We are lucky we don’t have to brace the biting cold winds that are sweeping across shivering Britain, which can be cruel and make your eyes look five years older. Though comparatively less, there is a nip in the air here too. But, don’t let the cold winter weather and dry skin get in the way of your perfect look for all the parties lined up this festive season. Chandrika Mahendra, Senior Research Scientist, R & D, The Himalaya Drug Company, tells how to give your skin the extra care and attention it needs to keep the sheen this winter.
Face it
In the winter, dead cells tend to pile up. Always wash your face before applying make-up. Opt for soap-free face washes with herbal ingredients like aloe vera and neem, as these ingredients gently cleanse the skin without drying it out.
Follow-up with an alcohol-free toner to remove any left-out grime. Use a gentle natural toner with lemon extracts which is an instant pick-me-up and the astringent properties help lighten the skin and control excess oil secretion. Before applying foundation or concealer, make sure you apply an intensive moisturising lotion. Doing so, will not only make it last longer but will help the foundation blend smoothly with the skin.
Winter confidential
Use creamy, water-in-oil emulsions with natural ingredients like aloe vera and cocoa butter as they moisturize and hydrate the skin and restore its vitality.
A D-I-Y facial on the night before the big day will do wonders for your skin. First, use a scrub to remove the deeply embedded impurities. Scrubs enriched with ingredients like apricot, neem and walnut are excellent as they gently remove dead skin cells, blackheads, whiteheads and grime. Follow up your scrub with a face pack. Opt for a fruit pack because it cleanses your skin without drying it out. Papaya and apple are excellent ingredients to find in your face pack. Keep it for about 15 minutes on your face. Rinse with water and pat dry.
Lips don’t lie
If your lips are dry or cracked your lipstick will just enhance that dry look. Hence before applying lipstick make sure you moisturize your lips with a good lip balm. Choose a lip balm with cocoa butter. Its rich texture will keep your lips moisturized and supple. To get glossy lips, dab on lip butter after you have applied your lipstick. After you have called it a night, use a cleansing milk to remove all that make-up.