The coming winter season means a return to dry, itchy and cracked skin for many people. The temperature changes, the need to turn on the furnace, hot showers and baths, all contribute to the loss of important oils and moisture in the skin. Many just grin and bear it, while others take precaution stepping up their skin care regimen to combat winter damaged skin.
Here are some things that you can do to keep your skin in good shape regardless of the seasonal changes going on around you. Avoid hot baths or hot showers. Hot water breaks down natural body oils and washes them away. Take warm water showers and baths whenever possible. Or, if you're addicted to really hot water baths, then ad oils like almond or sesame or lavender to your water. You can also add milk to your bath to restore the oil to your skin, which leaves it soft and very supple.
Before bathing, clean your skin with a skin specific cleanser and exfoliate. You can use a loofah sponge to accomplish this. Try to avoid strong base and anti bacterial products. Choose gentle, moisturizing and natural products. You've heard it before, but drinking water really is good for your skin. 8-10 glasses of water everyday keeps your skin hydrated, and prevents dryness, itchiness and rashes. Caffeine is not good for your skin, so maybe you will need to cut down on the number of trips per day to your favorite coffee shop.
Experts tell us to moisturize twice a day regardless of the season, in order to keep the skin soft, supple and young looking. Use a moisturizer that contains the necessary vitamins and minerals for keeping your skin healthy. Always moisturize after cleaning and while your skin is damp. Damp skin traps the water if the upper dermal layers and doesn't allow the water to go deep where dryness and itching originate.
Take multivitamins containing B, C and E. If you already take them, good, don't increase the dose, just maintain your dose. In addition to helping your skin the vitamins will help you ward of flu bugs, cold bugs and other wintertime illnesses.
Don't forget your sunscreen. Use a skin cream high in anti-oxidants that also has sunscreens for both UVA and UVB rays. Keeping with all natural products is always the best solution. Almost and chemical product you use on your skin will have ramifications.
