Protecting my skin from the wind - any ideas/experience?

[JontyDoggle37]

Hello all, I'm hoping you might have some wonderful ideas to help!
I'm outside a lot (two horses, dog and very shortly a baby too) and my skin really suffers, with dryness and redness. I cleanse (gentle neutrogena cleanser)min the shower every morning, and use Nivea q10 anti wrinkle cream on top, plus and extra layer under eyes if q10 anti wrinkle for eyes (I'm 37, and trying to stave off wrinkles rather than tackle lots of existing ones). At night I use Nivea gentle makeup remover, and a hot flannel to remove makeup, then use Nivea Q10 night time cream. I also use a very fine scrub once a week, as without it, my skin feels lumpy and even drier, as if the moisturiser cannot get underneath old skin cells to help the new ones. I have very sensitive skin, and previously tried Clinique's "Weather Everything" cream for during the day, over normal moisturiser, but it was very greasy and also my whole face turned red within a week! I'm really worried I'm going to end up looking like someone with a drink problem, with red cheeks and nose all the time! I'm also on a pretty tight budget, due to impending baby! Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have recently started using La Roche-Posay Toleraine Fluide. It soaks in well and stops my face from hurting in the wind.

I'm not outside anywhere near as much as you but when the weather's cold I use Bepanthen. Cheap as chips, it does the job very well and when that baby arrives you'll be swimming in it anyway!

Hello Jonty

I put up a similar reply to a lady with very dry skin. I've got dry/dehydrated skin too and it gets dryer about this time of year with the cold and sharp winds. What sorts it is:

Get enough Vitamin A - from tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots. If you get cracks at the corner of your mouth it can mean a B6 deficiency - eat avocado, bananas, broccoli, pak choi

I also use the oil cleansing method, a combination of castor oil and either coconut or avocado oil. If I'm wearing makeup I'll double cleanse with Eve Lom or Lush's Ultrabland. Clean washcloth every day. I don't use toner - if you do, avoid anything with alcohol in it. Once a week I use a very gentle scrub from Boots.

You can improve any moisturiser during the day by adding a few drops of oil - Neals Yard orange oil is lovely, or Boots do one that I add to my Oil of Olay. With moisturiser look out for hyaluronic acid (a natural acid present in the body that holds 1,000 times its weight in water) and natural humectants such as glycerin, to fix the problem.

Estée Lauder Hydrationist Moisture Crème, £32.68 is excellent, though pricey. But really, a few drops of facial oil added to your everyday moisturiser will protect it.

Hope it helps!

I have rosacea, super sensitive, super dry skin and the absolute best thing I have found is Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream...absolutely the best thing for dry skin. Call Jurlique and ask for samples, you can buy cheaper than at their site at places like lookfantastic.com if you can find a discount code, which you usually can. Take a good fish oil supplement and flaxseed oil to strengthen from the inside out.

I walk loads out in the wind and cold and have very dry skin. I slap on some Elizibeth Arden eight hour cream before I go out, it forms a barrier and really protects my skin, makes my look a bit shiny but not horribly so. Normal moisturisers just don't protect me at all, I hate the horrible tight feeling and flaky skin I get when I forget to use it. I also sleep in it when my skin has had a particularly bad battering.

Weleda weather protection cream, from the baby range. Good for all sorts of skin even ultra sensitive, obv, as its for babies, and cheap. Bit greasy but brilliant for beach walks or working outside. It is the only thing that takes away that red chapping that children get around their lips in the winter, literally overnight, and stops it coming back. Nothing better for cold and wind.

A good moisturiser with a few drops of facial oil (rose hip oil or similar) on top to lock it in. I'm using dermalogica skin smoothing cream and can't seem to find anything that works as well for me.
Don't use anything foaming to cleanse your face, it will strip your skin. I used to think my skin couldn't get clean without lather but since I switched to balms, creams, and lotions my skin has been less spotty, less dehydrated, and more balanced. REN do a great range of good cleansers (I don't seem to get along as well with their moisturisers, but my skin's funny), I've heard good things about a Superdrug cleansing balm too.

Nuxe do a creme fraiche moisturising facemask which is amazing. You can even leave it on as a moisturiser. It made my skin all dewy, plump and lovely.

Use Nivea thick blue pot cream and a high SPF sunblock on top. Your skin will be as happy as larry after a day outside with this combo.

No pricey brands, just kit that does the job.

Wow thanks everyone! I'll have s proper read through all responses and figure what to try out first!