Winter Skin Care Secrets Revealed

Trendy accessories and gorgeous cashmere sweaters will hardly make a difference to your appearance if you skin looks tired, dull and dry this winter. While winter can bring that rosy glow to your cheeks, it also can make your skin uncomfortably dry on the face, hands and feet.  For some people, winters can be extremely problematic, as the dry cold can cause flaking and cracking of skin. Regardless of which category you fall in, you can now keep your skin healthy and moist with these skin care tips.

Get Hold of a Specialist

If you are the type of person who picks up her moisture from a drugstore, do not expect to find a salesperson to dole out expert advice. You need to invest your money and time in seeking out a qualified esthetician, who can analyze your skin and recommend the best winter skin care possible. The esthetician also will recommend the products you should be using on your skin. Remember, it is not always necessary to buy expensive products, as inexpensive products can work just as well on your skin. It is important that your skin feel soft, supple and moist when you use a product. So stop worrying about the cost.

Moisturize More Often

Just because a moisturizer managed to keep your skin soft and supple during spring and summer, it does not mean it is ideal for winter. Your skin care regimen should change in winter. These are the things you should be looking for:

• Invest in an oil-based moisturizer. Such a moisturizer will form a protective layer on your keep and help to keep the moisture in.
• Make sure the moisturizer contains oils that do not clog your pores. The oils that do not plug your pores include primrose oil, almond oil, avocado oil and mineral oil.
• Buy a lotion that contains humectants, such it will help to attract moisture to your skin. You should look for lotions containing alpha-hydroxy acids, sorbitol or glycerine.

Once you have the lotion and moisturizer, moisturize your skin twice a day – once in the morning and once again at night. Try to slather moisturizer on damp skin (after a bath) to seal in the moisture and keep your skin soft and supple.

Do Not Forget Your Sunscreen

Just because the day is dark, dull and gloomy it does not mean you should forgo your sunscreen before venturing outdoors into the cold. On the contrary, winter sun and the glare from the snow can wreak havoc with your skin. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen and apply 30 minutes before venturing outdoors. If you intend spending a long time outside, carry along your sunscreen to reapply.

TLC for Your Hands

Most people are always worried about their face in winter and tend to forget that hands also need some tender love and care. This is especially true in winter, as the skin on the hands is thinner than other parts of the body and it also does not have too many sebaceous glands. As a result, hands tend to get dry very quickly in cold season which can lead to skin irritation and itchiness. Use a moisturizer especially formulated for hands to keep the skin supple and moist. In addition, when venturing out, don a pair of gloves to protect your hands from the cold as well as the dry air.

Get that Humidifier Going

Heating is a welcome respite from the chills of winter. However, most heating systems emit hot, dry air and this can leach the moisture from your skin. To prevent your skin from drying out indoors, install humidifiers throughout the house. This will ensure the air inside your home is humid and this will your skin from drying out.

Hydrate Your Body

If you check out skin care tips, most will advise you to drink a minimum of 8 glasses every day to keep your skin young-looking and hydrated. However, this is a misconception. The amount of water you drink does not show on your skin. By drinking plenty of water daily, you will flush out the toxins and other waste materials from your body, some of which may adversely affect the wellbeing of your skin. So drink water for overall health, which includes healthy skin.

Greasy Feet is a Must

While those sweet-smelling foot lotions are great for summer, your feet need something stronger in winter. Opt for foot lotions containing glycerine or petroleum jelly. Once a week exfoliate your feet to get rid of dead skin cells. This will allow the foot lotion to penetrate deep into your skin and help moisturize your feet and keep them soft and beautiful.

Forget Peels and Astringents

If after all the moisturizing you still feel your face is dry and the skin feels stretched, it is time to put away those face masks, peels and astringents. These will strip the natural oil from your skin cause it to get drier. Instead clean your face with cleansing milk and tone it with an alcohol-free toner. If you want to continue using a mask as a part of your skin care routine, buy deep hydrating masks instead of clay-based masks. However, do not use masks very often, as they can dry up the skin.

Kiss Hot Baths and Showers Goodbye

Yes, it is cold and yes a hot bath or shower will warm you up, but it will also breakdown the lipid barrier on your skin and strip away the natural oil and moisture. Do not give in to the temptation. Instead stick to a warm water bath or shower. If your skin is terribly dry and itchy, run a lukewarm bath and pour in some baking soda to alleviate the itching. Right after the bath, apply moisturizer liberally to combat dry skin.

Your winter skin care regimen should begin the moment you decide to turn the heating on in your home. This way, you will never be plagued by dull, dry and itchy skin in winter. Instead, you will be complemented on your glowing, soft skin.