The winter is here, and if you want to have shiny, healthy-looking skin at Christmas, you need to learn how to protect it and treat it throughout this damaging season. Because the atmosphere is so dry during winter, your skin can take some severe punishment, especially if you maintain the same habits you used in summer. Below you’ll find the best practices for treating your skin in winter.
Use Lukewarm Water
It can get cold in the winter, and after coming in from it, you might want to take a piping hot shower. Although this might seem appealing, it’s one of the worst things you can do for your skin. A hot shower like that will strip away your skin’s natural moisture barrier and leave it exposed to the cold, dry atmosphere. This is when cracks in your skin start to appear, and conditions such as eczema develop. Instead, treat your skin with lukewarm water and apply a moisturizing product soon afterwards. This will trap the moisture in your skin.
Stay Hydrated
The atmosphere in winter is not only cold, but it’s also dry. This dryness is what causes your skin to crack, resulting in unsightly damage. The way to avoid this is to stay hydrated from the inside and from the outside. Throughout the day, make sure you drink plenty of water and install a humidifier in your home. Drinking water will give your skin that extra bit of moisture in the dry air, and a humidifier will help to reduce the dryness of the atmosphere in your home, at least.
Choose Skin Care Products
Choosing the best skincare products for your skin type and for the season is vital to navigating the winter and keeping your skin healthy successfully. In general, regardless of your skin type, you want to protect the natural moisture barrier your skin produces. You can do this by avoiding hot showers and trapping the moisture with moisturizing products. Cleansers are also OK as long as they contain moisturizing agents.
Protect Your Skin
If you want to avoid cracked, broken skin during the winter, one of the best ways is to protect it against the dry atmosphere. As well as using the best practices above, it’s a good idea to wear a hat, gloves, and a scarf. Suncream is also useful, even in the winter. Just because you can’t see the sun doesn’t mean the UV rays won’t damage your skin and cause breakouts, learn more about how to treat rosacea and other conditions at the link.
Avoid Exfoliating
Exfoliating the skin can be a good idea, especially in the summer if you have oily skin; at other times, however, and with the wrong type of skin, the treatment can cause severe damage and leave your skin exposed to the elements. Although exfoliating can be good at times for removing dead cells and encouraging regeneration, it will remove your skin’s protective barrier in the winter. If you have oily skin, you can exfoliate once a week; otherwise, it’s best to avoid it.
