Skin salvos

It's time to prepare for the onslaught of winter riding, winter parties and winter weather. Upgrade your bathroom shelf with the new oil-serum hybrids, punchy moisturisers and a 10-minute power pack.



Indian summers can quickly give way to harsh, wintry days. So at this time of year - particularly as the next few months proffer a packed social and polo club calendar - it's critical to be ready with an up-to-date skincare routine that will keep your Dubai glow glowing, even on the bleakest November morning. "Our skin responds to environmental changes," says consultant dermatologist Dr Kathy Taghipour. "Cold, dry air and heating reduce the skin's natural moisture and can lead to dehydration and irritation. Here are three ways to ensure a glowing complexion as the weather changes.

I) Cold-weather cleansing and toning

As counterintuitive as it might seem, cleaning with an oil does wonders for the skin. As a consequence, cleansing oils are gaining traction in beauty circles.
"Cleaning with a balm or oil keeps the skin's moisture locked in," explains Taghipour. And not allowing the skin to dry out prevents breakouts, speeds up blemish recovery time and minimises the possibility of scarring. Charged with deeply purifying marine oils, La Mer's The Cleansing Oil is hard to beat. Apply directly to the skin and remove with a damp, warm muslin cloth, or add water and use as a purifying wash. Cleansing oils can be used morning and night as a first step in any skincare routine, and they do well when followed by an essence. What on earth is an essence? Simply the more sophisticated older sister of toner. Essences tend to be formulated to offer an additional layer of cleansing, priming the skin with nourishing ingredients. Omorovicza's Omoressence, for instance, contains healing minerals derived from thermal spa waters, as well as hydrating active ingredients for extra protection against external and bacterial aggressors.

II) New-gen serums and moisturisers

In the colder months, it's all about clever hydration layering to avoid the pitfalls associated with dehydration. New from cult Korean brand Shangpree is S-Marine Jewel: individual-use capsules (applied to the face) formulated with super-hydrating seaweed, salmon and oyster extracts to restore a glassy-skinned glow. Your next step should be to layer on a formula that, while hydrating, also works to repair any damage. Révive's New Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Serum combines the brand's Line Relaxing and Cellular Filling Complexes to reduce the appearance of fine lines while also smoothing, plumping and contouring. La Mer's The Concentrate, meanwhile, is a potent skin healer. A velvety smooth formulation somewhere between a serum and an oil, it delivers an intense hit of the brand's famous Miracle Broth, treating irritation and redness. Your subsequent winter moisturiser then needs to protect as well as hydrate, because UV rays remain harmful all year round. Packed with skin-drenching hyaluronic acid, water-retaining ceramics, nourishing kauai nut oil and protective broad spectrum SPF 30, MZ Skin's Hydrate & Nourish is a great all-rounder that also contains retinol to help reduce the appearance of pigmentation and dark spots - which can be exacerbated by the sun.

III) Winter skin treats

Finally, peppering your skincare routine with a few intensive treatments is essential during autumn and winter (particularly around any festive socials). Add a detoxifying and clarifying clay and charcoal mask to your routine once a week - charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out impurities, with clays cleansing deep into the pores, leaving the skin looking clarified and beautified without dehydration. Sequins at the ready.