6 winter beauty remedies you need to know | How to treat static hair, cracked lips and dry skin

The Winter months can be really tough on your hair and skin. With most houses having the heating on inside and the freezing temperatures outside, we need to work extra hard on our beauty regimes. There are so many problems we face during the winter, including things like annoying static hair, sore chapped lips and dry or flaky skin. Some products will help to ease your pain, but these are the best tips and tricks to keep your hair and skin in tip top condition this winter. 

How to treat winter beauty problems 

Static and flyaway hair 

Static hair is caused by an item or object rubbing against your hair, causing friction which gives you the annoying static hair look. The usual things that can cause this problem during the colder months are a winter coat, scarf and even your hat. The best way to treat the problem is by keeping your hair moisturised, but instead of weighing it down with thick and heavy creams, try misting over a light hair oil spray such as Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray £20.85. 

Hair Expert Alice Dawkins of Milk + Blush recommends: "To combat [static hair], try wearing satin hairbands and scrunchies. They are a great option if you’re looking to keep hair out of your face but are much gentler on locks than other accessories, such as traditional hair bands."

Dry Hair 

As our skin naturally becomes dryer in the winter months, so does our hair. This time you really do want to slather on the thick and moisturising creams. Treat your hair to a weekly or twice weekly hair mask and you will quickly see results. The Hairburst Long and Healthy Hair Mask £26.97 is one of my personal favourites. The mask deeply nourishes and hydrates your hair, leaving you with soft and shiny locks. 

Alice Dawkins says: "Excessive heat styling can be particularly damaging at this time of the year due to the lack of moisture in your strands. If you need to use hot styling tools, apply plenty of heat protectant first, and use a lower heat setting to avoid frying your mane."

Flaky scalp 

There is nothing worse than an itchy dry flaky scalp in the winter, especially if you're wearing dark colours and those little white flakes make you look like you've been caught in the snow. Just like you would exfoliate your face, use a scalp exfoliator such as the Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub £25.20. This will remove any dead skin cells and help improve hair growth as a healthy scalp equals healthy hair. 

Chapped Lips 

Dry cracked chapped lips is something I suffered with for years - no matter how well I try to stay hydrated. The three best tips I learnt over the years are:

• Exfoliate your lips with a gentle lip scrub -  I prefer to use the Avant Velvet Perfecting Rose Sugar Lip Scrub £39 (RRP £57) it may seem a bit pricey but it really does work and you only need to apply once a week. 
• Apply Lip balm (religiously) - I’m not talking about the fruity lip balms and chapsticks you used to carry around as a kid. For truly dry lips, you need a heavy duty balm such as The Body Shop Hemp Lip Rescue Stick £6.00 it moisturises your lips and doesn't make them feel sticky or greasy. For this price I have one in the car, one in my handbag, one in my desk drawer at work and one next to my bed.  
• A bedtime routine - I always make sure to apply lip balm before bed so that you wake up with perfectly nourished and hydrated lips when you wake up. Simple but really effective. 

Dry skin and Itchy skincare

Skincare Formulator and founder of Skin Masterclass, Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz explains that we need to keep our skin barrier strong. She told NationalWorld that “The key indicators of skin barrier disruption are tight, irritated, itchy and dehydrated skin."

"Look for skincare that contains ingredients like niacinamide, which increases ceramide production in the skin, is anti-inflammatory and fights uneven pigmentation, as well as ceramides as an ingredient themselves, lipids, and richer creams that lock moisture in.” Try CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion with Ceramides £11.60. 

SPF in Winter? 

Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz also recommends that you don’t skip out on sun protection, yes even in winter. She said:  “When the days are short the sun often hides behind the clouds, UV rays are still beaming down ready to hit your skin. Wearing a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen in winter provides protection and helps to shield skin from UV light that can seep through the clouds and contribute to long-term damage."

"Snow and strong winds can wear away sunscreen and its effectiveness.” La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ Sun Cream £14.90 melts into your skin and can be applied underneath makeup.