Tips for Winter Skin Care
We all need to follow a slightly different skin care routine in the winter. This especially goes for those of us who live in climates that undergo huge seasonal changes with the summer, fall and winter, such as myself.
The reason for this change is skin care is that those of us in non-temperate climates see large dips in humidity in the winter, as well as the drying force of hot air that comes out of our home’s furnace and adds another drying factor to our skin.
Winter Care Tips for Skin:
Take care of yourself from the inside out by drinking plenty of water. Make sure to get your 64 ounces of water each day. It can really help to bring your water bottle everywhere you go. Choose a sturdy, reusable aluminum bottle so you can be sure plastic won’t be leaching hazardous chemicals into your water (and you won’t be contributing to the landfills with your daily water intake).
During the bath or shower, if your skin is very dry, use a hydrating soapless cleanser. Soaps and shaving products can dry your skin, so be careful what you use, and avoid extremely hot baths and showers, which can dry your skin as well.
Take Precaution While Going Out: While going out for a long time, cover any visible part of your skin like face, arms, legs, neck with a thick coating of moisturizing broad-spectrum sunscreen with 15 SPF. You should consider taking your dermatologist advice while choosing the right sunscreen for your particular skin type. It does not mean that you have to buy a costly product.
Wear Loose-Fitting Cotton Clothes Next to Your Skin: While dressing for winter, the most important point to remember is that when you dress in layers you sweat. In addition, your body also produces heat. Over heating of your body makes your skin sensitive to become itchy and dry. To prevent this, wear loose-fitting cotton clothes next to your skin. You can wear layers of woolen or winter clothes on top of it to fight cold.
When you talk about taking care of your skin in winter most people omit the treatment of their lips which has an entirely different type of skin than the rest of the body. People with dry or chapped lips should be sure to get a good vitamin and mineral supplement. There are many different types of lip balms but most of them usually worsen the situation so be sure to use one specifically for dry winter skin.
Moisturize: Moisturizing your skin during the winter months is extremely important to maintaining healthy, soft skin. Choose moisturizers that are rich in vitamin A, B, and E or that have skin soothing additives like aloe. Get the most out of your moisturizing routine by applying lotion after bathing. Steer clear of fragrant lotions that may irritate sensitive skin.
Stop Chapped Lips: Lips are often the first part of your body to suffer from the colder weather. The cold air dries out your lips and out of habit the majority solves this problem by licking our lips for instant relief. Unfortunately licking your lips depletes it of vital nutrients and it only continues the chapped lip cycle. Carry a moisturizing lip gloss or balm with you all the time and resist the temptation to lick them. Look for lip glosses and balms that have aloe, are vitamin rich, or are made of beeswax.
Follow these simple tips and keep your skin and hair happy through the winter.
