Days skiing or snowboarding on crisp, pristine snow, nights unwinding in cosy bars and restaurants – a winter break can be one of life’s most rewarding pleasures. But it can also be one of the most demanding times for your skin.
To survive the cold and dry climate of the Swiss Alps, I like to do this daily routine.
STEP 1 – PROTECTION
First of all, it is very important to use sun protection, as the alpine sun can be pretty aggressive. Just as a swimsuit won’t keep you warm in the mountains, your summer sunscreen won’t provide all the care you need. For every 1,000 metres you climb, the sun’s rays grow in intensity by up to 12%.
I therefore recommend the PIZ BUIN® Mountain range. All products feature an innovative formulation that delivers the special protection needed in high altitude conditions. PIZ BUIN®’s advanced UVA/UVB sun filter system and an extract of Edelweiss help to protect your skin from the sun and long-term skin damage. Enriched with a Cold Shield Complex, all products provide long-lasting moisturisation protecting the skin from extreme cold and wind.
PIZ BUIN® Mountain Combination Sun Cream SPF 15, SPF 30 or new SPF 50+ with SPF 30 lip stick,
40 ml, CHF 13.50
PIZ BUIN® Mountain Glacier Cream, SPF 30 high, with retro design inspired from its first version in 1946,
40 ml, CHF 15.90
STEP 2 – EMERGENCY CARE
One of the advantages of being a blogger and a journalist is to be able to try new beauty products before they hit the markets. There were two more products that truly helped me survive the cold weather and very dry climate here in the Swiss mountains. They will be sold in department stores starting Mid January 2012.
The one that I use all the time and highly recommend is Baume de Beauté 14 by Carita. It is a very practical tube with an applicator that you can carry around easily with you. It is super moisturizing, you can wear it all day long on the lips to repair them and on the cuticles to nourish them. I like to leave it on all night on the ends when my hair is a little brittle and unruly. This magical balm also works on dry parts of the body. Three things in one, wow!
CARITA Baume de Beauté 14, 20 ml, CHF 32
STEP 3 – REPAIRING AND BALANCING
Clarins Face Treatment Oils – Blue Orchid, Santal and Lotus – have always been among my beauty essentials. This month, they will be relaunched, presenting themselves in a new look and with an even better concentration.
They naturally give skin the means to „recover“ and regain the perfect balance. Very fine, quickly absorbed and composed of 100% pure plant extracts, they leave no oily residue and help your skin to defend all sorts of temporary imbalances such as dehydration, redness and loss of radiance, effects of such dry climates. My favourite is Blue Orchid. I like to use it as the only product at night as a cure or combined with a mask.
Face Treatment Oils, 30ml, each CHF 44
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht