- Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize!
The best way to beat dryness and dullness during harsh winter is by keeping your skin well-hydrated. Invest in a cream-based, fragrance-free, hyaluronic acid or ceramides or butter or petrolatum-containing moisturizer to seal moisture within the skin. Do not neglect your body and use cream-based, thick moisturizer for your body too. For the body, a minimum of two applications, one after the bath and one before going to bed, are a must. Use thick moisturizer over your hands and feet too. - Modify your skin routine
Your facial skin is most prone to harsh winters. Therefore, choose a winter-friendly skincare routine:
- – Use fragrance-free, moisturizing cleansers over foaming ones, to wash your face.
- – Avoid toners and astringents.
- – Use moisturizing lip balm to prevent chapped lips.
- – Use a lip mask at night for overnight hydration.
- – Do not forget your sunscreen.
- – Do not forget to adequately moisturize your face, body, hands, and feet.
- – Exfoliate your skin regularly with the help of a dermatologist.
- Limit your temptation of having a long and hot shower bath
While hot showers are a tempting option to keep winter chills at bay. long and hot shower baths can strip your skin of its essential moisture, by breaking down the skin barrier, leaving it dry, dehydrated, and itchy. Prefer lukewarm water over hot water and limit your shower time to around 5-7mins. Mechanical scrubbing can do more harm to the skin than good, by damaging the skin barrier, which can make the skin lose its moisture. Prefer soap-free, fragrance-free body wash to avoid further drying of your skin, and to keep it smooth and supple. - Use a humidifier
The addition of a humidifier, to add moisture to the surrounding air can be a great idea to avoid dry and itchy skin, as heating systems try to steal moisture out of the air. Invest in a good humidifier to retain moisture in the air and avoid further damage to the skin. - Choose comfortable, non-irritating clothes
Though woolen clothes can beat freezing cold, it is a potent aggravator of certain skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Use soft cotton clothes inside the woolen clothes, to avoid direct contact of skin with wool. - Do not neglect your fluid intake
In winter, we often neglect our fluid intake. But to have smooth, supple skin, it is important to keep your body hydrated within. Focus on increasing fluid intake as much as possible. - Go for healthy food
During winter hot, junk foods are definitely mouth-watering, but you should focus more on a healthy diet to keep your skin healthy from the inside out. Go for a vitamin A and E-rich diet, as their antioxidant and soothing works wonder for dry skin. Load up on nuts, sweet potato, avocado, spinach, carrots, berries, and water-rich fruits along with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and zinc supplements. - Never ignore a skin trouble
Winter season brings red flags for dry skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. These conditions can exacerbate or can be seen first time during winter. Ignoring a skin problem can make room for bigger infections and severe health issues. Therefore, if you are struggling with a skin rash that is dry, flaky, and itchy, it is better to seek a dermatologist’s advice.
Your dermatologist can perform a thorough skin analysis and diagnostic tests to identify the root cause and can treat it.
