Winter can be a harsh time for your skin, with central heating, hair dryers, cold air and nippy winds all causing damage. While cold temperatures and strong winds can leave your skin feeling dry and chapped, turning the heating up is no solution. Spending a lot of time in centrally heated spaces will cause further dehydration of the skin. Worse still, moving between very cold and very warm temperatures – such as entering a heated building after a long walk in the cold – can cause further irritation.

While it can be difficult to fit a thorough skin-care routine into your everyday life, if you have enough time to spare why not spend a few hours giving your skin a little TLC? Apply a face mask, use one of a suitable brand of waxing kits, follow it up with a high quality moisturiser and give yourself and your skin a much-needed break.

Alternatively, by following an efficient skincare routine, you can easily minimise the negative effects that winter has on your skin, keeping you looking fresh and healthy throughout the party season and right up to spring.

One of the simplest, cheapest, most effective and most frequently overlooked ways to protect your skin throughout the winter is to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is just as important in winter as it is during the summer, although it can be more difficult to remember to do so. Try to keep a bottle of water close to hand at all times, to drink from while you work or relax. Deciding on how many bottles you need to get through each day in order to keep hydrated will give you an easy objective to keep in mind. You can also top up your water intake by drinking herbal teas, which will warm you up without the dehydrating effects of caffeinated hot drinks such as coffee or tea. It is also important to use a good moisturiser on both your hands and your face to keep them feeling smooth. Use a skin cream or primer underneath your foundation to keep your skin moisturised throughout the day.

Drinking fruit juices or eating fruit and vegetables that contain a high percentage of water will not only make it easier to keep hydrated, but will also keep you healthy and protect you from colds, which can leave your skin looking even worse. Colds and ‘flu can cause redness, inflammation, acne and cold sores. While the first three of these are easier to disguise using concealer and foundation, cold sores are more difficult to treat and can be irritating or painful. Wearing good-quality lip balm and making sure you get plenty of vitamins A, C and E will reduce your chances of developing cold sores, while acyclovir cream should help to reduce their effect in the event that you feel one developing.

Sleep is another important, yet frequently forgotten, essential to help protect your skin through the winter. While this is, of course, true all year round – dark circles and a haggard face is never an attractive look – it is especially true during the winter. Not only does the festive season bring with it the party time of year, but our increased dependence on harsh, artificial lighting during the winter months makes it even harder to disguise how little sleep you managed to grab the night before! Try to get at least eight hours’ sleep for at least four or five nights each week to keep your skin looking fresh and radiant.

This guest post was contributed by Leyla Kee-McParlin, an aspiring blogger who enjoys writing on a variety of topics and especially sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for hair and beauty products. Leyla has a degree in English and French, and is currently writing on behalf of Salons Direct who are one of the leading stockists of professional hair & beauty supplies in the UK.