Essential winter skin care tips that you should follow

Shahnaz Husain *

Winter is coming and so is the time of dull, dry and pale skin. Cold air, dry indoor heat, low humidity levels, and harsh winter wind can cause severe dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis. That’s why you need to take care of not only your face, but also your hands, feet, and other areas exposed to the elements.

When cold weather arrives, humidity levels drop drastically. This, combined with winter 'comforts' like heaters and blowers, being out in the sun and bathing with hot water can leave normally healthy skin feeling dehydrated. It often becomes sensitive, and that can lead to more serious skin conditions.

Caring for skin during winter takes just a little extra time and effort because the conditions are rather extreme for our tender protective barrier. Water makes for the most important part of the body. Increasing your water intake will help hydrate your skin.

Your body loses moisture all day, every day, through respiration, perspiration, urination, and bodily function during winter months. Eat your fruits and vegetables ! You can get hydrated from juices, foods, and water. You can drink a bowlful of hot soup. Soup contains a lot of water and so it can help you stay hydrated.

Add seasonal veggies like spinach, carrots and beans to the mix for a healthy dose of nutrients. Green vegetables like spinach are rich in water content. Hence, eating more green veggies can help you stay hydrated as well.

The lack of water can dry out the mucous membranes in our lungs and sinus passages which can reduce their resistance to infections. Keep lukewarm water handy in a thermos. This way, you can keep sipping on it without the teeth-chattering side effects. But make sure that the water is not piping hot as it can dehydrate you even more.

Switch to an oil-based moisturizer in the winter. Natural oils like almond oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are the best way to moisturise your skin. Oil, by itself, does not moisturise the skin, but it helps the skin to hold moisture better. Oil contributes to clogged pores and the shiny spot on your T-zone.

Face oils help people with dry skin, by softening it and preventing loss of moisture so it leaves a nice sheen on skin. The skin feels and looks soft and smooth after the application of oil. Olive oil and Coconut oil, for instance, help the skin to retain moisture and thus prevent moisture loss.

Argan oil and Jojoba oil are ideal as face oils. Argan oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and Vitamin E. The oil is simply extracted from the kernels of fruit grown in Moroccan argan trees.

Therefore, it helps to delay the visible signs of ageing and even rejuvenates the skin. It is easily absorbed by the skin and helps to nourish and moisturise it. A few drops of Argan oil can be applied directly and massaged on the face after cleansing. Argan oil applied over your scalp will make you feel better. Even your skin will be effectively glowing and healthy with the application of Argan oil.

It can also be used as a serum, applying only a few drops. Or, add a few drops of the oil to 100 ml rose water to make a skin tonic. Jojoba oil contains minerals like copper and zinc which is quite similar to that of skin’s natural oil.

Jojoba oil and Argan oil are getting more importance as face oils, but that does not mean that oils like sesame seed (til) oil or olive oil are less effective. Sometimes, a combination of oils may be more effective.

Face oil can be a combination of pressed and essential oils, or it may be a single pressed oil, like sweet almond oil, olive oil, or an unscented oil for sensitive skin. Bio-organic face oils may contain Vitamin E oil, sunflower or soya oils.

Some people suffer from problems like fine lines, scars, acne as well as uneven skin during winters. Rosehip seed oil works really well in treating such skin conditions. The oil helps in increasing the cell turnover and removes skin discoloration, scars as well as dark spots.

Winter skin is more fragile so if you have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis be sure to avoid any irritants or allergens that you know flare your condition.