Here comes the winters! Along with a chance to enjoy endless cups of tea, the aroma of freshly grinded coffee, and yummy quinoa soups that makes you feel cozy and happier on chilly evenings. However, along with all the good things, a drop in temperature does not go well with your skin. A research study published in an international journal has also demonstrated the adverse effects of the winter season on your facial skin. Low humidity and cold winds rob off the moisture from your skin ultimately leaving it dry and flaky. Flaky and cracked skin not only affects your perfect winter look but also sabotages your self-esteem. However, you will be happy to know that maintaining the glory of skin with changing weather conditions is quite possible.
Best tips
- Use lukewarm water for bath
- Invest in a good moisturizer
- Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day
- Drink more water
- Don’t over exfoliate
- Find the right cleanser
- Buy a lip balm
- Eat right
- Use an anti-dandruff shampoo
- Don’t forget to nourish your neck skin
- Consider underarm care
- Prevent dark elbows and knees
1. Use lukewarm water for bath
Even the thought of bathing with cold water in chilling weather is enough to give anyone goose bumps, the reason being we all prefer to take hot showers. But, hot water also washes away all the oils from your skin that are essential to keep your skin healthy & hydrated during winters. To add to this, hot water baths affect your hair adversely and result in several hair woes such as dandruff, dry or itchy scalp, and hair fall, etc. Therefore, for better winter care of your skin and hair, use of the lukewarm water for bathing and cleansing your face is considered good.
2. Invest in a good moisturizer
Top skin care experts explain that the use of a hydrating moisturizer during winters helps to keep your skin soft, supple, and smooth. If you neglect moisturizing your skin, you are more likely to get outbreaks. This happens because your body begins to overproduce sebum to replenish the lost moisture in the skin which causes clogged pore and acne flare-up. Moisturizers consisting of essential skin moisturizing ingredients help to lock the moisture in the uppermost layer of your skin.
3. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day
It hardly matters, in which weather you are living, sunscreen is a must for skin protection. Strong UV radiations of the sun can cause unimaginable harm to your skin that includes hyperpigmentation, dark spots, wrinkles, and fine lines. Hence, it becomes imperative to use a good broad-spectrum sunscreen for protecting your skin. According to a research study published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, sunscreen agents help to minimize the damaging effects of UV rays on your skin.
Other researches reveal that melanin cells are not only triggered by UV rays of the sun, but also by the infrared rays emitted by your laptop, mobiles, computers, lamps, and bulbs, which causes too much excessive damage to your skin. Hence, sunscreen is equally important for those who stay indoors for maximum hours.
4. Drink more water
60-70% of our body is water, which is required for proper hydration to perform well. Therefore, skin being the largest organ of the body, requires appropriate water to look healthy and refreshing. Hence, you must drink plenty of water, since the air during winters is drier and tends to evaporate the moisture easily making your skin dry. Although it is common to not feel thirsty during winters, for healthy winter skin you must drink enough water throughout the day.
5. Don’t over-exfoliate
Exfoliation is required for removing the dead cells. However, the time to be spent on exfoliating varies from an individual’s skin to another. Hence, it is important to remember that your skin barrier is already destroyed due to the dry weather and excess exfoliation can hamper the protective layer of your skin. Preferably, go for mild and gentle natural exfoliating agents such as glycolic acid or AHA that helps to clear the debris and dead cells without leaving the skin dry, flaky, or irritated.
6. Find the right cleanser
Face cleansing is the first step towards attaining healthy skin. But, even more important is to choose a skin care product that is not laden with harsh chemical ingredients. Before investing in your face cleanser, it is very important to determine your skin type. Face cleansing ingredients like Zinc PCA is considered good for people with oily and acne-prone skin. Whereas, AHA based face wash has been identified as an ideal skincare product for normal to combination skin.
7. Buy a lip balm
Dry, cracked, and chapped lips are a common winter problem. Your lips do not have oil glands, which make them more prone to the dehydrating effects of dry winds. Thereby, along with your skin, you must also give equal importance to your lips care in winters. Applying a lip balm regularly will keep them hydrated and safe from the dry winds blowing outside.
8. Eat right
Winter is the season of fruits and vegetables that are laden with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and much more. Along with keeping your body hydrated by drinking water, you must also consume fruits, salads, soups, and juices to maintain your skin health and overall wellbeing.
9. Use an anti dandruff shampoo
According to a research study mentioned in Indian Journal of Dermatology, the problem of dandruff worsens in winters. Dry winter air and overheated temperatures are a possible cause of scalp infections. Trichologists recommend using shampoos that contain anti dandruff ingredients and hair-conditioning agents to keep your scalp nourished and dandruff free. Natural botanical extracts like Seaweed, Great Burdock, Ivy, Lemon, Watercress, Sage, and Common Soapwort are considered very helpful to get rid of dandruff.
10. Don’t forget to nourish your neck skin
Board certified dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Chwalek points out that your neck is more prone to dryness because of fewer sebaceous glands in neck skin. The lack of moisturization and hydration does not increase the risk of fine lines around the neck but sometimes also leads to dark or rough skin. Hence, you should not undermine the importance of a proper neck skin care routine to keep the skin moisturized and youthful.
11. Winter underarm care
The problem of discolored and dark underarms even remains the same in the winter season. For dark underarms, topical application of underarm brightening cream is found very beneficial. Numerous researches have demonstrated the benefits of natural ingredients like Natural extracts of Daisy Flower and Mucor Miehei in providing bright and smooth underarm skin.
12. Prevent dark elbows and knees
In winters, you wear full-length clothes so you do not worry that much about your arms and legs skin. However, lack of exfoliation and nourishment leads to dead cells buildup on your elbows and knees which make them appear rough and dark. Hence, to avoid the dark elbows and knees, it is good to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week.
You can save your skin with the right winter skin care routine
Seasonal weather changes have a strong connection with your skin health. It is important to follow certain preventive measures and effective tips to prepare your skin for the winter season. Every season and phase of life is beautiful and enjoyable. So are “WINTERS”, but amidst making winter memories for a lifetime, do not be ignorant about your skin health. To make the season more memorable, try the best winter skin care tips, smile more, and spend happy times with family and friends.
P.S.
Some research studies unveil that dip in temperature also drains moisture from hair strands, which give rise to dry and frizzy hair. It is advised to avoid or minimize the use of harsh ingredients to save your hair from further damage. On the contrary, the use of mild shampoos that come with moisturizing properties is another secret tip to keep your health, luscious, and frizz-free in winters.
