Skin Care Routine To Follow In Winters

Your skin needs special care in winters. The cold air that hits your skin can dry it out and leave it feeling rough. This increases your skin vulnerability to fine lines, dullness, itchiness and redness. However, following a simple winter care routine can keep your skin moisturised and fresh:

1. Switch Your Cleanser: Ensure that what you use to wash your face isn’t ridding your skin of natural oils in the winters. While foaming cleansers are great for the summers and help deal with sweat, in winters they can dry out your skin. Instead, switch to a cream based face wash that moisturises the skin while cleaning it. Unlike summers where you can wash your face as many times as you’d like, try limiting the number of times you wash your face to 2 or 3.

2. Moisturize: The first step to choosing a moisturiser is identifying your skin type. Oily skin usually needs not much more than a little moisturising gel but for dry and normal skin, a deep moisturising cream is a must for the winter. You could also look for creams or lotions that have fatty acids and repairing ceramides to prevent water loss. Hydrating your skin is also a must so consider using a quenching serum on your skin before applying the cream. You could also mix a little olive oil with your regular cream to benefit from its natural moisturising properties.

3. Exfoliate: In winter, your skin doesn’t shed dead cells as easily as it does in the summer. This leaves your skin looking dry and lifeless. Hence, it is a good idea to exfoliate your skin on a regular basis. Ideally, exfoliate your skin at night and do not exfoliate more than once a week. Do not be overzealous in scrubbing your skin or you could peel off the skin and leave it feeling drier than before. If you want a natural exfoliator, add 2 tablespoons each of mashed bananas and apples and 1 tablespoon of honey to 2 spoons of a mild scrub.

4. Tone: Toning is essential in winters especially for those with sagging skin and ageing skin. This helps balance the natural pH levels of the skin.

5. Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure: You may love the feeling of warm sunshine on your skin but your skin may not feel the same way. Winter sun is as harmful as summer sun when it comes to UVA and UVB rays. Hence, always use a sunscreen when you step out for the day. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.