If you're like me, you'll be looking for the positives that come with being cooped up. After the pandemonium at the start of the week, the dust has started to settle a smidge. Just a smidge.

And that's all I needed to see the first glimmer of something positive, something constructive, something worth sharing ... and I wanted to share it with YOU.

You see, I sat down last night for the first time this week with a slightly clearer head. If you're not there yet, trust me, you will get there. The house was warm, really snug and warm.

It has definitely felt colder outside this week. We've been outside a lot to recharge and refresh, ready to tackle the rest of the day (tick, first positive). 

But as I sat there last night, my hands felt dry and tender ... I noticed my lips weren't their usual smooth self ... and my face seemed a bit tighter. My skin was feeling dried out. Not something I've had for quite some time.

And it got me thinking ... was I taking extra care of my skin during these colder, more tiring weeks? 

Like many of you, I'd been busily playing Santa, the mad rush to get presents door-dropped, the brain-strain dreaming up 20+ Elf on the Shelf mischief scenes ... not to mention the Christmas Day food rush.

And then into the unexpected lockdown this week ... must get outside into the passing snow flurry with Henry Jnr and Matilda ... must hunt for shards of ice ... must do a gorgeous but freezing cold walk amongst the frosty trees. And then back home into the warm. Finishing with a soothing hot bath.

All wonderful winter delights ... all positive parts of being tied down more ... all sadly harsh on your skin. Dry air, be it cold outside air or warm inside air, strips your skin of its moisture, leaving your complexion duller and your skin tighter, even cracking and flaky for some.

BUT there are some simple tweaks you can make to help counteract the effects of the drier, colder weather ...

Here are my top tips for a gorgeous, winter radiance ...

1) Balance your hot, hot home

It's quite simple. The drier the air, the drier your skin. And a cranked-up central heating or a roaring wood fire (electric counts too!) evaporates the moisture from the air in your home. Now, I'd never suggest switching everything off and enduring an arctic abode ... you really need to be smothered in warmth right now ... A much more sensible tip is to add moisture back into the air. Simply place an air humidifier in the room where you spend most of your time (probably the bedroom as you know you need plenty of z's for amazing skin). I'm not talking about the fancy facial steamers out there (although go for it if you wish!)... just a straight-up, no fuss room humidifier will do a great job at restoring your skin's moisture levels while you're sleeping. Handy when things get to work while you rest! 

2) Exfoliate

No matter how much moisturiser or serum you apply to your skin, dry skin will stay dry. And it is much harder for your products to penetrate deep into your skin. So definitely make sure you're exfoliating with a gentle scrub, nothing too harsh. The Natural Luminosity Scrub is perfect here. A super light exfoliant to leave which safely strips away the dry, lifeless skin from your face and body. And it's so gentle you can use it daily to help reveal your radiance.

3) Richer face cream and add serum

If you're not already doing this, add a serum into your regime. Your skin is more exposed in harsher weather, a field day for free radicals and pollutants. Serums penetrate deep into your skin to help restore your natural moisture and protect against the elements. The Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum is packed full of anti-oxidants and collagen boosting ingredients including vitamin C and E. A thicker, richer moisturiser will also help restore your damaged skin. You'll want the Night Elixir here to soothe, heal and regenerate your skin while you sleep. Containing Pro-Vitamin B5, vitamin A retinol and hyaluronic acid amongst many more essential ingredients, you can expect to wake up to smoother, softer skin by the morning.  

4) Special attention areas

As much as we all love a hot bath during the colder season, the hotter the bath the more your skin is stripped of moisture. It's recommended to stick to a warm temperature if you can. And make sure you apply a thick body moisturiser within 60 seconds of jumping out. Your pores are in the best place to welcome an indulgent cream within the first minute. Our Natural Luminosity Body Butter is a must here. Instantly transforming rough, dry skin and sealing in long-lasting moisture. I'd recommend applying this to your hands too, and regularly throughout the day. Now your lips, probably the quickest area to feel the pains of cold weather. But also the quickest and easiest to restore and hydrate. I'm so grateful for my Superior Lip Butter. It's 100% natural, deeply conditioning and gets to work quickly to repair and protect your precious lips. 

5) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

This may come as a surprise to you. It's just as important to drink plenty of water during the winter months as it is during the hotter season. If your skin isn't getting enough water from your diet, it will turn dry, tight and flaky in just a couple of days. You should be drinking at least 2 litres a day, ideally 2.5. This can come from multiple sources ... beverages, fruits and vegetables with high water content. But watch out for over-consumption of caffeine. Remember it's a diuretic and will cause your body to lose water. I'm not saying avoid caffeine entirely (now really isn't the time for restricting more!), but make sure you're not consuming too much caffeine and mix up your liquid intake with plenty of water sources.

So, now you know a few simple tricks to help prevent, soothe and tackle with dry, flaky skin. When you get a few minutes to yourself, take a look at your current skincare regime. Is there anything you need to add in or ramp up? 

Here's to keeping wonderfully radiant during the rest of winter! Because it's easy to when you know how.

Have a great day - wherever it takes you.

Tracey xxxx