Red lippy! Big blow-dries! Vampy nails! Dry, itchy skin!
Eh? Sorry, I killed the festive vibe there, didn’t I? But that is
my situation right now and I’m noticing others are going
through it too. Yes, in between the swooshy, just stepped out
of the salon hair and glamorous outfits, many of us are
dealing with dry, irritable skin. Hello, freezing temperatures.
Hello, central heating. As soon as the cold wave hits, dry,
uncomfortable patches take up residence in the usual
places: hands, face, stomach, inner arms and backs of legs.
What to do? Well, for starters, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise — and I don’t mean with
a rich, oily pot of fragranced gloopiness. As tempting as those unctuous textures are, you
need a lot less of that and a lot more “ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and squalane”, says
the dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite. A fail-safe option is La Roche-Posay’s new Toleriane
Dermallergo Crème ( 1 £18.50), which is a brilliant all-round hydrator and also a go-to for
soothing reactive skin. And if you’re worried about looking greasy or shiny, the Fluide
offering is the more lightweight version. If your skin is feeling tight and uncomfortable
throughout the day, you need to ramp things up rather than rely simply on AM and PM care.
Dr Catharine Denning, a cosmetic doctor who specialises in medical aesthetics, swears by
Curél Deep Moisture Spray ( 2 £19.50) to replace ceramides and for regular moisture top-ups
without interfering with make-up. “It is scent-free, rich in ceramide-like technology and has
anti-inflammatory ingredients such as allantoin, eucalyptus extract and glycerin,” she says.
I spritz this while at my desk and out and about as it refreshes but doesn’t drench.
I would usually reach for a face mask once a week — sometimes every other week — but
if the flakiness or parched feeling is getting to you, then you can use Dr Sam’s Flawless
Revival Mask ( 3 £32) for 10 minutes every few days. It’s a giant gulp of next-level hydration
for your complexion and completely fine for acne-prone skin. I’ll add here that you want
to go easy on the acids and retinols when your skin is playing up. It’s easy to think you
need more of them to exfoliate but that is only going to make things drier. Concentrate on
hydration and strengthening the compromised skin surface.
And one other idea for the face: reconsider your cleanser. A cream-based cleanser has less
chance of stripping the skin of its natural oils. You’ll hear me say “safe bet” a lot because that’s
what you want to do with dry skin: play it safe. Pai Middlemist Seven Camellia & Rose Gentle
Cream Cleanser ( 4 £19) is a lovely option that was born out of the founder’s desire to nourish
her own sensitive skin. It’s alcohol-free, conditioning and packed with skin-barrier goodness.
Things aren’t dissimilar for the body. It’s all about hydration. Interestingly there’s quite
a few “what not to do’s” here. Skip the piping hot bath. I know it may be tempting but it
will further irritate, so go for lukewarm instead. And another “avoid” is wearing tight or
scratchy clothing on problem areas, as it will only make things worse. Finally, Granite tells
me that “body scrubs are a no-go — avoid a strong grain and exfoliating gloves”. As with
the face, your body needs TLC rather than anything harsh or abrasive.
Two wonder-workers to try: Aveeno’s new Skin Relief Body Oil Spray ( 5 £9). Use after a
bath or shower, spray the oil close to the skin and massage in — and, yes, you can get dressed
straight away as there’s no waiting for it to sink in. Then there’s the satisfyingly ungainly tub
of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ( 6 £16). Specifically designed for dry to very dry skin, it’s
ultra-conditioning without clogging. Pile this on with abandon. No, really, more is more.
And once that’s all under control we can resume normal festive activities. MerryCat Garcia Christmas everyone! ■ @sarahjossel
Sarah Jossel
‘Tis the season to be suffering from dry, itchy
skin – but I have the solution
543261The Sunday Times Style • 39