Why ‘quiet prep season’ is the most important time of the year for your beauty routine

For those impressively organised souls who book their summer holidays in January, that glimmer of sun-soaked bliss already feels tantalisingly within reach. For the rest of us, still hoovering up rogue pine needles and eyeing up discounted hand warmers, it may feel a little more abstract. 

But putting in your beauty dues during the colder months – which we have dubbed ‘quiet prep season’ – will pay dividends when the sun finally shows up. Many of the most effective treatments are actually best done in winter when UV exposure is low and skin is more protected. 

It’s the seasonal twist on the social media ‘high maintenance to be low maintenance’ trend – investing time and effort now for a glowing, effortlessly polished summer with less daily upkeep.

Take hair removal: around 40% of British women admit to letting their routine slide in winter, only to panic-shave their way through summer events. A smarter strategy? Start a course of laser hair removal now and sidestep six months of frantic razor work later.

Smooth operator 

Laser hair removal has never been more accessible or transformative. For those who commit, it’s nothing short of a game-changer. According to Monica Ella Botros, Managing Director at Strip Hair, London’s most trusted hair-removal experts (Victoria Beckham is a fan), now is the time to start zapping. 

“Winter is ideal for starting laser hair removal because skin is naturally lighter and has less sun exposure,” Monica says. “Laser works by targeting pigment in the hair, so untanned skin allows it to work more effectively, reducing the risk of pigmentation or sensitivity. Colder months also make it easier to follow pre and post-care rules, such as avoiding heat, fake tan and sun exposure.”

Laser hair removal works on hair in the active growth phase, which is why it’s delivered as a course rather than a one-off. Sessions are spaced four to six weeks apart and most people require between eight and 16 treatments for optimal, long-term reduction. Start too close to summer, Monica warns, and you simply won’t get far enough through the cycle before sun exposure becomes a limiting factor.  

Prices start from £40 per session, making it the most cost-effective way to buy yourself both time and permanently smoother skin.

Let there be light

That “light”, of course, is a laser. Dermatologists and aesthetic doctors have long relied on laser technology to tackle uneven tone, pigmentation and sun damage. Sun exposure after lasers can cause pigmentation to return faster, so the darker months are prime treatment time. 

“Summer skin is made in winter,” says Dr. Sarah Tonks of The Lovely Clinic. “There are several types of laser and the right one depends on your skin type and the type of pigmentation you’re dealing with.”

For melasma, a form of hormonally driven pigmentation, Sarah is clear: “PicoSure is the gold standard. It usually clears melasma in two to three treatments when combined with appropriate skincare and sun avoidance. 

“Many patients repeat their laser every winter, knowing their pigmentation will creep back by the end of summer.”

For sun damage and brown spots, BBL (broadband light) therapy is highly effective for lighter to medium skin tones, including Asian skin, and has the added benefit of reducing redness. Moxi, a fractional laser, also works well on melasma, as well as superficial sun damage and some actinic keratosis.

“People often forget about the body,” Sarah adds. “BBL and Moxi are brilliant for treating larger areas like the arms, legs, back and chest, with PicoSure being particularly good for people with darker skin who get pigmentation on their elbows and knees.”

Prices start from £595 for BBL, £755 for PicoSure and £795 for Moxi; thelovelyclinic.co.uk

Small point, big results

Dermarolling has gone high-tech. Enter Exo Needling: a regenerative treatment that combines medical-grade microneedling with an infusion of exosome serum to supercharge collagen and elastin production.

Dr. Stefanie Williams, a dermatologist and the medical director of Eudelo Dermatology & Skin Wellbeing, considers it to be a cornerstone to any collagen-banking plan, often combining it with a new-generation collagen-stimulating injectable PLLA (poly-l-lactic acid), known as Juläine.

“Medical needling is a deeper, more effective form of microneedling that reaches the dermis, where collagen and elastin live,” Stefanie says. “Using an ultra-fine automatic needling pen, we create thousands of microscopic channels that trigger the skin’s natural wound-healing response, leading to a release of growth factors to stimulate collagen. When we add exosomes, the regenerative effect is even greater.”

Fair warning: you won’t be leaving the clinic glowing in the way you might hope for. Expect redness and sensitivity for a few days – hence now being the ideal time to start. With treatments performed monthly over three sessions and results peaking after two to four months, winter scheduling ensures you will look your best by summer.

Fresh appeal

Forget Samantha Jones’s angry red peel from Sex and the City – modern chemical peels are one of the most effective ways to refresh and reset the skin, says Dr. Nina Bal, an advanced facial aesthetics clinician and the founder of Facial Sculpting Clinic. “Peels exfoliate the skin and support its natural renewal process. As old, damaged cells shed, fresher, healthier skin is revealed.” 

The key is customisation with options for added skin boosters. Nina uses AlumierMD Customisable Peels, from £100, which can be tailored to address everything from dehydration and dullness to acne, pigmentation, and fine lines – with optional boosters to target specific concerns. And no, not every peel leaves you visibly shedding, depending on the peel you opt for and how resilient your skin is. 

Winter is the ideal time for peels because UV exposure is low and skin tends to be duller, making it the perfect season for repair and renewal.

The bottom line? Think of winter as your quiet prep season; the months when real transformation happens so that, when summer arrives, all you have to do is enjoy it.