The weather during winter can bit lovely for some and horrible for others. It can bring a rosy glow to your cheeks or make your skin dry and unattractive.
Winter is known to occur around December to March for regions in the Northern hemisphere and around June to August in regions in the Southern hemisphere.
It is the coldest season and is usually characterized by snowing especially in areas where freezing temperatures are common. Freezing rain is also frequent during the winter, there is also low humidity levels and dry air.
Your skin can greatly be affected during winter, the presence of dry air causes moisture to be absorbed a lot from your skin. This could lead to dry skin and in worse cases cracking, flaking or bleeding. How can you take of your skin during winter? Here are some useful skin care tips for winter.
Skincare Tips for winter
-
Wear gloves
Wearing gloves are very essential if you want to keep your skin healthy during winter. This is because the skin on your hands are very thin and has fewer sebaceous glands (oil glands), and thus making it difficult to keep moisture from leaving your skin during dry weather.
Exposing your bare hands to cold weather can cause it to crack. Therefore wear appropriate gloves to protect your hands during winter. Also, you should wear socks too for your legs.
-
Hydrate yourself regularly
The importance of taking in sufficient water to health can not be overestimated. It is important that you drink adequate amounts of water during winter. However, water isn’t the only way to hydrate yourself. You can do this by consuming fluids frequently. I recommend drinking healthy fluids like green tea or fruits juices at regular intervals.
-
Use effective moisturizers
Moisturizers are substances that keep the skin moist, they do this by preventing moisture from escaping from your skin. The are so many moisturizers that you can use. If you are having trouble choosing an effective moisturizer, you should go for a formula that contains natural, nourishing ingredients. Buy an oil-based solution instead of a water-based solution, as it’s more likely to aid your skin to retain moisture in the winter
It should be applied to your skin after taking baths and before going outside.
-
Exfoliate your skin
Exfoliation is the cosmetic process of sloughing off dead skin cells from the epidermis, the top layer of the skin. The dead cells on your skin can prevent enough moisture from getting into your skin. Exfoliating regularly will help you get rid of lagging cells so your skin can soak up moisture more quickly.
Exfoliating during winter is beneficial to the skin, you can use a natural bristled brush, a loofah or an exfoliating glove.
-
Bath with lukewarm water
It is advisable to bath with lukewarm water rather than hot water during winter. A hot shower would seem preferable, but the intense heat from the water could strip off the oil glands or lipid barriers on your skin, leading to excess moisture leaving the skin. Hence a lukewarm bath is much better for the dry winter weather.
-
Use a humidifier
Humidifiers are devices that in increase the indoor humidity levels. It is vital to know how indoor humidity relates to your health.The dry air during winter should get you to consider installing a humidifier in your home, especially where you sleep.
A humidifier puts moisture back into the air and helps prevent your skin from drying out.
-
Always apply body lotion or cream
Regularly applying body lotion will keep your skin moist, smooth and clean irrespective of the dry weather. It is also crucial to place the lotion or cream within easy reach.
Also, apply cream or lip gloss to your lips frequently.
-
Eat fluid-rich foods
Apart from drinking water to hydrate yourself during winter, you can also “eat water.” Eating foods that are rich in a fluid will help you start hydrated as well as remain healthy during dry weather. Some foods like vegetables, cucumber, watermelon, tomatoes and iceberg lettuce and great because they contain 90% water.
-
Heal your cracked skin fast
During winter the skin on the hands and heels are likely to be cracking. This cracking should be promptly treated because it could become painful and lead to bleeding.
A common way to treat cracked skin at home is to soak your feet or hand in warm water along with disinfectant, at night for 15 minutes, then scrub with a pumice stone. You can also apply an apricot cream on the cracks.
-
Avoid contact with allergens and irritants
The skin is especially fragile during winter and when it comes in contact with a toxin or irritant, it may trigger a flare up.
If you have skin diseases like eczema, dermatitis, or psoriasis, you have to avoid contact with allergens and irritants. Also avoid contact with chemical-laden detergents and other chemical substances that affect the skin.
Author’s bio:
Nwokolo Collins Michael is a great writer that loves sharing his vast knowledge with people. He writes beneficial health and fitness articles on his blog .youmustgethealthy.com. Find him on Twitter @collincaspian
