How to deal with dry, flaky skin this winter 

Winter is here. That means it’s time to say hello to the onslaught of dry, flaky skin that’s currently settling in for the long haul. But it is possible to keep your skin plump, happy, and dewy through the winter months — you just need the SHS routine (Slough-Hydrate-Seal). 

1. ‘Tis the season to slough
   

   With layers of dead skin cells sitting atop your skin, your toners, serums and moisturisers are barely scraping the surface. So, slough off the dead skin cells to get the best results from your skincare routine. But DO NOT overdo it. Damaging your skin barrier is the last thing you want. About 2-3 times a week MAX  is all you really need. 

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate 
   

   Skin starting to feel tight and dehydrated? That’s just the dry winter air sucking the moisture out of your skin. What you need are hydrating toners, essences or serums (or an all in one like Hustle) that are packed with humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid and panthenol to keep water trapped within your skin layers.
   
   Chock-full of humectants (over 6% of the formulation!), just two pumps of Hustle in the morning can give your skin a burst of hydration that will leave your skin feeling plump and supple all day.  

3. Seal so you can heal
   

   As the last step of your skincare routine, you need a thick moisturiser/ facial oil to seal your skin barrier and keep the moisture in. Always look for barrier repairing ingredients like ceramides, essential fatty acids, cholesterol, squalane, panthenol and niacinamide in your moisturisers for winters.
    
   In case you can’t find a product containing the holy trinity of lipids, in my defence (IMD) can come to your rescue. It is a unique barrier-building ceramide moisturiser with 20X more ceramides than industry standard. Formulated to mimic the natural structure of your skin barrier, it fortifies the barrier from within and makes your skin look smooth and supple.

   That's it. You now know the SHS routine.

   Hot tip: If your skin is on the extremely dry side, try slugging with good old Vaseline as the last step in your night routine. You will not regret waking up to baby soft skin!