January is hands-down a bad beauty month. A combination of harsh, blustery cold weather, dry indoor heating, and gloomy, overcast days takes its toll on many complexions, leaving skin feeling and looking "blah". If you suffer from these winter woes, resist the urge to pull your hat over your face. Here's what you can do to instantly refresh and revive your complexion:
Hydrate. If your skin looks sallow and tight, the first thing you should do is drink more water. I find that it gives the face a clearer, plumped-up appearance. Aim to drink at least 64 ounces a day (that's the equivalent of eight average size water glasses). Next, add extra hydration on the outside. After a bath or shower, while your skin is still slightly damp, use a body cream and a water-based, hydrating face cream. Both of these textures instantly quench parched skin and you'll feel the difference right away. If your skin is extra dry, you can even layer a richer body balm and face balm over your base moisturizers.
Exfoliate. Your skin is constantly renewing itself, but sometimes--especially in the winter months--dead skin cells sit on the surface. As a result, your complexion can look lifeless, dull, and flaky. To boost cell turnover and keep skin looking bright, use a cleanser with alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic or salicylic acid) several times a week. Another option is to exfoliate manually with a facial scrub (which has small beads or granules) or even a plain washcloth. Do this twice weekly in place of cleanser.
Exercise. One of the quickest ways to energize a lackluster complexion is to get your circulation going. By squeezing in time for exercise (whether it's 10 minutes or an hour) and breaking a sweat, your skin will look the way you want it to--dewy and glowing.
Think rich. When applying your makeup, choose products with lush, creamy textures over matte or powdery ones. A hydrating foundation or a tinted moisturizing balm will lend more luminosity to your complexion than a pressed powder foundation. And I love cream blush because it glides on and gives cheeks a fresh, dewy glow.
Create a diversion. If my skin is looking particularly drab, sometimes the quickest and easiest thing to do is keep my makeup to the bare minimum and put the focus on something else. Wearing a pair of my favorite dangling earrings and throwing on a bright pink wrap always elicits a surprising amount of compliments. Try it and see.
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