In the winter months your skin may experience dryness, due to the use of heaters indoors. This dryness can cause skin to become so dry, it can begin flaking and cracking. Avoid this with these tips:
Avoid super hot showers and baths. The heat in the water does nothing to keep your skin moisturized. Use lukewarm water and don’t stay in for too long. If you have dry, itchy skin try a bath with oatmeal or baking soda; this too may help relieve your skin. Don’t forget to moisturize your legs after you shave. I actually moisturize about 20 minutes BEFORE I jump into the shower and shave and then again afterwards. I find that this gives me a nice smooth feel afterwards.
Moisturize: Your winter skin care products should be different from your spring and summer products. Find a moisturizer that’s oil-based, like Eucerin®. This will create a protective layer on the skin that helps keep moisture in. Many lotions labeled as night cream are oil based. Not all oils are appropriate for your face so choose with care in your choice and look for non-clogging oils.
Your Hands: These are a bit harder to keep moisturized due to the skin being thinner here than on other parts of the body. Your hands also have fewer oil glands, and this makes it harder to keep them moisturized. This dryness can cause itchiness and cracking. When you go outside this winter, wear some gloves to protect your hands. Avoid wet gloves, they can cause damage to the skin as well.
It is important to keep your hands and cuticles well moisturized for healthy nails, too. To avoid brittle nails that chip and crack I use Sally Hansen’s Radiant Hands, Nails & Cuticles Crème®. I also use Olive Oil for my cuticles and nails sometimes, It’s always around the house and its cheap and easy to find. To use it: rub it in and then rinse hands and pat them dry.
Your Feet: Exfoliate to get the dead skin off your feet, then “grease ‘em”. Use something with petroleum jelly or glycerine in it. I personally like Bag Balm® and Udder Butter®, both are great for chapped skin and can often be found in your local drug-store for fairly cheap. I prefer to do this after showering and exfoliating, right before bed. After applying this, I put on a pair of thick socks to keep the moisture in and keep my tootsies warm overnight.
Your Lips: I know I am not the only one who’s lips get chapped from the dry cold air. You should keep your chap-stick handy and use it liberally and often. I really like softlips® lip conditioning balm or Bert’s Bees®.
