We are all guilty of paying our faces more love in the skincare department than our bodies so the new year is great time to start taking a whole body approach to skincare. If you have been hitting the gym and trying to eat right then adding a couple of steps to your bodycare routine will augment all of your hard work so you can feel confident and ready to show off the results come summertime. In the wintertime, skin requires some special attention due to the colder temperatures and dehydrating heating systems and while it may be tempting to just pile on some extra body moisturiser this will do little to improve the condition of your skin. There are plenty of other things that you can do to achieve healthy looking and radiant body skin even if you’ve left all your healthy habits in January.

We all love a long hot shower where we can get lost in our thoughts but excessively hot water dehydrates skin and strips the skin of its natural oils. To improve the condition of your skin and hair keep showers to 10 mins using warm water. We know that this doesn’t sound fun so we love to reward ourselves with some luxurious moisturising products post shower.

In the winter months our skin loses that summer glow and radiant tone. Adding a pre-shower dry body brushing to your pre-shower routine can improve the texture of your skin as it will increase circulation and lymphatic drainage and eliminate dead skin cells. It will also leave you feeling more energised (which we all need at this time of year). This simple step will improve the tone and texture of skin and can help you to avoid the horror of exposing your skin when it’s been in hibernation for too long. Follow with a refreshing, cleansing shower.

At this time of year you want to reach for a rich, hydrating body wash that has moisturising ingredients such as glycerin, shea butter, Vitamin E or jojoba oil.

You will probably find that your skin in general is looking a little dull and lacklustre at this time of year and exfoliating removes dead, dull skin cells which improves the texture and tone of your skin. It encourages cell renewal to leave silky smooth, brighter skin. Exfoliating will also help your body moisturiser to penetrate skin which will improve the effectiveness of your moisturiser.Just like with the skin on our faces it is important to gently exfoliate your body as skin is more sensitive in the winter.

While you are in the shower, gently exfoliate with a sugar exfoliator that contains hydrating ingredients such as Vitamin E and olive, apricot, jojoba and sunflower oil.

As skin is drier during the wintertime you want to maximise the hydrating properties of your moisturiser and the key to this is applying it within a few minutes of getting out of the shower as damp skin helps to trap moisturise. Choose a moisturiser that contains hyaluronic acid, shea butter, cocoa butter or olive oil.

You may have spent the summer trying to avoid the humidity but in wintertime it can be a skin saviour. Central heating dries out the air and having a humidifier in your bedroom helps to put moisture back into the air and hydrate your skin as you sleep so in the morning your complexion will be soft and supple and your hands and lips won’t feel so dry. As an added benefit humidifiers can help to ease congestion and cold symptoms.

We all started the year off with great intentions when it came to exercise but as winter is showing no signs of ending soon and as we seem to be constantly wrapped up in chunky knits and thick coats, exercise falls further down our to-do lists. While it may take some effort to muster the motivation to exercise right now the results will be worth it, it will give you more energy and boost your mood (something that is often needed in these long dark days). Exercise also benefits skin as it promotes healthy circulation, increases your pulse rate and helps to keep skin healthy and vibrant. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps to nourish skin cells. Studies have shown that working outside in the cold can help to burn a few extra calories as the body works harder to regulate its core temperature. However, to ease yourself into exercise, start with these at home work-outs.

Paying attention to your bodycare routine may be low on your list of priorities right now but taking care of your body shouldn’t be reserved for summertime. Spending a few minutes each day on your bodycare regime will help combat the negative effects of the winter on your skin and can help boost your mood and general feelings of wellbeing. As an added benefit it will mean when summertime finally rolls around you will prepped and ready to reap the rewards.

Let us know how your tweak your bodycare routine in the winter.