Winter weather can wreak havoc to our skin and hair, with colder temperatures and harsh wind combining with drying indoor heat upending our beauty routines. Yet somehow, royal women always look glowing and healthy. They never seem to have a dry, scaly manicure on royal walkabouts and their hair is notoriously glossy year-round. Call it royal privilege, but the secret might lie in their dedicated use of their favorite beauty products.
To get to the bottom of the royal beauty cabinet, we spoke to Claudia Flynn, New York-based esthetician and owner of Ogham Skincare on how to rescue our winter skin ahead of our next non-existent royal ball:
“Water naturally evaporates from our skin so you need to lock in hydrating water-based ingredients with moisturizing oils. You could use (Princess Kate’s go-to) Trilogy Rosehip oil to lock in all the hydration and slow down transepidermal water loss, or dehydration.”
“On super cold days or if someone is working outside, applying (Princess Diana’s favored) Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream over moisturizer can help fend off wind burn,” Flynn said. “This cream can also be used on the hands, but be careful if you are acne-prone as it does contain pore-blockers.”
“Use a humidifier in your bedroom,” recommends Claudia Flynn. “Going from the cold outdoors to the warm indoors/ sleeping in a warm and dry room promotes dehydration so using a humidifier in your room will help combat that—especially if you have used the night routine mentioned above.”
“Don't use super hot water to shower or bathe in, turn down the heat, especially women who tend to enjoy hotter showers,” she recommends. “Apply your body moisturizers (like Meghan Markle’s favorites, Nivea Firming Hydration Body Lotion with Q10 Plus or Weleda Skin Food) to damp skin after the shower to lock in the hydration.”
One of our favorite tips: “While driving in the car, be mindful of where the hot air is blowing when you turn up the heat. Oftentimes, it's blowing directly on our hands which dries out and irritates the skin. Instead, only use the feet/windscreen option for heat to save your hands. Also, keep your Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream (the late Queen’s favorite!) in the car for easy access and a reminder to reapply often. It's lightweight so it shouldn't leave a residue.”
“When using hair masks (like Princess Kate’s go-to, Kerastase), cleanse your face after you rinse your hair out so there's no residual conditioner left on your skin that may break you out.”
Her final tip? “What goes on in the gut is reflected in the face, so be mindful of what you put in your body,” Flynn reminds us. Perhaps the real solution is our very own royal chef.
