The X-ema Files: How to protect your dry skin this winter

By Daisy Lacey, Fourth Year Comparative Literatures and Cultures

The Croft Magazine // Cold weather drying out your skin? Daisy Lacey shares her skin routine and product recommendations for these cold winter months to help with eczema prone skin

Ever since I was born, not only have I suffered with Eczema, I have always hated the cold weather. And, unfortunately for me, the two go hand in hand to cause me extreme discomfort. I have, however, after years of trial and error, managed to find a routine that works for me during these cold winter months, so I thought I’d share some recommendations whilst bearing in mind the needs of the suffering student and their potential budget.

All I can say in short is that grease is good for winter, whether in the form of oil or emollients- do not fear the grease! I know it can feel uncomfortable but if it enables you to maintain calm and soft skin all year round, try to embrace it.

Shower and Bath

I have two suggestions for use when washing in the shower or the bath. Both of them contain oats which have long been known for their moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties. I will say, though, be careful when using the cleansing oil- you’ll be slipping and sliding everywhere!

AVEENO DAILY CLEANSING OIL, £9.25 | OCADO

OAT MILK SHOWER CREAM, £14 | LUSH

With both, do a slow and steady dry brush stroke first on your body. This might seem counterproductive, but it increases your circulation and gets rid of any flakes of dead skin. Take care if you have sensitive skin and massage the brush in slow circles.

Body

I try and keep my skin routine very minimal as I don’t want to aggravate my skin any more than necessary, but sometimes I do resort to some slightly more expensive products. It is easy to go overboard with the application of skincare on your eczema but you should only use them sparingly and when necessary.

To attend to the body, there are two showstoppers I use: the Lush Charity Pot, and the Aveeno body yoghurt.

LUSH CHARITY POT, £16 | LUSH

Not only does this product contain the wonders that are olive oil and cocoa butter, but all proceeds go to small grassroot organisations that are close to the heart and ethos of the company.

AVEENO BODY YOGHURT, £5.25 | AVEENO

The more affordable choice is yet another product from Aveeno: their Apricot scented moisturising body yoghurt. Again, oatmeal is at the heart of the moisturiser. The product gently nourishes the skin and the scent isn’t too strong either.

Face

Moving onto facial cleansing and moisturising, I will always clean my face with any brand of micellar water as it is not too aggravating on the delicate skin on the face. I will, again, use slow circular motions to clean my face. Once I have finished that, I skip several of the typical skincare routine steps and jump straight onto moisturiser and lips.

The three products I use on my face are on the more expensive side but they have served my ridiculously precious skin well over these past few years and work well all year round.

CLARINS SOS HYDRA MASK, £30 | BOOTS

I use the Clarins SOS Hydra Mask during the day which might sound mad but hear me out. It is a mask designed to rehydrate which can be massaged into the skin and lasts for the whole day. My face always feels soft yet fresh each time I put this mask on.

AVÈVE TOLÉRANCE RICHE CREAM, £10 | BOOTS

The other moisturiser I use is a classic from the French pharmacies: the Avève Tolérance RICHE cream. This is much thicker in consistency so I tend to leave it on overnight, leaving me to wake up with a much calmer complexion.

NUXE LIP BALM, £10.50 | LOOKFANTASTIC

The final face product is a wonder for lip eczema. This is a honey based lip balm that not only minimises my lip eczema, but tastes really good too (needless to say, don’t eat it!) It always leaves my lips feeling nourished and protected. This little gem might seem a bit pricey but it lasts AGES.

Beauty Column: Facial oils to rehydrate your weathered skin

All Round Wonders

These next products are the all-rounders, products that can be used anytime, anywhere.

BABY BOTTOM BUTTER, £3.20 | WAITROSE

This baby bottom butter seems a bit over the top but it is worth every penny. It is gentle enough for use on the face and body and it smells divine. I will admit it may feel greasy but grease is good in cold weather.

SHEA BUTTER, £15 | THE BODY SHOP

All this contains is 192 shea nuts and nothing more, yet it can be used not only on your face, lips and body, but it can also be used on your hair.

NUXE HUILE PRODIGIEUSE RICHE, £32 | SPACE NK

My final product is a multi-purpose body oil: this is the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse RICHE. This is a beautifully scented dry oil that can be used everywhere!It absorbs into the skin rapidly and as an added bonus it is brilliant at fading stretch marks. I use it on my dry skin and can see the difference very quickly in the texture of my skin.

Top Tips

1. Warm your pyjamas on a radiator whilst drying off and moisturising yourself, when you finally put them on, you won’t feel as uncomfortable or sticky.
2. Whatever the weather, always wear sunscreen if you are going out.
3. Only use products on areas that need the attention.
4. Keep up with moisturising in general over the colder seasons.
5. Keep warm! There is nothing my eczema loves more than the challenge of a cold day.

IMPORTANT! please seek the advice of your GP and/ or dermatologist before trying out my winter skin saviours if you suffer with eczema as badly as I do. This little routine manages to keep my skin from falling off like the whomping willow in autumn (without being dramatic). Please also be very careful regarding certain ingredients if you are allergic or sensitive to certain ingredients.

Featured: Unsplash / Christin Hume

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