Winter skincare Q&A

SHE Beauty Director Eve Cameron answers your questions

What should I do if my skin is looking and feeling dry?

 

You need to hydrate your skin, increasing moisturisation and reinforcing the skin's natural barrier to prevent sensitivity, redness or flaking developing. Don't use soap, wash-off cleansers or toners containing alcohol as these will all strip your skin of natural oils, leaving it feeling taut and drier still. Instead choose creamy cleansers and even cleansing oils if you've got very dry skin.

Go for rich moisturising creams. Beneficial ingredients to look out for include ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol (all naturally present in the skin), lanolin, glycerin and oils such as olive, coconut and almond.

 

What should I do if my skin is feeling sensitive?

 

Many experts now believe that reactive skin and premature ageing go hand in hand. The best way to look after sensitive skin is to keep things simple and try to reduce the constant low-grade inflammation.

 

Choose skincare with soothing ingredients, such as licorice extract, green tea, chamomile, panthenol and aloe vera. It's a good idea to patch-test new products before buying.

 

What should I do if my skin is showing signs of ageing?

 

To reduce lines and sagging, look out for ingredients that enhance collagen production and refine the surface of the skin such as retinol, salicylic and glycolic acids and anti-oxidants (in various forms, including green tea, ferulic acid, coenzyme Q10 and vitamins C, E and A) which help to repair sun damaged skin.

 

Another strategy is to wear a daily sunscreen to protect against future damage; many dermatologists now counsel year-round protection if you want to keep your skin looking young.

 

What should I do if my skin is congested and prone to spots?

 

Go for a gentle cleansing routine, avoiding anything too harsh such as soap, which will just strip the skin of natural oils and encourage it to produce more to compensate. Avoid rich creams too, as they will only exacerbate the problem.

 

Ingredients to suit your skin include retinol and salicylic acid, which gently remove dead cells and reduce sebum which precipitate spots, benzoyl peroxide, niacinamide and tea tree oil.

 

Read the experts on why you should change your skincare routine for winter

 

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