After the wet rainy days, many of you wait for the energizing strolls of a winter morning. However, one must remember, even though the sun rays are soft and gentle, Winter as a season can wreak havoc on your skin. Winters are known to make the skin dry, itchy, and irritated. Even if you stay indoors, there is no escaping the harshness of the season. While the outside cold can leave your skin with a raw feeling, the air indoors takes away whatever moisture is left in your skin. The highlight of winter that is enjoying the evening next to a bonfire can even dry your skin. Not to forget, the everyday hot shower dries out your skin by stripping it of its natural oils. Following our winter care tips for dry skin will help nurture and heal your skin.
A well-planned everyday beauty regime can combat the causes of dry winter skin. The more you take care, the more your skin will feel moist and supple all season long.
Winter care tips for dry skin
#1 Opt for a thick moisturizer
After taking a shower, apply a thick moisturizer within a few minutes of bathing. This daily exercise will seal the water into the skin. Get a moisturizer that contains a collection of nourishing ingredients, like colloidal oatmeal, which is known to soothe redness, flakiness, and itchiness. You can also go for a moisturizer that contains shea butter. This natural product has powerful moisturizing ingredients that help keep the skin’s natural protective barrier healthy. You can also go for natural moisturizers that you can make at home at your ease.
#2 Moisturize even your hands
The water content of your skin is directly proportional to the outside humidity. As the outdoor moistness drops, the water content of your skin drops too. You must maintain healthy skin by moisturizing hands, legs, and face after washing up. Moisturizing hands should be an essential activity. Take vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids either as supplements or through increased intake of nutritious foods, such as fish, nuts and leafy greens. These vitamins help to improve your skin’s elasticity. Remember, even though it is winter, apply a good quality SPF 30 sunscreen every time you step out. Even in fall and winter, especially with snow glare, the sun shines with damaging rays. If possible, find moisturizers that contain sunscreen.
#3 Go for gentle, fragrance-free cleansers
The use of wrong soap can deteriorate itchy, dry skin. There are high chances that the regular bar soaps that you use contain irritating ingredients and fragrances. Shift to a fragrance-free, moisturizing cleanser or gel to wash your face. To prevent winter skin problems, use less soap overall. Additionally, limit your lathering to exposed and private areas such as hands, armpits, genitals, and feet.
#4 Get the right facial skincare regimen
During the cooler months, choose cream-based cleansers; apply toners and astringents sparingly. Many astringents contain alcohol that further dries the skin. It is highly recommended that people with dry and itchy skin stop using products that contain alcohol and fragrances to help skin retain its natural oils. At night, use a richer moisturizer on your face. For lips, apply a moisturizing balm such as petroleum jelly that helps heal dry, cracked lips. Regular use of moisturizing balm keeps lips from getting chapped.
#5 Exfoliate naturally
It’s a given truth – skin cells constantly die. However, they are always being replaced with fresh new cells. When you exfoliate, you accelerate this process and prevent the skin from looking dull and lifeless. Scrub your skin with a good quality exfoliant at least twice weekly during the winter months. People with especially dry skin must exfoliate three or four times a week. Pick up a gentle scrub to get off the dead skin. Preferably, the scrub must contain a mild glycolic or lactic acid.
#6 Gear up your home
The drier the air, the drier the skin. Place a humidifier in the room where you spend the most time to maximize the amount of water in the air. A good cool air humidifier increases the moisture level in the air that helps the skin stay hydrated. Ensure that the heat is kept on low or at a moderate temperature to avoid extra dryness in the air.
Once you start following these basic ways to keep your skin moisturized in winters, you are all set to face the harsh season without posing any threat to your skin. Step out, enjoy the warm walks and the romantic evenings beside the bonfire.
Tips:
Never walk outside without gloves on. Hands have far fewer oil glands than other parts of the body, thus they are more vulnerable to the harsh winter air and so much harder to keep moist. Use a natural moisturizer like coconut or olive oil the moment you come back in.