Britons advised to avoid having hot showers this winter

As the UK is fully embracing the winter weather, a sudden drop in temperatures can have an impact on someone’s skin.

While for many people their skincare is often overlooked, the colder weather can see their skin lose up to 25 percent of its moisture.

Ensuring an individual’s skin is protected from the low temperatures can be challenging, which is why Franchesca Villar, beauty editor at Cosmetify, has shared how someone can beat the colder snap.

In particular, trying to avoid hot showers even though it is a must during this time of the year.

Villar has also compiled a list of the best skincare hacks to keep an individual’s face feeling moisturised no matter the weather.

Avoid hot showers

Villar said: “Although it may be tempting to crank up the heat in your shower when it’s cold outside, you should avoid this if you want to keep your skin feeling moisturised. Hot water strips your skin of its natural oils, which are essential for maintaining hydration.

“Hot showers can worsen conditions like eczema, rosacea, or sensitive skin, causing irritation, redness, and inflammation.

“Instead, turn down the heat and opt for a warm or lukewarm shower, as the water is gentler on your skin and reduces the risk of flare-ups. This simple change can make a world of difference to your skin.”

Slugging

The expert advised: “Hailed as a miracle for spot-prone skin, ‘slugging’, coined due to the ‘slimy’ appearance it gives your skin, involves slathering your face in Vaseline as the last step in your beauty routine.

“Slugging is beneficial for your skin because it creates a protective barrier that locks in moisture, helping to keep your skin hydrated.

“As well as allegedly being great for your visage, it would also eliminate the need to buy expensive spot treatments and boujee moisturisers, as petroleum jelly remains affordable.”

Switch to a more hydrating moisturiser

She continued: “Whilst you should continue to wash your face at least once to twice a day, you don’t need to overdo it with the cleansing, the same way you should throughout the summer.

“During the colder months, when your skin tends to be drier, switch to more moisturising cleansers that are cream or oil-based as opposed to gel cleansers or micellar water.

“This is because your skin produces natural oils that help keep it hydrated and protected from environmental factors. And although you may be used to washing your face more in summer, cleansing too often can wash away these oils, leaving your skin more vulnerable to dryness and damage.

“Switching to gentle, hydrating cleansers and cleansing only as needed can help keep your skin healthy and balanced during the colder months.”

Use a humidifier

Villar recommended: “A humidifier can be highly beneficial for your healing dry skin during colder months by adding moisture to the dry indoor air. Often, when we crank the heating up, it strips the air of moisture and, in turn, can damage your skin in the process.

“Humidifiers can soothe irritated skin by providing additional moisture into the air and, as a result, prevent the flakiness that can occur when the weather is colder, especially for people with skin conditions like eczema.”

Go easy on exfoliating

“You should go easy on exfoliating when the weather is cold because your skin is more prone to dryness”, Villar said. “When the temperature drops and we turn the central heating on, going from one extremity to the other strips your skin of its natural moisture.

“So when you exfoliate on top of this, as the skin’s protective barrier is more fragile in cold weather, over-exfoliating can damage it further. This barrier is essential for retaining moisture and keeping out irritants.”