How to cheat... a winter glow

Winter can leave our scan be a recipe for disaster for our skin with a lack of sunlight and colder, drier air making it appear dull and lifeless. Don’t despair though - you can get your glow back with our combination of skincare tips and make-up cheats. So whatever the forecast outside, you can face the day feeling human and looking radiant.

Get more sleep

Your skin heals itself while you sleep, and with pollutants damaging your cells during the day it’s even more essential to ensure you clock up eight hours at night. Apply a product that pumps antioxidants into your skin and helps rehydrate it before bedtime, such as Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Regenerating Night Cream Dry & Sensitive Skin. This will help make sure your skin cells can recover while you sleep, meaning you’ll wake up looking more fresh and radiant.  

Change your cleanser

Switch your foaming cleanser for an oil version such as nspa Deep Cleansing Facial Oil. Not only will this give you much-needed moisture by rebalancing the natural oils in your skin, but used with a face cloth to remove all make-up, it will gently exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin cells and helping to bring lacklustre skin back to life. Remember to use lukewarm water to cleanse and shower as hot water strips protective essential oils from your skin – ouch!

Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate

Moisture can’t penetrate deep down if there is a layer of dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin, so regular exfoliation is key during the winter months. Try to exfoliate twice weekly with a product that aims to shed dead skin cells and restore natural radiance. We love the nspa Brightening Dermo Scrub which is particularly soothing for dry, weather-damaged skin.

Introduce a facial oil

Going between the cold, unruly elements outdoors and dry heating systems inside can play havoc with our skin, leaving it dehydrated. In winter, add a facial oil to your skincare routine to deliver moisture at a deeper level. Look for natural oils containing hydrating plant-extracts such as nspa Nourishing Facial Oil. Once your skin has fully soaked up the oil, then apply your regular moisturiser on top.

even out your complexion

Winter usually means our skins need a little more coverage but it’s a fine line between looking healthy and feeling caked in make-up! Avoid heavy matte foundations and choose a base with light-diffusing particles to cheat a luminous glow like Rimmel London's Wake Me Up Foundation. A good trick is to go for a slightly darker base than your skintone coupled with a sweep of matte bronzer, such as Rimmel’s Natural Bronzer 025 Sun Glow, to warm winter skin up. Used together, the effect should create a ‘glowing-from-within’ effect that’s bound to prompt friends to say how well you’re looking!

add a rosy cheek

Nothing says healthy glow like using a cream blush on the apples of your cheeks. Apply by smiling in the mirror and using your finger to dab on a flush of flattering blush. Grab a brush to buff out the edges to avoid an Aunt Sally look! Not sure what shade to go for? George Blush Queen Blusher in Smoky Rose is all-round winner for every complexion.

Illuminate

Finally, to get that ‘just-been-for-a-country-walk’ look, don’t forget to dab some illuminating lotion on the upper corners of cheekbones, brows, and your cupid’s bow (the centre of your upper lip). Try Collection's Gorgeous Glow Liquid Highlighter Glow 2 Drops, which contains light-reflecting pigments for a luminous look. You’ll be glowing in no time!

Looking to rebuild your make-up bag in time for the winter? Find everything you need online or pop into your local store.