January Bites: Ten Tips for Rescuing Winter Skin

So although I submitted my monthly HerCampus article to the editors almost 3 weeks ago, it's not been put onto the site yet. Normally I would wait untill after it's been uploaded before posting it to my blog but at this rate it will be severely out of date! Enjoy....

So 2012 has already begun. At this moment in time you’re probably sick of being surrounded by tinsel and fairy lights, bored of the daily banquet of turkey sandwiches and Quality Street, fed up of irritating younger siblings and nagging parents and tired of being so worried about the impending exams that you’re yet to actually start any revision. Whether you’re one or all of these things, your skin will almost certainly be paying the price.

Stress, cold weather, poor diet, excessive drinking and lack of sleep are just some of the many factors that can leave the body particularly weak and run-down come January and us students seem to bear this brunt much more than most. Unfortunately, when our bodies are drained and our lifestyle is hectic our skin screams it. While we can easily cover a few mince pie induced pounds under an oversized jumper and a couple of shameful NYE eye-bags under thirteen layers of concealer, the sad state of our skin can be much more difficult to hide.

Understandably, an arduous skin-care regime may seem like the last thing any student feels like committing to this month, but it appears January really is the time our sorry epidermises need a little refresh and revival the most.  For that reason I give you ten easy, inexpensive tips for rescuing your January skin. I can’t promise you’ll end up with a complexion quite akin to Halle Berry, but unless you fancy sporting a balaclava for the next 28 days, they could be worth a try:

1) Exfoliate - Winter skin can be much more sensitive than usual and while you don't want to over-exfoliate or irritate the face, a gentle micro-exfoliant will help keep the skin silky smooth and radiant. Try The BodyShop’s Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (£12) or something a little cheaper such as  St Ives Elements Micro Dermabrasion (£3.99), which promises to do the job just as effectively.

2) Watch the Temperature - To keep the skin hydrated, be sure to wash your face with lukewarm water rather than hot, as this will only dry the skin out even more. It’s also important to moisturize your face immediately after washing, as this is when your skin is more likely to lock in that much-needed moisture.

3) Drink Water, Water, and More Water – No doubt you’ve heard this one more times than you’ve set foot on Campus, but drinking sufficient water is extremely important. With water fountains on every level of Edward Boyle and now also installed in the Brotherton Library, there is absolutely no excuse. Plenty of water helps keep the body hydrated and we all should aim to drink 8 glasses of water every day.

4) Body Butter-Up – Cold weather can seriously dehydrate and dry out the skin and consequently a good moisturizer or thick body butter is vital for soothing and replenishing; a rich emollient like shea butter acts to form an invisible barrier and helps prevent surplus water loss. My personal favourite is Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula  (£3.77) as it’s exceptionally cheap and smells incredible. I also love Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter (£20.50); a little more expensive, but if your student loan can stretch to it, worth every penny.

5) Get Your Glow Back - To snatch back your much missed healthy summer colour, exercise and a good night’s sleep are the ultimate natural ways to boost that longed-for lustrous complexion. Alternatively, go for a glow–boosting product like Soap & Glory Glow Job  (£9), which provides a healthy bronze veil of wash–off colour.

6) Skin Super-Foods – Dairy products such as natural yogurt, goat’s milk and cottage cheese are packed with essential vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium. Snacks such as blueberries, strawberries, nuts and sunflower seeds are also brilliant as they have extremely high nutritional value. Salmon contains many fatty acids that are essential to keeping your skin from drying out and if you can fathom facing another Christmas-esque dinner plate, turkey isn’t too bad either. Spinach, sweet potato and carrots are cheap and cheerful vegetables to enliven your skin and what better excuse to make something more indulgent like carrot cake, roasts or coleslaw.

7) Cut Down the Caffeine - Can’t live without your morning Starbucks? Rely on your Red Bull mixer to keep pulling out Beyoncé dance moves past 1am? You may have to reduce this intake severely in order to avoid the high levels of caffeine and sugar that can cause oily spots and rob your body of moisture. Green tea is one of the best natural alternatives to caffeine; it will still give you a pre-lecture energy boost and could also modestly increase metabolism, bonus!

8) Multi-Vitamins - Taking multi-vitamins is a sure-fire way to get fundamental nutrients in your system without having to worry about breaking the bank during the weekly food shop. Some are more specifically tailored towards targeting the skin, like Holland and Barratt's ‘Skin Hair Nails' formula (£7.69 – 60 caplets) which I’ve been taking for around 3 months. Although I can’t say they’ve made an enormous difference to my skin just yet, the condition of my hair has definitely improved and I’m hopeful that the rest will come with time.

9) Be Make-up Vigilant – Wherever possible reduce your daily face paint and work the more natural look. Swap your heavy, suffocating foundation for something lighter like a tinted moisturizer; this one from Nivea (£2.03) will provide good coverage and let your skin breathe. For particularly sensitive skin, use hypo-allergic, naturally coloured cosmetics for make-up; the fewer pigments, the less irritating property.

10) (Attempt to) Make a Face Mask – Fun, cheap and a fantastic source of procrastination. There are millions of recipes online and there’s sure to be one perfect for utilizing whatever’s hiding in the back of the fridge. Here’s a simple OatmealFacemask to try and an even simpler Egg YolkFace Mask to get messy with.