Celebrity facialist who boasts Kim Kardashian and Rosie Huntington-Whitely as clients reveals the major skincare ‘swaps’ you need to make in winter to combat dryness
- Melanie Grant has studios in Sydney, Melbourne, Paris, LA and soon, London
- Winter can be a tricky time for skin as our complexion becomes dry and full
- Melanie recommends incorporating squalene, hyaluronic acid and peptides
A celebrity facialist who boasts Kim Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Victoria Beckham as clients has revealed how you should be looking after your skin in the cooler months.
Melanie Grant – who has studios in Sydney, Melbourne, Paris and LA – said winter can be a tricky time for your skin, as when the mercury drops, our complexions can become ‘dry, dehydrated and dull due to a lack of humidity in the air’.
‘Moving into the cooler months, I like to tweak my skincare routine so that it’s aligned with the seasonal shifts by adding in nourishing, hydrating ingredients to keep skin dewy and glowing even when the temperature drops,’ Melanie said.
A celebrity facialist who boasts Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham as clients has revealed how you should be looking after your skin in the cooler months (Melanie Grant pictured)
She recommends reaching for hydrating formulas that list ingredients like squalene, hyaluronic acid and peptides.
‘Keeping a hydrating mist on your desk and topping up as needed is another great way to offset the drying effects of air conditioning and keep your skin quenched and plump throughout the day,’ she told the Courier Mail.
‘Incorporating a face oil, rich in essential fatty acids, is a great way to support barrier function and keep your summer face cream working throughout winter by boosting its nutrient density and moisturising properties.’
If you have the time – and money – to invest in an LED mask this is also a great way to reduce inflammation caused by dry air and changing temperatures.
‘Winter is also a great time to schedule courses of corrective treatments like Picoway, SRA (Skin Rejuvenation Advance) to address pigment from the summer, and re-texturising treatments like Sublative and Collagen Induction, where you can afford the social downtime indoors,’ she said.
FEMAIL spoke to Melanie previously about the best way to combat dry skin during the cooler months.
If you have the time – and money – to invest in an LED mask this is also a great way to reduce inflammation caused by dry air and changing temperatures
1. Boost hydration
The first thing Melanie said you absolutely must think about in the cooler months is boosting your hydrating elements within your skincare.
‘Exposure to icy winds and indoor heating robs the skin of moisture and strips it of its vital oils,’ Melanie explained.
To counteract this, you need to look for nourishing ingredients to add moisture back into the skin and help restore healthy barrier function.
Good options are a hyaluronic acid serum, squalane, ceramides and oils like jojoba.
‘You should also swap out your water-based gel creme for a richer more nourishing formula, or your foaming cleanser for a cleansing balm, oil or milk,’ Melanie said.
2. Keep exfoliation gentle
The second thing you need to think about is gentle exfoliation.
Melanie said you don’t want to be doing anything too harsh when winter is wearing down your skin, but you do need to encourage skin cell turnover by making sure you’re doing gentle exfoliation two or three times per week.
‘The skin barrier function slows down in winter, which can cause an accumulation of cells past their use-by date to build up on the skin’s surface, leading to dry, flaky skin,’ Melanie said.
‘Regular exfoliation helps to buff these unwanted cells away, and also enhances the penetration of the products you apply afterwards, like serum and moisturiser.’
If you have sensitive skin, Melanie recommends you opt for a chemical exfoliator, which are actually more gentle than physical exfoliators.
She loves Biologique Recherche’s P50 Lotion for this reason, and said you need to look for products containing lactic, glycolic or polyhydroxy acid.
Melanie said you don’t want to be doing anything too harsh when winter is wearing down your skin, but you do need to encourage skin cell turnover by making sure you’re doing gentle exfoliation two or three times per week
Melanie’s favourite winter skincare products
* Royal Fern Skincare Cleansing Balm
* Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W
* Auteur Hyaluron Activator
* Victoria Beckham Power Serum
* Vintners Daughter Active Botanical Serum
* Biologue Recherche BioKiss
* Augustinus Bader The Lip Balm
* Chanel Beauty Huile de Jasmin
* Mesoestetic Nourishing Anti-Ageing Oil SPF50+
* Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
* Biologique Recherche Creme Masque Vermix
* Chanel Beauty L’Huile Rose Body Oil
3. Add an oil
Thirdly, Melanie religiously adds a face oil to her skincare regime in winter, as they are one of the best and most luxurious ways to nourish your skin.
‘Take a few moments to massage the product into the skin, encouraging the fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants to work their magic,’ she said.
Melanie said oils work for every skin type, even oily skin, as they help to lock in hydration and prevent any moisture loss.
4. Look after your lips
Our lips get famously dry and chapped when it’s cold.
Melanie said you can keep this at bay by gently exfoliating your lips with a homemade scrub of honey and brown sugar, and then applying either a lip mask or heavy lip balm overnight.
‘Always keep a lip salve containing nourishing ingredients like beeswax, shea butter and vitamin E on hand for re-application during the day,’ Melanie said.
This should mean your lips look and feel better even though it’s cold.
5. Avoid hot showers
While it’s tempting to have a piping hot shower when it’s cold and you’ve just got in, Melanie said this is in fact detrimental to staying well in winter.
‘Prolonged contact with hot water can actually strip the skin of moisture, so try to keep your water tepid or your showers brief,’ Melanie said.
You can also swap out your body wash for a nourishing shower or bath oil, and you should also apply a rich body creme or oil straight after getting out, ideally when your skin is still a little damp to lock in hydration.
Finally, the facialist (pictured) said you should never forget sunscreen, even if it’s winter and cloudy or overcast
6. Don’t forget sunscreen
Finally, the celebrity facialist said you should never forget sunscreen, even if it’s winter and cloudy or overcast.
‘Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen each and every day, no matter the weather, and this will help to prevent unnecessary damage,’ Melanie said.
Previously, Melanie shared the six-step at-home facial you need to do while at home to see results.
‘A DIY facial at home once a week is the best way to boost your complexion in between treatments while you can’t get an actual facial,’ Melanie told FEMAIL.
Her regime involves a double cleanse, exfoliating, massaging, masking, mists and serum and a finishing cream.
To find out more about Melanie Grant, you can visit her website here. You can also follow her on Instagram here.
The six-step home facial you need to try
STEP ONE: DOUBLE CLEANSE – Melanie recommends something a bit more gentle like a milk or an oil first to break down the SPF, oils and pollution from the day, before you follow it with something more ‘active’ that contains acids and will ‘deep clean your pores’.
Melanie (pictured at work) shared the six-step facial you need to know about
STEP TWO: EXFOLIATE – The second stage of any at-home regime should be exfoliation, which Melanie said is ‘key to achieving a clearer, brighter and more refreshed complexion’. ‘Depending on your preference and skin type, choose a manual, chemical or enzymatic formula to slough away and metabolise any dead, damaged cells and allow actives to penetrate more effectively,’ she explained.
STEP THREE: MASSAGE – Melanie’s third step is one that many facialists and dermatologists swear by – facial massage. ‘A simple, purposeful massage is the easiest way to improve blood flow, move stagnant lymph, ease tension and lift and tone the skin,’ she said. ‘Your massage can be anywhere from two minutes to 10 minutes, depending on how much time you have.’
STEP FOUR: MASK – If you only add one thing to your regime, it should be a mask. ‘Masking is a great way to infuse the skin with vital nutrients, with very little effort.’ When choosing a mask, she advocates that you focus on what your skin needs, or mix and match to target a few concerns at the same time.
STEP FIVE: MISTS AND SERUM – Melanie said that a hydrating mist can work wonders with ‘plumping, replenishing and hydrating’ your skin. She loves rose water pressed into the face, followed by a serum on the face, neck and decollete.
STEP SIX: FINISHING CREAM – ‘This will lock in all of the vital lipids, antioxidants and actives you have just infused,’ Melanie said. If you didn’t have the time to do the massage stage, Melanie said now is the time to combine the two with your moisturising cream.
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