eyes cream are a MUST if you've just turned 25; use them day and night and for those extra dryer environments like airplanes or offices. Here's a selection of my favourite: Vichy Aqua Thermal Awakening Eye Balm Cicamed Eye Antioxidant Benefit It's Potent! Eye cream   6. EXFOLIATION & CLEANSE According to Lee Garrett, a skin guru at Harley Street Clinic, "exfoliating is the key to a brighter complexion", but only of we do it once or twice a week.  The important thing here is NOT to use exfoliators, but instead use 100% natural exfoliators, like a Konjac Sponge or a blend of natural sugar and honey. Our face skin is like the thinnest skin on the body and by using harsh exfoliators, we might lead to cracked veins and rawer complexion. After exfoliating it's important to use a face mask that cleans the pores and energizes the skin. As I have sensitive skin, I use a complete natural green clay face mask which is great for impurities. In winter, I give my face an extra glow kick with an overnight extra-moisturizer cream; which helps balancing my skin in winter and makes it soft and smooth (like a baby butt XD) Organic Makers Grön Lera  H2O+Night Oasis Overnight Moisture Lock    7. MOISTURIZING Basically, winter skincare's saving grace. It is essential but it is crucial that you choose the adequate one for your skin type. So get advice from skin professionals and do find out what your skin needs the most; and that's applicable to all our seasons; our skin changes through time, age and it's very sensitive to weather changes. For dry skin you'll need a moisturiser that's light for the day (you should combine it with your make-upfoundation) and a thicker one for night. However, if you do not want to buy two products, I would then invest for the thicker one and get a light base foundation. Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Nuxe Crème Fraîche de Beauté For combination/oily skin go always for a light moisture that's more in a gel complexion that can be soaked easily into your skin and give you a healthy and matt shine. Décleor Aroma Purete Shine Control Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion 8. USE PROTECTION! haha this may sound like a sexy-time question, but seriously, do you use protection? By protection I am referring to SUN SCREEN. Some women believe that we should only use sun protection when sun-bathing in the beach or when we're on holidays. This is totally FALSE! whether the forecast is calling for sunshine or snow or rain or cloud cover, our skin is ALWAYS susceptible to harmful UV rays that can result in sun spots and discolouration. Unprotected sun exposure leads to premature wrinkles, discolouration and sagging skin and what do we do to cover these? yeah, by using layers of make-up which in turn make our skin even dryer. My suggestion for these dry dark cold days is to use a light consistency foundation for day plus a solid tinted moisturizer with at least 30SPF. Primers are as well a great combo together with your mineral foundation. It's a win-win! MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation Isadora Protect Face Primer Face Stockholm Tinted Mineral Moisturizer   Now, I promise you all that if you keep doing this routine and take care of your skin, combined with healthy eating habits and frequent exercise, your skin will feel much better, it'll be glowyer, toned and most important, it'll look younger. I know that it may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get the flow it's quite simple; just remember this: MORNING - lemon water first thing in the morning - face wash + toning - day serum + eye cream - moisturizer + sun protection NIGHT - face wash + toning - night oil serum + eye cream - moisturizer ONCE/TWICE a WEEK - exfoliation + deep cleanse mask + extra overnight moist What do you think of this? Do you think is it of helpful advise? Let me know your thoughts and comments!   LOVE /Mariona