by Ross Geller. Guest Contributor
The dawn of winter is a moment of joy. The graceful colors that embody the sky and the soft winter breeze is a lovely feeling to live through. While you prepare your wardrobes to beat the chilling season, your skincare regimen should also embrace the change in the weather. Like summer care, winter skincare is also very essential to ensure your skin is well-nourished and glowing throughout the season.
Winter has its list of barriers when it comes to achieving flawless skin. The cold air dries out your skin; common problems like cracked skin, joints, lips, and the dried-out hair all tend to cause your skin to look lifeless. Luckily, a simple set of skincare hacks can get you through the season with effortless glow and beauty. Here are nine skincare hacks to beat the winter with gorgeous skin.
9. Bid adieu to long, warm showers:
Who doesn’t love to soothe the winter cold with a lovely, warm bath. Winter days and warm baths are a bond of a lifetime, that tends to deceive us a little too much sometimes. While it is good to take a bath in lukewarm water when the temperature drops, avoid using steaming hot water. The temperature will damage your skin cells and cause it to lose out more moisture and get dried up. Also, avoid taking long showers during winter. It tends to dry out your skin faster and leave it damaged. Keep your baths short and simple and if possible, include essential oils to restore the moisture of your skin.
8. Don’t give up on exfoliation:
When it is summer, our skincare regimen automatically goes for exfoliation. We tend to keep our exfoliation days on top priority to ensure you remove tan, dirt, and dullness from skin. But the same rule extends to winter. As the temperature lowers, the skin tends to get dry and damaged on the surface. Exfoliation followed by a healthy moisturizing regimen ensures you are on top of your skincare game. Apart from your skin, exfoliation applies to your lips too. It ensures you do not suffer from chapped lips, and keeps it looking pink and supple.
7. Try a skincare sandwich:
Layering several skincare products can be beneficial to combat skin dryness during winter. For your face, start with moisturizing cream and add a layer of skin-plumping serum on top of it. Try to use water-based products, as they nourish and hydrate the skin without causing it to look too oily. Use complementary products that blend to ensure they match well on your skin. This type of layering reduces the chances of moisture escaping from your skin surface.
6. Mask the moisture:
Before you get under your cozy blankets, use an overnight mask for moisturizing your skin. You can use a traditional winter homemade mask recipe such as honey-based masks or go for off the shelf products that are suitable for your skin. On the contrary, a layer of your night cream or balm applied all over your face can also be a good choice to moisturize your skin. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to enhance the effects.
5. Don’t let the winter stop your morning jogs:
If you find your bed too cozy to depart for a morning jog, then achieving beautiful skin could be a better motivation to get you back on track. The cold temperature tends to put your sweat glands to rest, and this causes an imbalance in the natural oil secretion process. Sweating out through workouts and exercises promises to open the skin pores and initiate secretion of natural oils, that will help keep your skin more hydrated. Don’t forget to cover your hands with gloves to ensure you don’t get dry hands.
4. Add some oatmeal to the equation:
Before you walk into your tub to take a relaxing soak, add oatmeal to the water. In a muslin cloth or a piece of old tights, add about 1.2 cups of dried oats and drop this in your bath. Oats contain natural anti-inflammatory properties that help eliminate dry and rough skin from the top and bring out fresh and beautiful skin from inside. You can use this to mildly exfoliate your skin during your bath too.
3. Invest in appropriate products for winter skincare:
Given your skin tends to get dry, try to avoid products that will look patchy and uneven in this type of skin. Start with a good moisturizer as a base for your makeup. Use a setting spray to even out the patches of any products you use. Try using cream or oil-based makeup products as opposed to dry makeup. It will keep your skin healthy and nourished. Also, when it comes to removal, make sure not to use scrubs or heavy facewashes as it will dry out your skin. Instead use micellar water that can gather up dirt, oil, and makeup and clean them all at once. If you wish to use a simple homemade makeup remover, then use coconut oil. Rub it over your skin and wash with a mild face wash before going to bed.
2. Never forget your sunscreen:
Winter is the most critical time to apply sunscreen as sun exposure at that point tends to cause severe damage. Even if your sky looks grey and there is no hope for sunshine, remember the UV radiations still exist around you. Hence never forgo your sunscreen routine simply because it is winter. Try to add essential oils or body oils that are not too sticky to your sunscreen before applying. This can help moisturize and protect your skin from sun damage at the same time.
1. Eat and drink right:
The most important point to keep in mind to flaunt a flawless winter skin is through a healthy diet and hydration. Include foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries, green vegetables with water content in your regular diet to provide nourishment from within. Keep yourself hydrated at regular intervals to maintain healthy and happy skin throughout winter.
These simple winter skincare hacks will benefit your skin and help you flaunt a warm glow throughout the season.
