1) Ditching Sunscreen
When the shorter days and colder weather hits, many people pack away the sunscreen along with the beach towels and sandals. However this is one of the worst mistakes you can make for your skin. Protecting yourself from the sun's harmful UV rays is just as important at this time of year as it is in the summer. Even on a cloudy winter day the UV rating can be very high - you don't need to feel yourself burning to be experiencing detrimental overexposure.
Failing to protect your skin with a quality SPF 30 sunscreen in winter has the same costs as the warmer months, including sensitivity, pigmentation, wrinkles, sagging skin and skin cancer. Moral of the story: always apply your sunscreen before going outdoors, no matter what time of the year it is.
Wotnot Skin Saviour: 30 SPF Anti-Ageing Facial Sunscreen & Primer
2) Not Updating Your Products
Just as you need different clothing in winter, so too do your skincare needs change. Cool, windy weather is extremely drying for the skin, which means you may need extra nourishment to keep hydration levels in check.
Failing to update your skincare products to meet seasonal needs can mean you're simply not getting the results you want. Swap your regular products for their more deeply hydrating cousins, such as a regular moisturiser for a night cream, or opt for products formulated for dry skin in the winter months.
Wotnot Skin Saviour: Ultra-Hydrating Face Wipes for Dry/Sensitive Skin
3) Wrong Timing for Self-Tanning
Winter is the season for the perfect faux tan but if you're applying it at the wrong time, you could be causing yourself grief (uh, patchy colour!).
It's best to apply your self-tanner immediately after a bath or shower because the warm water and steam can help open up your pores, making your skin vulnerable to dryness if you don't replenish it but also prepped for maximum absorption.
Make sure you have also taken the opportunity whilst your skin is wet and soft to exfoliate properly before applying tan for the most even colour and read our top tips on achieving the perfect fake tan to brush up on the process.
Wotnot Skin Saviour: COSMOS Certified Self-Tanning Bundle
4) Not Addressing Inflammation
If your skin becomes more than just dry, there could be an inflammatory component. Sometimes a moisturiser simply isn't enough and you need to find a product that is intensely hydrating as well as soothing to the skin.
Wotnot Skin Saviour: Baby Wonder Balm
5) Forgetting to Exfoliate
Regularly exfoliating your body and face is a great health and beauty habit to be in, however when you are hiding under all those winter layers, it can be easy to let this part of your regime slide.
Stop! Exfoliating your skin in winter is possibly the most important time of the year to be doing it. We are generally less active and skin is dryer, which equals a more sluggish lymphatic system and increased dead skin cells building up that need to be sloughed away. Not only will regularly exfoliating during winter keep your skin smooth and supple, it will also boost blood circulation, support detoxification and leave you feeling energised.
Wotnot Skin Saviour: Wotnot Body Exfoliating Mitt
