Your skin and hair go through their fair share of punishment over the festive season – from your skin drying out when the cold weather sets in, to your hair being mercilessly styled for Christmas parties, so it’s no wonder everyone looks bemused, bedraggled and slightly burnt out by the time we return to the office in January. We’ve chosen our top five products that will be your skin saviours and hair heroes this winter.
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1 There’s only a minority of women that can swear they take their make-up off every single night, so you’re quite right to congratulate yourself if you wake up post-party to find your eyelashes on your bedside table and not stuck to your cheek. But, did you know make-up wipes, despite leaving your face looking and feeling clean and refreshed, can actually dry out your skin? We are huge fans of Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser at BSW, as it comes with a soft muslin cloth that you can use to remove the cleanser once you’ve massaged it onto your face. It has all the benefits of using a cleanser – lovely soft, clear skin – with all of the ease of a make-up wipe. Gets our vote!
100ml Pump Starter Kit, £14.75, www.lizearle.com
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2 If your skin looks dry and flaky you might think that exfoliating would harm, rather than help, but it’s simply not the case. Exfoliating winter-affected skin twice a week helps to gently remove dead skin cells and lets moisturiser penetrate the upper layers of the skin more easily. Aveda’s Tourmaline Charged Radiant Refiner is a great creamy exfoliating scrub that helps keep pores clear, but also removes skin-dulling agents, giving your skin a much-needed glow during the harsh winter months.
£32, www.aveda.co.uk
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3 A good skincare routine should always include moisturising, but during the winter you may need an extra boost to keep your skin hydrated. Decléor’s Aromessence Néroli Super Serum is a plant-powered concentrated oil that is rapidly absorbed into the skin, meaning you can use it during the day under your make up – a must because there’s only so much repair your skin can do at night. If you are out braving the elements, it makes sense to give your skin all the protection you can. As the serum is 100% natural – made from essential oils, plant oils and vitamin E – so you can rest assured you aren’t clogging up sensitive, weather-beaten skin with chemicals.
15ml bottle, £44, www.decleor.co.uk
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4 One of the first places you will feel the effects of the change of the seasons is your lips. They will dry up, crack and peel as soon as the temperature drops – not what you want to hear when matte lipsticks are having a big renaissance! Protect your lips against the elements with Lanolips’ Lip Ointment with Color SPF, which contains over 60% Ultra Pure Grade Lanolin (a substance that is found in sheep’s wool to protect their coat and collected once the wool has been shorn). The Lip Ointment comes in five gorgeous shades so you don’t have to choose between looking good and feeling good!
£8.16, available from Boots in-store and online at www.boots.com
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5 With a busy diary and lots of parties to attend, it’s highly likely you will end up with a hair hangover. Over-styling and harsh weather could leave your hair weak and dried out, and going straight out after work means you won’t have time for a blow-dry or rollers – it’s more likely to be a blast of hairspray and some quick backcombing in the office toilets. Unite 7 Seconds Condition Leave-In Detangler was sent to us from heaven (ok, the head office) and we can vouch for its ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’-esque prowess.
£14.85, available from The Urban Retreat Beautique www.urbanretreat.co.uk