A celebrity esthetician who counts Kim Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Victoria Beckham among her clients has revealed how to take care of your skin during the cooler months.
Melanie Grant – who has studios in Sydney, Melbourne, Paris and LA – said winter can be a difficult time for your skin because when the mercury drops, our complexions can become dry, dehydrated and dull due to a lack of moisture in the air’.
“During the cooler months, I like to adapt my skincare routine to the seasonal changes, adding nourishing, hydrating ingredients to keep skin dewy and glowing even as the temperature drops,” said Melanie.
A celebrity esthetician who has Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham as clients has revealed how to take care of your skin during the cooler months (Melanie Grant pictured).
She recommends reaching for moisturizing formulas that list ingredients like squalene, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.
“Keeping a hydrating mist on your desk and topping it up as needed is another great way to offset the drying effects of air conditioning and keep your skin soft and plump throughout the day,” she told the Courier Mail.
“Incorporating a face oil rich in essential fatty acids is a great way to support barrier function and keep your summer face cream effective all winter by increasing its nutrient density and moisturizing properties.”
If you have the time – and money – to invest in an LED mask, it’s also a great way to reduce inflammation from dry air and changing temperatures.
“Winter is also a great time to schedule corrective treatments like Picoway, SRA (Skin Rejuvenation Advance) to treat summer pigment, and retexturizing treatments like Sublative and Collagen Induction where you can afford the social downtime indoors.” She said.
FEMAIL previously spoke to Melanie about how best to combat dry skin during the cooler months.
If you have the time – and money – to invest in an LED mask, it’s also a great way to reduce inflammation from dry air and changing temperatures
1. Increase hydration
The first thing Melanie said to be sure to think about during the cooler months is to increase your moisturizing elements in your skincare routine.
“Freezing winds and indoor heating rob the skin of moisture and deprive it of its vital oils,” explains Melanie.
To counteract this, you need to look for nourishing ingredients to rehydrate the skin and help restore healthy barrier function.
Good options include a hyaluronic acid serum, squalane, ceramides, and oils like jojoba.
“You might also want to swap out your water-based gel-cream for a richer, more nourishing formula, or your foaming cleanser for a cleansing balm, oil, or milk,” Melanie said.
2. Hold the scrub gently
The second thing to remember is a gentle exfoliation.
Melanie said you shouldn’t be doing anything too hard when winter wears your skin down, but you do need to stimulate skin cell turnover by making sure you gently exfoliate two or three times a week.
“Skin barrier function slows down in winter, which can cause a build-up of cells that have passed their expiration date on the skin’s surface, resulting in dry, flaky skin,” Melanie said.
“Regular exfoliation helps remove those unwanted cells and also improves penetration of the products you apply afterwards, like serum and moisturizer.”
If you have sensitive skin, Melanie recommends opting for a chemical peel, which is actually gentler than physical peels.
That’s why she loves Biologique Recherche’s P50 lotion and said you should look for products that contain lactic, glycolic or polyhydroxy acids.
Melanie said you shouldn’t be doing anything too hard when winter wears your skin down, but you do need to stimulate skin cell turnover by making sure you gently exfoliate two or three times a week
Melanie’s favorite winter care products
* Royal Fern Skincare cleansing balm
* Biological Research Lotion P50W
* Auteur hyaluronic activator
* Victoria Beckham Power Serum
* Vintners Daughter Active Botanical Serum
* Biolog Research BioKiss
* Augustinus Bader The lip balm
* Chanel beauty Huile de Jasmine
* Mesoestetic Nourishing Anti-Ageing Oil SPF50+
* Augustinus Bader The rich cream
* Biologique Recherche Creme Masque Mix
* Chanel Beauty L’Huile Rose Body Oil
3. Add an oil
Third, Melanie conscientiously adds a face oil to her winter skincare routine as it is one of the best and most luxurious ways to take care of your skin.
“Take a moment to massage the product into the skin and encourage the fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants to work their magic,” she said.
Melanie said oils are great for all skin types, even oily skin, as they help lock in moisture and prevent moisture loss.
4. Take care of your lips
Our lips are known to get dry and chapped when it’s cold.
Melanie said you can keep this at bay by gently exfoliating your lips with a homemade honey and brown sugar scrub, then applying either a lip mask or heavy lip balm overnight.
“Always have a lip balm with nourishing ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and vitamin E on hand to reapply throughout the day,” says Melanie.
This should mean your lips will look and feel better, even though it’s cold.
5. Avoid hot showers
While it’s tempting to take a scalding hot shower when it’s cold and you’ve just climbed in, Melanie says it’s actually detrimental to staying healthy in the winter.
“Long exposure to hot water can actually strip moisture from the skin, so try to keep your water lukewarm or keep your showers short,” Melanie said.
You can also swap out your body wash for a nourishing shower or bath oil, and you should also apply a rich body cream or oil right after stepping out, ideally when your skin is still slightly damp to lock in moisture.
Finally, the beautician (pictured) said that you should never forget sunscreen, even if it’s winter and cloudy or overcast
6. Don’t forget sunscreen
Finally, the celebrity beautician said that you should never forget sunscreen, even if it’s winter and overcast or overcast.
“Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, no matter the weather, to help prevent unnecessary damage,” Melanie said.
Previously, Melanie shared the six steps at-home facial you need to do at home to see results.
“A DIY facial at home once a week is the best way to improve your complexion between treatments while you can’t get an actual facial,” Melanie told FEMAIL.
Her program includes a double cleanse, exfoliation, massage, mask, mist and serum, and a final cream.
To learn more about Melanie Grant, you can visit her website here. You can also follow her on Instagram here.
The six-step at-home facial you have to try
STEP ONE: DOUBLE CLEANSING – Melanie recommends something gentler like a milk or oil first to break down the day’s SPF, oils and pollutants before following up with something more ‘active’ that contains acids and ‘gets deep’. Clean your pores’.
Melanie (pictured at work) shared the six-step facial you need to know
STEP TWO: EXFOLIATION – The second phase of any at-home treatment should be an exfoliation, which Melanie says is “the key to a clearer, more radiant and refreshed complexion.” “Depending on your preference and skin type, choose a manual, chemical or enzymatic formula to slough off and metabolize dead, damaged cells and allow active ingredients better penetration,” she explained.
STEP THREE: MASSAGE – Melanie’s third step is one that many facial specialists and dermatologists swear by – facial massage. “A simple, targeted massage is the easiest way to improve circulation, move stagnant lymph, relieve tension, and tone and tone skin,” she said. “Your massage can last anywhere from two to ten minutes, depending on how much time you have.”
STEP FOUR: MASK – If you only add one thing to your regimen, it should be a mask. “Masking is a great way to provide skin with vital nutrients with very little effort.” When choosing a mask, she recommends that you focus on what your skin needs, or mix and match them to address a few issues to tackle at the same time.
STEP FIVE: MIST AND SERUM – Melanie said a hydrating mist can work wonders by “plumping, plumping and hydrating” your skin. She loves rosewater pressed on her face, followed by a serum on her face, neck and décolleté.
STEP 6: FINAL CREAM – “This includes all of the vital lipids, antioxidants and active ingredients you just infused,” Melanie said. If you didn’t have time for the massage phase, Melanie said, now is the time to combine the two with your moisturizer.