Written by Rakelle Maurici in Beauty on the 5th January 2016

The colder months can often be very tough on our skin. Many guys will suffer more breakouts, dryness, eczema or will generally look a bit lifeless from late night parties and the lack of sunshine. There are a number of ways in which you can brighten and perfect your skin during winter with a number of different products and techniques.

Beard Oil 

Generally speaking, having facial hair will zap out some of the moisture in your skin. This along with dry wintery air and central heating will make your skin feel very dry. You can keep the skin in this area moisturised, particularly if you have a beard extra moisturiser with a beard or conditioning oil. It’s also important to keep your beard clean (especially if it’s long) so it doesn’t develop a bad odour.

Exfoliate 

Often with dry skin it can also become flaky, so it’s recommend to exfoliate to keep this at bay and stop your skin from looking dull. You don’t need to do this too often, perhaps a couple of times a week. Alternatively, there are some facial washes out there with exfoliating beads which can be used daily. However, this does depend on skin-type and it’s not wise to use on sensitive skin.

Moisturise 

Along with your regular daily moisturiser you’ll need one which is to be applied at night. This stops dry skin from developing whilst you sleep and the moisture will also help repair dry areas overnight – meaning you’ll feel fresh and bright come the morning. The skin around our eyes is very delicate, which is why it’s important to take care of it with some eye cream. It’s also one of the first things we notice on a person when we first meet them. By preventing those tired wintery eye bags you’ll look young, energised and refreshed.

Lip Balm 

We all experience dry lips at some stage in the winter so it’s important to keep them from cracking by using a good quality lip balm. We recommend men to use one with SPF in it as our lips are delicate and prone to damage all year round. Applying this a few times throughout the day will keep them soft and smooth. It’s best to also apply some before bed, so your lips are left to soak up all the moisture that they need during your 8 hours of sleep.

Hair Shampoo & Conditioner 

Just like our skin drying out in winter, I’m sure many of you will have experienced having dry hair too - this can often lead to a flaky scalp. You have to keep the keratin and moisture locked in to keep your hair from drying out. You can buy hair masks with either Moroccan or Argan oil to be used a couple of times a week after shampooing your hair. This will make it soft and silky, so it’s wise not to do this on a day you plan to go out because it’s harder to style.

We talk winter skincare, winter skin regimes and dry skin in this Ultimate Guide to Battling Winter Skin Problems for men.