My Soothing Winter Skin Routine

New Year’s Eve was quite cozy this time. I cooked some tasty food for the fam, there was hot chocolate, cake, and I was curled up in bed watching Season 4 of Black Mirror. The next day was a sunshine-y picnic with a really punchy vodka lemonade (two bottles of water mixed with a bottle of Absolute Citron, half a bottle of Limoncello, a heavy splash of Cointreau, a few fresh lemons, tulsi leaves, and sugar). Perhaps it’s because of this potent cocktail or that it’s really, bloody cold, but I really don’t feel upto doing much even though I have SO much work. All I want is to nourish myself with healthy soups and lie in bed all day. 

Even my skincare is super-nourishing this winter. I’ve taken a break from heavy-duty cosmeceuticals and indulging all season in face oils. I’m cleaning with oils, then misting, and then applying more oil on my face. Of course, I’m using a mild acid peel to get rid of the gunk that we accumulate in a city like Delhi. Sometimes when I see a girl with beautiful skin in this city (and there are tonnes of them) I think its a real feat to achieve that clarity with the sort of pollution we face everyday. 

Anyway, here’s my new winter skincare routine. And I have to say that it’s working rather well. 

MORNING:

Step 1: Massage my face with an oil. These days I’m using the H is For Love Rapha Harmonizing Oil Cleanser, which I find quite good (it came in my Boxwalla Beauty Box). But you can pretty much pick any cold-pressed oil and massage it all over your face. Then I drench my Body Shop Luxury Face Flannel in hot water, wring it and use the wet, damp flannel to wipe my face. 

Step 2: I mist my face with Forest Essential's Pure Rosewater so it’s quite damp. And then I take two drops of Lepaar Precious Facial Oil (I also got this in the Boxwalla green beauty box - they do deliver to India) and massage it all over my face. This oil has skin soothing ingredients such as calendula and bits of 24k gold to stimulate collagen. Then, if I need to, I pat on the tiniest amount of Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream Light. 

Because I’m working from home, I try to avoid sunscreen when indoors. I know you’re supposed to apply it during, the day whether you’re indoors or outdoors, but I don’t want to put unnecessary chemicals on my face, especially when I’m sitting inside my room. If I am going out then I put on Avene Sunscreen. 

EVENING

Step 1: If I’ve gone out in the day and I have makeup on then I’ll use Clinique take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, followed by a cleansing oil. 

Step 2: Once again I mist my face well and massage in two drops of Purearth’s Rosehip Seed Supercritical Face Treatment Oil. I’ve started using this oil to soften old acne scars (this particular brand of rosehip seed oil contains a whopping 39% vitamin A, which is basically retinol). However, I have to be very careful about the amount. The moment I become greedy and use more than three drops I break out. Two drops is the best, three if my skin is feeling extra dry. 

EXTRA

Exfoliation: I’m absolutely in love with Dr Jart’s Micro Milk Peel. You need to apply it for a few minutes and then wash it off. I keep it on for about 10 minutes and then wash my face. I usually do this at night before the mist and rosehip oil. This makes my skin look luminous and even toned.

Masks: I love, love, love face masks. And among the ones I’ve used Purearth’s Mitti Clay Masque is my favourite. They’ve reformulated it so I find that once it dries I can literally peel this mask off using rolling motions starting from the periphery of my face and working inwards. 

Supplements: For the next three months I want to reduce inflammation in my body. So I’m taking two capsules of Organic India Turmeric Formula and two capsules of Hum Nutrition OMG! Omega The Great everyday. I’m also on 1,000mg calcium a day. 

Tea and water: Three litres of hot water and four cups of Organic India Tulsi Brahmi tea. I find that this tea gives me the stamina to work and also clears brain fog.