As the cold weather sets in and the mixture of heating and hot showers, our skin can become rough and dehydrated. It's time to take care of our skin and get it in its best condition before going all glam this Christmas.
You might have noticed a change in your skin's condition when the heating laps up all the moisture, leaving us with dry, flaky and tight skin. Hydration is key in your winter skincare routine, but you want to exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and impurities before applying moisturisers.
Cetaphil’s partner skincare expert, Dr Kemi, explained: "During the winter your skin can become considerably rougher. Generally, it's dry and so you may need to use more exfoliating ingredients."
![A gentle exfoliator can be helpful to remove dead skin cells and impurities before putting on serums and creams](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article28212603.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Cetaphil.jpg)
She recommended using Cetaphil's Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, £12.50, for dry, oily or combination skin. Alternatively Coco and Eve's new cleanser duo has gained popularity on social media, its water-based Fruit Enzyme Cleanser, £19, contains gentle exfoliants that can moisturise and smooth skin.
Skincare Formulator and founder of Skin Masterclass, Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz, recommended Bioderma's Pigmentbio Brightening Cleansing Micellar Water, £12. He said the ingredient of mannitol has "antioxidant properties that can protect the skin from harmful free radicals".
![Bioderma's Cleansing Micellar Water has a mild formula, which is suitable for sensitive skin](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article28212602.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_biodermas-micellar-cleansing-water.jpg)
But he added: "It also has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can help to soothe and calm the skin. It is beneficial for conditions such as sunburn, eczema, and other skin irritations."
Now moisturisers, hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid help to lock in moisture and keep your skin nourished while protecting it from cold and dry conditions.
Cultured Biomecare Biome-Calm Cream, £60, the fermented hyaluronic acid, provides an intense hit of moisture to your skin with a huge four times the hydrating power of regular hyaluronic acid.
![Medik8's hydrating B5 serum contains hyaluronic acid for plumper skin](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article28212598.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Medik8-B5-serum.jpg)
Cult-favourite Medik8's hyaluronic acid serum, £41.80, has shoppers leaving 5-star reviews, as one said: "It is a light formula that absorbs quickly without leaving any tackiness or film. After a few weeks my skin looked glowy and healthy."
As Christmas is fast approaching, there are also some beauty gift sets with great values. Escentual is offering a special price for Clarins Nutri-Lumiere Collection Gift Set (£85.36) where shoppers can get four products worth £138.25.
It includes a full-size Nutri-Lumière day cream, which is £95 alone, and travel samples of Nutri-Lumière night cream 15ml, Nutri-Lumière Treatment Essence and Cryo-Flash Cream Mask. American apothecary Kiehl's also launch an Age Defying Skincare Set, £74.80, that features gentle Retinol serum, lightweight eye cream and multi-benefit moisturiser to firm and refine skin texture.