While winter weather may bring some fun activities, it doesn’t bring fun things for your skin. The low humidity levels outdoors means dryer air while increased heat indoors means less moisture in the air. Colder weather means a harsher environment for your skin, drying it out, and causing a slew of other unfavorable traits such as chapping, redness, itching, and even cracking and bleeding.
If you don’t care for your face and skin this winter, you can find yourself with some undesirable skin. And no one wants that! So we’ve put together a list of tips for how to keep your skin comfortable and healthy.
Use luke-warm water. Too-hot water can dry out the skin while too-cold is just unpleasant. Try to stick with luke-warm water to avoid stripping your skin of its natural oils.
Moisturize after every wash/rinse. Moisturizing immediately following a wash is the best way to get skin moisture right when you need it.
Choose a quality moisturizer. Stay away from petroleum-based and water-based moisturizers during the winter months. Oil-based are more likely to help your skin retain moisture.
Choose a quality cleanser. While cleansers containing glycolic or salicylic acid are effective, they can be overly drying in the winter months. Rotating cleansers with the seasons can save your skin.
Protect it. Protecting your skin with physical barriers such as hats, gloves, and scarves, will keep skin from getting wind-burn during extreme weather. For not-so-extreme weather, don’t forget the sunscreen. Winter rays are just as harmful as summer rays!
Hydrate from the inside out. Drinking water and consuming fruits and veggies with a high water content will help your skin stay moisturized.
Use a deep moisturizer or moisturizing mask overnight. Naturally moisturizing ingredients like honey, avocado, yogurt, and oils will pamper your dry winter skin. Leave it on for 30 mins or sleep in it overnight.
Don’t skip exfoliating. Exfoliating dead skin cells will help prevent build up and clogged pores. During winter when your skin is more likely to be dry and flaky, its especially important to exfoliate and keep skin fresh and clean.
Tag Archives: healthy skin
Turning a sunburn to a tan – folklore or truth?
Is it possible to turn a sunburn into a tan, or is a folklore tale passed down through generations? According to dermatologists – yes, its possible. But, they urge you take every sun precaution possible.
First things first, you should know there’s no safe way to tan. Going out in the sun unprotected is dangerous, and every time you do so you increase your risk of skin cancer and wrinkles.
That being said, humans aren’t perfect and sometimes you end up in the sun without protection. If that happens to you, and you get a sunburn, take these measures to help your burn turn into an even tan.
Hydration
Ever notice your feel fatigued, thirsty, and groggy after a rough sunburn? These are symptoms of dehydration. Sun and heat draw water and salt out of our body which results in dehydration. Rehydrating your body will not only help you feel better on the inside, it will help your sunburn too. Our skin is the biggest organ in our body. Never underestimate the power of hydrating from the inside-out.
Pain relievers
Pain relievers like Ibuprofen (Advil) contain anti-inflammatory properties as well as pain-relieving properties. When skin is sunburned, its often inflamed, angry, and red. Over the counter pain relievers will help manage the pain as well as in the inflammation, allowing you to heal quicker and easier.
Moisturization
Thanks to the sunburn, your skin is dry, depleted, and in major need of moisturizer. A moisturizer with aloe vera (a natural moisturizer, healer, and all-around miracle worker) will be your best bet in repairing your skin and preventing peeling. For added cooling pain-relief, put the moisturizer in the fridge.
Apply vigorously, and don’t skimp on the product. Your skin needs all the moisture it can get.
Skin-care tips for the busy
Everyone wants beautiful, glowing, healthy skin. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to attain.
Luckily, thanks to these tips from top dermatologists, it doesn’t have to be.
Take care of your skin in your free time. It can be hard to find time to devote to your skin. Instead of trying to carve time out of your busy schedule, multitask. Skin-care products like masks and moisturizing hydration serums can be applied while you’re stuck in traffic or working on the computer.
Give yourself a facial massage. Not only are facial massages relaxing, they help fight wrinkles as well. Simply apply pressure to areas you tend to hold tension. These areas are prone to forming wrinkles. Common areas are the forehead, temples, inner eyebrows, and the outside of the nostrils.
Hydrate from the inside and outside. While its true that water will hydrate your skin from the inside out, you also need to moisturize from the outside in. creams, serums, and deep moisturizers will hydrate the superficial layers of the skin.
Shower in luke-warm water. Hot water can be too much for the face. Try luke-warm water instead.
Wear all the sunscreen. Sunscreen not only prevent from sunburns, it protects against sun damage like dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and even wrinkles. Don’t forget to apply to the neck, chest, and hands as well. They’re exposed to the sun just as often as your face.
Use hydrocortisone to counter-act swelling. If you’ve got a big event coming up and are plagued by swelling, you can use hydrocortisone cream to reduce the swelling. Just be sure not to make a habit out of it.
Utilize light acid peels at home. Acid peels are now available as wipes, moisturizers, and lip polishes. They’ll help you freshen up in a pinch.
Never rub your eyes. Treat your eyes with love and care. Be gentle with them!
Use your lips as a moisture guide for your face. If your lips are dry, chances are your face is too. As soon as you feel your lips getting chapped, apply a hydrating cream to your face.
Stock up on the fatty-acids. Starchy carbs like bread and rice can wreak havoc on your skin. Opt instead for foods like avocado and salmon which are rich in omega-3’s and fatty acids.
