Winter is particularly harsh on your skin, and you need to really up to your skincare efforts in the colder months of the year in order to combat it. None of this is more true than when you are skiing at the top of a mountain.
Not only is your skin being affected from the extreme cold, but you are also a lot closer to the sun, and the sun’s UV rays are highly reflected by snow; much more so than by water. I wanted to share some top tips with you for looking after your skin on your next ski trip.
I’ve been on lots of skiing trips over the year, you can read about my most recent trip to Smaland in Sweden here. If you are still to book your trip, check out some of the large UK specialists in skiing holidays as your first port of call.
Always wear an SPF
Just because it’s winter and you can’t necessarily see the sun, doesn’t mean its UV rays aren’t reaching your skin and damaging it. In winter you are looking to have a high factor broad-spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen, as you are wanting your skin on your face to get the least amount of exposure to the sun’s rays as possible. White snow on the ground and on mountain tops is particularly reflective of UV rays. I would recommend using a dedicated facial sunscreen, as then you know that all the other ingredients are good for the skin on your face too.
Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
Have I said that enough times?! Moisturising your skin with a rich moisturiser is particularly important in the winter months of the year, when the harsh, cold weather can leave your skin feeling dry, tight and uncomfortable. Really spend time looking after your skin by massaging the cream in. At night, increase the effectiveness of this by patting a few drops of facial oil into your skin before bed too. Another way to top up hydration and moisturisation levels of your skin after a day on the slopes, is to use a sheet mask. There’s nothing wrong with doing one of these every evening of your holiday.
Gently exfoliate
Gently exfoliate your skin every morning of your holiday to buff away the dry, dead skin cells. You can do this with a gentle facial scrub, or with a facial cleansing brush such as the one from top UK skincare brand Clinique.co.uk. If your skin is particularly sensitive, just gently buffing it with a damp washcloth is enough. If you already use chemical exfoliators such as Glycolic Acid or Retinol, these will make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so swap them out on a ski holiday for this gentle manual exfoliation instead.
Don’t forget about your lips
With all this talk about your face, don’t forget about your lips. These need to be protected on the slopes with a thick layer of moisturising, skin-softening SPF-filled lip balm, or a general SPF skin balm. If you use a general balm, you can get several uses out of it, by using it to soften other dry, chapped areas of skin, such as your knuckles and your elbows.
Next time you are going skiing, I hope your skin stays happy and healthy!
