13 ESSENTIAL WINTER SKINCARE TIPS THAT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW

Winter season is much awaited for all good reasons. With holiday vibes, festive days, adorable sweaters, cosy socks and hot chocolates, everybody loves the season. But thinking about how the temperature affects our skin and taking care of the skin is also important. We apply moisturisers regularly to stop the skin from getting dry and to keep it nourished. Some of us may also take a step ahead and follow a few other winter skincare tips, like staying hydrated and applying foot and hand creams. However, are these really enough?

What are some common winter-season skin problems?

As the winter season approaches, we can immediately start experiencing changes in our skin. When this happens, they are not to be avoided. Instead, we should start taking necessary steps such as hydrating, moisturising, and nourishing by various means. Some common winter-season skin problems that we may experience are:

Rashes:

Anyone with sensitive skin can experience skin rashes in winter. Winter skin rashes are common around the cheeks, further causing redness and irritation.

Acne:

The cold and dry air cause acne as they strip off the natural oils that act as barriers, retaining skin moisture. This makes the acne-causing bacteria conveniently attack the skin.

Eczema:

It is also known as dermatitis. The skin cannot remain moisturised on its own. This can happen due to the chilled air, wearing several layers of clothes and excessive hot baths.

Rosacea:

Redness, rashes and red bumps with pus contribute to rosacea, a bacterial skin infection, which occurs when there is a sudden temperature change. Severe rosacea cases should be treated by dermatologists.

Bumpy skin:

This occurs when woollen materials come in direct contact with the skin. Skin bumps are common in winter because we wear woollen clothes to protect ourselves from the cold weather.

Essential winter skincare tips you should follow

Now that we have learned the common skin issues that occur during winter, let us quickly learn 13 essential winter skincare tips that we should follow. These tips are simple but should be followed regularly and with utmost attention to gain quick and effective results.

1. Do not wear direct woollen:

This is a common mistake that we all tend to make. We pull out our cosy sweaters and woollens from the cupboard, give them a little sunbath maybe, and then immediately wear them on. But avoid doing it. Always wear a cotton t-shirt or innerwear inside woollens to avoid direct contact with the skin and to avoid rashes, bumpy skin and itchiness.

2. Avoid long hot showers:

Isn’t it tempting to take a long, hot shower or a dip in the bathtub with fragrant body showers after a long day during winter? Well, avoid doing that right away! Long hot baths only strip off our skin moisture, leading to dry and itchy skin.

3. Do not ditch the SPF:

Applying sunscreen is one of the most important winter skincare tips to follow during winter. Although UV rays are lesser this season, UV-ageing levels are still high, causing skin damage, including premature ageing and pigmentation.

4. Befriend CTM:

Cleanse, tone and moisturise equally well during winter to remove dirt, hydrate the skin and moisturise to soften the skin. Pollution remains year-round; hence, our skin demands cleaning, toning and moisturising all year round.

5. Reduce scrubbing:

Another winter care tip is not to scrub the skin. Scrubbing the skin often during the cold season can only harm the skin and increase the chances of getting acne, rashes and even eczema. Scrub the skin only once a week and not more.

6. Use lukewarm water:

While hot water can harm the skin on many levels, lukewarm water, on the other hand, does just the opposite. Use lukewarm water to wash hands and face, so the skin remains supple and doesn’t get dry.

7. Use a humidifier:

Using a humidifier helps protect our skin. While heaters and cold air can remove all moisture, causing parched skin and dryness, a humidifier ensures maintaining temperature by retaining the lost moisture from our skin.

8. Check the lips:

We should never avoid the health of our lips. If there is a little bit of dryness, apply a lip balm rich in natural ingredients immediately. Avoiding the condition of chapped lips will only lead to unnecessary itchiness, stinging, pain and even bleeding.

9. Avoid makeup:

While our skin already remains low in moisturisation due to the dry and cold season, another winter care tip is not to apply makeup, as that worsens the condition. The use of chemicals in many makeup products dries the skin and causes rashes.

10. Use gloves:

While washing clothes, dishes or even moping the floor, ensure using gloves. This protects the hands from getting dry, sore and blisters.

11. Use home remedies:

There’s no question about the benefits of home remedies, right? Using common ingredients like sugar and lemon for scrubbing, coconut oil for moisturising the skin, and turmeric for skin glow will help maintain healthy skin during winter.

12. Eat fruits and veggies:

All-time winter care, even every season-care, tip is to indulge in seasonal fruits and vegetables to experience glowing and healthy skin. Choose organic options and eat a mix of at least five veggies or fruits every day.

13. Stay hydrated:

Drinking lukewarm water, if not normal-temperature water, during the cold season will keep us hydrated. Try to drink at least 2.5-3 liter's a day.

Conclusion

These essential winter skincare tips will help us during the cosy winter season and in the long run. Following these good habits gradually will help us to be used to them by the peak of winter.