Winter is no picnic for dry skin. Wind and sub-zero temperatures may cause it to become and tight. Young people may breeze through winter without a care in the world, but for mature women it may be quite different. If your skin can do with a little help, the following are seven winter skin care solutions.
1. Water. While nobody would expect you to shower or bath in cold water, there is a big different between warm and hot water. Warm water is soothing for your bones and muscles, while hot water will dry out your skin.
2. Avoid soap. If the skin on your forehead feels itchy, and tight around your eyes, maybe you should switching from soap to a facial cleanser or a cleansing lotion. No soap, no matter how hard the advertisers are trying to convince you, comes even close to the comfort and nourishment of gentle facial cleanser.
3. Moisturise. Moisturizing should become a routine in winter. Find out what type of skin you have and use a moisturizer and night cream daily. Nourish your arms and legs with a body lotion, enriched with cacao or shea butter. These ingredients should also be present in a hand cream, which you should use every time you washed your hands or done the dishes.
4. Lip balm. Don’t forget your lips. Choose a moisture rich lipstick for the winter months and if you don’t like lipstick, at least smooth on some chapstick.
5. Humidify. Placing a humidifier in the room can also help in the fight against dry skin. A humidifier will also open your sinuses and help you breath in case you have a cold. Keep that humidifier tank clean though as a dirty humidifier can do more harm than good.
6. Protective clothing. When venturing outside, dress warm and protect you skin from frost and wind. You can pull your hat down and turn your coat collar up to stop Jack Frost from nipping at your face. A scarf will keep your neck and chest warm, while gloves will not only protect your hands from frost bite, but stop the skin from flaking and cracking.
7. Diet. What you eat should also be one of the seven winter skin care solutions. While a glass of whisky or vodka will warm you up temporarily, in the long run alcohol dries out your skin. If you want to give your dry skin a helping out, snack on some almonds and walnuts, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Looking after your skin is not that difficult. All it takes is common sense and a daily routine.