Winter it on! cold breeze, cracking lips, crispy weather, it all calls for better skin care as usual skin care regimes fail in this season.
During winters, skin becomes tight, dull, dry and lacks moisture due to cold weather. It can even result in skin conditions like cracking, flaking and eczema in some patients. Ignoring your skin in winter means bad skin in winter ofcourse, but the same bad skin continues in the summer until it gets fixed . . . or more ruined.
How to take care of Skin in Winters
We’ll discuss some of the common bad practices in winters which lead to damage to the skin.
1. Discontinuing Sunscreen or sunblock
One thing which almost all people do, is discontinuing sun screens in winters. Sun is still out there, with same ultraviolet rays, same glare and harmful affects. These affects can cause skin darkening, wrinkles and ageing affect, specially around the eyes. Keep using sunblock all round the winters like you do in summers, to protect your skin from the harmful affects of direct sunlight before going out in the sun.
2. Keep the skin moisturized
Skin needs a lot of moisturization in winters. The harsh weather causes the skin to lose natural oils. Also, heaters dehydrate the skin further, making it more fragile and prone to damage. Make a habit of moisturizing the face and body on daily basis. Use moisturizing soaps for shower too.
Make sure you use the proper moisturizer in winter. The same moisturizers which work in summer not always are best for winters. Use an oil based moisturizer which will help create a protective layer on your skin and retain more moisture. Don’t use any oil as it may damage by clogging the pores and cause more skin problems. Non clogging oils are avocado, mineral, sandalwood or primrose. Shea oil shouldn’t be used.
3. Don’t take too hot showers
Hot showers make the skin dry. Try to avoid hot showers. Warm the water only to the required and acceptable range and take shower from it. Make sure you don’t take “cold” showers in winters as it might lead to other complications too! Just a normal temperature thats just under the acceptable range.
4. Heaters and humidifiers
Indoor heaters dry out the air in the rooms, thus affecting skin too. Use humidifiers to keep the air in the room humidified. Placing a big open bowl of water in front of gas heaters specially help in humidifying the room air.
Both male and female skin needs to be cared all round the year and not just summer. Make sure you keep good care of your skin in winters to keep it beautiful and attractive and healthy of course.
5. Have healthy diet
Diet is important for our skin in any season. If your diet lacks any essential nutrients, then your skin will be damaged too. Make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals along with all essential proteins and macronutrients.
Conclusion
Skin care is important, in both summers and winters. For winter skin care, it’s important to have optimal sun exposure but also to avoid over exposure too. Don’t forget to have a healthy diet during winters.