I’m writing this blog on a cold November morning. The sun is shining, the sky is a brilliant blue, and the festive season suddenly seems just around the corner – it’s hard not to skip around with a smile on my face… However, as much as I love and appreciate this time of year, I have started to notice that my skin is suffering from the plunging temperatures and hike in central heating.  It’s visibly dry and flaky, uncomfortable and tight in areas, and often itchy where it’s really lacking in moisture.

If you are suffering too, I’ve compiled a list of my top four tips for injecting moisture into your skin over the months ahead. Read on…

USE MULTI-PURPOSE BALMS
If you are noticing dry areas of skin (for me, it’s my hands, elbows, and cuticles), it pays to have pots of multi-purpose balms scattered around the house and in every handbag. These balms are packed with moisturising ingredients to smooth over dry patches (usually a blend of essential oils). They are usually affordable and always very effective. One of my favourites is Trilogy Everything Balm, from £10.90, which contains Certified Organic Marula Oil and Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, alongside Jojoba, Olive and Avocado.

SWAP TO A SHOWER OIL
Now is the time to ditch the fruity shower gels and replace it with cleansing oil, which will lock moisture into your skin while you’re under the water. As an added bonus, it will also save you time as there will be no need to apply body lotion after climbing out the shower, ensuring that your skin is packed with moisture even when you’re in a hurry. L’Occitane Almond Foaming Shower Oil, £16.50, is a great example. Enriched with almond oil, it envelops skin with a satin-like softness all over the body.

WEAR SOCKS AND FOOT CREAM TO BED
With the party season just around the corner and your favourite sandals at the ready, now is not the time to neglect your feet… To keep heels, toes, and soles smooth and moisturised, apply generous slatherings of rich foot cream before bed and pull on some bed socks to allow it to do its magic as you sleep. For ultimate hydration power, look for shea butter or cocoa butter as ingredients. My pick is L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream, £18.50, which contains an impressive 15% concentration of shea butter to soften even the toughest soles.

EMBRACE HONEY
I was told by a well-respected beauty expert several years ago that honey is one of the most powerful ingredients when it comes to moisturising and helping to repair skin – and since then, I’ve always looked out for it in the ingredients list. If you suffer from dry lips (and I certainly do), I recommend investing in a lip balm that contains honey as one of its main ingredients. Nuxe Reve de Miel Honey Lip Balm, £9.50, is my choice – and I’m not alone, with one of these balms sold across the world every 28 seconds.