6 Ways to Keep Skin Soft and Glowing this Winter

It can be a challenge to take proper care of your skin at the best of times, but in the winter months when the weather turns cold and the humidity levels drop, keeping your skin hydrated becomes even more difficult. For most of us, the cold days of winter brings more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. It can bring painful dryness to the face, hands, and feet. The type of dryness that results in flaking, cracking, and even eczema.         

To reduce the effects of the winter weather that is almost upon us, try these tips;

1. Use Less Hot Water – Wash in Lukewarm water – Excessively hot water will strip healthy natural oils from your skin too quickly and can leave your skin feeling even dryer – especially when the winter air is already dry.
2. Moisturize – Make sure to replenish your skin’s hydration with a moisturizer morning and night. A good practice is to moisturize immediately after you shower or cleanse your face. Applying moisturizer to damp skin locks in that moisture, keeping it hydrated for longer.
3. Choose your Cleanser Carefully – Avoid cleansers that strip skin of its natural oils and opt for a gentle, moisturizing cleanser. It is extremely important to remove makeup, dirt, and pollutants that have accumulated on your skin during the day, before heading to bed! Sleep is that time when the skin begins its natural self-healing and repairing processes. Cleansing and applying the right products before you go to sleep is the key to looking much younger and healthier longer.
4. Protect – Wear gloves and scarves to protect skin from the cold air, and don’t forget the sunscreen. Winter sun is just as damaging as the summer sun, so it is very important to protect your skin from those harmful UV rays.
5. Overnight Moisture – Areas like hands, feet, elbows, and knees have thin skin and lose moisture faster than other areas on the body. Try applying a natural deep moisturizer at night and wear cotton gloves and socks to seal in the moisture and allow it to penetrate completely till morning.
6. Gently Exfoliate – Use a gentle exfoliating mask and use it on your face as well as your hands and lips, then follow immediately with a moisturizer. This will help the skin slough off dead cells in the winter, particularly on the hands, to reveal the smoother, radiant skin beneath, and to allow new cell growth without obstruction.

During the winter, the oil and sweat glands, and blood vessels in your body constrict a bit, making it harder for your skin to maintain its healthy glow on its own, and that’s why it needs your help.