Minding your skin this winter with Megan Byrne

We asked our lead Biologique Recherche facialist and all ‘round skincare guru, Megan, for some tips on minding your skin during the winter months.

“In the same way we update our wardrobes with the change of seasons, we should also update our skin care.” Megan says. “During the winter months, the air is cooler, and humidity drops. Coupled with heating indoors, the skin’s sebum levels deplete and skin becomes dryer and dehydrated. Harsh wind and cold temperatures can also e exacerbate redness of the nose and cheeks meaning your skin will need more protection from the elements. Our advice is always specific to our patients’ individual needs, in terms of product and routine recommendations but the basic premise is the same.”

Change your cleanser. During the summer months we tend to use more astringent cleansers to remove excess oils and sweat from the skin. In winter, we need to reduce any undue stripping of the skin to reduce tight sensations after washing. Opt for a gentle, hydrating cleanser such as Biologique Recherche Lait EV.

Update your moisturisers. To prevent skin dryness, redness and flaking, we need to protect the skin's natural barrier function. You can do this by updating your morning cream to include more nourishing ingredients to feed the skin barrier such as Biologique Recherches Creme VG Derm. Apply this underneath your SPF to keep the skin shielded from the elements throughout the day. At night, repair the skin with a regenerating cream such as Masque Creme Vernix to calm, soothe and nourish stressed skins.

SPF is not just for Summer. It is vital that you continue to use your SPF daily to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Regardless of the weather, if it is daylight outside, those UV rays are present and can cause skin aging and pigmentation. We recommend Elta MD's SPF or Revision’s Intellishade Truphysical.

Protect those lips. Prevention is better than cure. Apply a good quality lip balm regularly throughout the day, ideally every 2 hours to prevent lips from becoming chapped and sore. We recommend Biologique Recherche’s Biokiss or Elta MD's UV Lipbalm SPF 31.

Have regular facials to boost your skin's health and maintain your results. Professional treatments will deeply hydrate and nourish the skin, complementing your homecare. Having a monthly facial– post-Lockdown - will keep the skin smooth, soft and comforted.
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Winter is also a fantastic time to begin more targeted treatments in-clinic that may be less advised during the Summer months due to sun sensitivity. These include, peels to help treat acne, improve skin texture, dullness and irregular pigmentation. Laser treatments to treat sun damage, scarring, redness/broken veins. It is also a great time to introduce a Retinol like Revision Skincare’s Retinol Complete 1.0% or DEJ Night Cream, which has 0.25% Retinol, into your routine to improve skin texture, smooth fine lines and wrinkles and boost collagen production.