ONE OF MY FAVOURITE songs, Wild is the Wind, features in the trailer for the film Revolutionary Road, which opened last night. Now don't get me started on the fact that they chose Nina Simone's version over David Bowie's, and while I am aware that it's not an ode to the weather, it did put in mind what our poor faces have to put up with at this time of year.
Regular exfoliation is the key to fresher, brighter-looking skin, and you will also benefit from better absorption of your chosen moisturiser. One of YSL’s top sellers is Natural Action Exfoliator (€42), which is particle-free, ie no grains, hurrah! The honey-coloured gel becomes a light emulsion on contact with water. Rinse off, and away go all those dead cells that clog and dull the complexion.
Really good value is the Aveeno range, one of the top three brands in the US, and it’s now available in Ireland. Its Ultra Calming range – cleanser, moisturiser and night cream (€31.85 for all three) – uses the feverfew plant, a relation of chamomile, with its multiple skin soothing benefits.
Here’s a helping hand for dry, cracked and weather-beaten skin. I love the name of Clinique’s latest face saviour, Comfort on Call (€52), an ultra-rich cream-balm that provides all-day hydration and soothes and protects skin in colder months. Use morning and evening for maximum benefits.
High colouring and ruddy cheeks usually go hand-in-hand with sensitive types, and dermatologists’ favourite La Roche-Posay is often recommended for the condition known as rosacea. Rosaliac XL (€23) is a relaunch of its popular anti-redness cream – it neutralises high colour, calms and nourishes skin with a lasting comfort. Available for normal/combination and dry skins.
Okay, it is a little indulgent to splash out so much on a lip balm but one application of Darphin’s Age-Defying (got your attention now?) Lip Balm (€40) may change your mind. If you need more convincing, consider that lips grow thinner with age and pursing them against strong winds won’t help either. It contains super ingredient argan oil, which is used in Morocco to soothe damaged skin, combined with plum oil and vitamin E to give suppleness. I’ve been colouring in my lips completely with a lip pencil and adding a slick of this balm – resulting in a hat-trick of colour, finish and nourishment. It’s available from Arnotts and selected salons.
Hands can take a terrible beating from the weather if you don’t wear your lámhaini, and even if you do, treat them to a luxury hand-cream anyway. Rich Girl Hand and Cuticle Cream (€29) from New York guru Deborah Lippmann is a great multi-tasker. It locks in moisture while brightening skin and has a super cocktail of hydrating ingredients. The icing on the cake is the super SPF 25, which is vital at any time of the year. Exclusive to The Vanity Rooms, 01-2959183.
Don’t forget your poor feet just because they’ve been encased in woolly socks and boots. The nutritious mud and salts from the Dead Sea form the basis of the Mineral Care range, which includes a lovely Velvet Foot Cream (€17.95) from adoreyourskin.com that soothes and softens dry skin and deodorises with a cool and refreshing effect. Ahh, now that’s better.