Keeping All Your Skin Beautiful And Hydrated In Winter

 It is winter time when the cold and wind does a job on our hair, face, and overall skin. I often forget about my skin until I discover it is flakey and dry.  I sometimes get so busy, I just shower, take care of the face but don't bother with my skin.  Even if your skin does not get to the rough, flakey stage, it can become dull due to the temperatures, indoor heat, wind, and low humidity levels.  

Not all signs of dry skin are obvious.  In addition to dry flakey skin, your skin might turn red, become rough, itch like crazy, become raw and irritated, have cracks, or you might experience a stinging or burning.  These symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the person.  Dry skin is referred to as Xerosis in the medical community.   I also realize that most of the suggestions are similar to those recommended for your face but we still need to be reminded to take care of the rest of the skin properly.

Although it seems as if dry skin is always around in winter, there are steps you can take to make it easier to have beautifully hydrated skin throughout the season.  As soon as you are done with your shower, slather a moisturizing lotion or cream all over your body because when you shower, you wash away your natural oils and they need to be replaced.  

We've talked about protecting your face with sunscreen throughout the winter but you also need to apply it all over the exposed areas of the skin even if you wear a coat or sweater.  The sleeves can ride up, exposing your skin to the sun and cold.  Any time UV rays hit your skin, the barrier helping to keep your skin hydrated can be disrupted and this can lead to dry skin. Always apply the sunscreen on top of the moisturized skin and use one rated at least 30 SPF.

Use the thicker emollients at night because they take so much longer to be absorbed.  This gives your skin a chance to absorb all the oils and nutrients it needs.  If you use oils or emollients on your hands or feet, think about wrapping them in plastic or gloves to help protect the bedding while helping the absorption rate increase.  Think about using products that have shea butter, cocoa butter, reship or jojoba oil because these ingredients help provide a protective barrier to lock in the moisture and oils.

If you notice your skin is more sensitive or irritated in the winter, you might want to simplify your routine with just a moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning, perhaps a gentle cleaner for the body instead of the usual body wash.  In addition, the irritation could be due to the fragrance in your body wash.  Pull out the humidifier to use all winter long.  Too often the air inside the house loses moisture and that in turn can make your skin drier.  When you run a humidifier all winter long, it keeps the moisture in the air, which helps keep your skin in better shape. 

Instead of taking a hot, hot, shower, switch to a lukewarm temperature because the hot water strips away your natural oils, leaving your skin drier.  When you are done with the shower, don't forget to pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it dry because that helps the skin stay hydrated.  Furthermore, watch the amount of exfoliation you use.  If your skin is drier, you might want to switch to a chemical exfoliant as they are more gentle to the skin than using a physical one.

As stated before, many of these steps are the same you'd do for your face but you have to remember to take care of your whole body.  Purchase a few small tubes of a good creme to carry with you at all times so you can take care of any issues while you are on your way.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.