Skincare routines during winter months

Winter is nearly upon us, and when the cold winter winds whip across your skin, it is not hard to work out why you might be feeling dry and tight. Combined with the effects of indoor heating, wintry conditions can strip the skin of essential moisture, particularly affecting the lips and cheeks. Many people develop eczema or dermatitis during the colder months, due in part to a lack of vitamin D, which is gained through sun exposure. But there are plenty of natural steps to take which can restore your skin to the plump, silky condition that we all crave.

 

Herewith a list of some skincare routines that you can easily undertake during the winter months to keep you skin looking healthy and refreshed.

 

Take a look at your diet

With the colder months, it’s natural for most of us to start comfort eating, but this cause can cause problems when your diet lacks enough foods containing good oils. What you should be doing is eating smaller portions in winter, and you need to eat lots of fish because our skin can be depleted of the good oils. Try to eat plenty of salmon, avocado, other fish and walnuts. During the colder months you can also boost oil levels within the body by taking fish oil capsules that contain vitamin D. All you need is about 1000mg twice a day which will go a long way towards preventing the dryness and dehydration that you could get in the skin.

Many people tend to eat less fruit and vegetables in winter. Dry skin could be a sign of a deficiency in vitamins A, B and E, or silica, selenium and zinc. Vitamin A also plays a major part for good looking skin, so increase your intake of dark green and orange vegies such as pumpkin, carrot, spinach, broccoli and leafy greens. The leafy greens also stimulate the anti-oxidants that help you build collagen in the tissues. Zinc is also important for healthy skin and could be sourced from pumpkin seeds and fish.

But it’s not only the food that we need to take heed of, replenishing our body and hydrating it throughout the day is also essential. In fact drinking the essential eight glasses of water a day — not including that used to make black tea or coffee — would feed the epidermis moisture. If you drink a lot of water it improves your lymphatic system, flushes out your toxins and really brightens your skin tone.

 

Change your skin regime for the winter months

When it comes to winter, less is more when it comes to your winter skin regime. Changes in the weather can play havoc with the skin’s hydration levels, leaving it feeling dry and chafed. Many people also suffer from a slight stinging sensation during these winter months, but it all comes down to changing your skincare regime for these winter months and not sticking to the same routine that you perform during summer.

You don’t need to take drastic action, but it is recommended to wash the face only once a day and not use anything more harsh on your skin than the tips of your fingers. Washing your face in the evenings to remove built up grime is essential, and always ensure you use less soap in the winter months. By constantly washing your face, it will strip the skin completely and you will never feel naturally moisturised. For the body, a couple of drops of neutralised lactic acid is fantastic and incredibly hydrating. Also, you should stay away from essential oils which could lead to dehydration. A good night-time skincare regime include the use of a good-quality anti-oxidant facial cream containing vitamins A and C. Apply this on the face, eyes and neck at night after cleansing.

 

Regular exercise

Regular exercise is also important for skin health as it increases your circulation and provides your body with oxygen and nutrients, as well as ridding you of waste that contributes to skin conditions.

 

Daily body brushing

Daily body brushing is recommended in the winter months as it allows you to keep skin soft and smooth during the colder winter months. Body brushing should be done just before showering to exfoliate the skin and wash away dry skin cells. A good daily body brush will ensure all those dry skin cells are removed before you take your shower. Use a natural-fibre body brush especially designed for this purpose and avoid getting it wet as the brush will become much less effective in exfoliating if the bristles are softened by water.

 

Avoid super hot showers

Obviously when it’s cold outside, a nice hot shower is so tempting, and you just want to jump in and put your whole face under that nice hot shower. Unfortunately, this is not the recommended option for proper face care as the damage the hot water does to your delicate face is extreme, especially in the winter months when your face is already sensitive. Super hot showers can cause a breakdown in your natural protective barrier which will leave your skin dry and can even cause broken capillaries. With your skin’s barrier depleted your skin can become dry, cracked, flakey, feel tight, age faster and lead to sensitivity problems. Instead, opt for a warm shower and avoid putting your face directly under the shower stream.