Those with sensitive skin should reach for La Roche-Posay UVMune 400 SPF. It offers high protection, is sweat resistant and is designed for sensitive skin with added soothing thermal water. If you’re looking to also protect from melasma or pigmentation, then try Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV, which combines SPF50+ with Vitamin C, known for its efficacy in boosting brightness. The glow version also imparts a pearly finish to the skin, which is helpful as our sebum production decreases and skin cell turnover slows in harsh climates, so you might want a little extra glow.
To make topping up your SPF a breeze, invest in a few different formulations that are easy and enjoyable to use. A spray SPF like Sensai Silky Bronze Cooling Protective Suncare Spray SPF 50 or Ultra Violette Preen Screen are both ideal to spritz on your skin each time you take a ski break. Make touch-ups easy with a SPF stick, like Shiseido Clear Suncare Stick SPF50, which helps to prevent UV damage and stops pollutants from adhering to the skin – it’s also great for scalps and tricky areas like the ears and eyelids, too. You’ll want to keep a little SPF lip balm with you as that area can burn easily. Mecca Cosmetica Lip De-Luscious SPF20 is a favourite of mine because it nourishes, lasts a long time on the lips and adds a beautiful pearlised shine as it protects. For a little colour, try Lanolips Tinted SPF 30 balm in rhubarb, which adds an extra hint of deep pink, and crucially, neither has that off-putting SPF aftertaste.
The best moisturisers for skiing
Our skin takes a real hit in aggressive climates, as aesthetic doctor and founder of the No Filter Clinic Dr Sindhu Siddiqi explains: “The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin, and it acts as a protective shield, preventing water loss and blocking harmful substances like bacteria and environmental irritants.” Cold temperatures, dry weather, central heating, wind and sun exposure can all disrupt the skin’s barrier, causing increased water loss and dysfunction. “This leads to dryness and inflammation, as your body struggles to fight irritants and bacteria without its natural armour,” she adds.
In short, your at-home routine probably won’t cut it on the slopes. “Prioritise skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides to hydrate, strengthen the skin barrier and prevent water loss – especially if you have very dry skin or suffer from eczema or psoriasis,” Dr Siddiqui says. Other ingredients such as “niacinamide, propolis and probiotics help the healing mechanisms of the skin,” and you may want to go easy on the exfoliator too; you’re better off increasing your hydration levels instead.
You can start by quaffing water, of course. But, like putting on your base layers before your ski jacket, your first step is a hydrating, calming serum like VicoSkin Screen Star, which is instantly soothing for chapped skin, plus it boosts hydration and helps the skin adapt to extreme environments. Follow this with a heavier moisturiser that can cope with the climate, like Dr Sam Bunting Flawless Moisturiser Intense, which is ideal for sensitive and redness-prone skin and contains hydrating ingredients, plus antioxidants designed to fight UV. For a protective boost as you moisturise, SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced targets glycation or excess sugars in the skin, which causes dullness and affects cellular function – if you’re planning on hitting the chocolate fondue hard (guilty), you might want to invest in it. If you’re worried about sun spots, then Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Brilliance Soft Cream uses protective vitamin C to help with pigmentation, plus it sinks in fast and leaves your skin feeling like a freshly picked peach – it makes a beautiful base for make-up too, should you be wearing any.