Hitting the slopes this year? Don’t let the cold, wind – or even the sun – hit back at your skin while you’re having fun in the mountains. This is our guide to the best skincare for skiing.
Whether you’re a seasoned skier or are heading to the slopes (and for après-ski) for the first time, don’t forget about the importance of protecting your skin in an alpine environment. Cold temperatures and harsh winds can quickly dry out and irritate your skin, while being at a higher altitude means the sun’s UV rays can more easily reach your skin, leading to both sunburn and premature ageing such as wrinkles and pigmentation.
Including a broad-spectrum sunscreen as well as deeply moisturising face creams and ointments, this is our guide for what to pack for your next skiing holiday, alongside your ski jacket and snow boots. Plus, in good news, the best skincare for skiing will also come to your complexion’s rescue when the cold weather really bites back at home too.
The most common effect from a day spent skiing is a dry and chapped complexion. It's caused by the cold wind wipping across your face and taking much-needed moisture from your skin as you soar (or snowplough) down the mountain. Cerave's ointment is like a protective plaster to stop that happening or to reverse the damage if it does. It's rich in texture but doesn't leave your face feeling overly oily, because its nourishing petroleum-based formula also contains lightweight hydration, namely hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Yes, it can be cold in the mountains, but you also tend to be up above the clouds, meaning you are at much higher risk from the sun's UV rays. Therefore, if you want to avoid burning (and premature ageing) – and who doesn't? – a broad-spectrum high-factor SPF is non-negotiable. Supergoop!'s formula is our top pick for active days; it's very water and sweat resistant, but with a lightweight finish that doesn't leave a heavy cast.
This is the moisturiser that our beauty editor is trusting to get her sensitive skin through the harsh winter months – and it is especially good for anyone who wants to deeply hydrate their skin, but is rather turned off by rich textures. Rich in ceramides and squalane, but with a lighter, watery feel, it's the refresh your skin needs before you hit the slopes.
Eucerin's Aquaphor is a cult classic for dry skin and, considering dry, chapped hands can quickly take the fun out of skiing, this is your must-pack hand cream. Using skin-hydrating glycerin and panthenol, the soothing, non-slimy balm locks in moisture and can be layered underneath your gloves to soothe any existing dry skin. It can be applied to knees, elbows and heels too. Plus, it is suitable for even young children, so you can keep it on hand for the whole family.
With SPF protection and a hydrating formula to boot, if you prefer a little bit of coverage to blur away areas of high colour when you ski, this colour-changing tint is the skincare-makeup hybrid for you. We particularly like it because as well as immediately reducing the appearance of redness, it contains ingredients to soothe your skin overtime, including provitamin B5.
The sun's UV rays really do cause havoc for our skin, but did you know that there are important ways to protect your complexion alongside SPF? Specifically, when the sun's rays hit your skin, they create 'free radicals', which are responsible for cell damage and thus ultimately premature ageing. That's where a good antioxidant-rich serum, such as this multi-award winner from Skinceuticals comes in; not just when you are skiing, but daily, to keep your skin smooth and radiant.
An SPF for people who don't like wearing SPF. Garnier's lightweight fluid combines the high SPF50+ protection you need in the mountains, with skin brightening vitamin C and subtle mineral pigments that add instant blemish-blurring radiance. That makes it really wearable for everyday use, and the lit-from-within, fresh-faced glow it achieves is perfect for drinks during après-ski.
It's always wise to keep a lip balm on hand during the winter season, but to stop dry lips truly in their tracks, you need one that doesn't just 'slap a plaster' on your pout. By that we mean that the formula can't just seal in moisture; it has to actively hydrate your lips to boost their natural moisture levels over time too. You can trust Elizabeth Arden's classic formula to do just that. And, it comes in a handy pot, so you don't have to worry about squeezing a very cold formula out of a tube.
Unfortunately, SPF isn't a 'one and done' sort of skincare product. It needs to be actively reapplied, especially when you are exercising, such is the case when you are skiing. You can avoid the faff of trying to massage in a heavy cream formula though, with Ultra Violette's ultra-fine mist, which you can also trust not to leak in your ski jacket while you are on the move.
At the end of a long day of skiing, there's arguably nothing better than settling down somewhere warm and cosy, for a little act of face mask-based self-care. Your skin will love you for choosing this creamy, hydrating mask, which was actually designed for soothing and hydrating your complexion post-flight. Don't be surprised if it comes in very handy multiple times during your skiing holiday.
Lead photo credit: Perfect Moment
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