Winter is well and truly here, and that means that it’s time to take a good look at our skin care regime for the oncoming months…especially if you don’t already have one.

Between central heating, wind, rain and exposure to the crisp air and elements, your skin takes a hammering over the winter, even if you keep it well wrapped up. It’s important to make sure that you pay extra attention to your regime during the colder months. You might notice that your skin gets more easily irritated or that it feels tighter, and keeping it in top condition is not as difficult as it sounds with a few of these must-have items.

Moisturiser

Now that N(M)ovember is coming to a close, you’ll be shaving a bit more so get some good moisturiser to calm your skin down after a shave before you head out the door in to the freezing cold. Nivea’s shaving kit (just €9.99) will keep you hydrated, even if you’ve got sensitive skin, while you can also get an exfoliating facewash in the mix for just €12.99 that will keep your pores unclogged.

Eyes

Even if you’re wearing a balaclava, your eyes are still exposed to the elements, and keeping them protected from sub-zero breezes will ensure that you don’t look as tired as you are once all the late nights of your hectic Christmas social calendar kick in.

Skincare Lab's Daily Moisture Defence eye balm does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin and is, as you might have guessed from the name, grand for everyday use. 

Shaving

Most of us will be taking a razor to our face over the festive period to keep looking fresh, and while it can be a bit of a pain, if you allot a reasonable amount of time and use the right product, it becomes much more enjoyable.

Using the right soap and a brush will keep your skin from getting destroyed as you shave, and The Handmade Soap company have a few options there. This soap in a ceramic dish (€25) also looks quite nice compared to the crusty old cans that most of us have sitting around, and follow it up with their aftershave soap (€15.95) to complete the process.

Afterwards, cool and soothe your skin with Surya aftershave cream (€16.10) which has a really nice natural, musky fragrance but doesn’t sting because it’s not loaded with alcohol.

Toner

Normally not that important in your regime, winter’s harsh conditions demand that you take the extra few seconds to give your face a quick blast from a quality toner. If you find that you’ve got oily, shiny skin, toner is right up your street, so partnering a Kiehl’s Oil Eliminator toner (€21) with the moisturiser will get the best out of both products. 

Must have

If you 're only going to grab one product for your regime, then Kiehl's ultra facial oil free cream (€27.50) is a great bet, and our mates over at Beaut.ie gave it a full run down a little while back, noting that it's great for gym goers who find their skin in bits after their workout. It's strong enough to get down underneath your beard too if you keep your facial hair, which is where a lot of us get dry, irritated skin, and it's not gloopy and oily so it won't leave you looking like Slimer from Ghostbusters.  

Main pic via Aveda/Flickr