7 Skincare Beauty Tips for Refreshed, Glowing Skin

Welcome to winter (or summer, depending on your hemisphere). Regardless of where you are or where you are going, we have gathered seven tips from our beauty experts around to ensure your skin stays hydrated and refreshed.

Cleanse Regularly yet Gently

Whether you are heading to the slopes or relaxing beneath the palm trees, your skin requires gentle daily cleansing. For most people cleansing in the morning and again in the evening is the way to go. Some of us, though, have ultra-sensitive skin. If you're one of the sensitive types, the best way to ensure that you're refreshed is to wash away the end of the day as the first step of your evening routine, but in the morning, give your skin a break and either don't wash it at all or just rinse quickly with cold water.

Serums are (Wo)man's Best Beauty Friend

A lot of people wonder if they really need this step. But, the experts all agree, a good serum is a must. Serums are the first step at hydrating, rebuilding and refreshing your skin. Formulated to penetrate your pores, serums absorb quickly and act deeply for maximum impact. If you want to see results, you have to be consistent. Depending on the kind of serum, you can apply it in the morning, at night or both. If your skin is particularly oily, sometimes you can get away with only using a serum and skipping your moisturizer when you are in warmer climates. If you are in the cold, you always need our next skincare tip.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Moisturizers are one of the most important tools in your hydration toolkit. Regardless of your skin type, the skin, especially in drier, colder months, retains its own moisture and stays protected from environmental damage when you give it an added layer of support. A good moisturizer both works internally, to hydrate your skin at the molecular level, as well as externally to literally layer it with a very thin, sometimes even imperceptible barrier. Your moisturizer seals in the serum give you that glow that every savvy traveller wants and protect your cleansed and hydrated skin from the daily assaults it can suffer.

Speaking of protecting your skin...

Wear Sunblock

Whether or not you want to wear sunblock every single day, or have a moisturizer, which includes a light SPF as part of your daily routine is up to you. The moments when it is truly critical to put on a high-quality sunblock are those times when you will be exposing your skin, particularly your face and chest, to extreme weather. So, if you are sunning on the beach, hiking in the mountains, skiing down the slopes or simply going for a walk in the snow on a sunny day, make sure to protect your skin from the sun both using physical barriers, like hats and sunglasses as well as using a high-quality full coverage sunblock. All of the work that you do to take care of your skin and keep yourself looking refreshed will go down the drain if you fail to protect yourself from too much sun exposure. There is no such thing as a healthy tan.

Don’t forget your Lip Balm

Keeping a lip balm in your summer purse or tucked inside your winter jacket is one of the easiest and fastest ways to refresh your look. Hydrated lips are plumper, sexier and easier to pucker up (wink). Seriously, though, your lips are very sensitive and require special treatment. We love a light yet full coverage lip balm. In the summer, it can have a little shine or glimmer to it, and in the winter, something a bit thicker with an extra pump of moisture.

Home Spa Day Every Week

Treating yourself to a spa day, even if it is just in the bathroom, is a wonderful way to show your body that you care for it. Key elements of a spa day include an exfoliation session where you remove dead skin and open your pores, followed by a mask suited for your skin type. Moisturizing masks are great when the weather is cold, and if you are in a hot clime, you might want to consider a balancing mask, which helps to even out drier and oilier areas on the skin.

Sleep & Rest!

Beauty lies within and we have all know that there is truth to the adage "Get your beauty sleep.” But did you know, rest is different from sleep, and that you need both? Sleeping is critical to your body's function and healthy refreshed hydrated skin. Experts agree even adults need at least 8 hours per night. Rest, however, is being awake and engaged in something that you enjoy and that relaxes you and gets your mind off the daily hassles of life. For some people, rest can be physically relaxing and reading a book or lying in the sun for a moment. For other people, active rest is the most refreshing, like escaping for a walk, playing a musical instrument or doing some kind of physical or mental sport. Regardless of how much sleep you actually need or what kinds of rest work best for you, if every day you prioritize sleeping and making sure to take time for yourself to recharge, coupled with the simple skincare steps above, you will see a noticeable difference in your skin!

Now, go get out there and enjoy your refreshing January. It is a new year and a new you.