FIX YOUR SKINSULATION

Lesley Reynolds, Queen of Harley Street, tells us how she helps her celebrity clients protect their skin from the damaging effects of winter

- ZOE CRIPPS 

Cold weather, icy winds and low humidity mean our skin needs extra TLC at this time of year.

“Winter skin’ is one of the most common complaints our clinic sees at this time of the year,” explains Queen of Harley Street Lesley Reynolds. “It happens every winter – as soon as temperatures drop and the heating is turned up, I see an influx of clients with skin complaints like itchy skin, flaky red patches and a dry, dehydrated complexion.

“When model and TV presenter Nancy Sorrell, wife of Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves, popped into my Harley Street clinic recently, her usually radiant skin was feeling drier and more sensitive than usual.

“Nancy had been busy filming in Finland with her husband and their two daughters – and the biting winds and freezing temperatures had clearly taken their toll on her complexion.

“She told me, ‘I’ve spent a good chunk of the last few weeks filming outdoors, and no matter how many creams and oils I slather on my face, my skin is much drier than normal.’ And if you’ve ever tried to apply make-up to sensitive skin, you know it can be uncomfortable.

“And she’s certainly not alone. The icy winter months might be lovely for long walks and cosy nights in, but they can wreak havoc on your skin.

“Cold, dry air is usually to blame as it draws the moisture right out of the skin, but warm air from central heating can be drying, too. Redness can occur when the body tries to warm itself up, with capillaries dilating to allow more blood to flow to the skin surface.