The Skin Nerd: How to fix dull skin and tackle dark circles

A reader asks how she can oust dullness, dark circles and fine lines after the festive season

Many people notice that their dark circles are worse in the winter. Some believe this is a result of poor circulation during colder periods, so it may not be something to fret about greatly

Hi Jennifer,

Every year in January, my skin looks dull, my dark circles are worse and my wrinkles are worse. Is there anything I can do about this?

— Jenny, 37, Blarney

Our skin cycle is around 28 days long. Within those 28 days, the skin cells are made in the dermis, they move up the layers, becoming flat as they reach the epidermis and then they shed off when they have passed their expiry. Our lifestyle can affect the upper layers of our skin — if we’re eating more sugar, drinking more alcohol, not getting enough sleep or feeling stressed, it will show more on the skin cells when they’ve reached the surface.

Let’s separate out your concerns!

Many people notice that their dark circles are worse in the winter. Some believe this is a result of poor circulation during colder periods, so it may not be something to fret about greatly. Gentle massage in the area in the morning and evening can temporarily improve the appearance of dark circles by helping to promote circulation — however, the emphasis is on 'gentle' as your eye area is particularly delicate. In general, eating a nutritionally balanced diet with plenty of good fats, vitamins and antioxidants can help to improve dark circles that aren’t caused by pigmentation (rather, perhaps due to genetics and bone shrinkage as we age, which we can never truly get rid of) below the eye area.

Skin dullness can be a result of our skin being a bit sluggish. It’s fresh, new, healthy skin cells that give our skin its light-reflecting qualities so, when we don’t eat particularly well, we may see dullness. You can help to counteract this by upping exfoliating a little bit – not too much. I’m personally not fond of scrubs as they can be too abrasive for many, but an exfoliating product featuring something like glycolic acid or polyhydroxy acid (if you’re sensitive) will help your skin to slough dead skin cells off.

If you’re in the market for one, you could opt for the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser with glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid (€42, theskinnerd.com), which is beneficial for any blackheads and spots too. If you are that bit more sensitive, you could go for The Inkey List PHA Toner (€13.49, boots.ie). If you’re new to this type of exfoliating, introduce your exfoliator slowly — begin with once or twice a week and gradually up it to three times a week once it’s clear your skin is happy with it!

On the lines and wrinkles front, these may be what I call “drinkles” or dehydrated wrinkles. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it flushes our body, and can leave us dehydrated if we don’t drink plenty of water. If you’ve been (deservedly) enjoying yourself each Christmas with a few vinos, you may be becoming dehydrated, which can make wrinkles and lines appear worse.

Internally, you can take an omega supplement to help lock in your skin’s moisture and, externally, introduce plenty of hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into the skin and ceramides help the skin to retain moisture, so together they’ll have your skin feeling plump and looking fresher in no time. You can introduce ceramides with a cream or moisturiser, such as ASAP Skincare Advanced Hydrating Moisturiser (€55, theskinnerd.com), which combines ceramides with potent antioxidants to protect your skin throughout the day.

On a quick-fix note, grab a soothing, hydrating sheet mask for an instant glow and boost of hydration. The IMAGE I-Mask Hydrating Hydrogel Sheet Mask (€9, theskinnerd.com) is well up for the challenge.

Nerdie Pick 

Medik8 Press & Glow Daily Exfoliating PHA Tonic with Enzyme Activator (€30, spacenk.com)

Medik8 is a brand I’ve loved for a long time, and this toner is another option for those who want to introduce some gentle yet effective PHA (polyhydroxy acid) to their routine. 

With 5.5% polyhydroxy acid, exfoliating prickly pear extract, soothing aloe vera and antioxidant acai, it helps to exfoliate, brighten and hydrate the skin while reducing redness and irritation. 

Another benefit: they have a sustainable refill option available, and they are making an effort to use recycled packaging across both their retail and professional range, including recycled glass and post-consumer recycled plastic.

Medik8 Press & Glow Daily Exfoliating PHA Tonic with Enzyme Activator (€30, spacenk.com)