There is nothing worse than the feeling of dry, chafed skin at any time of year but somehow it is always much more painful in those cold winter months.
If you are tired of going through yet another winter feeling like your skin has been rubbed sore with sandpaper, it’s time to do something about that. Here are five skincare tips that will finally help you through a winter without that deep level of discomfort.
1. Use Mild Soap and Warm Water
One of the things we are tempted to do is use exfoliants when our skin starts itching and burning. We simply want to get those dry scales off, so we resort to scrubbing with hot water. Those are two of the biggest mistakes you can make. Use a gentle soap, preferably something like oatmeal soap, and warm (not hot) water. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
2. Use a Good Daily Moisturiser
When it comes to moisturisers, nothing is better than Organic Rosehip Oil. Not to be confused with rose oil which is made from fragrant petals, rosehip oil is made from the crushed seeds of a plant native to Chile, the rosa canina. Rosehip oil may be very mildly exfoliating, but not harsh enough to scour the skin. Only the very top layer of the epidermis will be affected. Even so, it is moisturising enough that you should suffer no abrasions.
3. Protect Your Face Outdoors
You would be surprised how quickly your face can suffer frost burn freezing temperatures, especially if there is any amount of wind. Use a soft, warm scarf to wrap around your neck and face when exposed to icy weather. Cashmere may be a bit costly, but it’s well worth the money. There is nothing softer and more protective than a lovely cashmere scarf.
4. Keep Rooms Humidified
You might also want to invest in a good quality humidifier for your home. Place it in the room you spend the most time in so that your skin can soak in that lovely moisture. There are two schools of thought on this. Some people prefer steam humidifiers and others prefer cool humidifiers but the one thing most agree on is to avoid using certain essential oils if you have pets. Many dogs love the smell of eucalyptus and will ingest it. Eucalyptus poisoning is a real danger for our fur babies, so be on your guard if you do use a drop or two when trying to treat a winter cold at the same time.
5. Avoid Extended Time in Bright Sunlight or Tanning Beds
Just as those ultraviolet rays bounce off snow to the point where you need to protect your delicate eyes with sunglasses, your skin needs to be protected as well. You will obviously have most of your body covered but a bit of sunscreen on your face before going out on bright sunny days wouldn’t hurt a bit. Also, do avoid tanning beds in the winter as well. Your skin is already being dried out enough, and you don’t want to walk around like a sheet of parchment paper!
With just these five tips you should finally be able to make it through the winter with soft, subtle skin that doesn’t ache for once. Won’t that be lovely?
Image via Unsplash