Brrrr! An ice-tingling welcome to the latest update from Binky’s Beauty Blog – my weekly chit-chat about the latest hair and make-up trends, the best new pampering products and my current favourite beauty ideas.

Don’t you just hate the cold? I know it looks all festive and Christmassy when you throw open the curtains and the trees are sparkling with icy frosting, but the minute you step outside – ouch!

Not only is wintery weather painfully chilly, it’s also a nightmare for your face and body. From peeling lips to a dull, dreary complexion – there’s all sorts of beauty hazards to contend with. The last thing you want is to turn up for that sexy Christmas date sporting frost-chapped cheeks and a dripping red nose – your hot guy will think he’s spending the evening with Rudolph.

So I’ve put together a checklist must-do treatments and the picked products you’ll need to combat total beauty breakdown over the chilly season:

HYDRATE
At this time of year your face has the triple-whammy of freezing winds, central heating and lots of alcohol to contend with. As you know, the cold weather will really dry out your face, while central heating and booze are both terribly dehydrating, so you skin is in danger of becoming totally parched. My number one year-round beauty rule is especially important at this time of year. The rule? Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water every day, but you can also give your skin a helping hand when your indoors by spritzing regularly with a hydrating spray like Vichy Purete Thermale Spa Water.

EXFOLIATE
Thirsty, central-heating-parched skin can quickly start looking dull and dreary thanks to the build-up of dry dead skin cells, so exfoliating regularly is a must. I’ve been using Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel with Rose Petals, a refreshing gel that buffs dead skin away while eliminating impurities. Some scrubs can be a little harsh, especially on sore winter skin, but this one has a gentle formula so even the most sensitive skin is kept feeling soft and supple.

REVIVE
Filming on location occasionally means long hours spent standing around outside, and at this time of year that’s torture for the complexion. If my skin is really suffering the effects of cold weather, I’ll revive it with a deep-hydrating mask such as Caudalie Moisturising Cream-Mask, which gives a wonderful quenching boost to stressed out and dehydrated skin.

MOISTURISE
OK, this is a no-brainer, but as you know there are all sorts of moisturisers available and you should be using different moisturising products depending on the time of year. In the winter months, I love using facial oils to really care for my complexion. They’re not at all as greasy and heavy as you might expect and they really do enrich and revive your dried out skin. My current favourite is Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil Antioxidant +, a potent plant blend that restores the lost radiance of a moisture-depleted complexion.

CALM
If, like me, you occasionally get heightened colouring thanks to the cold or central heating, it’s worth investing in a corretive moisturiser to combat redness.  Avène Antirougeurs Jour Redness Relief Moisturising Protective Emulsion is a caring and correcting daily moisturiser that really helps calm flushed skin.

PROTECT
Just because its freezing outside, doesn’t mean you can forget about protecting your face from harmful UV rays – they’re always there, sneakily causing damage, even on cloudy days. So before you head out, remember to smooth on a protective layer of moisturiser. Avene Hydrance Optimale Rich Protective UV SPF20 is a wonderfully creamy hydrating formulation.

CARE 
The skin around your eyes and on your lips is delicate and particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather. It’s well worth investing in a special eye treatment cream such as Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Instant Rescue Eye Treatment to soothe and smooth the gentle skin around your peepers. Likewise a decent lip treatment will really help rescue a parched kisser. Right now I’m loving La Roche-Posay Ceralip Lip Repair Cream. And the last thing I do before heading out is to slick on a coat of Dior Addict Lip Glow Colour Awakening Lipbalm SPF 10, to keep my pout properly protected all day.

There you go – that’s Binky’s guide to surviving the season beautifully. Now, if you can just survive the head-spinning cocktails, the over-keen guys expecting a bit of magic under the mistletoe, and your dad’s dodgy dancing after a few too many brandies, then you should get through the next few weeks unscathed. Good luck!